Aug. 30 - Sep. 8 2020 CO Archery Elk GMU 31 / 21 / 22, 62 / 65, or 81 / 80

[sndmn11]

In the interest of not blowing up someones favorite spot, please PM me if you have any direct information about OTC archery in SW Colorado.

I have received some great information thus far. I cannot thank you guys enough for the help and encouragement. Thank you guys!

It isn't a secret what the OTC units are.

 

[hikeswithbow]

Not the dates I'd consider! I'd choose Sept 15 to the end!

ElkNut

We have considered that, but one of our rank has a conflict, I have limited vacation and need to use Labor Day as a freebie day off, etc.

 

[camelcluch]

The title says Aug 30. That’s a travel date right?

 

[hikeswithbow]

The title says Aug 30. That’s a travel date right?

We plan to get in three days of scouting before season opens to hopefully prove or disprove our e scouting was good.

 

[camelcluch]

Gotcha

 

[brownie9582]

I would suggest you show up when it is time to hunt, don't take any days off work so you can be standing ther looking at a Bull without a bow in your hand! You can scout while you hunt and your odds of connecting increase with each additional day you spend hunting!

 

[raptor16]

I would suggest you show up when it is time to hunt, don't take any days off work so you can be standing ther looking at a Bull without a bow in your hand! You can scout while you hunt and your odds of connecting increase with each additional day you spend hunting!

That's a very logical thought to me right there. Why take time off from work just to scout for a couple of days when you could be scouting/hunting at the same time and spend more days actually hunting.

 

[hikeswithbow]

That's a very logical thought to me right there. Why take time off from work just to scout for a couple of days when you could be scouting/hunting at the same time and spend more days actually hunting.

The weekend of the 12th is out for us, so its either:

Aug 30th - Sep. 7th (3 days scouting, 6 days hunting)
or
Sep. 20th - 27th (8 days hunting)

Would you trade two days hunting in an area for three days scouting somewhere you have never been? I might.

Also, I do not like that by the 20th the elk will have been hunted for 2+ weeks, with half of that time also including muzzle loader season.

 

[raptor16]

The weekend of the 12th is out for us, so its either:

Aug 30th - Sep. 7th (3 days scouting, 6 days hunting)
or
Sep. 20th - 27th (8 days hunting)

Would you trade two days hunting in an area for three days scouting somewhere you have never been? I might.

Also, I do not like that by the 20th the elk will have been hunted for 2+ weeks, with half of that time also including muzzle loader season.

Ahh, gotcha. I’m driving out the 5th and hunting through the 15th most likely. Same thought for me. Don’t want to be out there after they’ve been hunted for 2 weeks plus muzzleloaders.

 

[Ry_Harr_81]

The weekend of the 12th is out for us, so its either:

Aug 30th - Sep. 7th (3 days scouting, 6 days hunting)
or
Sep. 20th - 27th (8 days hunting)

Would you trade two days hunting in an area for three days scouting somewhere you have never been? I might.

Also, I do not like that by the 20th the elk will have been hunted for 2+ weeks, with half of that time also including muzzle loader season.

Recap of which unit you went with and what you learned?

 

[Ry_Harr_81]

Also narrowing my picks of GMUs down. Anyone with a solid knowledge of, and willing to pm about specific areas of 81, I'd appreciate it. Specifically the western portion of 81. Thanks.

 

[fmarrs3]

That's a very logical thought to me right there. Why take time off from work just to scout for a couple of days when you could be scouting/hunting at the same time and spend more days actually hunting.

Yeah, pre-scouting makes sense for non-OTC units. Everything is different in OTC archery units in CO after opening day.

 

[fmarrs3]

Also narrowing my picks of GMUs down. Anyone with a solid knowledge of, and willing to pm about specific areas of 81, I'd appreciate it. Specifically the western portion of 81. Thanks.

How did your hunt go? Wiling to PM and talk OTC archery elk experiences?

 

[11boo]

Every one of those units will be hit hard again this year. There is no magical OTC hunt anymore, we just go and have fun. I have hunted half of those units, including 22.
They all held a decent amount of animals.

 

[spike camp]

Handouts looking for handouts, from handouts asking for handouts.

 

[Gerbdog]

You might get someone to bite and tell you where to go find elk but... and especially in these OTC units.... those areas are hard earned and often kept close to the ones who find them. There are elk in those units, they're getting away from all the hunting pressure, if you work at it and keep in mind theyre trying to escape hunters you can find them. Last bit of advice i would give is.... dont go hike back to "blue lake A, B, or C" and then hunt that bench right above the lake with all the aspen .... unless your just looking to hang out with like minded hunters from every other corner of the country. If it looks that dang good on the google earth, it looks that dang good on google earth to everyone else.

 

[hikeswithbow]

Handouts looking for handouts, from handouts asking for handouts.

Very informative, thank you sir.

 

[hikeswithbow]

You might get someone to bite and tell you where to go find elk but... and especially in these OTC units.... those areas are hard earned and often kept close to the ones who find them. There are elk in those units, they're getting away from all the hunting pressure, if you work at it and keep in mind theyre trying to escape hunters you can find them. Last bit of advice i would give is.... dont go hike back to "blue lake A, B, or C" and then hunt that bench right above the lake with all the aspen .... unless your just looking to hang out with like minded hunters from every other corner of the country. If it looks that dang good on the google earth, it looks that dang good on google earth to everyone else.

Yeah, for now my plan is to come up with a lot of places to try, and just move on if we do not have luck instead of wasting our time in one area like has happened in the past.
I have also been e-scouting steep places that are not necessarily far from trails in hopes of finding an overlooked area that could hold pressured elk.
Last time we went to Idaho and for sure every green meadow visible from Google Earth was full of like-minded hunters.

 

[spike camp]

Very informative, thank you sir.

100% accurate, and you’re welcome.

Rokslide used to be a place for dedicated DIY hunters.
Incase you are unfamiliar, DIY stands for DO IT YOURSELF

Not ask for handouts, from clowns asking for handouts.

Rokslide used to be a site for dedicated DIY hunters.
Now, it’s full of people asking for handouts and nauseating political bullshit.

Good luck on your quest...shoot straight.

 

[hikeswithbow]

100% accurate, and you’re welcome.

Rokslide used to be a place for dedicated DIY hunters.
Incase you are unfamiliar, DIY stands for DO IT YOURSELF

Not ask for handouts, from clowns asking for handouts.

Rokslide used to be a site for dedicated DIY hunters.
Now, it’s full of people asking for handouts and nauseating political bullshit.

Good luck on your quest...shoot straight.

You’ll see from my OP that I am just asking for general opinions on various GMUs in CO since I have never hunted in CO.

I am not asking for someone to tell me what tree to look behind to find a big 6x6.

But if someone was to say “Oh, don’t got to 81, the local guide service has so many wall tents set up it looks like an army encampment” that would be helpful.