CO GMU 65 1st rifle input

[Viking3520]

Hello everyone,

First post here but been reading the forum for awhile and working up to getting my first ELK tag. I drew my first ever tag this year! Biggest part of the planning process for me was lining up the right "reliable" hunting buddy for an Elk trip. I hunted 3 years with a guy in the mountains on the east coast chasing dear (with success) with this guy till we were able to pull it all togther and get tags. We pulled first rifle GMU 65/64 and are planning on hunting the wilderness there "UNCOMPAHGRE". Not a fan of road hunters, ATVs and people shooting through the woods out of truck windows. We are planning to backpack in, try and keep our camp mobile, and get up in the wilderness as much as needed. We are E-scouting right now (google earth, OnX maps etc) but cant actually put boots on the ground till season. We will be able to get there about 2 days before season starts to hike in and setup camp based up our best guesses at locations. I have read post on here that says this is scary steep terrain and that I should bring my 3rd lung,..sounds like a good challenge. We are both in shape and continue to walk and run with weighted packs etc.

What I am asking for is any input or advice on this area we might want to consider. I have hunted, ND, SD, TN, GA, FL, KY, MO, MT and now looking forward to Colorado. Its not the kill but the experience we are after, being in the wild and seeing an Elk will be success enough for me. If we are able to bring some meat home, I will call that a bonus on the trip! Up to this point I have only imagined what it must be like. Thank you for reading and any input you can offer.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Welcome to the forum. I personally can't offer any help with GMU 65- Just wanted to say Hi and Welcome !!

 

[Maverick940]

That's Ouray country. The Uncompahgre Plateau is way west of there. But anyway, I was in GMU 65 in 2013 and 2014. Jillions of elk. Didn't see anything huge, but lots and lots of elk.

 

[chasewild]

Aside from the "jillions of elk" comment, I can offer you this: adjust your expectations to come out and have a great time. Get some boots on the ground and enjoy the country with a bud. Spend some time on the internet checking gains and losses, trails, and routes. Then, after that, read this:

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/elk/97447-comes.html

Good luck.

 

[ckleeves]

The Uncompahgre wilderness is in 65 and 66. Completely different then the Uncompahgre plateau.

Remember, everything that gets posted ends up on a google search for unit numbers so be careful what you wish for. You may end up with more company then you wanted.

 

[Maverick940]

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/elk/97447-comes.html

I was out guiding brown bear hunters and grizzly bear hunters during April, May and June, and consequently, I missed that thread (lol).

 

[CAhunter]

We hunted 1st rifle season last year in an nearby unit. Plan on the elk still being high (10,000+ ft) and be in position to glass the open, south facing aspects at first light. Get there a few days early to acclimate and get an idea of the lay of the land. If your not seeing elk or recent elk sign try a different drainage the next day. Good luck, go prepared and you’ll have a great time.

 

[Viking3520]

Aside from the "jillions of elk" comment, I can offer you this: adjust your expectations to come out and have a great time. Get some boots on the ground and enjoy the country with a bud. Spend some time on the internet checking gains and losses, trails, and routes. Then, after that, read this:

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/elk/97447-comes.html

Good luck.

Thank you for cutting to the heart of the converstation. Thats what I am looking for,..just an enjoyable time, a few laughs, open country, and no cell phones for miles. If i see something will just be icing on the cake. Looking forward to the hike in, backpacking and being in the wild. Thank you for all your input.

 

[Viking3520]

Thank you for the input. We are planning to get there a couple days just for that reason,..take it slow and acclimate to the altitude. Thought about pack a small fishing pole as well,..never know when you will walk across a good spot to make a few cast. Call it taking advantage of an oppurtunity when presented.

South facing,..interesting.Was already looking at that altitude and higher. Thank you for your advice.

 

[CX5Ranch]

The only real variable you can control at this time is getting in shape. Don't overlook this. Very important.

Everything else will fall in place when you get there. You have to be able to get to them in order to kill them. And that doesn't always mean altitude. What I mean is if you see elk in hell's holler you gotta go. Your conditioning limits the "want to" at that point.

Have fun

 

[BoltActionBrotherhood]

How did the hunt go? Did you find the bulls were solo or still rutting a bit?

 

[11boo]

That guy only made this one post and has not been seen since 2018. Lots of that going on here.

 

[Kirby]

Shame

 

[Viking3520]

That guy only made this one post and has not been seen since 2018. Lots of that going on here.

Got busy hunting learned a lot. Saw a lot. Been filling tags. Never been much for social media or talking about it rather go do it. Since that first post been all over the place. Well beyond just Colorado, if the state has elk then been chasing. Horns are ok, see plenty of bulls, but prefer to hunt elk every year and eat it, so a cow tag is fine with me.