Colorado 2nd Rifle Unit 25

[md126]

I don’t remember off the top of my head but i have it written down. I’ll go back through my info/log books and find it for you as well as any other potential packer info I came across

 

[John87]

Willing and able are two distinctly different things. All of us are willing. Some of us are able.

10-11K in mid-late October in that area can mean a lot of snow.

IMO 5-7 miles is the perfect outfitter camp zone. So don't be surprised if you get in that far and run straight into hunters and wall tents. Your approach is sound - it's what I've been doing the past several years... base camp and the ability to spike camp a few miles in if the situation called for it.

It will all depend on how dry things are, how much snow, etc. as to where you hunt. There are a lot of elk in that area, and I've seen small herds passing between RV's in the middle of the day on main roads before. They are where you find them. Don't be too good to hunt within a mile of a road if that's where the elk are.

If you're aren't doing bleachers with a weighted pack, make plans to start soon.

Good luck.

Thanks, I plan on it!

 

[John87]

I don’t remember off the top of my head but i have it written down. I’ll go back through my info/log books and find it for you as well as any other potential packer info I came across

Thanks, I appreciate it. I know it’s a long time off, but I like trying to get as much planning as I can done early. Again, thanks.

 

[John87]

Might be a stupid question, but for those of you that have been in that area, what’s the cell coverage like?

 

[md126]

Never too early to start planning

I had sporadic service. Most places are bad but texts will get out. I was however surprised thatcin sone spots I had awesome service.

That being said, last year I went solo and rented a satellite phone, mostly for my wife’s peace of mind. Not a bad idea

 

[njdoxie]

And if you camp 7.5 miles, you could kill an elk 10 miles from the truck and it may die in a horrible hole with blowdown, and that’s a bad situation unless you’ve been in it and know for sure you can handle it.


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[Elktaco]

No need to go in 7 miles in that area, try about a legit 1 mile through some nasty stuff(not a trail) and you should be good

 

[Nuke Man]

When we were in there, absolutely 0 cell service.

 

[John87]

When we were in there, absolutely 0 cell service.

So, I should probably get a GPS?

 

[Nuke Man]

So, I should probably get a GPS?

I would with an Onx chip. Especially because you'll be flirting with unit 24 border quite a bit.

 

[lyle_destroys]

I’ve been watching Randy Newberg’s videos on YouTube, and then rewatching them, making sure I don’t miss anything. I will be getting there a few days early to scout, but that’s what I’m trying to do, marking backup spots close by, finding points on a Topo map where I could glass and cover a large area, etc.
Both of the guys I’m going with have been there before, but it’s been several years, and I don’t want to only rely on them. Thanks for the help, I’m going to check out University of Elk Hunting.

Scouting too hard can push animals out of the area. I see it happen even with whitetails

 

[MObucks]

If you are looking for a packer call the forest service office for that area and they will send you a list of all of the outfitters permitted for the area you plan to hunt. I'm currently planning a hunt for the unit next to you and the office in Yampa sent me an email with all the names, numbers, and the areas they are in that was very helpful

 

[John87]

If you are looking for a packer call the forest service office for that area and they will send you a list of all of the outfitters permitted for the area you plan to hunt. I'm currently planning a hunt for the unit next to you and the office in Yampa sent me an email with all the names, numbers, and the areas they are in that was very helpful

Thanks, I will!

 

[Rs3003]

Mytopo is a great site for getting custom maps.

 

[MObucks]

Thanks, I will!

No problem, I talked with 4 different outfitters that were willing to help me pack out an elk if I need it. They were all between $250-$350. Which is nice to have as a backup plan especially if you plan to go 7 miles in

 

[John87]

No problem, I talked with 4 different outfitters that were willing to help me pack out an elk if I need it. They were all between $250-$350. Which is nice to have as a backup plan especially if you plan to go 7 miles in

I believe I would gladly pay that, If I managed to kill one that far back! Although there will be 3 of us, I’m not sure how far the other 2 are willing to go. I may not go that far myself, 7 miles would be that absolute farthest.

 

[JordanH]

I've hunted 25 during archery in Sept. many many years. Since 2006 when I hunted there on my very first elk hunt.

Is Coffee Pot Road even open in October or are you planning to access via the Sweetwater Valley?

Going that high in that country that time of year sounds daunting to me. You could easily be snowed in with a foot plus of snow......or it could be clear and fine. It will be cold. In September we get into the 30's at night and the last weekend of archery season in 2014 my tent was buried in nearly 20" of wet snow. Getting down in those conditions is hair raising butt hole clenching at best, at least on Coffee Pot.

If you can get into 25 via Sweetwater valley and over to Triangle Mtn.......you could find some spots down low and avoid some of the weather issues...at least the worst of them. I've never come in that way and unsure how far past Sweetwater lake you can drive.

In my experience, in that area, the elk are odd. They tend to come up top at night then bail off down into the valley and drainages at first light. So hunting up from below might be productive. There are lots of cows there in Sept.

7.5 miles back going up to 11K..........you must really hate yourself. LOL No thanks.....not in that blowdown steep ass crap. Up top at 10-11K.......not so much of a challenge other than the weather will be a huge risk.

Also, I seriously doubt you are gonna glass up an elk to kill in 25. Sorry. Unless you do so at night. During daylight they will be in the timber 99.9% of the time. Creep the skid trails from logging...slowly......

Be very careful on the 24/25 boundary. Someone mentioned the road to Budges......that is rough and challenging in Sept......Oct/Nov.......forget about it. Take a snow mobile or 4 wheeler. Almost all of that road to Budges is in 24, NOT 25.

In fact the road back past Deep Lake into Unit 25 is partly in 24........and there is some good hunting all the way back down that mud track of a road, if you can make it, where it meets the Ute Trail coming up out of the Sweetwater Valley. Look between cross creek and the Ute Trail as it comes up top from the Valley.......hint hint. Once you cross Cross creek the road is nearly impassible in dry weather and dumb asses have gone off road and torn up the area so bad I'd be surprised if the FS had not blocked the road past Cross Creek. They should frankly.

Good Luck!!!

 

[JordanH]

From the Forest Service:

Coffee Pot Road #600 is an improved gravel road that winds its way from the Deep Creek confluence with the Colorado River, up the south edge of the Flattops for about 30 miles to Deep Lake. It offers beautiful scenery and views. The first 10 miles of this road is exceptionally windy and narrow. Defensive driving is a must due to the drop-off edges, sharp blind curves and parts of the road not wide enough to accommodate two vehicles. The road starts traveling through sagebrush, pinyon pine and juniper, then goes into patches of aspen and at the top, where it is flat, large open meadows and spruce/fir forest. When using this road in the fall, be aware of the current weather reports. This road is not plowed and it is possible to become stranded if it snows heavily.

 

[Elktaco]

Am I missing something but he should be able to hunt 24 and 25 with a OTC tag?!

 

[John87]

Am I missing something but he should be able to hunt 24 and 25 with a OTC tag?!

That what I was thinking, both of those units are OTC units, right?