Colorado flat tops hunt no luck

[Djs22]

So I’ve been elk hunting all over the world the past 20 years. I’ve had great luck and always plan/scout way in advance. The last 5 outings I’ve killed 4 bulls prior to 2021. Our first time in the flat tops wilderness area was a total dud. Our normal go to is unit 4 around Craig and we haven’t killed an elk In several years where our group has a 70% kill rate with horses. Went further south this year and 8 hunters never saw an elk. Hunted 24,25,33,34 and never saw an elk, bear, sheep or mule deer…elevations ranged from 9,000 to 11,600. Northwest Colorado got hit way harder on winter kill than I could have ever believed. Staggering how much the numbers have declined

 

[Djs22]

Also found a sheep graveyard at 11,600 feet. Probably 30 plus sheep skeletons.not a bear cave or some kill site. Several elk carcasses as well

 

[Ucsdryder]

Also found a sheep graveyard at 11,600 feet. Probably 30 plus sheep skeletons.not a bear cave or some kill site. Several elk carcasses as well

I assume you’re talking domestic sheep? Surprised they got trapped in there, the herders usually keep a pretty close eye on them.

Not sure why people keeping being surprised about the state of that area. I haven’t been back since the die off for a reason. But as always, CPW appreciates your generous donation! I bet that area is another 5-6 years from any kind of normalcy for elk, more for deer.

 

[Djs22]

I’m not qualified to say domestic or not based on the bones alone . I’m not from northwest Colorado so it was dang sure surprising to me!

 

[Tman24]

My group hunted that area in 22 & 23. We were running into elk all over in 22. Saw one cow in 23. Locals we talked to said that they weren’t even hunting.

 

[Mtndawger]

I assume you’re talking domestic sheep? Surprised they got trapped in there, the herders usually keep a pretty close eye on them.

Not sure why people keeping being surprised about the state of that area. I haven’t been back since the die off for a reason. But as always, CPW appreciates your generous donation! I bet that area is another 5-6 years from any kind of normalcy for elk, more for deer.

Most definitely domestic sheep. Big grazing allotments in certain units there. IMO you are not far off in your estimates for recovery of the herds. And that is with the cooperation of Mother Nature holding off on the severity of those winters. The past two summers have been absolutely ideal for that recovery. Reduction of tags in those units is the right move though. Regarding CPW, I hope guys realize that CPW is effectively a divided organization now. We have the governors office and the commission that have all the power but none of the dedication toward their mission resulting in truly bad management decisions. Then there is the boots on the ground side , which really is dedicated to that mission, that has been pretty much muzzled and neutered and can’t effectively do their work. The wolf problem alone has siphoned off a huge percentage of their effort. We need at least two more years for this administration to get term limited before we can begin to right the ship