Colorado Unit 54 Shed Hunting

[oopslala]

First off, I want to say thanks in advanced for all the help I've gotten and will continue to get.

I'm moving from Michigan to work at a camp site near soap creek. I'll have quite a lot of time to kill, and plan to spend the majority of it out hiking and being in the wilderness.

I'm hoping to get a little insight on the area, elk winter patterns, elevation of the snowline, how high the elk like to hang out and things of that sort. I'm not asking for exact spots or anything, I'm just hoping to get pointed in the right direction and to increase my odds of success. I have no problem putting in the miles and work to find the sheds, i just don't to spend a good amount of time at 8,500 feet if they're not within 1,000 feet of there for most the winter. Thanks for all the intel!

This will only be my 2nd time in Colorado, so there will definitely be a learning curve, but I absolutely loved it on there.

 

[durangobrad]

check out the hunting atlas

http://ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu/index.html?app=HuntingAtlas

You can choose unit 54 then put the Elk Layers on, including migration corridors and winter range. That should get you started.

 

[oopslala]

Upon further investigation, I'll actually be in unit 53. But I'll be too high up for where they spend their winters at. Do they generally drop them in their wintering grounds, or on the transition from wintering grounds to the summer grounds up higher?

Can you take horns off of "forest service" land?

Thanks for the link, helped a lot.

 

[durangobrad]

http://www.biggamehunt.net/news/colorado-reminds-shed-antler-hunters-regulations

 

[chindits]

USFS and BLM okay as long as you are in season. You got NPS over there so make sure you are not on Park land, no shed hunting on BLCA and CURE. Lucky you aren't in 54, there is actually a homeless guy and his dog that camps out and hits 54 real hard every spring.

 

[chindits]

Soapcreek should all be in 54. I think the boundary for 53/54 is Curecanti Creek but I would have to check my maps. There is a bit of private on lower soap creek and then again when you get above jeep hill. Damn shame about all the rag horns in that country, but you might stumble on mature shed if you are looking for muleys.

 

[oopslala]

Yeah you're right, I'll have the campground at the bottom of unit 54 about 2 miles above the blue mesa reservoir. I'll be the host at the soap creek campground. Hoping that I get some hunters that stay at the campground in September.

I misread the topo map I have. Somehow though I was in the middle of unit 53. But, that's great news I think, considering I'll be living on the edge of their wintering zone and summer zone, so it should be prime hiking everywhere. The restriction on shed hunting should help me a little, since I wont be there until the campground opens up. (fingers crossed the weather doesn't keep me out until the end of may).

I'm coming from Michigan, so any raghorn I find will likely put all the white tail I've seen (mass wise). Hopefully the homeless man misses some. I don't mind going into the hard to get places. I plan on spending the slow days out hiking and potentially shed hunting all day. I get more of a thrill finding sheds than I do hunting the animal itself.

Have any of you ever stayed, hiked, or hunted in that area? Are there a decent herd of mulies there too? Any information on the area you think I may find useful, please inform.

 

[chindits]

p.m. in progress

 

[ST52v]

Been in that area and loved it! John Wayne filmed part of a movie there. Check out the old Waterman Ranch up over the hill . Should find some up there.

 

[backcountry1pr]

oppslala- I live in Gunnison. Feel free to shoot my a pm if you have questions about the area.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

FYI, the dirt roads out there get very snotty with a gumbo type mud that clogs tires easily, have chains if wandering out on roads in wet conditions.

 

[Dougfir]

I know right where there's a bull skull in 54. Found it this October in the Anthracites at about 9700 feet, in the dark timber. The whole skeleton was there, scattered all over the place. Not sure what killed him, but skull and antlers were still intact. Only set of antlers I saw in my 5 days of hunting there...

 

[holmesac89]

Yeah you're right, I'll have the campground at the bottom of unit 54 about 2 miles above the blue mesa reservoir. I'll be the host at the soap creek campground. Hoping that I get some hunters that stay at the campground in September.

I misread the topo map I have. Somehow though I was in the middle of unit 53. But, that's great news I think, considering I'll be living on the edge of their wintering zone and summer zone, so it should be prime hiking everywhere. The restriction on shed hunting should help me a little, since I wont be there until the campground opens up. (fingers crossed the weather doesn't keep me out until the end of may).

I'm coming from Michigan, so any raghorn I find will likely put all the white tail I've seen (mass wise). Hopefully the homeless man misses some. I don't mind going into the hard to get places. I plan on spending the slow days out hiking and potentially shed hunting all day. I get more of a thrill finding sheds than I do hunting the animal itself.

Have any of you ever stayed, hiked, or hunted in that area? Are there a decent herd of mulies there too? Any information on the area you think I may find useful, please inform.

I don't have any info about sheds but might have to give you a shout this September if you will be up there. A couple buddies and I are planning on hunting very near there in units 53/63.

 

[oopslala]

Just thought I'd drop by and leave a little update. Yesterday was month 1 of my 5 months here. Having a blast hiking/shed hunting nearly every day. The shed count is currently at 15 sheds and 1 dead head. I've got a brown 6x6 matched up and an older 7x7 or 6x6 (depending who you ask) matched up. I've been pretty fortunate with the Browns but I think it may be time to change hunting locations...haven't found anything to bat an eye at in a week.

 

[ndbuck09]

View attachment 37625

Does this look familiar? Found a non brown up on those cliffs. First foray into the mountains really and we went up this steep thick creek to get there. Back when I thought going straight to places was the "shortcut" hahaha learned a lot on that trip...

 

[oopslala]

View attachment 37625

Does this look familiar? Found a non brown up on those cliffs. First foray into the mountains really and we went up this steep thick creek to get there. Back when I thought going straight to places was the "shortcut" hahaha learned a lot on that trip...

It wouldn't let me open the attatchment, said invalid link

 

[oopslala]

Just got back to camp after packing a hog 6x6 dead head and a smaller matched up chalk 6x6. Got the rack caught on every damn branch I looked at. couodnt imagine lugging those things around for 6 months, must be terrible.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Pictures!

 

[oopslala]

Finally got around to posting photos...

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah168/tlyon2216/222D7DBE-1EAC-49CC-8949-C18B6F0CB21E_zpsjwaep4k6.jpg

 

[realunlucky]

You found some good ones

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