Colorado Unit 80

[WapitiSteaks]

Care to elaborate? it seems like you've got a good story or two.

I went into 81 the day after Archery season ended this year and saw messy campsites everywhere. One camp had left trash bags full of crap that said "Emergency Supplies from Friendly Hunters" on one of the bags. Inside were dirty pots and pans, empty jars and cans of food, a nearly empty bottle of whiskey, a crappy Coleman grill with several empty propane cylinders, food wrappers, and much of their other trash was incompletely burned in their fire, (wasn't there a fire ban during all of September)?

It was a sight you'd expect to see from a roadside camp but it was 8 or 9 miles into the Wilderness. I found several other trashy backcountry campsites over the course of the next 5 days and while its not certain, it's very likely they were all hunter camps given how recently used they were. It was an embarrassment to other hunters who actually clean up after themselves.

Linking my Post from a few months that has the photos of this mess... I'm still a little sore about taking time out of my fishing trip to clean someone else's camp and pack out a bunch of their trash. We found it on day 1 of our trip so I got to pack and repack someone else's garbage 4 or 5 times each time we made camp somewhere else.

Archery Season Aftermath

I Just got back from an extended backcountry trip in Colorado. My wife and I started on October 1st after the Archery and Muzzy seasons had ended and I have to say I was very disappointed in what we saw from several campsites, most of which were almost certainly recently used hunting camps. We...

www.rokslide.com

The amount of trash in the Wilderness in 81 this year was incredible. Large camps 10 miles in and the place was trashed at more than just one or two camps. I understand many left quickly due to the storm, but these individuals did not pack themselves in. We came out this year with heavy packs, but definitely not the heavy packs we hoped for. Our annual trip to 81 is over. Sad, sad day. Didn't hear a bugle in 8 days. We covered over 85 miles and saw one cow. We really could not believe it.

 

[Still Hunter]

Busy before, but busier now that several neighboring units went limited for Archery this year. 80 and 81 are now likely stop #1 for anyone coming from Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, etc.

Never a truer post! I am from Texas and was amazed at the number of people I have spoken with hunting these two units. Especially since so many SW Colorado units went draw only.

 

[GreenMtnElk]

I have hunted unit 80 about 10 times now,
I will say that the 2020 archery season was like nothing you could imagine.
There were people everywhere, hunters and recreational alike.
Would be a much better unit if you couldnt use an atv. Fortunately most people only walk 50yds from them.

 

[trophyhill]

I have hunted unit 80 about 10 times now,
I will say that the 2020 archery season was like nothing you could imagine.
There were people everywhere, hunters and recreational alike.
Would be a much better unit if you couldnt use an atv. Fortunately most people only walk 50yds from them.

Not use my atv? Now that’s kind of elitist isn’t it. Are you a BHA member? my atv is how I got from the rv park to where I was hunting. Only to find other atv’s, utv’s, pickups, 5th wheels, travel trailers and motor homes parked right where I wanted to hunt.

I think this year I will just spend the time learning how to fly fish. Oh wait. Everytime I tried to fish a stretch of river via my atv, there were Suburu’s, Prius’s and Landrovers parked where I wanted to fish. Guess I’ll just stay in the rv park and keep working.........

 

[Deerman82]

We hunted here last year seen a lot of elk but we were there early and was in the snow storm heard late season was a nightmare

 

[GCMan]

So reading all of these experiences makes me wonder about peoples perceptions. Not that I want more hunters in the area, but I have hunted 80/81 my whole life. Yep there are hunters, yep there are elk, and yep both units are pretty big. I did run into quite a few hunters this year......along the road. Every time I ventured away from the road I was on my own. I ran into multiple bulls before the snowstorm hit, if you hunted 80/81 this year you know about the snowstorm. And to be honest I took my daughter on her first muzzleloader elk hunt and was done in 30 min. I spoke with quite a few hunters as well gave some pointers and advice. Which is very unprecedented of me, as I avoid everyone like the plague during hunting season. I was a resident for 40 years, retired and I now hunt as a nonresident. I will continue to hunt the same units, hopefully I will hunt with a another Texan that I met the day after I arrowed a 5x6 bull. The perception is that the CPW sells tags for only the amount of elk that are in the state. When in reality you are paying for the opportunity to hunt elk not kill one. Killing one is a bonus and definitely not a guarantee. So CPW is making money off of selling opportunities to people who otherwise would not have the opportunity and people are upset about others chasing the same opportunity. So with that said listening to others perceptions of the hunt must be taken with a grain of salt. If they saw elk and said the hunt sucked that is their perception. Every hunter has to gain their own perspective of the where they hunt. Not everyone is a good person, not everyone is a bad person. Take from that what you will. I do not and will will not base my hunting plans on what others say, only use it as a guide. I think 80/81 are great units, others as stated here do not. I am rambling, but it pisses me off when people are chiding others for grabbing hold of the same opportunity and may or may not have the same ethics or morals as said hunter. I mean it is OTC, it is not like your burning a ton of points to hunt there. Just go and hunt, and prepared to move to another spot, area etc. NO ONE RUINS YOUR HUNT BUT YOU!!

Totally agree with all this. There is entirely to much moaning on this site about too much opportunity for the other guy and it's ruining my hunts.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

I know this is an old thread, but the rumor is both of these units will be a draw for archery this year

 

[cnelk]

I know this is an old thread, but the rumor is both of these units will be a draw for archery this year

Not a rumor - 80/81 will a draw starting in 2022

 

[craig623]

Hi, I drew a tag out in 80/81 for archery this year. I've never been out west hunting. After reading all these posts I am a bit concerned about even seeing an elk. Does anyone have any recommendations on which areas of the unit have the most elk?

 

[Gerbdog]

Hi, I drew a tag out in 80/81 for archery this year. I've never been out west hunting. After reading all these posts I am a bit concerned about even seeing an elk. Does anyone have any recommendations on which areas of the unit have the most elk?

Craig, welcome to the forums and the start of your western hunting career. Hopefully its a long and gainful career. 80/81 was an over the counter (OTC) unit until this year. This year it switched to a draw unit which is where you stepped into it at.

Since its a low point draw unit now, the questions your asking: where the elk are in those units? is information that is likely to be kept close to the chest. Every week a new western hunter joins the forums and asks for a coordinate on where to find the elk....

Thing is, its not that those of us who have an idea of where the elk are arent happy to help, it's that some (or maybe just me) feel like half of the process to a successful hunt comes from the pre-hunt: looking at maps, finding possible good locations, scouting, and basically just finding the elk on your own. You will feel very accomplished opening morning if you get up the mountain to where you think there will be elk and hear a bull sound off 200 yards away.

This forum has LOADS of good information and wisdom to make you a successful western hunter. What it doesnt have is exact coordinates on where to get on elk.

The units your tag covers has elk in them. Promise. Get up early, get up high, and stay out late. If you feel like the hunt is super easy your either A. a super athlete or B. not in the steep nasty where the elk like to hang out.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Hi, I drew a tag out in 80/81 for archery this year. I've never been out west hunting. After reading all these posts I am a bit concerned about even seeing an elk. Does anyone have any recommendations on which areas of the unit have the most elk?

I bet you have a 50/50 chance of SEEING an elk. I’m not talking a bugling bull at 20 yards, I’m talking see a little tan dot on a hillside way far off. As glorious and sexy as the forums make elk hunting, it’s really freaking hard, especially for a first timer, non resident, in a new area. Plenty of guys get lucky their first year, but the success rates are 15-18% for a reason, and a good portion of that 15-18% are the same guys killing elk every single year. I bet the success rate for NEW hunters is in the 5% range.


Set your expectations to a realistic goal and realize it takes time and effort to get to the point you’re killing elk. Lots of guys hunt for years and still just take their bows for a hike every September.

 

[cnelk]

There were 2000 archery elk tags allotted for 80/81 this year.
That number was based on previous year’s estimated hunters.

You’re gonna see more people than elk.

I dunno Ucsdryder, 15-18% seems awful high for archery success, especially in a recent OTC area or most any OTC/low PP areas

 

[Ucsdryder]

There were 2000 archery elk tags allotted for 80/81 this year.
That number was based on previous year’s estimated hunters.

You’re gonna see more pet than elk.

I dunno Ucsdryder, 15-18% seems awful high for archery success, especially in a recent OTC area or most any OTC/low PP areas

I was trying to keep him from being completely disheartened. Hey, if you want to feel good you can come out in august and glass up plenty of elk above timberline on Otc units, then tell everyone how easy it is to find elk in OTC units.

 

[OkieElk]

I hunted it last year. It was the worst unit I have hunted by far in Colorado. The rumors are true, it took me 3-4 days of searching to find 2 elk, and other hunters and recreationists to boot. I never seen that many hunters before at literally EVERY trailhead I drove to. Just insane the number of people out there hunting. The elk knew it too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[craig623]

I hunted it last year. It was the worst unit I have hunted by far in Colorado. The rumors are true, it took me 3-4 days of searching to find 2 elk, and other hunters and recreationists to boot. I never seen that many hunters before at literally EVERY trailhead I drove to. Just insane the number of people out there hunting. The elk knew it too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

was that rifle you hunted or archery?

 

[craig623]

Thanks for all the replies. I wasn't asking for anyone to give up their honey hole lol. I was more looking to get a general understanding of areas to avoid or what it is like hunting out there.

My expectations are certainly very very low. I think it'll be a miracle if I'm packing out meat.

 

[OkieElk]

It’s was archery season. 2nd or 3rd week


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fishslap]

Thanks for all the replies. I wasn't asking for anyone to give up their honey hole lol. I was more looking to get a general understanding of areas to avoid or what it is like hunting out there.

My expectations are certainly very very low. I think it'll be a miracle if I'm packing out meat.

“Does anyone have any recommendations on which areas of the unit have the most elk?”
This is called a honey hole on public land with 2000 tags.