Colorado Unit 81 now a draw instead of OTC for Archery

[kerks28]

You’d be surprised how quiet it is during the late rifle seasons up there especially around the divide and the higher altitude areas. It’s a ghost town. Are the late seasons still OTC?

2nd and 3rd Rifle are OTC.

 

[TheBull]

Yep.

 

[___DAN___]

2 year post. Figured tts time to chime in. Best thing to ever happen to this unit. Its great being in elk. We are getting close. I have a MD and ELK tag this year.

 

[Elktaco]

I've hunted 81 off and on since 1998 and I can't believe the number of bulls over 280" I've been seeing there last 2 years. Nothing really big but alot of nice bulls.

 

[Gerbdog]

This thread smells like ruined unit to me, has it written all over it, remember folks, this is all easily searchable on the internet, blow your favorite hunting spot up

 

[Sdieffen]

I was there last year during 2nd rifle. Very crowded. Some of the locals were admonished by sheriff's department due to a crazy crossfire exchange going on west of the reservoir. Those of us there opening weekend know what I'm talking about. Not exactly "best thing" to happen to this unit.

 

[Balderdash]

Anyone who's ever hunted 82 knows exactly what you're talking about. You better not leave your man card at home in the Sangres.......

82 not likely to get overcrowded. At least not on consecutive years.

My brother and I switched to hunting draw units in CO and other states years ago. Some aren't that hard to draw and the hunt quality is, most times, better than what we had doing OTC in CO for many years. Sure, there's years we don't draw, but then we hit the left over and reissue tags and try to scrape something together. Just have to be flexible on method and time period.

Not being able to go otc does screw over the guys that had a good scenario figured out in those units, but with so much competition for tags and access these days, I think it's just going to be the way of things.

 

[Kw168504]

This thread smells like ruined unit to me, has it written all over it, remember folks, this is all easily searchable on the internet, blow your favorite hunting spot up

Yes sir. I don’t understand it. This is why we can’t have nice spots anymore.

 

[TheHammer]

82 not likely to get overcrowded. At least not on consecutive years.

My brother and I switched to hunting draw units in CO and other states years ago. Some aren't that hard to draw and the hunt quality is, most times, better than what we had doing OTC in CO for many years. Sure, there's years we don't draw, but then we hit the left over and reissue tags and try to scrape something together. Just have to be flexible on method and time period.

Not being able to go otc does screw over the guys that had a good scenario figured out in those units, but with so much competition for tags and access these days, I think it's just going to be the way of things.

You say this… until you spend all day getting into lions… and the only people you see since leaving the trailhead are coming in off a 4x4 trail from 86 with horses setting up a ML camp.. 82 is such a beautiful place once you get 4miles in and realize you’ve gained 4-5k elevation.

As for 81 being ruined. The Texas guys already did that. Pretty sick of picking up campsites/garbage from you disrespectful f*cks. With all the media coverage 81 received from 3 deceased hunters last September I’d assume that lower edge of the unit is gonna be pounded. Worst season I had since 2019, was in 78 last year. Only found 2 bulls in 12 days, did not hear a single bugle on the back half of the month. I believe guys are getting pretty good at being prepared, having solid game plans, very few pieces of ground left untouched and the elk are adapting to the pressure.

 

[Balderdash]

My point was that the area is steep enough that a lot of dudes might try it, but likely won't return.

You are correct in that equipment gets better and better, and, likely thanks to the intetnet, there's a lot of dudes who at least know what to expect on a mountain hunt vs 25 years ago when you see a lot of tourists with a big game tag.