Evaluating pressure Preseason/How deep to hike in

[PredatoryProwler]

Looking at an Archery Unit in Colorado and trying to figure out how much hunting pressure there will be next year, what are some statistics you look at to see how pressured the unit is and what are some things to look at to decide how far to hike in. The Tag covers 3 different units.

 

[Dirtscoots]

There isn’t a formula that gives you exactly how many people hunt an area. If your near roads clearly you have road hunters. If your on horse trails, usually to warrant owning horses people want to be past the day hunters. If you pick an area that other people have hunted for years there could be very little game no matter how far, that is just where they go. If you find a spot that looks easy I doubt you are the only person looking at it. That goes for spots that look very difficult to get to as well however.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

Get out and scout any area you find escouting that looks good I guarantee others have as well. It isn’t always about how deep you are either, I have spots that guys hike 6-7 miles in and I’m killing elk 1/4 mile from the trailhead. Theres no formula or rule or anything to elk, and if your following the “rules of elk” from the social media influencers and stuff, look at how many other guys are following that exact same idea. Then you got the guys thinking they are outsmarting the other guys, when it comes down to it, elk are where elk are, and there’s to many factors. Scouting and boots on the ground when ur hunting is the best option. You can scout for 2 weeks prior and a mountain lion comes through the area night before opener. Or Joe blow goes and sets his tent up on the saddle, or comes trudging through to get to “his spot” 9 miles in.


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[PredatoryProwler]

Get out and scout any area you find escouting that looks good I guarantee others have as well. It isn’t always about how deep you are either, I have spots that guys hike 6-7 miles in and I’m killing elk 1/4 mile from the trailhead. Theres no formula or rule or anything to elk, and if your following the “rules of elk” from the social media influencers and stuff, look at how many other guys are following that exact same idea. Then you got the guys thinking they are outsmarting the other guys, when it comes down to it, elk are where elk are, and there’s to many factors. Scouting and boots on the ground when ur hunting is the best option. You can scout for 2 weeks prior and a mountain lion comes through the area night before opener. Or Joe blow goes and sets his tent up on the saddle, or comes trudging through to get to “his spot” 9 miles in.


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Thanks. I have identified a few spots that look like they would hold elk pretty well, but I have no idea what to look for for identifying food that might be in the area. Is this something I should just look for once I get to be able to actually scout it. I have identified some good bedding slopes, glassing spots and there is plenty of water in the area. Are there some other things that I should be looking for before I get boots on the ground?

 

[cnelk]

If you’ve identified spots that look good so have lots of others.

Good bet they aren’t good spots!

 

[2ski]

As to your original question, i think you're overthinking it. As said before there's no way to determine how much pressure someplace is going to have outside of its proximity to a community. And a community of 40k is going to see its near areas have more pressure than smaller locations. However smaller locations tend to a higher percentage of its population be hunters as well. Granted it's wintertime, but I was doing through one small (200 people?) Town and there were elk in a field not a mile out of town. That just goes to show, it's hard to predict.

 

[Indian Summer]

I’m sure you know this but there’s only one way to find out. No online information about hunters per square mile. People move around from year to year anyway.

 

[Skerhunter]

Looking at an Archery Unit in Colorado and trying to figure out how much hunting pressure there will be next year, what are some statistics you look at to see how pressured the unit is and what are some things to look at to decide how far to hike in. The Tag covers 3 different units.

Pressure can’t be predicted and will vary by the day (peak on the weekends). The number of trucks at the trail head also isn’t a great indicator. All it takes is a couple guys not using the wind on their hike in to blow out a spot or you can have 5 guys all hunting that area doing zero harm. My best advice is identify all of the areas you want to hunt. Then pick the spots you can realistically hunt (10 mile hike into wilderness will just get you to where outfitters/horse camps are isn’t a great plan). Then make a plan based on how to most efficiently hunt them all (drive/hike time). If one trail head looks busier than you like just move on to the next spot.

I plan my hunts based on the wind/terrain. It typically involves a 5-10 mile loop through an area where I am actively hunting sunrise to noon then the last few hours of the day. If you are in shape it’s realistic. Hiking 10+ miles every day is not realistic for most people. Mid day is for naps and snacks usually. We find/shoot elk anywhere from 0 miles from the trailhead to 5+ miles every year.

I give each spot at least 1day. If I can’t find elk or good sign I simply move on and possibly come back a few days later if needed.

Just remember you can’t control the hunting pressure or the weather, just how you adapt to it!

Hope this helps - good luck!

 

[TaperPin]

Looking at an Archery Unit in Colorado and trying to figure out how much hunting pressure there will be next year, what are some statistics you look at to see how pressured the unit is and what are some things to look at to decide how far to hike in. The Tag covers 3 different units.

As others have said there is no statistic that will be helpful and short of being there it’s a big guess, but that’s not really helpful to you.

I hunt away from crowds and a good predictor is how easily an area can be driven to from the nearest houses. If an area is only an hour away, it will be crawling with guys before or after work or school. The distance from larger populations also has a big impact. If you’re 2 hrs from a town of any size the area will get hammered. Humans are creatures looking for the least effort possible.

Road access is important - the easier the area is to drive a pickup and four horse trailer to the more horse hunters you’ll see. The easier a trailhead is to drive a minivan or Subaru to, the more casual hunters will take advantage of it. The easier parking is the worse for you.

I also look for game trails, because they can be backcountry highways filled with kids in tennis shoes, or if they provide horse access it might as well be a gravel road.

When someone talks about glassing spots and elk hunting it’s a warning sign too many videos have been watched - far fewer thick timber videos exist because it’s really hard to film close range hunting and get good footage.

 

[PWCGray]

None of the quantitative metrics you can lookup will give you much indication unfortunately. Pressure also varies a ton year to year. If pressure is a big worry, ignore Colorado. If you can be flexible about it, just have a few plans... A, b, c, d, e and don't sweat it.
lots of great advice above. there are "escouting vortexes", spots that everyone gets sucked into after screening on twenty different variables on the different mapping softwares. I've seen spots that are ten miles from a trailhead... they just have it all by the metrics, and they get a pile of escouters. As eluded to above also, number of trucks at the trailhead is irrelevant. Some trailheads are over hunted if there is 1 truck there, other trailheads could have 13 trucks and there is still lots of country to hunt. Even better, finding spots that are "awkward" access points can get you into some great hunting spots. Weird property lines that you get figured out through due diligence, some little nook you can barely fit your truck into off a highway to park, packing a dead bull down past a mansion that has a three foot wide pubic access point next to it... think out of the box.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

If you’ve identified spots that look good so have lots of others.

Good bet they aren’t good spots!

I'm realizing how true this is more every year. I actually go through maps escouting and rule out all the best looking spots I find in the first 10 mins or so. First couple years we hiked a lot into great looking spots just to watch pumpkinheads all over the place.

 

[PredatoryProwler]

When someone talks about glassing spots and elk hunting it’s a warning sign too many videos have been watched - far fewer thick timber videos exist because it’s really hard to film close range hunting and get good footage.

What would you recommend otherwise to find elk outside of glassing? It makes sense to glass some more open areas but in thicker timber where you cant glass how do you find elk? Calling for them might work but they also might just not be responding to calls.