GMU 14 or 16 - OTC Elk Tag

[raekit]

My brother and I plan on backpacking into GMU 14 or 16 this September for archery season. We are going the last week, Sept. 20-27. We are coming from California and we are curious what to expect weather wise that late into September and I'm open to any advice on getting into elk if you are open to sharing.

Any learnings would be helpful. This will be our first year hunting elk and I'm keeping expectations low and expecting to learn a lot. Putting miles onto your boots will be key! Would love to PM if possible.

Thanks so much!

 

[Zricky]

my Brother and I are driving from California to Colorado as well. We hunted Unit 14 last year during 3rd Rifle season. As I was walking on the trail I saw a nice Bull elk, probably 1/2 mile from the trail head, by the time we set up on it, he walked away. We thought if we hiked in deep we would see more and bigger elk, which was not the case, we didn't see another one. After 3 days there we went to another unit in the White River Forest. We saw a lot more elk and a lot more hunters. We went to several units in Colorado, as it was our first time hunting for Elk there, we wanted to explore the state. Every unit we went to we saw Elk, and every hunter we asked how the hunt was they said they haven't seen anything, which I thought was weird. Good luck with the hunt!

 

[Bar]

Everybody will say they didn't see any elk. Asking shows us the new hunters.

 

[raekit]

Thanks Zricky and best of luck this year! Good call Bar.

 

[PARA1]

14 is a nice unit, if I was bow hunting I would try around 3 island lake I have always seen elk in there though there is a lot of
horse packers in there if I remember its a 7 mile loop in there.

 

[raekit]

Thanks PARA1, I'll take a look at the maps and see what it looks like. I know boot leather will be the key. The bow is ready

 

[raekit]

Has anyone hunted GMU 17? I was reading on another forum and was curious.