Hunting unit 78/81

[TheNewGuy]

Hey everyone. I'm the greenest Elk hunter your going to respond to but I'm willing to learn and have done a fair amount of research. I am planning a OTC archery hunt in unit 78/81. Im from Virginia and have never even seen an elk in the wild. Never hunted west of the Appalachian. (Excuse me if I don't use the correct terms in this post)

I have picked out potential spots using every source of maps I can get my hands on, but its difficult since I'm 28 hrs away and have no way to scout anything. I see alot of other post saying these units have hunters behind every tree and elk hiding behind every unicorn. Am I shooting in the dark with these units?

Also I am willing to HIKE. I'm not afraid of rough terrain or the long haul out. I'm 30 yrs old and in good shape. I'm bring 3 other guys with me 1 firefighter, 1 logger and 1 factory man we may have to whip into shape haha. I would really love to tell someone the areas I’m looking at and get there opinions. I have 3 camp areas picked, 2 are between 5 and 7 miles from parking. And the 3rd is 2 miles from parking. (if my maps are actually showing it correctly and I can park there.)

We don’t want to know everyone’s secrets just want some friendly guidance to make our own decisions.

 

[coelk81]

I have hunted 78 but I hunt 81 religiously, i.e. every year since the early 80's only missing the seasons where uncle Sam needed me elsewhere. 78 is draw only now for archery. 80/81 is OTC. My grandfather, father and brother have guided for elk in 81. PM what you want advice on and I will advise the best I can.

 

[WapitiSteaks]

I can tell you a few trails to avoid in 81. We've had GREAT success every year up until 2020. Our annual trip to 81 may well be over...

 

[Grant K]

I don't think unit matters all that much, CO OTC is going to have people, it's also going to have elk, my advice is to be prepared to cover ground, using glass as much as possible, feet if not, remember that everyone is looking at the same map, if it looks incredible to you it probably looks the same to every other E-scouter out there.

deep isn't a requirement, a deterrent to people is what you need, sometimes that can be as simple as not having a parking spot along a highway, or no way to glass a basin and no trail into it...

I'd be pretty against camping that far in unless you have a different drainage to hunt from that camp every day until you find elk, I think mobility is king in OTC areas, the elk are rutting somewhere, if it isn't where you are then you need to find out where it is, you waste a day of hunting moving if you are camped that far in, find elk, then if camping closer to them is helpful do it, the easiest way to not punch a tag is to keep waiting for elk to show up in a spot they aren't in, actively finding them is a far more successful tactic.

I would also caution that if you haven't hunted the west be prepared for more walking than you can imagine, I've taken quite a few people who thought they were in mountain shape, almost nobody who doesn't live in the mountains is actually in mountain shape...

 

[CAElkhunter]

biggest mistake East Coast hunters make on their first Western Elk hunt is they think walking a few miles / day
puts them in Elk shape. I have found I easily average 8 -10 miles of hiking at Altitude every day on Elk hunts.
Hiking at 7-11K ft is something you can't understand until you have done it. Do serious cardio to prepare you for being mobile to increase your success rate.

 

[WapitiSteaks]

biggest mistake East Coast hunters make on their first Western Elk hunt is they think walking a few miles / day
puts them in Elk shape. I have found I easily average 8 -10 miles of hiking at Altitude every day on Elk hunts.
Hiking at 7-11K ft is something you can't understand until you have done it. Do serious cardio to prepare you for being mobile to increase your success rate.

SERIOUS CARDIO! And a leg day, core, lower back every now and then. Every time you think about doing some chest, shoulders, or arms, just go for a 10 mile run. In 81, we have never found an elk below 10,400', but the latest we hunt is around the 24th of September.

 

[fmyth]

Hey everyone. I'm the greenest Elk hunter your going to respond to but I'm willing to learn and have done a fair amount of research. I am planning a OTC archery hunt in unit 78/81. Im from Virginia and have never even seen an elk in the wild. Never hunted west of the Appalachian. (Excuse me if I don't use the correct terms in this post)

I have picked out potential spots using every source of maps I can get my hands on, but its difficult since I'm 28 hrs away and have no way to scout anything. I see alot of other post saying these units have hunters behind every tree and elk hiding behind every unicorn. Am I shooting in the dark with these units?

Also I am willing to HIKE. I'm not afraid of rough terrain or the long haul out. I'm 30 yrs old and in good shape. I'm bring 3 other guys with me 1 firefighter, 1 logger and 1 factory man we may have to whip into shape haha. I would really love to tell someone the areas I’m looking at and get there opinions. I have 3 camp areas picked, 2 are between 5 and 7 miles from parking. And the 3rd is 2 miles from parking. (if my maps are actually showing it correctly and I can park there.)

We don’t want to know everyone’s secrets just want some friendly guidance to make our own decisions.

I would encourage you to look for areas within your unit that you can camp just off the road and hike in each day to hunt. If there are no elk move your truck/camp to another location and start over. Do this until you find the elk or run out of time. If you pack in 7 miles and find no elk it will be "easy" for you to stay in that area and burn daylight praying for the elk to show up.

 

[spike camp]

I would encourage you to look for areas within your unit that you can camp just off the road and hike in each day to hunt. If there are no elk move your truck/camp to another location and start over. Do this until you find the elk or run out of time. If you pack in 7 miles and find no elk it will be "easy" for you to stay in that area and burn daylight praying for the elk to show up.

Kinda agree, but the flip side is being in elk habitat the whole time, moving accordingly...with less time on trails and roads.

Gotta plan for that obviously, having multiple areas to explore.
Thats how I’d hunt personally..not that day hunting isn’t or can’t be productive.

 

[Chris B]

biggest mistake East Coast hunters make on their first Western Elk hunt is they think walking a few miles / day
puts them in Elk shape. I have found I easily average 8 -10 miles of hiking at Altitude every day on Elk hunts.
Hiking at 7-11K ft is something you can't understand until you have done it. Do serious cardio to prepare you for being mobile to increase your success rate.

This ! Hiking at those altitudes is no joke .

 

[trophyhill]

If you are going to hunt 80-81, all I can tell ya is get ready to be overrun by hunters if you are hunting in September. So what that means is, you better have a backup plan for every letter in the alphabet about 3 times. That is if it is anything like it was last year. I agree. Stay extremely mobile and don’t expect too much. That way if you do kill an elk it will be a bonus

 

[Wapiti1]

I'd personally scour Nipple Mtn in 78. Who knows what you'll work into there.

78/81/80 see a lot of hunting traffic. Keep in mind that 4 miles in is the middle of any roadless area. You can park anywhere in national forest that you can get your truck off the road. So, parking area is not relevant. I only park at a trailhead if I'm hiking that trail which means I'm not hunting. Otherwise, I'm parking closest to how I think I want to access the elk country I am targeting. That might mean a mile up or down the road from where I actually head in.

Easy walking equals hunter pressure.

Fitness as noted by others is important. Cardio, and real workouts with your loaded pack on. Stadium stairs with your pack or any hills in your area. You should have some good hills to hike in Virginia. Make it a couple time a week thing after work.

Have fun and understand a dead elk is tough. Success may be measured in other ways. Think of how much better stories will be when you can say Nipple Mtn repeatedly during the telling.

Jeremy

 

[WapitiSteaks]

This ! Hiking at those altitudes is no joke .

Yup. If you are going to those units, you may want to go early in September and hunt at those high altitudes.

 

[fmarrs3]

Curious to hear how this hunt went! PM if desired. Considering 81 this year.

 

[Pacman7188]

Curious to hear how this hunt went! PM if desired. Considering 81 this year.

I hunted in this Unit last year for the first time, I have read a lot of articles regarding this unit as well as Unit 80. It was my very first time hunting in CO. First off, I hunted 3rd rifle, which was cold and very snowy in the upper 10,000 to 12,000 ft range. I noticed that a lot of the elk had come down and were now staged up in the national wildlife area just across the road from the public land. It was an amazing sight to see ALL the elk and bull elk just standing hundreds of yards from the main highway. That being said, I saw ALOT of hunters in the area on foot and vehicle traffic. I hunted in the 10,500 to 11,000 ft range and only ran across two hunters. Must of the hunters stayed at 9,000 and below. Its a big unit with a lot of potential to take a elk, based on my thoughts.

I seen a tones of mule deer with a few monsters hiding in thick cover, which was also pretty cool to see. The country was simply amazing and breath taking. The different trees, cover, terrain, and animals were also amazing. It took me about 3 days to find the elk, but once I did, I saw elk pretty much all day. I did get very close to a monster, well monster in my eyes, bull elk in about 15 plus inches of snow, but wasn't able to seal the deal. I saw a lot of cows and spike bulls in this area. So, take what you want from this, but from what I seen, if you are willing to work, meaning WALK, you have a good chance on seeing elk for sure,, but taking one is just a bonus. Good Luck, I will be back this year for 2nd, maybe if lucky enough, 1st....

 

[Pacman7188]

You also better be ready to take a 400 yard shot, FYI