New public land hunter?

[DWhitt]

A buddy and I are wanting to do a western backpacking DIY hunt (Elk, whitetail, or mule deer). I'm guess Colorado maybe the easiest tags to draw for archery or gun. I need some pointers on where to start and maybe what units are better than others. Any advice will be appreciated. Living on the east coast it's killing us to try one of these trips. Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LongWayAround]

So you don't have an animal, weapon, or state to hunt picked out but you want to know what unit to hunt? It sounds like you haven't done very much, if any, research.

Typically, these types of posts garner more responses when the person asking has a solid plan and requests specific information. As a new member with very few posts, I suggest you read the thread titled 'peeved', it should help with some forum etiquette.

Then, decide what you want to hunt and how. Pick a state that aligns with that. When you have a few areas narrowed down and have specific questions, ask again.

If you are set on Colorado, start with the CPW website. There's a wealth of information on there. When something catches your eye, check it out on Google earth. Figure out what kind of terrain you want to hunt and focus on those areas.

 

[DWhitt]

So you don't have an animal, weapon, or state to hunt picked out but you want to know what unit to hunt? It sounds like you haven't done very much, if any, research.

Typically, these types of posts garner more responses when the person asking has a solid plan and requests specific information. As a new member with very few posts, I suggest you read the thread titled 'peeved', it should help with some forum etiquette.

Then, decide what you want to hunt and how. Pick a state that aligns with that. When you have a few areas narrowed down and have specific questions, ask again.

If you are set on Colorado, start with the CPW website. There's a wealth of information on there. When something catches your eye, check it out on Google earth. Figure out what kind of terrain you want to hunt and focus on those areas.

Why would post count matter....I said I'm open to elk, whitetail, or mule deer. I know some states have combo tags. I know certain units are better than others as far as elk is concerned. I don't know if an archery tag would be easier to get than a gun tag. That's why I said I'm open to either one. I'd love to bowhunt but didn't know how the tags worked. And yes I've got on CPW website but honestly idk where to start and which state wildlife area I need to be looking at.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Northernpiker]

Colorado can be a good starting place. Lots of over-the-counter units and good information on the CPW site. Decide if you're going to bow hunt or rifle hunt are you going to camp at a campground in your truck or backpack in. We will help you out as much as we can ( or as much as we're comfortable with) but you have to do some research first. There are lots of units with a lot of elk. Finding the elk can be the tough part. On your first trip look for it to be an adventure and learning experience. Research and conditioning can really up your odds of harvesting an animal and having an enjoyable experience.

 

[Northernpiker]

Post count- A lot of people like to see others contribute to the site and not just receive information. It can be tough to get started when you don't have knowledge to contribute.

 

[DWhitt]

Post count- A lot of people like to see others contribute to the site and not just receive information. It can be tough to get started when you don't have knowledge to contribute.

Thanks and I understand completely but this western backpack hunting is way new to me. From NC and all I've ever hunted is deer and turkey and deer is still hunting from a tree stand. So I really don't have any advice or knowledge on this type of hunting that I'm wanting to learn and dive into. Now conditioning or Turkey calling I can be of assistance lol. Archery is my passion and the whole living off of your back for 10 or so days has my attention. So I guess I should just say elk for Colorado with an archery tag. I will call the CPW today and kinda get an idea on everything. I'm buying a pack in the next few weeks. That's how I discovered this site. Lots of info here that I can't find anywhere else. Thanks again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[elkyinzer]

Google "Colorado OTC tags" and start correlating smaller and smaller areas of potential interest to map research. You'll quickly see it said quite a few times that all the public land west of I25 has elk. There's your starting point. Sorry, but you have to expect to log the hours and hours of research like the rest of us have, planning a DIY hunt is not an instant gratification endeavor. If you want someone else to do the work for you, pay a hunt planner or hire a guide.

 

[fngTony]

I'll use Colorado for an example. Archery season is a month long, rifle is specific weeks. Figure out with your partner how easy it is to lockdown time off work. Archery season will allow some flexibility if either of you need to adjust vacation time.

Any unit west of I25 has potential to hold elk and deer. Pick an area that you're comfortable with terrain wise with a good chance to draw. You can hunt elk and deer at the same time during archery, muzzy and 2nd&3rd rifle in most units. Buy an otc elk tag if you don't draw a deer.

Cpw website is informative but easier to have the brochure while navigating. That way you have the hunt codes in your lap while looking at statistics and the links in the site.

 

[DWhitt]

Thanks guys!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stwrt9]

your in the ball park by checking out Rokslide for information as there is a lot of great info on here! Some advise is do your research for starters there is no easy way about getting info and people tend to be not want to give out too much information without you first doing some of the work yourself. Especially being new to the site, but don't be discouraged engage with others and ask specific questions without asking for someone else's "honey hole".

It can be a daunting task being form the East Coast looking to hunt out West! I know my head was spinning when i first started this process. I'll suggest joining GoHunt or Huntin Fool as well as they help with some specifics for tags and units. But keep doing the research i promise it's out there. Also get familiar with Google Earth once you narrow down you SPecies, state and unit. Good luck!!

 

[les welch]

There's a wealth of information here from very knowledgeable folks. First reply summed up a lot of things.

You need to nail down a species first. A weapon choice would help as well. Then pick a state. Search the species forums here and then use Google. Once you have an idea that hey " I want to archery elk hunt, probably Colorado, and I think I want to hunt them early because I am a school techer and that time frame works best for me." You've narrowed it down a lot and you will tend to get more help. Guys will be apt to start pointing you in a region where from there you can do more work like calling the local CO, meat processors, and computer work. Once you get narrowed down you will get more detailed info from guys who have been there/done that.

Another thought, do a lot of the correspondence via PM. Nope there are no secret spots left, but even 1 new guy in an area can change dynamics.

Good luck.

 

[DWhitt]

Thanks LW


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[elkduds]

303 291-7526. CO Wildlife Dept. Has employees called Big Game Hunt Planners standing by for your questions. And the service is free. It is a great way to start exploring CO's big game hunting options. Good luck.

 

[LongWayAround]

If I were traveling all the way from North Carolina to hunt Colorado, I would do what fng said and apply for a deer tag that you guys can draw with no points, then buy an OTC elk tag. I've been into some really nice deer the last few years without a tag while I was elk hunting. Then, third rifle, I saw more bull elk in the first hour of my deer hunt than I did all of September...

I apologize if my previous post had a dick-ish tone. It was early...

 

[DWhitt]

If I were traveling all the way from North Carolina to hunt Colorado, I would do what fng said and apply for a deer tag that you guys can draw with no points, then buy an OTC elk tag. I've been into some really nice deer the last few years without a tag while I was elk hunting. Then, third rifle, I saw more bull elk in the first hour of my deer hunt than I did all of September...

I apologize if my previous post had a dick-ish tone. It was early...

No worries bud! I called and spoke with a hunt planner today. I'm going to do just that. There's a lot to put my head around lol. Heck I'm still trying to decide on which pack I'm going to need lol!! Thanks again for all the help!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jimbob]

Once you have a state and a few areas picked out then you can ask specifics about wilderness areas or trail heads etc. The locals or annual guys might not give specific info but you might find a guy that doesn't go back all the time and will give specific info about an area.

 

[charvey9]

I'm no expert, but when looking at a total new place or state to hunt I start with the draw statistics and harvest statistics for that particular state. Many states now have some nice sites that let you sort this data by animal, weapon, season, OTC, etc. Compare that with public access maps. From there you should be able to narrow it down to a handful of units you could or want to hunt.

After that, work the google machine to find out as much info on these units as you can. It might not be much, but you might find something useful. Put in a call to the wildlife office that manages that area. I think they get hammered with guys who call up and just ask "Where should I hunt?" without doing any leg work, so open with what you already know about the unit and just ask for their general perception on the unit and what they think about specific spots you have located (named mountains, creeks, lakes, etc). At least that shows you have put in some effort. If nothing else, you should be able to get an idea of whether the hunting is good, bad, or ugly.

After that, if you can't go visit, its all up to google earth and virtual scouting to look for areas that might hold what you are looking for. Combine that with trailheads, road, etc to plan your trip.

Its not an exact science, but better than throwing darts at a map.

 

[philos]

DWhitt

I am not much help for Colorado as I generally hunt Wyoming but I live in SC - right next door to you- and I might be able to offer some suggestions in hunting out west in general. It's not quite like the Field & Stream articles we read but it can be tons of fun and extremely difficult all at once. I would likely not recommend elk to start and you might even consider antelope as a first time western hunt. Shoot me a PM if I can help.

 

[W.D. Crawford]

You have some work cut out for yourself! Just trying to decide which pack to buy will be a daunting task in itself lol! Best advice I can give is have fun planning your trip, don't over think it and keep your expectations somewhere near realistic, after all this will be a learning experience. Best of luck!

 

[WVTrooper]

DWhitt
First off let me start with the disclaimer that I only have one western hunt under my belt. Was a DIY CO elk rifle hunt. Last year at about this time I was in the same boat as you are. Being from the east and wanting to head west and trying to figure out a way to pull it off. There is so much information to sort through, it seems insurmountable. I was a bit ahead of the curve as I was going with a guy from work who had been west on an archery hunt 3 or 4 years ago so we decided that the area that he went would give us a place to start. CPW was a great help in trying to sort through all the information when it comes to the draw system and I see you’ve contacted them so you’ve got a start. Once you settle on an area order a couple of maps and study them. Google Earth is a great tool as well.

Being a FNG to western hunting, what WD said is spot on. I wanted to learn from the whole experience so I could build on it for my next hunt which is going to be this year. If I was successful then it would have been a bonus to the whole experience. The way I figured it, being outside hunting is better than being at work. Don’t get your hopes up because there are some things that you can’t control like the weather or hunting pressure. Just roll with it. PM me and I'll help where I can.

As for the pack and gear, be careful, because once you jump down that rabbit hole, better hold on, as it adds a whole new dimension to the fun.