OTC Colorado Archery Elk opportunity

[Gerbdog]

you just need to end up in public land, in an over the counter unit that is on that map someone linked up above, which out here in CO there is plenty of. Get on a dirt road, drive until you think you found a spot you wanna hike in and hunt. Find a pull off near it, sleep, get up, hike in and hunt, piles of elk get killed this way every year.

Use the layers on your On X to determine if your in the right unit, and the land is public.

Stay west of I-25 - there are elk East of I-25 but you better know where theyre at and the public land out there is sparse

 

[Jethro]

I’m normally in the just go you have to learn camp, but, and I don’t mean to be rude, if you’ve been studying for a year and don’t know how the otc tag works or how to find a spot in CO’s 13+ million acres of national forest….you may not be ready.

 

[perm_dogg]

you just need to end up in public land, in an over the counter unit that is on that map someone linked up above, which out here in CO there is plenty of. Get on a dirt road, drive until you think you found a spot you wanna hike in and hunt. Find a pull off near it, sleep, get up, hike in and hunt, piles of elk get killed this way every year.

Use the layers on your On X to determine if your in the right unit, and the land is public.

Stay west of I-25 - there are elk East of I-25 but you better know where theyre at and the public land out there is sparse

Beautiful. I appreciate this. Thank you!

 

[perm_dogg]

I’m normally in the just go you have to learn camp, but, and I don’t mean to be rude, if you’ve been studying for a year and don’t know how the otc tag works or how to find a spot in CO’s 13+ million acres of national forest….you may not be ready.

Appreciate the bold honesty. I can see how an inquiry like mine puts me in the oversized dumpster of idiots who have no business in the woods. I am used to paying for a tag, and going to hunt. This whole OTC and Mountain hunt thing, is new to me. Everything else I have been doing for years. There wasn't many days last fall I wasn't in the Whitetail woods. (I realize this is a whole nother animal, figuratively and literally) which is exactly why I am so obsessively intrigued. Furthermore, I found out OTC will die off next year in CO and I don't know how many places across the US will have these opportunities going forward so, it's almost a now or never situation. Lastly, I'm borderline broke after gear upgrades. Thus the DIY ambition and not just giving a vital organ to have someone guide me around and answer all my "stupid" questions

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Appreciate the bold honesty. I can see how an inquiry like mine puts me in the oversized dumpster of idiots who have no business in the woods. I am used to paying for a tag, and going to hunt. This whole OTC and Mountain hunt thing, is new to me. Everything else I have been doing for years. There wasn't many days last fall I wasn't in the Whitetail woods. (I realize this is a whole nother animal, figuratively and literally) which is exactly why I am so obsessively intrigued. Furthermore, I found out OTC will die off next year in CO and I don't know how many places across the US will have these opportunities going forward so, it's almost a now or never situation. Lastly, I'm borderline broke after gear upgrades. Thus the DIY ambition and not just giving a vital organ to have someone guide me around and answer all my "stupid" questions

Sounds like your decision is made already. There's not much anyone can tell you. You can still put in for Colorado draw and hunt eventually. It's not like a "you'll never get to hunt situation."

The "white tail woods" are a lot different than the "white butt forest horse mountains."

 

[Jethro]

Firstly, not knowing something doesn’t necessarily make you an idiot. Although it doesn’t rule it out either.

Learn the draw processes and read regs. Should be steps 1 and 2 for any newb. Often overlooked for the more glamorous training, shooting, and accumulating gear.

CO otc may go away but opportunity most likely will not.

 

[perm_dogg]

Firstly, not knowing something doesn’t necessarily make you an idiot. Although it doesn’t rule it out either.

Learn the draw processes and read regs. Should be steps 1 and 2 for any newb. Often overlooked for the more glamorous training, shooting, and accumulating gear.

CO otc may go away but opportunity most likely will not.

I finally got a hold of CO DNR and they made this way easier than I was making it on myself. It sounds like it's pretty wide open to just go in with a bow and a tag, camp gear, and hunt where legal to do so. You're absolutely right. No talking me out of it at this point. Ha ha

 

[Gerbdog]

Well let us know how it goes, i'd be getting on the road ina hurry if i were you and your aiming to get this done for archery season, only a couple weeks left.

Looking forward to the write up!

 

[Roger17]

I'm waiting to see the "I pulled off the road and walked up a hill. This elk was walking up the other side so I shot him. I don't know what it means but someone in town called it a 330." followup post. Be about right. Good luck on your hunt.

 

[nwcogreene]

Do the research, just like everyone else, put the time into it, e-scouting and boots on the ground gaining knowledge.

 

[jdmaxwell]

Pick up Colorado reg book with OTC unit map. Pick unit. Go hunt. Simple

 

[TradArcher]

if you are a flatlander sleep your first night below 7000 feet maybe even stay in Denver that first night so you are not puking your first day.

Pay attention to your hydration too the entire time you are in the mountains and if you get a headache or start puking start driving yourself down below 7000 ft or so to heal up, spend the day and maybe night there.

Mention this becuase year round I see a lot of people pretty sick becuase they go right up into the mtns too fast. Doesn't matter how fit you are, altitude sickness doesn't discriminate.

Good luck and have fun! and sleep low that first night....

 

[rkcdvm]

Appreciate this. Kinda where I'm confused. All gray "valid" units are legally huntable with a tag? I'm honestly just trying to avoid driving all the way there without a solid place to park and possibly camp if needed.

I avoid trailheads now . I just find a place to park on the side of the road .

 

[ScreamingPotato]

if you are a flatlander sleep your first night below 7000 feet maybe even stay in Denver that first night so you are not puking your first day.

Pay attention to your hydration too the entire time you are in the mountains and if you get a headache or start puking start driving yourself down below 7000 ft or so to heal up, spend the day and maybe night there.

Mention this becuase year round I see a lot of people pretty sick becuase they go right up into the mtns too fast. Doesn't matter how fit you are, altitude sickness doesn't discriminate.

Good luck and have fun! and sleep low that first night....

This is good advice, OP^^

 

[perm_dogg]

if you are a flatlander sleep your first night below 7000 feet maybe even stay in Denver that first night so you are not puking your first day.

Pay attention to your hydration too the entire time you are in the mountains and if you get a headache or start puking start driving yourself down below 7000 ft or so to heal up, spend the day and maybe night there.

Mention this becuase year round I see a lot of people pretty sick becuase they go right up into the mtns too fast. Doesn't matter how fit you are, altitude sickness doesn't discriminate.

Good luck and have fun! and sleep low that first night....

Great advice. This is my plan for sure!

 

[westonhoma]

Not trying to be a jerk, but packing up the truck during the second week of archery with only knowing the destination is a recipe for an unfilled tag, disappointing/horrible first experience and possibly disaster. Most people spend a year trying to figure out how to make it happen. Couple questions you need to ask:

*Do I have the right gear for the mountains? Temps range wildly down to below freezing with snow and possibly 80s during the day. The wrong gear will get you hurt
* Are you in shape to be able to hunt at 10,000 ft?
* Do you know the regs?
* would it be better to wait so you can plan better?


Also as a side note OTC Archery will be eliminated in CO next year.

OP I just want to re-iterate what was said here^. I know you have been studying like you said but I think this is where people can get into really bad situations (from a safety to an overall bad time perspective)

It is currently the middle of hunting season and it sounds like although you may have been studying , you may have not beein studying the right stuff.. which is almost just as bad. Not blaming the social media influencers but this is the issue when alls that is shared in mountain hunting is shooting the bow and grip n grins. If you are headed to the mountains for the first time.. especially solo.. you are doing yourself a massive disservice if you do not:

-Read at a minimum the hunting regs and elk portion of the CPW hunting digest
-Learn all the ins and outs of OnX since youll need that in the field (assuming ur not a pro at land nav)
-Learn how to quarter up/gutless method an animal (cant just gut these things and drag them out like a whitetail)
-And have a somewhat good base of wilderness safety, communication device, and first aid kit assembled

These are just a few things. And by no means im saying u have to be an expert. We all made a million mistakes our first times and youll learn most by getting out there and doing it. But people neglect this "unsexy" work and impose a huge risk of safety.. breaking the law.. or letting meat spoil because they didnt know how to take care of it in the field. Just my 2 cents! I hope u do make it out there but please do the due dillegence!

 

[perm_dogg]

OP I just want to re-iterate what was said here^. I know you have been studying like you said but I think this is where people can get into really bad situations (from a safety to an overall bad time perspective)

It is currently the middle of hunting season and it sounds like although you may have been studying , you may have not beein studying the right stuff.. which is almost just as bad. Not blaming the social media influencers but this is the issue when alls that is shared in mountain hunting is shooting the bow and grip n grins. If you are headed to the mountains for the first time.. especially solo.. you are doing yourself a massive disservice if you do not:

-Read at a minimum the hunting regs and elk portion of the CPW hunting digest
-Learn all the ins and outs of OnX since youll need that in the field (assuming ur not a pro at land nav)
-Learn how to quarter up/gutless method an animal (cant just gut these things and drag them out like a whitetail)
-And have a somewhat good base of wilderness safety, communication device, and first aid kit assembled

These are just a few things. And by no means im saying u have to be an expert. We all made a million mistakes our first times and youll learn most by getting out there and doing it. But people neglect this "unsexy" work and impose a huge risk of safety.. breaking the law.. or letting meat spoil because they didnt know how to take care of it in the field. Just my 2 cents! I hope u do make it out there but please do the due dillegence!

I can check all of those boxes. I appreciate the insight. I've never done this in the actual mountains, but have done similar with Mule Deer in the bluffs. (Smaller animal, but no different in clean and pack out) I have read the regs front to back several times since I posted. Good there. Not going to break laws, trespass, etc. I'm not just another "citiot" ha ha. I live in the outdoors. I'm not a pig. I leave anywhere I travel better than I found it. Biggest risk IMO, is going alone. (Also some of the allure) Time will tell if this is for me or not but as far as respect for the animal, the land, the dangers. I got this. Thanks.

 

[westonhoma]

I can check all of those boxes. I appreciate the insight. I've never done this in the actual mountains, but have done similar with Mule Deer in the bluffs. (Smaller animal, but no different in clean and pack out) I have read the regs front to back several times since I posted. Good there. Not going to break laws, trespass, etc. I'm not just another "citiot" ha ha. I live in the outdoors. I'm not a pig. I leave anywhere I travel better than I found it. Biggest risk IMO, is going alone. (Also some of the allure) Time will tell if this is for me or not but as far as respect for the animal, the land, the dangers. I got this. Thanks.

Great to hear. Solo is no joke for anyone, so stay safe. Have fun. And learn as much as u can from the experience. You might just get addicted to it like the rest of us lol. Keep us posted!

 

[perm_dogg]

Great to hear. Solo is no joke for anyone, so stay safe. Have fun. And learn as much as u can from the experience. You might just get addicted to it like the rest of us lol. Keep us posted!

I sure hope so! The investment in gear was the most painful thing for me. I thought I had a lot of hunting.... Until this. Ha ha. Thanks for the fair warnings and good luck wishes!

 

[Scott7030]

I've struggled with some of the same questions. All this is good advice. I'm leaving Michigan tonight to head to an OTC area I've never seen, just escouted. Just like mentioned we're going to hunt a lower elevation area the 1st couple of days even though it's low odds. Then we'll move to our better choices in more typical elk country. Good luck and be safe.