Public Land Elk Hunts

[30-06man]

How do you go about applying for tags to hunt public land for elk? Has anyone ever done this?

[ncsurveyor]

30-06,

In Colorado -
Elk hunting licenses are purchased over the counter (OTC) in some hunting "zones" based on season (2nd, 3rd, or 4th).  Basically, you can hunt public land in the zone of your license.  OTC licenses are purchased a couple of days before the season starts.

Some zones are "draw" only, and I believe all "1st seasons" are draw only, which require an application submitted before April.

The trick is making sure the public land your hunting is not over crowded, AND has public access.

My friend, his father and I are planning a private land unguided hunt this coming November.

[30-06man]

Ohh ok. Thanks. I am going to try to plan a trip for next year out there to hunt.

[Jal5]

Hey 3006 let me know how your planning goes...a hunt like that is in my goals too over the next couple of years. My son lives outside of Denver so we are trying to get it together to do a hunt. Problem is he doesn't know anyone with land that will let us hunt so its public land or nothing unless he can score a private parcel for us over the next few years.

good luck,
Joe

[30-06man]

Ill keep you informed Joe. The best thing he can do since he is there is to read the local books, laws and talk to locals. If it is like anything here he should go to his gun shops and areas where hunting supplies are sold and pick up some WMA land maps with all the public land and the DNR books with the Rules and Regs. Tell him to go to his local DNR office or call them. That's about the best he can do. You can call and visit their DNR site and with a few clicks you might find out more than you will believe.

Thanks,
 Rick

[Jal5]

My son has hunted there the last two seasons, with no success so far. Public land and not the best areas at that. they wind up glassing a lot and seeing elk but the stalking is another matter...I think they constantly push the herds further up on the mountain.

Joe

[james]

Even if you're not going this year, you may need to start applying for preference points.  Some of the better zones (with public land) require several preference points for a bull tag. The Colo DOW site has a lot of info. Your application has to be in by April 1st this year (for elk). 

[30-06man]

Even if you're not going this year, you may need to start applying for preference points.  Some of the better zones (with public land) require several preference points for a bull tag. The Colo DOW site has a lot of info. Your application has to be in by April 1st this year (for elk). 

I will try to make the deadline. If I can't then it will give me some time for more research for next year.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

30-06,

In Colorado -
Elk hunting licenses are purchased over the counter (OTC) in some hunting "zones" based on season (2nd, 3rd, or 4th).  Basically, you can hunt public land in the zone of your license.  OTC licenses are purchased a couple of days before the season starts.

Some zones are "draw" only, and I believe all "1st seasons" are draw only, which require an application submitted before April.

The trick is making sure the public land your hunting is not over crowded, AND has public access.

My friend, his father and I are planning a private land unguided hunt this coming November.

It changes from year to year. You can get bull elk tags OTC if they offer it for that certain season. Last year, i was able to buy an OTC elk tag for muzzle loader season. The previous year i could not. Best thing to do 30-06 is to go to the colorado DOW website and read the rules and request a colorado big game booklet.
I can send you one for free if you would like.

Which area were you looking to hunt?

[30-06man]

Thanks. I was getting ready to do that. Which areas are the best, or at least decent to hunt at?

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

For elk, Craig would be an excellent place. I used to go hunting near Colo-Wyo Mine with my dad when i was wee lad.

Stonewall Colorado "By me" Is also a great area but the huge elk herds are all on private land.

[GANDER]

  Go West NO elk east of the divide

[30-06man]

For elk, Craig would be an excellent place. I used to go hunting near Colo-Wyo Mine with my dad when i was wee lad.

Stonewall Colorado "By me" Is also a great area but the huge elk herds are all on private land.

  Go West NO elk east of the divide

Thanks. I will do some further research.

[georgeld]

06: e/mail me: georgeld@hotmail.com

www.wildlife.state.co.us

Order a Big Game Regs booklet, n/c.

On their site, go to and order a copy, or print out, save etc the: big game statistics for the prior 4-5 yrs before you're planning on coming out.
That shows all game kills of all species, all seasons, type kills, sex, etc. It's free and onsite, for downloading. Study the results to get an idea of what seasons, species and areas you'll stand a better chance at. You'll learn so much more there, than you ever could on the forums.

So far, bull elk tags have been OTC.  Some few areas are total draws, most are for cows. Best thing you could do is come out for cows a couple of yrs to learn the area and how it's done. Half the cost for cows as what bull tags are. This year: cows $251, bulls $526.

Early seasons are mostly dry, elk stay up high until snows drive them down after a few days of no feed. They'll only go down til feed appears from thinner snow though.  IF you hunt early seasons, plan to get up in the HIGH mtns and walk your butts off.  Last seasons generally have had enough heavy snows to drive them down within reach. But, 9 of the last 12 yrs have been dry until after Jan. By then all the seasons are over.  Main thing is to know ahead of time. IF it's dry when you get here, get back into the high country or take an empty tag home. Thats' facts you can count on.

Keep in mind the kill ratios are nearly always: 15-20%, that means the rest of the 80-85% take empty tags home.

Wish you the best,
George   

[Timmer]

check the Colorado division of wildlife website and read the unit success ratios. I've quit hunting in Colorado because of the "extra" fees imposed by the CDOW plus the different answers I obtained about the number of deer and elk killed by the CDOW in the unit I was hunting. One would think that the shooter, the Manager of the shooter, and the Manager of the unit would have the same answer on number of deer and elk shot to "stop" the spread of the chronic wasting disease. I was personally told NO elk were killed by the Unit manager but I saw the pictures of several hundred dead elk taken by a lawyer who lives in that unit. The elk carcases  were just dumped in the back area of one of the Cherokee Parks wildlife management areas along with many hundreds of deer carcases. At this point in time I do not plan on hunting in Colorado again. I saw no elk or signs of elk in the unit I hunted over the past 3 years nor did I find any other hunters who had seen elk or signs either. One would think that someone in the 50-60 hunters who hunted that unit would have seen at least 1 elk during the week long season. The CDOW has wiped out the deer and elk in about 4-5 units except for the Private Ranches, and they want a $1,000 trespass fee to hunt on their land. End of rant.

[SDS-GEN]

Don't pay too much attention to the harvest statistics on the DOW web site except to establish a trend as to which units are producing.  If you take georgeld's advise and hunt hard and smart, burn some boot leather and ignore the pain in your legs and lungs you will see elk.  My group of hunters only went home empty handed from Colorado one time in several years and that was a bow hunt.  Rifle season success has been somewhere above 50% for us in a unit where the DOW lists the success at 13 or 14% for the past few years.  Renting horses to get back into the mountains may help your success.  Most units will let you apply for an either sex tag in some seasons, it is full price $526, but you can shoot whatever you run across.

[30-06man]

Sorry for the late reply. I will email you today if not tomorrow.


Thanks

[colocowboy76]

plenty of elk on public land in colorado.  the pic i have under my name was taken last year just south of laramie WY just into CO. 

[30-06man]

Are they hard to hunt? I know I will be dealing with steep terrain but is there anything else I need to know? Also can you hike up to a point and set up a tent and stay and go up more or do you have to come down and stay at a Motel or something?

[SDS-GEN]

You can set up a tent camp anywhere on most public land, check out the web sights for the National Forest system or BLM or wherever you are hunting for details on their camping policy and campfire policy.  During any of the rifle seasons in the mountains you could have snow, maybe just an inch or two that melts late in the day, maybe a couple of feet.  Remember if you pack in a camp you have to pack it out and maybe some elk meat too.  Check to make sure your area isn't open to motor vehicles if you are hunting on foot or from horseback.  ATV users are notorious for not obeying the rules, and if you hunt an area that gives access to them some idiot will probably be running one where he shouldn't.
Are they hard to hunt?  Some are some aren't.  Depends on how lucky and picky you are.  If you are going to shoot the first elk that walks by you have a good chance of success in most areas, if you get up early and hunt all day.  If you are holding out for a B&C 6x6 you will probably go home empty handed for many years before killing one.

[30-06man]

You can set up a tent camp anywhere on most public land, check out the web sights for the National Forest system or BLM or wherever you are hunting for details on their camping policy and campfire policy.  During any of the rifle seasons in the mountains you could have snow, maybe just an inch or two that melts late in the day, maybe a couple of feet.  Remember if you pack in a camp you have to pack it out and maybe some elk meat too.  Check to make sure your area isn't open to motor vehicles if you are hunting on foot or from horseback.  ATV users are notorious for not obeying the rules, and if you hunt an area that gives access to them some idiot will probably be running one where he shouldn't.
Are they hard to hunt?  Some are some aren't.  Depends on how lucky and picky you are.  If you are going to shoot the first elk that walks by you have a good chance of success in most areas, if you get up early and hunt all day.  If you are holding out for a B&C 6x6 you will probably go home empty handed for many years before killing one.

Thanks for the info. I am not looking for the 6x6 but if one comes out then I will try to take it. I never have been on a elk hunt so my standards aren't very high.

[lucky guy]

Thanks for the info. I am not looking for the 6x6 but if one comes out then I will try to take it. I never have been on a elk hunt so my standards aren't very high.

Cow to bull ratios are 10:1 or more and vary some, but if you want the best chance of seeing and taking an elk, a cow tag is something to consider.  You'll tend to find em in larger groups that are easier to spot and track.   Downside is they're harder to sneak up on, always one or another looking your way!  

Goood eating too!   That either sex tag sounds good!

Did you go on that hunt yet?  

[Black Eagle]

The Colorado mountains are divided at the continental divide into "eastern slope" and "western slope."  While the western slope is famous for lots of big elk, don't sell the eastern slope short for a public land hunt. The western slope gets a lot of hunters on public land and there are very few, it seems, on the eastern slope but there are still a lot of elk. I see them regularly just south of Colorado Springs on public land adjacent to the ranch where I keep horses. I thought about shooting a plump 4 x 4 bull this year and I had an OTC license to cover it and it was an OTC area, but then I thought about packing it out and that was too much work for me. It seems that every time I have to go to Cripple Creek [about 40 miles away] I see elk on public land in Teller County if I take a drive off the main highway. I stopped in a hunting camp several weeks ago to drink some coffee with the hunters and three hunters from Kansas had three nice elk hanging in Teller County. The guy who cleans my office took his brother and father out and they each killed nice elk -- one bull and two fat cows -- on the first day they hunted, on public land, down near Walsenburg.  Several weeks ago, I was driving back from Vail and I had to stop on Wilkerson Pass while an old trophy yellow necked 6 x 6 bull moved his harem of cows across the highway on public land. In fact, I can't recall seeing an elk on private land on the eastern slope for years except when they jump the fence to steal hay from my horses. In August, I was fishing Beaver Creek in Teller County and a magnificent 6 x 6 came out of the brush to get a drink not 10 yards from me. It was archery season and I had neither bow nor license but I wouldn't have taken him anyway. Packing an elk, especially one that big, out of that valley was not my idea of a good time. I could barely get myself up to where I parked the truck carrying only a fly rod and a few fish.