Wyoming shooter and anyone else

lerch

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I am planning a DIY elk hunt in CO for next fall. I have a buddy who goes alot and he has some areas he recomends but i am always lookin for more advice. It will be over the counter tags. We will be horse or mule packing in. Anyone recomend any particular areas?????? any advice is greatly appreciated

thanks
steve
 
Got my own horses, my dad has raised me with them for as far as a i can remeber. As for the part of the state i really dont know, from the guys i have talked to they have spoke good about the area below Pagosa springs but other than that i really dont know, thats kinda the help i am lookin for. I dont know if all of the state is open to over the counter elk tags or not.
 
Your in as good a country as there is in the state. Other areas around the state just as good with over the counter tags but since you have some inside there I would concentrate on it. Below Pagosa in 771 and 78 it is much better in the later seasons after some good snows have pushed them down out of the high country. There are local elk but it really gets good late. In the early seasons I would hunt above Pagosa in the headwaters of the Piedra or pack in the northern parts of 78 in the high country nw of Wolf Creek Pass. I have backpacked a good bit of that country between Valecito reservoir and Wolf Creek pass. There is a good elk herd with as good a bulls as there are in any over the counter unit. I just don't like being dependent on the snows and hit or miss below Pagosa and rather just go early above. Although there are local herds below it can be super if you get the right snow in the third or fourth season. I would suggest applying for a deer tag there while your elk hunting. You having your own horses helps a lot since you can move around a bit and not dependent on a rental. I would get there early and do some day trips moving around that country until you find them. Can't do that with a rental.
 
Thanks WY, i checked out the land between valecinto and wolf creek and from what you can see on google earth it looks pretty nice. i also talked to another buddy of mine who has hunted the area around valecinto reservior and he spoke pretty good about it. Would there be elk in this area during the early season or will we need to hope for snow to push them down??? the buddy of mine who hunts below pagosa springs says the hunting is great but he admits that if the snow has pushed them down yet he wont see crap!!! I am hoping for a area that will have some elk in it during the earlier season

thanks for the help and knowledge so far

appreciate it

steve
 
Early seasons the elk will be up high above the reservoir. That country above Lemon is also very good. Good trails out of both reservoirs to get you way up there. I have found good elk clear up to the divide bordering 76. That is big, rugged country and some bulls can get some age on them up there if you catch a couple of mild winters in a row where they are not pushed down to the waiting army in 771. Definitely above the hiway between the reservoir, Pagosa and Wolf Creek Pass. The small local herds I mentioned below are primarily on the private ground. Move around a bit with the horses and glass a lot up into those high drainages anywhere in that area and you will find elk. I have seen more elk in the north part of 78 early on nw of the pass. But they are all in there depending on pressure. There are several access points to get in there. If there is no snow I would go way high and glass the heads of as many of those drainages as I could.
 
Thanks WY, you been a big help so far. I am researching the area as we speak, talked to another buddy who had some info on the area as well. How far up you think we need to go to get away from the armies of hunters and into the elk????? Dont know if you read my report on my WY muley hunt this year but what happened there is what i wanna avoid!!!! :D:D

Thanks for the info and anything else you think of would be great

thanks
steve
 
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