I want to take a hunting trip there next year with my son. I’ve never been to Colorado so it’s all new to me. Does anyone elk hunt out there? Or camp? I would like to do a backcountry camp but I can afford to pay a guide to drop us off. We are gonna buy OTC tags but not sure for witch season yet. I’ve asked a couple of my friends with they we’re up to going and they said no lol. Any tips on units to hunt? For a first timer with good success. Thanks

I did it once. The second time I used a guide and horses and we had a gal to cook excellent meals. Worth ever dime. You got to get away from the crowds. Horses make it easier.

Did a solo whitetail hunt in Montana once. Rattled in bucks just outside of town after climbing all over BLM mountains. Similar experience in Idaho panhandle. Hunted flat land while everyone else hunted steep mountains. I got a nice buck, they got skunked.

Deer are easier than elk, I think. Do it while you are young, fit, and lightweight.

Jerry has worked out there for years. He said hed recommend the second season because by the 3rd season you're talking mid Nov and you could have major snow. Thia year is an exception.

Hed reccommend flattop wilderness area. You can rent a horse to get in from sombrero ranches..he does not know them but knows they rent horses.

Goid luck

Which season you choose will dictate area and ease of access. Some years 3rd season is snowed out in the high country.

OTC tags in Colorado limit you to 2nd or 3rd season. Better to make up your mind and apply for the draw.

Colorado seasons have gotten later, First time hunters will find it hard in the later seasons. If I were you I would put in for the draw for season one. If you rent horses from Sombrero, make sure you can handle rank stock. Flat Tops is where its at, Lone Tom outfitters has drop camps in the area. If you want to do it by your self, pack in from Trappers Lake.

One of my boys kilt his first bull in CO this year after 13 yrs of huntin with a bow.

Do lots of research first, google "the country's best elk hunting units" Colorado no longer even makes the top ten states. Success rates for non resident archery elk is 10%, less on public land unless you really go way back in. Success rate for rifle, unguided non-resident rifle hunters, on public lands was right at 1% in 2020. I live on the north side of the Flattops mountains and we used to see herds of hundreds of elk late season, not now. Hunters, hikers, development, drought, just to much human intrusion from the ski area tourists in summer and fall. The hikers haven't seemed to have found just to the north of me on the Wyoming border yet and elk seem to be much more populated there, we still see a lot of them there, but I'm sure that will come to an end as well. North of the Bears Ears between Baggs WY. and Cowdrey CO. right along the Wyoming border. Wy. does not sell a tenth of the elk tags Colorado does and you can't buy one across the counter in Wy. For that reason there seem to still be a lot of elk on the border, just a bit to the north of me. Sombrero Ranches will deliver horses here as well, and They do have some jittery stock, that's from only being ridden and used hard for a few months out of the year.

If you can live like a coyote for a couple days, tarp and a sleeping bag, crackers and peanut butter, hike all of one day over the first mountain that people will be hunting on and seeing nothing, get to the next mountains back side you have the idea of how to succeed, We paid our dues out in CO year after year till we learned what it took to kill elk. Always carried them out on our backs, three of us, one time from over 13,000 feet five miles in, I am too old for that now.

That's how you do it, five miles in is where you get into bulls that have learned how to avoid getting shot. Or, pay to hunt the ones that move down onto the private ranches and are much easier to find. Bring a lot of cash for this.

Me an a friend of mine plan on taking our first trip out there this year as well. Plan on buying otc 2nd rifle tags. Will be hunting San Juan national forest

Check out AEI outfitters in Taylor park. They do fully guided semi guided and drop camps. I have hunted with them the last 6 years. I bowhunt however I took a co-worker this year who is a gun hunter. We went the second season which is over the counter tags. He tagged out but it was like deer hunting in Missouri during rifle season. People all over the place. I have killed one with the bow and have seen elk every trip but have not always had a shot opportunity. Like fishdog said you have to get back in there to find them. Biggest thing is to just go do it . It is a great experience lots to learn. P.M. me if you want any more info.

Oh forgot to mention the website Rokslide.com has lots of great info for western hunting.

Did it this year around South Fork and Del Norte saw animals the only thing I didn’t see was altitude sickness and a bad case actually got fluid on my lungs nearly killed me. I am in good shape and have been hunting Montana a lot but never thought about the top on the mountain in Montana is 8000 feet but the hotel in Colorado is at 9000..... Like all things you never know until you try I will stick to Montana.

Go someplace trapping is legal

And the governor doesn't want to outlaw meat

Never hunted Colorado but if I was you, I'd hunt the CO NM boarder as it's elevation won't be so rough on you. You're still talking high elevation compared to where you are.
Get in shape starting now. Work out walk run etc... at the minimum regular basic workout. There's also elk shape.

NM trapping is a joke too. Wont get another nickel from me.

Do what Monster Tom says a apply for a tag in a draw until. We used to hunt public land close to the area my great uncle hunted his whole life and we killed some nice bulls over a 6-7 year period. When everyone and their dog got GPS they found our hidden meadows and we haven’t been back. Uncle Lefty as he was called shot 43 bulls in those mountains during his life. Amazing hunter

Last year was my 1st year hunting out there. 2nd rifle season, mid october. It was t shirt weather before season started and -20 with 2 ft of snow at the end of the week. Keep that in mind. And get in shape now. Unless you want to hunt on the easy trails with 50 other guys.

I feel like I’ll be ready, I always enjoy a good challenge. Just curious about the altitude, how much of an effect does it put on your physical performance. Also another question, at what altitude does a carb on atv act different? I’m around 1800’ above sea level where I am.