What would you do?

[BaldBeaver]

Trying to take a poll here. I am going to be doing my very first Archery Elk hunt this coming year after returning from overseas. I have narrowed it down to either Unit 70/71(working the two together) or heading over to 751. Looks like 751 has more wilderness area which is what I would prefer. However the harvest is less, will significantly less hunters. If you had to choose between the two, which would you choose. My buddy and I will be hiking in and staying in for about 12 days. Thanks for your time and consideration.

Jason Peterson
TSgt USAF
Mossy Oak ProStaff
Wildlife and Habitat Improvement of Nevada
Board of Director
Southern Nevada Coalition for Wildlife
Treasurer

[Swede]

When I am elk hunting, or hunting anything else for that matter, I go where I have the best chances at taking my quarry. Remember why you are out hunting. The wilderness outing can fit into an great elk hunt, but keep your focus.

[buglmin]

751 is a small unit with 76 to the morth, and 77 to the east. To access 751, you would need to do so from around Vallecito lake. Lots of private land below the lake, Missionary ridge to the west, which is accessed and very drivable roads from north of Durango. From 77 on the east, you can drive to within 6 air miles from Vallecito from the mosco road that runs from Pagosa Springs...and yessir, the mosco area gets hunted hard due to the ease of access.
The unit that contains Lizard Head Pass, I think is 71, also gets hunted hard, plus you have an outfitter that has camps in there and across the highway. I havent hunted or guided it for years, but at one time, the first few days of the season was good...
Everyone that hunts 751 hunts the East Creek area, which can be accessed from above from the Mosco road. Back country Outfitters have serveral camps in this area.

[cantgetdrawn]

Two things you should consider about unit 70/71.

1) I believe the high success rate in unit 70 is due to people paying trespass fees and hunting on private land. So when comparing, use the success rate for 71 which is mostly public land.

2) A lot of the roads in unit 70/71 have been closed in the last couple of years. Turning a lot of the area into small De-fact o wilderness areas. During the Muzzleload season there were a ton of horse trailers, but once the smoke poles left most of the horses left. There was still some but it was what I would call a reasonable number.

I did hunt for a day just North of Pagosa Springs a couple of years ago during the 2nd rifle season ( unit 77 if I remember right). There were way more hunters (and horse trailers) than I the other units I hunted that year. Hopefully those areas are relatively less popular during archery season if you decide on 751.

Wilderness hunting is fun, but it is always good to have a plan B. If you spend the day hiking in and there are no elk, it takes a day to hike out and find another area. I guess my advise is whatever you decide be flexible.

[cnelk]

whatever unit you decide to hunt, here is a helpful link to use

http://ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu/huntingatlas/

you can filter GMUs, species, winter range, summer range,migration routes, blm/NF boundaries

lots of info

hope this helps

[buglmin]

Also, and something you need to be aware of, is true wilderness experience in 751, once you cross the divide, is unit 76, a draw unit. You really actually dont have far to travel to reach the divide. I forget the name of the road that takes you way back above and beyond Vallecito lake, but it is very heavily hunted.
The Missionary Road that is to the west of 751 is not closed, and you can drive way north up the roads. Most people actually drop into small areas from above, hitting lil pockets of forest service behind most of the private.
The area north of Pagosa Springs is actually hunted very hard during archery season, with over 13 horse trailers at the Poison Park trail head this fall, and 12 trailers at the upper Williams Lake Trailhead.
If I was looking to access 751, I would do it from the Mossco road, dropping down. And of course, I would have horses and a good gps and know how to use it. With outfitting the way it is anymore around here, outfitters are coming into the area from the valley, Grand Junction, as well as other states, like Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas.