Colorado advice for a newbie?

[Allenkoz]

I’m a 53 year old Michigan hunter, but I've never been elk hunting. My buddy and I have accumulated 6 pts (nonresident) for Colorado and are planning a bucket list hunt in 2023- hopefully 1st rifle. We are looking to book a private property guided hunt (I understand the costs involved). If you were me, what units would you start with? Additionally, can anyone recommend a quality outfitter? We aren’t necessarily looking for anything too hard core due mainly to my friend's heart health. Ideally, the outfitter would be able to customize hunts with varying degrees of physical requirements for us both and have a high success rate. Thank you in advance for any recommendations and advice that you may have!

[WapitiTalk1]

First of all, welcome to WapitiTalk; glad to have you on board. I know personally know zilch about hunting the Centennial State but there are some here that do, I'm sure they'll chime in. There is an outfitter review/report section in Bowsite, link as follows: https://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/OUTFITTERREPORTS/outfitter.cfm. Planning an elk hunt is "almost" as fun as the event itself, good luck!

[Swede]

Allen: Welcome to the forum. I have never hunted Colorado either. It sounds like your friend, and maybe you would do well to have a ground blind or tree stand to go to during your hunt. There are several old goats here on the forum, me included, that regularly shoot elk. It is great to have a productive way of hunting when your body says you need a break. I archery hunt but stand/blind hunting can work anytime. I would ask your outfitter if he/she has a productive place for you to wait to ambush a critter. If the weather is bad, I would take my pop-up blind and a heater to wait in. Here is the amazing part to consider. You are more likely to get your elk waiting to ambush one than you are out chasing them if you stay alert.

[saddlesore]

About any private land hunt will be a lot better than public land.The altitude is going to get your buddy worse than the terrain
Here is my advice. Colorado offers Ranching for Wildlife hunts, but for residents only. Almost everyone of those ranches also offer private hunts. You can find those ranches listed in the Colorado Big Game brochure under Elk, Ranching for Wildlife.They will all have websites you can search for then. Most of them will have private land owner tags you don't draw for. You can get the GMU the ranches are located with the brochure and then look in the back of the brochure for a map to see where they are at in the state.

The rancher applies for Vouchers which they can sell one time to a hunter and you can only hunt on that property.Then there are tags you draw that are good for an entire GMU you can hunt on private land or public that you will use your points for or tags you draw for that are only good for private land. With those you have to ferret out land owners and get their permission before the draw.That can be a daunting task as there is no list available to the public.Even though you are looking at 2023, you need to get a copy of the Colorado Big Game brochure and study up on how those two different tags are obtained. In the section of limited licenses for elk in the brochure,it will list tags that are private land only ( Those are not the vouchers)

Another thing you can do is get a copy of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's Bugle magazine.There are pages in back that list registered outfitters for Colorado along with other states. Get on the phone and start calling.

You will find a lot of them are already booked for 2023 or are offering bookings.Time is in the essence already.

Think mature branch antlered bull, not you have to kill one 300+. If so add a couple of zeros to your budget. Success rates vary from year to year. Don't believe all you are told. Hope this helps

[Jhg]

I would:

1) you will want to find the best outfitter, not biggest, best that is available in the area you want to hunt (see below). Everything and I mean everything- fun, comfort, satisfaction, professionalism, success, all will start right there.

2) so first figure out which gmu's offer the terrain you want to be in. It is your hunt of a lifetime. Place yourself in the landscape you have dreamed about.

3) then figure out what herds have the heaviest antler mass. Not points. A five x five with heavy beams will trump a thin raghorn five x every time and some gmu's have a lot of thin beamed raghorns. Once you learn about the herd, whose range may cover more than one gmu you then target your outfitter.

[saddlesore]

One thing to remember, Colorado manage for quantity , not quality. You will find a lot of those thin beamed raghorns. Probably 90%of bulls killed in Colorado fit that class. Since the 4 point restriction took effect,those spikes grow into 4 point raghorns and get killed. Those bigger bull units usually take 20-25 points to draw a tag. 6 points kind of puts you in no man's land for draws.Which is why I mentioned Vouchers on private ranches. If the rancher limits the number of bulls killed each, year , chances are better for bulls to get older. However, unless it is high fence ranch, those elk move back and forth from public to private,but after archery and muzzle loader season, a good majority head for private land and stay there.

Private ranches do not necessarily mean big bulls if the genes are not there as Jhg advises. In New Mexico, you have Vallecitos owned by Ted Turner and the Chama Land and Cattle Company. Both in the $12-$15K range and that was several years ago. Average bull might be a mature 6 X, but barely making 300 if that.The Valle Grande takes many years to draw. I am not familiar with any of those type of ranches in Colorado though.Snake River near Walden has several big ranches scattered in Colorado and Wyoming

In Colorado, you will find most outfitters operating on public land with a Forest Service permit.So you have to find a ranch that has vouchers.It will most likely be leased to an outfitter. Your first problem will be finding those ranches. Terrain, Preferred GMU ,etc. comes next.
I checked this years issue of Colorado Outdoors Preference Points issue.The were less than 6 units,bulls and either sex that took 6 points in 2021 for non residents. Most were under that or well over.Those that took five would probably take 6 in 2022. That data can also be found on the CPW website under hunting statistics.

[Jhg]

So as you are learning there is a lot to consider.
For example, to double down on what saddlesore is saying, there are areas that will never be a good bet to kill a nice bull. When I was guiding near Steamboat one of the outfitters clients was the Tabasco sauce owner Mcllhenny who had some private right smack dab in the middle of elk migration zones. Here we saw herds up to 500+ animals every morning. You would think that meant excellent odds you would bring home a bull worthy of being hung on a wall. Well, not so fast. Among the elk were a fair number of bulls but every one of them was a clone of the other- thin beamed raghorns.
Your hunt is an experience defined by 3 things: your enjoyment of the hunts 2) your awe of wonder of the landscape and 3) your pride in the animal you bring home.
I cannot stress enough the idea that thinking about these 3 things will get you more of what you want than following the herd (so to speak) in designing your hunt. Think outside the box. Guide your efforts researching so you can at least have a chance to kill a proud bull- thick beamed, 5x or better, heavy body. Avoid the carrot of the high preference point units. They are where everyone thinks big bulls live.

D06E674D-E898-49D3-998E-50197F98FD38.jpeg (151.33 KiB) Viewed 1670 times

[saddlesore]

Sound advice.
"Your hunt is an experience defined by 3 things: your enjoyment of the hunts 2) your awe of wonder of the landscape and 3) your pride in the animal you bring home. "
I hunted this country from1995 thru 2018 on and off. It keeps calling me back.My mind says go, my body says no. I shot the last bull I probably ever will from where this photo was taken. 2018, 76 years old,solo hunt.

Castles 5.jpg (215.83 KiB) Viewed 1666 times

[Jhg]

...2018, 76 years old,solo hunt.

Castles 5.jpg

Dude!!! That right there is an incredible accomplishment.

[Allenkoz]

Sound advice.
"Your hunt is an experience defined by 3 things: your enjoyment of the hunts 2) your awe of wonder of the landscape and 3) your pride in the animal you bring home. "
I hunted this country from1995 thru 2018 on and off. It keeps calling me back.My mind says go, my body says no. I shot the last bull I probably ever will from where this photo was taken. 2018, 76 years old,solo hunt.

Castles 5.jpg

Thanks for the great words of wisdom! I appreciate the time you (and the others) took to thoughtfully respond sir. -Allen

[Allenkoz]

Sound advice.
"Your hunt is an experience defined by 3 things: your enjoyment of the hunts 2) your awe of wonder of the landscape and 3) your pride in the animal you bring home. "
I hunted this country from1995 thru 2018 on and off. It keeps calling me back.My mind says go, my body says no. I shot the last bull I probably ever will from where this photo was taken. 2018, 76 years old,solo hunt.

Castles 5.jpg

Stunning pic- it must have been even more amazing being there in person and harvesting a bull. I admire your dedication and that you did this solo!

[WapitiTalk1]

Sound advice.
"Your hunt is an experience defined by 3 things: your enjoyment of the hunts 2) your awe of wonder of the landscape and 3) your pride in the animal you bring home. "
I hunted this country from1995 thru 2018 on and off. It keeps calling me back.My mind says go, my body says no. I shot the last bull I probably ever will from where this photo was taken. 2018, 76 years old,solo hunt.

Castles 5.jpg

Stunning pic- it must have been even more amazing being there in person and harvesting a bull. I admire your dedication and that you did this solo!

Allen, I’m glad you’re liking our campfire. Send me a PM with your mailing info and I’ll shoot you a super cool WapitiTalk decal for your hunting rig. RJ