Colorado GMU 53

[snake]

I am planning a trip to archery elk hunt in September. I will be doing the OTC option and am trying to determine where to go. I was just wondering if anybody has bowhunted the West Elk Wilderness in unit 53? If so, what was your experience like as far as number of hunters and overall experience? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Broken arrow]

I've only scouted unit 53 back in May of last year. It is a pretty large area that from what I've read has moderate pressure during archery but gets pounded during rifle. There are a lot of pack trails in the area I'll be hunting which I think is both good and bad. Honestly I found horse manure almost everywhere I went (there is at least 1 outfitter that I know of in my area) What I liked about it was the kill % has been very consistent for several years and is in the 10 to 15% range (Archery). During my 2 day adventure I saw 23 elk, 5 mulies and the biggest coyote I've ever seen that I meet at 5 yards at 10500'. Not sure who jumped higher?!?
I back packed in around 4 1/2 miles and did around 15 total miles in those 2 days. Mostly aspen with patches of dark timber in my area.
Lots of old sign and new.
I'll be disappearing there for 10 days come September

Let me add DIY solo bivy/spike hunt.
Is it September yet? I'm already losing sleep!

[snake]

Thanks, I appreciate it. I'm just trying to find a unit that gives not only me, but my hunting partners the best chance to get into some elk. None of us have ever been elk hunting and I've been digging through tons of information to try and find the best unit (with a lot of public ground) for us to get away from the crowds.

[Herb]

Lots of cows, lots of cowboys, lots of hunters on horses. Really gave me a new appreciation for what a good mountain horse can do, or I should say, where they can go. Lots of trails marked and not, expect seeing horse shoes on all of them.

[buglmin]

You gotta be careful when you have cattle in the area you plan on hunting. Why? Most ranchers start rounding up cattle in September, and they use several cowboys to gather. They cover a lot of ground, are very noisey, and they will push elk out of the area. It might take weeks for the elk to move back into the area.

[cnelk]

Or get to know the rancher and find out his grazing pattern.
I became good friends with the rancher that grazes in some of my areas. He tells me where he finds wallows and I tell him where I find pockets of cattle holed up.
Good trade...