Kremmling CO Hunters

[ElkStocker]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and thought I'd make my first post.

I'm headed up to Kremmling area next week for 3rd rifle elk. I moved here last year so I have only hunted the area once, and it was also my first elk season ever as well. Anyone know what it's been like up there the first few seasons this year?

Thanks!

[WapitiTalk1]

Welcome to the forum bud. Pull up a log by the fire, a beverage of choice, and join in the wapiti discussions. While at our camp fire, keep your eyes looking above you and into the forest canopy. Some say old Swede actually lives up there somewhere (ya, probably in a tree stand) and is just waiting to pull some kind of prank on a new arrival to the fire Can't help you at all with the Centennial State but I'm sure others will chime in. Again, welcome.

[powderhogg01]

I live about 45 minutes from kremmling, maybe an hour. I have hunted the area one time, 2nd rifle, all I saw was hunters. I never went back!!

[js80138]

I have been in the same are for the past 5 years. Archery season was a tough one. Spent first weekend of archery season in 27 and 181. Returned for the entire last week of the season and it was Groundhogs Day. Very Very dry. Brittle in fact. Spoke to alot of hunters who didn't punch their tag for deer or elk, including myself. Last day of my hunt went over to 15 but the reports from the guys who were packing out were the same. The profile photo is of me last year in 27. I will be returning for fourth rifle and will stay as long as we can but the past two years we left on Saturday to avoid the blizzards. There is Elk in the area but much lower density in 27 then other units. Hopefully the rain and snow will bring them out. Let me know if I can answer anything specific.

[ElkStocker]

Thanks for the input! just as you I am hoping the rain and snow brings them out and gets them moving. Always nice to have some fresh snow for tracking as well. Good luck on your 4th season hunt!

[js80138]

ElkStocker, Would like to know your experience in 3rd rifle. I know you had a mixed bag of weather but hopefully enough good weather to punch your tag. I am heading up Tuesday and just counting the hours.

Jimmy

[ElkStocker]

Jimmy, it was a pretty good season actually. We punched one of the 2 elk tags we had in our camp and saw plenty. I saw multiple bulls in the thick timber however with the point restrictions I could never identify them. Moose were rampant up there, saw them every day and I heard the deer hunters did pretty well on the east side.

It was a fun year and its always nice to bring a little meat home. Good Luck with you're 4th season hunt!

[js80138]

Congratulations on bringing home your elk meat. I am home already after another hunt.

Day 1 Woke at 3:30 and made it to the trail head north of Buffalo Ranch at the unit line of 15/27 by 5:40 am. The snow that was predicted the previous night was light at Wolford Reservoir Campgroound but as we drove to the trail point it was snowing hard and very windy. Started on the trail in knee deep snow that quickly tunred to waist deep at times. The pre-hunt hour hike to the top of the ridge was overly enthusiatic. We arrived instead three hours later at 8:30. By this time is was blizzard conditions. My hunting buddy and I decided to drop from 9500 into the bowl at 8800 to avoid the storm. Great idea on paper but the bottom of the bowl was waist deep the entire time. We glassed for tracks but found none. Deciding to work the tree line we split up to cover more ground and meet back at the truck. I arrived back at the truck at 1:30 and my buddy was already inside. He reported seeing a 6 x 5 but only had a cow tag. We decided to partially redo the route we made in the morning and work the area he reported seeing the bull. Again this was slow trudging through waist deep snow. We ended our day glassing at the bottom until we knew it was getting close to the end of hunting hours. Once back in the truck we headed south past Buffalo Ranch and about a mile south slid into a ditch. This was the third year in a row that I got stuck in 27 but the first that I needed a tow truck. 10:00 pm made it back to the trailer.

Day 2 slept in until 7:30 and decided to work a different area now that I was skiddish of going back on Red Dirt Road. Entered from the north and went in pretty close to the highway. We got out of the truck for the days hunt travelling about a thousand yards before we were in waist deep snow again. I suggested we abandon that route and try a different area. We travelled down to CR 186 and worked the area north of the private property of Lake Agnes. We saw plenty of coyote tracks and a few deer but that was it. At 4:59 we headed back to the truck and planned for Friday.

Day 3 Awoke at 4:30 and decided that there was significantly less snow on the east side of 27. We arrived at the Mill Creek Trust parking lot at 5:15 and with headlamps began our hunt. We split up at the top and I worked the ridge all the way to the Peak Ranch land. I worked my way through the Aspen's encountering a few tracks but only two elk tracks that were frozen over and not fresh. Blaze orange was a popular color on the surrounding peaks so we headed back down to the truck by 10:30. At this point I am pretty frustrated and exhausted. We decide for one more hunt and selected just south of Rabbit Ear's pass in hope of seeing fresh track. We trudged our way through fresh waist deep snow for a quarter mile without see anything but rabbit tracks. I spent more energy in that quarter mile than I did all morning. We made it back to the truck and I called my season.

Some may say I quit and that is fine since we had two days left. The final two days I would have been solo as my buddy had to leave and the other buddy decided not to come up on Friday. I know my physical limitations and I had exhausted it all. I have no shame in leaving. This was my fourth year in 27 for 4th rifle and I have yet to punch my tag. Next year I will examine my options before submitting my draw.

I did appreciate all of God's creations and my surroundings even when it was harsh. I made it home again safely so I am thankful. Although disappointed I am greatful for the four days I escaped all of the evil in the world.

Jimmy

[ElkStocker]

I agree, as long as you have a good time and everyone makes it home safe then it is a successful hunt.

It was the same for me the second half of 3rd season, knee deep snow and slow moving. You were more north and I heard they got hit a lot harder so I'm guessing it was a lot worse than I had.

Another year in the books, its amazing how fast it fly's by. Now its already time to start planning for 2016. Thank again for the posts and I'm happy to hear you had a safe season. Maybe ill see you running around the forum before next season.

God Bless!!