Unit 19: Colorado

[tmaggie50]

Does anyone have experience or knowledge of unit 19 in Colorado? What would your reviews of this unit be? Did the fires greatly effect this area? Im not looking for a monster bull, just a fun experience and the chance to see elk and hopefully get a shot off.

Any thoughts/experiences/or general hearsay on the unit is appreciated!

[Indian Summer]

Great unit. Really good! Takes 5 points to draw though.... 8 in the regular draw. But it's worth it as success runs around 56% on bulls.

Oh wait... you did mean Wyoming right?

[mongopino915]

I grew up grouse hunting and rifle elk hunting in Unit 19 but it has been awhile. Not sure what sort of damages the fire did to the unit as well as the hunting but it would not surprise me if the fire was actually a good thing for new plant growth. Unit 19 borders Rocky Mountain National Park and there are some pretty big bulls that can be found. I remember my brother and I stumbled onto some bugling during the 1st rifle season and found a herd of around 15 bulls with 5 - 6 cows. I have not seem anything like that again anywhere on public land. The unit have some pretty remote places and you really have to make a genuine effort to get there if you are up to the challenge. Being that it is a draw unit for archery, it should be pretty decent hunting with less crowds. Good Luck!

[bald9eagle]

Dang it Joe. You are making it hard to say no to Wyoming.

[2Rivers]

I have muzzy hunted it twice. Guided both times. First year was 2013. Lost a 320-325" bull. Second time was 2015. Brought home a decent 5×6 bull. You should have a decent chance at a 300" or better bull. In 2014 there was a muzzy hunter that shot a 397" bull.

[Indian Summer]

Dang it Joe. You are making it hard to say no to Wyoming.

When I looked up the stats for the unit I was like... daaaamn!

I knew he meant Colorado though before he edited the post. But I looked up Wyo just for the heck of it because well you know.... I'm a funny guy.

It blows my mind how sooo many people look at CO as the only place to hunt or at least their first option. It is the only state where people ask questions and never even bother to say what state they are referring to assuming everyone knows. That right there should be enough to steer you elsewhere. Not that there isn't good hunting but the pressure is so high in so many places. It seems like the easiest or most user friendly state to get a license and hunt but I think it's actually the hardest to research to pick a spot. Just yell Omaha and go for it.

[saddlesore]

Believe me Joe, I'd sure like to see a lot more hunters go to WY, MT, or ID. It would make my life a lot easier elk hunting.

Hunters read that 280,000 head of elk in Colorado, unlimited OTC tags, and the fact that they can buy a tag here if they don't draw in another, and there is annual migration here. They get here and figure there is an elk behind every tree.

I moved hear 40 years ago from NM for the express purpose of hunting elk every year. Even then in NM ,there was draw only for elk tags and a person could maybe look at hunting elk 1 year out of three.

Then you look at WY regs of guide requirements in Wilderness areas,high cost of NR tags in MT ,ID, Wy , and the set aside of tags for hunters IF they have a contract with and outfitter,it is easy to see why hunters choose CO.

As for Unit 19 in Colorado, it is too close to the front range and that means a lot more hunter pressure. The tag includes Units 7, 8,9,1 , and 191, of which includes a lot of non elk habitat

[Indian Summer]

What is the cost of the CO elk license with the habitat stamp?

Montana is about $870. You can get an elk license in WY for $577. Not sure about Idaho but their potatoes are darn cheap!

The fact is most people don't know much about license systems in lots of states and think CO is the only one with OTC tags. Plus it's a shorter drive for eastern hunters. Perfect.

The Wyo wilderness law means nothing. There is so much good non wilderness hunting there a guy could never hunt it in a lifetime. Likewise in Montana. They don't have a law like that but most people don't care if they hunt wilderness or not. But then again where I hunt 4 wheelers etc aren't an issue. I think that's what some hunters in Colorado are looking to avoid by hunting wilderness.

[saddlesore]

For 2016, NR bull elk license is $629, Co is $469. Resident for either is $49 and there is $3 app fee and $1 S&R/education fee applicable for both NR and Resident.

For NR,the Wilderness guide requirement is real for WY because NR's don't now how much land there is that isn't wilderness. The other thing that requirement was put in place to benefit the outfitters. You can hike, fish, do anything you want except hunt in a wilderness area. If push comes to shove, the outfitters are going to come out on top vs the DYI ubic hunters everytime. For that reason and that mentality is why I won't give hunting dollars to WY

Here in Colorado, ATV"s are big big problem