My first ever hunt was this past week was as much fun as I could have had while going home with tag soup. Saw some deer (no deer tag), and lots of signs of elk. We climb to the peak around 11k after finding signs they were bedding down around 10k in the late nights/early morning. We must have been an hour behind their tracks as fresh as some of the beds and scat were. Unfortunately my hunch is they heard us climbing through crunch snow and winded us as the morning thermals pushed our scent up the hill. The scat was still mildly warm and soft and I could even catch a scent of their musk myself. So frustrating to know they were up there but most likely climbing up and over the ridge into another unit. The cherry on top was seeing our first elk as we drove home. Real kick in the nuts to see 4 young bachelor bulls jumping fences into private after 4 long days of climbing and tracking. We went where most others weren’t willing to go and it didn’t pay off. That’s the way it goes sometimes and I can’t wait to get after them again. If nothing else I know where to go with my deer tag next year. Best of luck to all you putting in the work on the last day of the season!

I'm doing some scouting and hunt planning though onX for some geese and ducks out east. I've hunted on walk-in properties quite a few times and prefer it over the overly crowded SWAs or trust lands, but I'm still left wondering where in the world the proper "access point" is for each of these properties. It seems like a lot of them have a small area to park maybe next to a silo or some farm equipment that isn't being used. This is obviously technically on the property just behind the signage. If I'm not parking in these areas my only other option most times is to park on the road or as close to a ditch on the side of the road as possible, which is stupid for many reasons. My question is, am I doing this correctly? I assume that if you're not driving through fields or down roads on the property that it's ok to be parked just inside the signs saying what the property is, but I literally do not know. CPW has consistently been little help with understanding laws and regulations and just take a lot from the brochures at face value. The verbiage is difficult to understand sometimes and I'd like to not violate the law or the landowners rights. Anyone got experience with this? Thanks

I need to replace my upland vest, and am considering a "strap style" one.

Anyone use one of these in the field?

Like it? Hate it?

Pros/Cons?

450 yards.

Howdy All,

Recently moved here in July living in the Springs. I’m looking to make friends with some like minded folks. Skipping out on this hunting season 1. Bc CPW residency period and 2. Up-skilling on western hunting as I am originally from Texas.

I’m primarily looking for big game but I do a lot of upland too even though my dog is years out of practice having lived abroad for a while.

Just looking for a caliber I could look into for it. I have some calibers but ammo for them is a bit hard to find.

I work 4 weeks on 4 weeks off rotation so I have availability for an on call hunt. If anyone has recommendations for an outfitter or you run dogs yourself I’m looking to set up a hunt for this upcoming season.

Even in the freezing rain one came out. It’s been a great rabbit season.

To everyone hunting 3rd rifle good luck! Glad we got some snow!

How often would you return to the same glassing spot late season elk season?

I have a spot for morning and another for evening. I can go to a new spot day 2 and 3 or should I stay out and try a spot more than one morning?

Trying to leave Friday. My options are I-25/I-70 then south from Carbondale or HWY24 and 50 which leads me over Monarch Pass.

Any suggestions on the best/safest. Least shitty drivers. I have a 4x4 lifted tundra with brand new AT 3peaks tires and chains if needed.

But made up for it by filling both of my deer tags!

Hello!

I drew a 4th season elk hunt for GMU 18 and 181 this year. I am not too familiar with the area and was looking for any tips for the area and time of hunt. Because it is late and the elk will be migrating to lower elevation, what do I need to know in hopes to have a successful hunt?

Scenario: unit A and unit B border each other, you have a tag for unit A, but not unit B. Can you stand in B and shoot at an animal in A? Assuming its not over a roadway or body of water, and is legal in all other aspects.

I understand that standing in A and shooting into B is illegal, and a B/B scenario is illegal.

EDIT

Spoke with a game warden, this scenario would be considered an illegal method of hunting & harvest of an animal.

Hey everyone

Looking at Tamarack Ranch SWA and can’t find a few answers re: reservations info:

What do the letters mean by the spot #’s?

I saw the “Saturday”, “Sunday” etc ponds- these aren’t the only huntable areas- but I’m confused why/what purpose these serve.

Thanks in advance.

My 73 year old father and I are hunting 4th season buck deer in gmu 34 this year. Never hunted this unit and doing e-scouting, it's hard to tell where a good place is to setup a base camp. Unfortunately I won't have time to get up in the area before the season starts but i think we will get up there the Monday before opening day to do some spotting and drive roads.

We have a Kodiak canvas tent and looking for any recommendations on where to setup base camp.

Was thinking maybe up transfer trail but I can't seem to spot any camp spots from aerial maps. It doesn't seem like there is much access to the low BLM lands on the west side of Glenwood springs (storm mountain). Not sure how bad the snows will be for the north side of the unit.

Any recommendations is greatly appreciated!! Thank you!

Hey yall, so I looked up the laws around thermal and night vision hunting, and found this:

"Unless otherwise provided by commission rule and except as provided in section 33-6-107 (9) for persons owning or leasing land, members of their family, or their agents, it is unlawful for a person to utilize electronic night vision equipment, electronically enhanced light-gathering optics, or thermal imaging devices as an aid in hunting or taking wildlife outside legal hunting hours according to commission rules"

I already knew you needed to be on private to shoot at night with thermal, but it seems you can use thermal during legal hunting hours anywhere you like. Anyone have experience with this? Mainly looking to use thermal as a scanner on public hunting predators in the early early morning or the late evening, first 30 and last 30 minutes of light kind of thing.

Gonna call CPW tomorrow when I'm off work to ask, but thought I'd pick yalls brains today first

Waterfowl hunting and if it is good to hunt this time of the year?

Hey all, I would love some advice. I have done a bunch of Whitetail/Mule and small game hunting in the front range, but this is my first year with an Elk tag. I got lucky and drew a decent tag (8,000ft+ with a decent herd size and hunter success rate). I have been up twice to scout and saw tons of older animal sign in the area I am planning on going.

So here is the issue. This is my first time hunting Elk. Again, I can handle a deer with no question, but I am a stalk and still hunter and I usually hunt alone. I just saw that my unit has leftover cow licenses for the same season (B). I could pick up a second license (so I would have A-B) for the same unit and same season, one either sex, and one cow. The additional tag is $66.

I am thinking of this two ways:

1. I am taking a week off work to go hunt. I have already invested time and money to go, this would let me take a cow early in the season if I see one, and still hold out for a bull. Basically, it would be insurance against passing on a cow early while I am still trying to find a bull.

2. If I stumble into a decent group, this gives me a potential option to harvest two animals. There is no way I could harvest them simultaneously, so it would likely be a: spot the group, take a shot, harvest, map the fleeing direction on the group and try to go get them again later in the week.

The only real con is that I would spend $66 on another license that could go unfilled - and take one from the pool that somebody else may want.

Would you grab the second license?

Hello I apologize if this is wrong thread in advance. I bought a Cva wolf v2 as my first muzzleloader and I also bought the blackhorn breech to shoot loose powder with it more consistent and a vortex vanquish 3-9. I am set on loose powder and am leaning towards 777. I want minimal cleaning and I realize BH209 would be the best option but is $80-100 for 8 oz worth it. It sounded like 777 loose was my next best option. Also help on finding primers if I do go BH209 seems impossible to find and should I also go shotgun primers for 777 loose or just normal 209 muzzle What do y’all think I’m a newb

Hey guys, been struggling trying to find elk up on the Grand Mesa. I've done a few 6 hour hikes early on Sunday mornings. Just really struggling to find where the elk are. No bugling or anything. One of the hikes, I saw two cow elk but that's been all.

Just looking for some guidance on where they might be hiding. I might be going a little high because I'm getting to the tops of the mesa and nothing but cows are up there.

I'm scrambling before 2nd rifle season. Trying my best not to end up empty handed. I have an OTC elk tag.

Anyone got areas they'd recommend for coyotes? Especially up in the mountains near evergreen, I'm trying to find some places that will work but won't take me hours and hours to get to

First time wanting to hunt rabbit any advice outside springs area?

Well we didn't get an elk this year, it been a while since I was able to fill the freezer. Anyone got a recommendation for a state within 2 or 3 states from Colorado that has reasonably affordable (under 500$) and accessible big game hunting? Ideally OTC tags