In case you're lucky good enough to hold a tag for colorado unit 61 elk , you're basically looking at one of the particular best hunting experiences the state provides. It's not simply in regards to the size associated with the bulls—though generally there are some overall monsters in there—it's more about the quality of the look itself. For most hunters, this isn't a tag a person just pick-up over the counter on a whim. It's a "once in a decade" (or two) kind associated with deal that will take a massive pile of preference factors to secure.
The very first thing you'll notice when you mix into Unit 61 is the change in atmosphere. In the event that you've spent years hunting the "over-the-counter" (OTC) units nearby, you know the punch: orange vests at the rear of every tree, trucks lined up on every forest road, and elk that are usually so spooked they've gone completely night time by the 2nd day of the season. Unit 61 isn't like that. Because the condition strictly limits the amount of hunters, the elk actually act such as elk. You can call to them, plus they might in fact talk back instead of running 3 drainages away.
The Long Wait for the Unit 61 Tag
Let's talk regarding the elephant within the room: the points. To hunt colorado unit 61 elk , you usually require to be a very patient individual. We're talking 20-plus points for some associated with the prime months, especially for non-residents. It's a heavy investment of your time plus money, which is why when guys finally obtain that tag in the mail, they tend to get a little obsessive.
The reason people wait so very long is the fact that Unit 61 is managed regarding quality. The bull-to-cow ratio is very much higher here compared to in the high-pressure units. You're not only looking for any legal bull; you're searching for a mature 6x6 that's had the few years to develop without being chased by 500 people every October. It's a "limited entry" unit in every sense from the phrase, and that uniqueness is what can make it a bucket-list hunt.
What Makes the Landscape So Different
When most people think of Colorado elk hunting, they image jagged, snow-capped highs and thin air flow at 12, 000 feet. While there's some of that, the Uncompahgre Plateau—where Unit 61 sits—is a different animal entirely. It's the massive, tilted tableland. You've got strong, rugged canyons that cut with the panorama like scars, filled with thick walnut brush, ponderosa pines, and pockets associated with aspen.
The terrain can become a bit misleading. You might look at a map plus think it looks relatively flat when compared to San Juans, but once you're on the ground, those canyons will eat your lunch. One minute you're walking through the beautiful, open park, and the next you're staring straight down a 1, 000-foot drop into the drainage that hasn't seen an individual footprint in yrs.
The mix of vegetation will be what keeps the elk happy. There's plenty of give food to in the meadows and plenty associated with "nasty" thickets where a big half truths can disappear when he wants several peace and calm. If you're hunting the early months, like archery or muzzleloader, you'll find them higher up in the aspens. As this gets colder plus the snow starts to fly, they'll start trickling into the lower cedar and mountain mahogany country.
The particular Divide Road Aspect
If you've done any study whatsoever, you've noticed of Divide Street. It's the lengthy, winding dirt street that runs along the spine from the plateau. It also is the border line between Unit 61 and Unit 62.
The contrast between the two edges of the road is almost humorous. For the Unit 62 side, it's an OTC unit, signifying anyone with a tag can present up. It's usually buzzing along with activity, ATVs, and camps every few hundred yards. On the colorado unit 61 elk side, it's silent. You'll literally see people sitting on the 62 side associated with the road with binoculars, looking in to 61 and crying internally because that's where all the particular big bulls are hanging out.
The elk aren't stupid. They understand where the stress is. It's the common joke amongst locals that this elk know where exactly the unit line will be and will action over into 61 the moment they will hear a truck engine. While that's probably an exaggeration, the lower pressure in 61 certainly keeps the herds more relaxed plus visible during daytime hours.
Locating the Bulls With no Crowds
One of the best things about searching colorado unit 61 elk will be that you can in fact use traditional looking tactics. In high-pressure units, bugling is often a great way to let every various other hunter know precisely where you are, while the elk simply go silent. Within 61, during the mentality, the woods could be loud.
Archery hunters get a world-class experience here. There's nothing that can compare with being in the dark timber spot at 7: 00 AM and listening to three different bulls screaming at every other. Simply because they aren't being bumped every five minutes, they're much more likely to invest in the call. You continue to have to play the particular wind—their noses are simply as good within 61 as these people are anywhere else—but the "chess match" of the search feels a lot fairer.
With regard to the rifle seekers, the game shifts a bit, yet the insufficient crowds is still the biggest advantage. You can actually glass a ridge rather than notice five other sportsman sitting on the opposite side. It allows you to consider your time, select a specific bull, and plan a stalk that may take half the day. You don't have to worry about someone otherwise "blowing out" the herd because they're in a rush to defeat you to definitely the photo.
Planning Your own Colorado Unit 61 Elk Hunt
If you've lastly drawn the label, don't just display up on starting day and hope for the best. Even though it's the "premier" unit, it's not really a zoo. The particular elk don't simply uphold the side of the road waiting for a person. You still have in order to work for all of them.
Scouting is huge. If a person live close more than enough, stand up there within the summer. Learn the canyon systems. Figure out where the drinking water is—water is the massive deal on the Uncompahgre, particularly in dry years. There are many springs and containers, but they aren't everywhere. If you find a hidden water source within a nasty canyon, you've found a great elk goldmine.
Be ready for the weather. The Plateau is definitely notorious for turning into a giant dirt pit the second it rains. That will red clay soil will turn your own truck tires directly into slick racing slicks and pack your wheel wells therefore tight you can't move. When the prediction looks wet, make sure you have good chains and a winch, or just be ready to stay put until things dried out out.
Archery vs. Rifle
The experience varies wildly depending on when you go. Archery is almost all about the "experience"—the bugling, the shut encounters, and the beautiful September weather conditions. It's arguably the most fun you can have along with a bow in your hand.
Rifle seasons, especially the later ones, are more about immigration and glassing. As the snow forces the elk away from the top of the plateau, they move into the lower, more rugged country toward the western world and south. In case you have a late-season tag, you'll want to spend a lot of time behind your glass, looking at these transitions between the particular thick brush plus the open mountains.
It's Regarding the Memory, Not only the Meat
At the end of the day, a colorado unit 61 elk hunt is some thing you'll probably just do a couple of times within your life. Don't get so captured up in the "trophy score" which you forget about to enjoy the place. The Uncompahgre is really a stunning part of the world. The sunsets within the desert to the particular west are amazing, as well as the feeling of having a massive item of Colorado timber mostly to your self is something that's becoming harder plus harder to get.
Whether you're packaging out a 350-inch bull or just coming home which includes great stories and some photos, the time spent in Unit 61 is special. It represents the incentive for years of planning and patience. So, if you've got that tag in your wallet, take a deep breath, do your homework, and get ready for the hunt that you'll be talking regarding for the relaxation of your daily life. This really is mainly because good as they say it is.