I didn't draw for my choices for SE NM mule deer, so I am thinking of joining the 200,00 hunters that hunt elk in Colorado with OTC tags. This would be my first elk hunt and first time to Colorado hunting, so any information on units would be helpful. I am not expecting any one to divulge a honey hole, just looking for good general information to help narrow down the search.

Background on myself. 55 years old, need to loose weight, hunted mainly Texas, with two hunts for mule deer in Central and SE New Mexico. I will be coming from the DFW area, so a flat lander by every stretch of the imagination. Have a private shooting range that I shoot out to the maximum range of 950 yards, so depending on weather conditions, I am comfortable to make some long shots.

I would prefer to be able to sleep near a road or trail head and walk in to a hunting area, but can pack a light tent into a spot depending on weather forecast.

Not a trophy hunter, but would like to take a mature animal at least. My thrill is in the hunt and overall experience. At home I hunt lots of culls and let others that need the big horns enjoy that part of hunting. I find it as much a challenge hunting for a dink mature animal to take out of the gene pool or that old doe that blows your hunt every other set.

See the "2016 Group Elk" thread in this same forum. They share lots of good info.

not any great elk hunter by any means.

But hunting in Colorado isn't like hunting in Texas. (not better not worse, just different). LOTS of open country for you to cover and Elk can cover a lot of it. Expect to walk a LOT of ground. At 6000 plus feet. (20% less oxygen). Trust me, the altitude will kick your tail.

We get all four seasons, sometimes (like today) in the same day. Expect snow pretty much any time of the year in the mtns, in the fall it could be 70 degrees, it could be 2 feet of snow.

Many of the trophy units are in NW colorado (Craig, Maybell, etc). Big open country, I couldn't tell you where, but the Colorado DOW has a pretty good website and publications that give you where licenses were available, what percentage of public land vs. private, percentages of tickets filled, etc. and where the GMU units and boundries are. Lots of GMU's have lots of licenses, but no public land.

You want to be in on an early season IMO. The elk aren't stupid, they move and by 4th rifle season, they know exactly where the private land boundaries are and stay there. They make GPS units with the current public vs. private maps. These are super tools. (I believe it's huntinggpsmaps.com, ) Worth every penny (about $100), a Colorado Gazetter is worth the money too.

http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/Reg...016-BG-Brochure

that should get you started and some information.

if it was me, muzzleloader season (if I was a muzzleloader guy) or 1st or 2nd rifle season would be my choice.

Mature animals are a needle in a haystack on much of Colorado's OTC and low point units, quality-wise those will be about equal. You're really trying to find a younger bull that exploded or just something legal. If I absolutely had to go OTC I'd look really hard at 62 & 54. Lots of people hunt 62, but there's always the possibility of some of the high number of 61 Bulls getting lost.

Check the 2016 thread. Great info on there.

I plan on getting OnX hunt maps for my gps. It was well worth the $100 for the new Mexico map. A mature bull might be the wrong verbiage, a legal bull is more of what I would want. The altitude is one of my biggest worry. Last year in New Mexico we hunted at around 6000 ft , I know 8-10000 ft will be a big struggle. I have a BIL that will join me for extra eyes, saftey and another back if I am fortunate /or tag out.

8-10000 isn't bad if you angle your inclines instead of going straight up. Scratch 54, you'd need to be up in the 12k range to be in the elk concentrations.

DOD, Good plan to hunt OTC on the Colorado Western Slope. I have always preferred early season elk and mule deer, then pray for an early snow fall which would push the elk herds down to lower elevations. Remember that as soon as hunters start into the high country the elk herds head for the real high country and heavy timber. Just a suggestion but this would be my hunt plan, get into your unit early if you can (two or even three days) before opening day and get as high and remote as you are comfortable going. Glass the eastern facing hillsides at first light after that, without snow they will be in the timber. The rut will be long over by opening day of the first rifle season, however always carry a cow call (I use Elk Inc. Original Cow Talk, cost under 10 bucks) Elk communicate all day, all year and the younger satellite bulls will even bugle if they get separated from the herd or their bachelor group. Good luck, stay high but stay safe.

We didn't get our tags for NM either and we're planning a DIY OTC elk hunt. Luckily, we're tagging along with several guys who have been elk hunting there for the last 5 or 6 years so that will help. My wife, bless her heart, has a cousin who married a guy from Colorado whose family owns a huge ranch in the NW section of the state. She contacted him and he has in turn contacted me to see if there is anything he can do to help. This will be my first and in all probability, last chance to hunt an elk so I'm going to give it my all. We're reading the forums and getting some good advice here. Never to old to learn something new.

Good thing I am at a stag in hunting that I don't need the big trophy wall hanger and can just enjoy the hunt. I mentioned to a couple of buddies today I was trying to wrap my head around this hunt and one mentioned he wanted to get around to doing that one day. I commented I didn't know how many around to it days I had left. If I make up my mind to do this , I will get in the best shape I can accomplish. I will do my best to pick an area and make a plan to hunt it. If possible, talk someone that has hunted the area or at least elk to join us. Above all enjoy every minute of it and rejoice that much more if I could spot an Elk in the wild with a rifle in my hands.

Thanks for all the PM that I have received along with all the best wishes.

DOD, You have the right rifle and definitely the right attitude for this hunt. You mentioned that you are comfortable with a long range shot, elk can always surprise you but the last bull I shot, a big 5 point (Western count) was just over 500 yards.

My 7mm STW and I shoot out to 800 yards on a regular basis. I am building a 338 Sin and if I get it dialed in before the hunt, I will use it for my first elk. I have a limit of 600 yards for animals to shot at, but that is Texas deer. I know that elk has a bigger kill zone, and I know that I can shoot 3/4 to 1 moa, so If the conditions are right I could go to 800 yards.

But is that considered hunting or, at that distance, is it just target shooting?

When you shoot targets, you're target shooting. When you shoot elk, you're hunting.

In that terrain and under the conditions that elk live, it is not even close to target shooting that adventure is hunting IMO.

DOD, Your 7mm STW is an outstanding elk killer and the 338 Sin should be even more so. Good luck!

I don't want to get this off track on the ethics of long range hunting. In my youth, everyone I know, never shot more than 100 yards while deer hunting. When I started hunting in south Texas I was advised to sight in my gun at 200 yards. I wasn't even sure my 270 would shoot that far?? I laugh now that I understand ballistics, muzzle velocity, energy of bullet impact. I have studied and put in the time and money to be able to shoot any rifle I own out to my maximum limits. I don't even come near to what the caliber/rifle is capable of achieving. I would not want just anyone going into the field and thinking shooting 600 to 800 hundred yards is as easy as shooting at 100 yards. It is not. My limits change each time I enter the hunting woods. I let the environment dictate my limits. However, I am prepared to shoot out to over 800 yards, if I feel the stars are aligned and everything meets my limits. I am only using my dedicated training and practice, to offer an advantage to me if the opportunity presents itself. The reality, I usually can and do get closer.