elk hunting near national parks
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Captcurt
Member
Wherever I could draw a tag.
Patocazador
Member
My brother and I hiked 14 miles into the Hell-roaring wilderness just north of Yellowstone NP back in the '80s. We fished at a small lake (Fawn Lake) for Brook trout and caught enough for several meals. The opening of elk season (rifle) found my brother going north and I went east. I saw several elk at dawn but the effort necessary to pack one out was too much for us. I also saw a mediocre mule deer which wasn't worth the effort and I shot a bear. While packing out the head/hide, I also shot a coyote that smelled blood and ran right up to me while I was packing the bear out to our camp.
My brother saw a bighorn, a moose, and a mediocre buck deer. We only hunted 2 days then packed out back to Jardine, MT.
It was a great trip considering I had already killed a moose near Grand Teton NP in Wyoming.
Try it, you'll like it!
My brother saw a bighorn, a moose, and a mediocre buck deer. We only hunted 2 days then packed out back to Jardine, MT.
It was a great trip considering I had already killed a moose near Grand Teton NP in Wyoming.
Try it, you'll like it!
.308 Norma
Member
Idaho.
Lots of public land with over the counter elk tags available in Colorado if you hunt 2nd, 3rd, or 4th season. It can get crowded and success rates are low in those areas. The prime areas will be draw only as is most of the state during the 1st season. And it takes several years to get enough points to get picked.
You can hunt 3-4 hours drive from Rocky Mt National Park. I'd arrive a few days before I planned to hunt and visit the park 1st. Then move on to where I planned to hunt. The weather is usually decent 2nd season. By 3rd the chances of snow and passes being closed increases. By 4th season the weather can get pretty bad. But you'll see fewer hunters 3rd and 4th seasons.
My wife and I have made multiple summer camping trips to Colorado, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Utah in the past. I'd hunted there a few years earlier, but my wife had never been in the west during the fall. We drove to Colorado to elk hunt in November 2018.
We left early enough to take our time driving out and see some places we'd never been. Arrived 4-5 days before the season to scout and visit local sights. It was a combo hunting trip for me and vacation for my wife. After the hunt we took the scenic route home. From home to where I hunted is about 24 hours driving time. I have pushed it into 24 hours straight by swapping drivers and sleeping, but usually spread it over 2 days. This time we took 3 1/2 days each way with several detours to see stuff. Even though I didn't kill anything it was a great trip. Plan to go back this fall.
You can hunt 3-4 hours drive from Rocky Mt National Park. I'd arrive a few days before I planned to hunt and visit the park 1st. Then move on to where I planned to hunt. The weather is usually decent 2nd season. By 3rd the chances of snow and passes being closed increases. By 4th season the weather can get pretty bad. But you'll see fewer hunters 3rd and 4th seasons.
My wife and I have made multiple summer camping trips to Colorado, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Utah in the past. I'd hunted there a few years earlier, but my wife had never been in the west during the fall. We drove to Colorado to elk hunt in November 2018.
We left early enough to take our time driving out and see some places we'd never been. Arrived 4-5 days before the season to scout and visit local sights. It was a combo hunting trip for me and vacation for my wife. After the hunt we took the scenic route home. From home to where I hunted is about 24 hours driving time. I have pushed it into 24 hours straight by swapping drivers and sleeping, but usually spread it over 2 days. This time we took 3 1/2 days each way with several detours to see stuff. Even though I didn't kill anything it was a great trip. Plan to go back this fall.
.455_Hunter
Member
I have hunted the perimeter of RMNP many times. The collective elk herd intelligence knows exactly where the park and private properties exist. You can hunt all day in the National Forest, barely seeing a few dessicated turds, then have to slalom through the elk next to golf course on the way back to the motel. At o-dark-thirty, you awake to find elk grazing immediately outside your window. Both of the above are direct personal experiences. I was lucky one time just east of Estes Park, and shot a delicious 3 year old cow that had separated from the herd with her group of bff's.
And if you get anything it will be pure luck. Public land hunting in Colorado is becoming a waste of time. Over the counter tags are usually for units no one wants. There are far too many people putting way too much pressure on what few animals are in the area. Not saying it's not possible, but it's getting harder and harder to find places that are not over run with people.
old heeler
Member
Last year had fire unit 18 also Rocky Mountain National Park
https://www.summitdaily.com/news/regional/rocky-mountain-national-park-has-long-road-to-recovery/
I do live Co and I wish I could say I draw bull tag every year. I do take advantage of OTC tags. Look at current DOW regs 2021 and map of OTC 2nd/3rd season page 40 west of I-25 there is about 80 units that are OTC and maybe 30 or so that are draws. Most of the units that are draw are also listed page 36 under NO RESTRICTION and that means Antlers must meet the minimum length of 5" vs 4pt on most OTC bull tags.
Myself I never applied for one of those tags and be my luck all I see was spikes.
https://www.summitdaily.com/news/regional/rocky-mountain-national-park-has-long-road-to-recovery/
I do live Co and I wish I could say I draw bull tag every year. I do take advantage of OTC tags. Look at current DOW regs 2021 and map of OTC 2nd/3rd season page 40 west of I-25 there is about 80 units that are OTC and maybe 30 or so that are draws. Most of the units that are draw are also listed page 36 under NO RESTRICTION and that means Antlers must meet the minimum length of 5" vs 4pt on most OTC bull tags.
Myself I never applied for one of those tags and be my luck all I see was spikes.
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