Big Bulls In Sleeper GMUs

[Slugz]

So everyone generally knows that Colorado manages 4-5 of the largest elk herds in the nation, and the management style is that for hunter success vice trophy horn size. We still have the 18-24 PT GMUs that produce big animals every year. I don't hunt them, my friends don't hunt them, and we all try to find that big bull in the unit that doesn't hold big bulls or isn't managed for it. My son and I chased for 5 years a bull we dubbed Freight Train due to his bugle knocking down the Aspen leaves when he let it rip. Not sure what ended up of him but he was a 7 year old or better age class bull that was easily pushing past the 350" mark.

I bring this up because I'm getting initial reports of a 378" bull taken in another one of those GMUs that isn't manged for it. I'll track down the truth to this and get some pics.

Hidey holes, hard to access places, deep dark nasty stuff will always hold a big one or two and it's limited to just how much pain the human element wants to go through.

Shoot straight. God bless. It's a great day for elk camp.

 

[JimP]

There are always units that hold those magical big bulls that are also over the counter units. I know of a couple but the problem with them is access. Most of it is blocked by private land in the bottom and BLM or Forest service on top. If you want to work in these units you can find access but you then have to hunt very limited areas and hope that after the shot that the bull doesn't go downhill into the private where you will need to spend the next day trying to gain access to recover him.

Here is a picture of one of these bulls. He scored 394 and was taken on public land that was accessed through private in a unit that is over the counter.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

My neighbor is a dedicated archery hunter and does take his share of bulls out of our local unit that is heavily hunted. He hunts hard and sometimes gets real lucky. Several years back he got a 366 bull off public land. He was heading back to his truck for lunch and the bull just walked out in front of him at 20 yds. Like I said....real lucky that year.

 

[Slugz]

I should have maybe been more specific. Not the ones that run to private to hide on checkerboard land hunting techniques. I think those are more luck than skill most years. I'm talking GMUs that have a metric butt ton of land......are always beat up on the internet as being too crowded.....yada yada��....not all OTC but drawable every year as a limited tag.

 

[Granby guy]

I know of bulls well over 350" that get killed in popular OTC units you just have to do your homework and put yourself in the right place then hope for a lot of luck.

 

[ScottR]

Luck and hard work are irreplaceable. However, the hard workers typically have better luck I've noticed.


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[Colorado Cowboy]

My neighbor is a dedicated archery hunter and does take his share of bulls out of our local unit that is heavily hunted. He hunts hard and sometimes gets real lucky. Several years back he got a 366 bull off public land. He was heading back to his truck for lunch and the bull just walked out in front of him at 20 yds. Like I said....real lucky that year.

I think 71/711 qualify as one that gets tons of pressure!

 

[Slugz]

Luck and hard work are irreplaceable. However, the hard workers typically have better luck I've noticed.


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Wise beyond your years��

 

[kidoggy]

There are always units that hold those magical big bulls that are also over the counter units. I know of a couple but the problem with them is access. Most of it is blocked by private land in the bottom and BLM or Forest service on top. If you want to work in these units you can find access but you then have to hunt very limited areas and hope that after the shot that the bull doesn't go downhill into the private where you will need to spend the next day trying to gain access to recover him.

Here is a picture of one of these bulls. He scored 394 and was taken on public land that was accessed through private in a unit that is over the counter.

View attachment 19461

don't take this wrong , very nice bull for sure butif that is a 394 bull the picture doesn't do him justice.

not saying it isn't. just saying some pics make the lil ones look big and some make the bigguns look small.

 

[JimP]

It is a true 394 and the picture doesn't do him any justice. He had lots of mass that made up for other misses. The trouble with a picture with it sitting like that you can't really get a good idea of what it is.

That year there was another bull in the same area that was bigger that a friend was after but never got.

I have a 343 bull that looks like he is under 300 but the length and mass make up for things in a hurry.

 

[MuleyHunter]

He's actually 396" Jim.... I helped Matt measure it. He a already has a 391" bull off of unit 40 this year....

Myself and others in our group have taken several large bull's in a heavily hunted unit with hardly any private compared to the public over the years. [emoji41]

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[JimP]

He grew a couple of inches.

When I saw him is was shortly after they had brought him in and I didn't know if Matt had a chance to actually measure him yet.

 

[MountainHigh]

Good stuff, I have seen some giant bulls in such places, never killed one yet but they appear from time to time.

 

[kidoggy]

He grew a couple of inches.

When I saw him is was shortly after they had brought him in and I didn't know if Matt had a chance to actually measure him yet.

I love it when they grow. mine tend to aquire ground shrinkage.lol.

 

[Catahoula12]

I'm hoping to bump into one of these giants one day in one of these (as SLUGZ put it) sleeper units. I know they are in there escaping the masses year after year.

 

[Slugz]

To set the record straight I've never knocked down a big one but have directly contributed , stalked , glassed up and humped out on my back 3 over 340 and one 372.....all found in very common areas.
1)OTC/easy to get into limited draw.
2) Big mountains on years with little snow and they went back to the top post rut to hide.

Good luck to all 1st rifle!

 

[ColoradoV]

Some good ones come out of otc types each year. Only a couple guys I know of do it regularly..

Also I am talking 340"+ to 360"bulls with a slightly larger exception every once and awhile. I have only seen one maybe real 400 bull on the hoof in places I hunt in Co. Or basically for me a 400" bull is a unicorn in the places I end up lol.

 

[mallardsx2]

Bigger bulls getting bumped across unit lines may be the cause of some of these BIG bulls getting killed in OTC units??

 

[Slugz]

Bigger bulls getting bumped across unit lines may be the cause of some of these BIG bulls getting killed in OTC units??

I think possible and most likely probable in some instances. In other instances just animals in a hidey hole that most humans don't want to hump in after or don't have the means to get the meat out.

 

[wy-tex]

Keep em quiet or they won't be sleeper units any more.

Slugz did you get up this way this weekend for the Pokes game and shooting?