Flat Top Wilderness area Colorado

[Living the Dream]

Starting to plan a archery elk trip for 2018 and was thinking about heading into unit 25 in the Flat Top Wilderness Area of Colorado. Anyone has have an experience with this area. Any help would be great.

Thanks

 

[Wacker]

Sent you a PM

 

[Living the Dream]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Fttpow]

I've hunted the Flat Tops 3 different times during 1st Rifle. We rented horses and set up a spike camp hunt. After a total of 15 hunters over 3 trips we took 2 bulls and 3 cows. Not great success, but a good hunt none the less. I don't know what archery season is like then, but we've found several arrows over the years so someone was flinging them. I think it gets plenty of archery hunters as we've seen numerous campsites that had been used. Lots of outfitter camps as well, but it's a big area.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Sounds like this could be a great place if you can find your own spot to hunt away from others.

 

[Fttpow]

We had quite the crowd during 2nd rifle. Some of the veterans there said it's the most crowded they'd ever seen. We were just outside the Flat Tops in National Forest that was ATV accessible and it was overrun. Lesson learned.

 

[ALPINESKULLWORKS]

Flat tops 1st rifle 2018

I have a drop camp hunt 1st rifle 2018 near Marvine Lakes in the flat tops unit 24. Any insight on this? Is there really as many hunters in there as everyone says. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT!

 

[Slugz]

Gents a couple comments as this is my stomping grounds.
1) If you hunt one of the 5 main elk herds in Colorado and they are over objective.......as indicated by...... there is always leftover tags......and 1st season rifle cow tags are "A" tags.....then expect areas to be a complete zoo.......at times.
2) Example: My archery hunt every year in September is WONDERFUL.....little to no people......slight spike of pressure during muzzleloader.
3) As someone eluded to previously......gotta find that hole that no one else wants to hunt, where pressured animals go, that has water and feed.....and limited access due to either terrain, lack of two tracks or lack of foot/horse trails.
4) 2nd and 3rd season OTC will always have more hunters and pressure.

 

[ScottR]

Gents a couple comments as this is my stomping grounds.
1) If you hunt one of the 5 main elk herds in Colorado and they are over objective.......as indicated by...... there is always leftover tags......and 1st season rifle cow tags are "A" tags.....then expect areas to be a complete zoo.......at times.
2) Example: My archery hunt every year in September is WONDERFUL.....little to no people......slight spike of pressure during muzzleloader.
3) As someone eluded to previously......gotta find that hole that no one else wants to hunt, where pressured animals go, that has water and feed.....and limited access due to either terrain, lack of two tracks or lack of foot/horse trails.
4) 2nd and 3rd season OTC will always have more hunters and pressure.

Elevation gain is one of the best ways to do this.

 

[Slugz]

Elevation gain is one of the best ways to do this.

Shhhhhhh.......along the same lines........the willingness to hunt downhill and pack out uphill�� either on your back or with stock.

 

[Winchester]

Shhhhhhh.......along the same lines........the willingness to hunt downhill and pack out uphill�� either on your back or with stock.

Yeah, you're right ... I got a nice bull this year that way.
However, most folks (me included normally) would prefer to hunt uphill and pack out downhill.

 

[ScottR]

Shhhhhhh.......along the same lines........the willingness to hunt downhill and pack out uphill�� either on your back or with stock.

Here is the thing though on this one. Every hunter is looking for the easy elk and outside of the desert units, it is never an easy hunt. So, that being said.

Most of the guys who are consistently posting have found the secret sauce recipe for elk. It's hard work, whether horses, packs, or whatever are needed. Lots of guys will read this and then think that sounds like a lot of work and that is fine. There are many reasons to hunt including just getting out there. Personally eating elk has become a regular affair in my home, which means I better get it done. Wipes brow...looks up hill, starts packing...

 

[Winchester]

Here is the thing though on this one. Every hunter is looking for the easy elk and outside of the desert units, it is never an easy hunt. So, that being said.

Most of the guys who are consistently posting have found the secret sauce recipe for elk. It's hard work, whether horses, packs, or whatever are needed. Lots of guys will read this and then think that sounds like a lot of work and that is fine. There are many reasons to hunt including just getting out there. Personally eating elk has become a regular affair in my home, which means I better get it done. Wipes brow...looks up hill, starts packing...

I hear ya!!
I've been fortunate enough to get an elk for a few years in a row, so now my better half kinda "expects" me to get one each year ... oh boy

 

[JimP]

My first elk way back in the 70's was a 2 day pack out.

Yes, I have had a couple of easy ones but 99% of them include a lot of sweat and sore muscles.

Just mentioning a elk hunt usually means to break out the pack frames and get into that frame of mind that once you pull the trigger the easy stuff is all over for at least the next day or so.

 

[Slugz]

Hard work and finding unpressured animals. Easy to type.....but few do it or are willing to put in the time.

 

[Winchester]

Hard work and finding unpressured animals. Easy to type.....but few do it or are willing to put in the time.

Yes sir, finding unpressured animals IS hard work ... much easier said than done sometimes.

 

[ColtA]

Yes there really are as many hunters as everyone said. I hunted there 1st season last year (2017) and it was a regular pumpkin patch. If you go all the way out on the flat tops you can get away from the crowds sometimes, but if there is much snow on top the majority of the elk are down lower.