Unit 54

[Fat Daddy]

Going to hunt Colorado for the first time this year with a buddy and his dad and father in law. No preference points yet. We have been doing a lot of research on the DOW website to try and find a decent either sex rifle tag and unit 54 is one that we are interested in. There are other hunts we are looking at, but mainly interested in either sex 1st or 2nd season rifle hunts.
My buddy and I are in good shape, but the 2 older gents wont be able to put on a heavy pack and hike 5 miles in to hunt. They can hike some, but nothing too extreme.
Just looking for information on this unit as far as what the terrain holds. Is there a lot of good access here for older folks to have a chance to bag an elk, or would it be too strenuous for them?

Not really looking for trophy area, more like a good area just to put a tag on an animal to fill the freezer. Not too sure how many more years of hunting his dad will be able to manage, so we would like a decent chance for him as well as us.
Any input is welcome and if you know of any units that are more what we are looking for, I'm all ears!

 

[Musket Man]

54 has quite alot of wilderness and you would probabaly need horses to hunt it effectively and get elk out if you are successful.

 

[adamwipp]

Don't know the unit personally but from what others have posted I've heard that it's pretty steep and not a easy hunt. There also might be snow by that time of year.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Thanks for the feedback fellas. Looks like I may need to look elsewhere.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Thanks for the feedback fellas. Looks like I may need to look elsewhere.

You might want to look across the road in Unit 55. The unit is far easier to access with roads. I've been there deer hunting 3 times during the 3rd season and there are always guys elk hunting down near the sage flats. You can even stay in Gunnison in a cabin and be up there in half an hour. I've only gotten into elk a couple times, but I hunt a bit lower than most of the elk hunters.

If you are looking for meat and a good time, I think you would do FAR better with a cow hunt in some of the better units in Wyoming. In fact you can draw a cow moose tag with only a couple points in some of the best units as a non-resident.

There are TONS of amazing hunting options for meat animals. The way I look at it, I'd just as soon get a cow as a rag horn.

 

[packmule]

If talking about the Wildwood cabins, they started doing long term leases on those a cpl years ago and availability is slim.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

If talking about the Wildwood cabins, they started doing long term leases on those a cpl years ago and availability is slim.

Dang…one of my favorite spots. There are some places up closer to Almont though I have never stayed there.

 

[packmule]

Ours too. The yearly regulars have resorted to the little single units and some of those were being long term leased as well. It makes business sense so won't fault them for it, beats having to sell them off.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

54 has quite alot of wilderness and you would probabaly need horses to hunt it effectively and get elk out if you are successful.

West Elk Wilderness in 54 is where I probably will be this Sept during M/L season. I have a hunt booked with an outfitter, but am having ankle surgery in a couple of weeks, so I'll have to see how it goes before I apply. If I don't get it this year, next year is already set aside with the outfitter.

 

[adamwipp]

They are still renting some of the cabins at wild wood. I've already reserved one for the 3rd season. Stayed with them in 2011 owners where really nice and even helped us with some good spots to hunt.

 

[Farmer]

You might want to take Umpqua's advice about hunting 55. The hunting ground can be much easier on the legs than unit 54. Hunted 54 1st rifle back in 2011 if memory serves me and after 5-days of hard scouting ended up hunting the one and only spot we found ANY sign...a 1000' uphill the first half-mile and two more miles to the hunt area. In and out every day. Brutal. In 54 after the first shot, the elk head straight for private land on the East side of the West Elk Wilderness. Then your prayin' for a glimpse of one.
My wife hunted with me last year (MZ) in the monsoon (7 of 10 days raining) in unit 55. Scouted from CB south and east to Ohio City. Elk and deer were very high. Lots of human activity; mtn bikes, atvs, m'cycles. Wasn't easy to find hunting ground without them around. I'm looking at high country solo this year, in a wilderness to get rid of the touristas hunting cow elk while scouting for muley for next years hunt. (Anyone know of an area for me to scout? Thinking Fossil Ridge maybe...?)
This is my first effort at this so hope it works.

 

[packmule]

They are still renting some of the cabins at wild wood. I've already reserved one for the 3rd season. Stayed with them in 2011 owners where really nice and even helped us with some good spots to hunt.

Good to know, we were there in 2011 and had 2 of the big cabins rented. The past 2 yrs they had been leased out to long term construction & oil folks. I like the one on the far side up against that woof fence (think its up against a nursing home) bc we can put the float trailer down beside it and it be out of the way.