Unit 61 colorado elk
- Thread starter buckrub10
- Start date
CODAK
Active Member
You should be fine if you show up 3-4 days before opener to find em. Hard to get on the over the top bulls unless you are prepared for a hell pack out. Quality isn’t what it’s chimed up to be
CODAK
Active Member
It's been 10 years since I've been there. Perhaps there is someone who has been there more recently on here. It's not a bad hunt by any means, just don't have high expectations for a giant bull. Expect to have a high quality hunt and be happy with that. That's all these high point units really give you, with the slim chance at a true trophy bull.
JimP
Administrator
Yep, 61 is over rated for the amount of points you have to spend to draw there.
When I was scouting down there for my ML hunt in 2014 the biggest bulls that I saw were over in unit 62. 61 has a lot of 350" bulls but I never did see anything much more than that.
As CODAK said, be prepared for a good pack out. The roads are on top and the elk are in the bottoms. Try the area from the Divide Road down and over to Spruce Mountain.
When I was scouting down there for my ML hunt in 2014 the biggest bulls that I saw were over in unit 62. 61 has a lot of 350" bulls but I never did see anything much more than that.
As CODAK said, be prepared for a good pack out. The roads are on top and the elk are in the bottoms. Try the area from the Divide Road down and over to Spruce Mountain.
Winchester
Veteran member
What CODAK and JimP said !!
I hunted it 2 years ago and killed a nice bull (see my avatar).
I wouldn't expect a monster bull but there are some really nice ones in the 320-350 range (I'm very happy with mine).
I agree the big bulls are down in the bottoms, not near any roads ... mine was.
I hunted it 2 years ago and killed a nice bull (see my avatar).
I wouldn't expect a monster bull but there are some really nice ones in the 320-350 range (I'm very happy with mine).
I agree the big bulls are down in the bottoms, not near any roads ... mine was.
Winchester
Veteran member
Yep, there are bulls in 61 I'd be happy with.
As you probably know, expect lots of road-hunters on the Divide road, but most will be hunting 62.
61 obviously isn't as crowded but you will see other hunters.
As you probably know, expect lots of road-hunters on the Divide road, but most will be hunting 62.
61 obviously isn't as crowded but you will see other hunters.
JimP
Administrator
JimP
Administrator
Saw a lot of elk, but then we were down in a hole. This guy was still about a mile away from where you could get a vehicle to up a old road.
Colorado T
Active Member
My Bull from 2017. As both Jim and Winchester said, glass from up high but they are in the bottom. My bull was a straight up hill climb for about a mile to get him out.
Colorado T
Active Member
I hunted the early rifle season but spent a lot of time in there during the muzzy season. It was not a whole lot different from ML to early rifle. We saw a lot of bulls (heard a lot more, very thick cover). I think I saw one bull that would go over 350 during the ML season and several in the 320-330 range. There is a very high population of 5x5 and 5x6 bulls that we saw. Unfortunately I had a death in the family the night before my opening day so I went after the bull I ended up with on day one. If I had a little more time I might have killed a larger bull but was still happy with how it went. I got some good information from guys on this site that helped in my search.
LCH
Very Active Member
Is this a pretty good cow hunt? I'm thinking about applying here 3rd season this year. It's the only way I'll ever hunt a unit like that.
I tried for a leftover last year, but others were quicker on the clicker.
I tried for a leftover last year, but others were quicker on the clicker.
Winchester
Veteran member
Yeah, I've hunted it for cows and it can be alright.
But it's getting hard to draw even for cows ... takes a couple of preference points for most seasons even for a cow tag.
But it's getting hard to draw even for cows ... takes a couple of preference points for most seasons even for a cow tag.