Unit 61

GOAT

New Member
Jan 3, 2013
11
0
Colorado
Overall, units 2 and 201 are still head and shoulders above all units in CO including 61. If there has been any drop off in quality it is due to drought and it is not consistent. Huge bulls still coming out of those units every year. Especially during the archery season. There are a lot of guys who stay pretty quiet about what they kill and their animals don't end up in the record books. With that said I don't think you could do better with 10 points than unit 61. PM me and I can give you some areas in 61 that will hold some good bulls.
 

UT HNTR

New Member
Nov 4, 2013
10
0
59
Sacramento, Ca.
Thanks Goat. I'm leaning towards 1 ST. Rifle. I spoke to a biologist years back and he gave me some good info. but I also appreciate our shared info here on the EHJ forum. I know about 2 & 201 as well. You think keep savin up points for those units, or go for 61?
 

Umpqua Hunter

Veteran member
May 26, 2011
3,576
88
61
North Umpqua, Oregon
UT HNTR…something to consider. When I started applying for CO elk, I was all excited because it only took 7 points to draw Unit 201. I am now at 22 points and finally in the max point pool for archery (not enough for rifle or muzzleloader) with many other applicants in my point pool. So it basically took 22 years to make a 7 point gain, or roughly 3 years of applying for every point I needed to catch up.

Since you are at 10 points now, and it is taking 22-23 points or so to draw Unit 2 and Unit 201, you are 12-13 points behind. At a rate of 3 years applying to gain 1 point, it will take you 36-39 years to catch those units. Many applicants will drop out before that, but plan on at least 20+ years to catch those NW Colorado units.
 
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HiMtnHnter

Active Member
Sep 28, 2012
445
4
Wyoming
UT HNTR…something to consider. When I started applying for CO elk, I was all excited because it only took 7 points to draw Unit 201. I am now at 22 points and finally in the max point pool for archery (not enough for rifle or muzzleloader) with many other applicants in my point pool. So it basically took 22 years to make a 7 point gain, or roughly 3 years of applying for every point I needed to catch up.

Since you are at 10 points now, and it is taking 22-23 points or so to draw Unit 2 and Unit 201, you are 12-13 points behind. At a rate of 3 years applying to gain 1 point, it will take you 36-39 years to catch those units. Many applicants will drop out before that, but plan on at least 20+ years to catch those NW Colorado units.
61 is not much better. 10 nonresident points is a long way from drawing 61. Be prepared to wait many more years before you can draw. I have 12 points and I am out. The points have skyrocketed . . .

Archery took 18 to guarantee a tag . . .
Muzz took 20 . . .
1st Rifle took 20 . . .
2nd-4th took 17 . . .

Those points are what was needed for a nonresident to GUARANTEE a tag. You could have a fraction of a chance to draw with one or two less depending on how each draw shook out . . .

I know I'm probably in the minority here and it's not going to happen, but I wish the DOW would do point banking again. I took advantage of it in 2006 and still kept most of my points.
 
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Zim

Very Active Member
Feb 28, 2011
738
67
LaPorte, IN
I think last time I calculated, I was one point down and would never draw archery. I have 17 NR points as of today. If it took 17 last year I know it will take 18 this year. Sound right? I'm assuming the amount of 18 point holders minus the number of tags issued won't be helping me any time soon?
 

HiMtnHnter

Active Member
Sep 28, 2012
445
4
Wyoming
I think last time I calculated, I was one point down and would never draw archery. I have 17 NR points as of today. If it took 17 last year I know it will take 18 this year. Sound right? I'm assuming the amount of 18 point holders minus the number of tags issued won't be helping me any time soon?
If my figuring is right, there was a 40% chance for a NR to draw 61 archery with 17 points this year. 15 guys did not draw with 17 points, thus accumulating another point. If the quota stays the same and those same 15 guys apply, then there would be about an 80% chance to draw with 18 points. But, one has to plan for some high point holders dropping out of the NW corner to apply in 61 . . .

Since this is one of the only other options for high point holders, I would not expect the points to level off any time soon.
 
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GOAT

New Member
Jan 3, 2013
11
0
Colorado
Sorry UT HNTR I thought you were a resident. Guess I should pay better attention.
Yeah, you are really many years out for drawing any of the high demand units. I would just keep applying and hope for the hybrid draw tag if you are set on hunting 61, 2 or 201. If you are open to archery or muzzy it really increases your options. You could have a great hunt in 49, 66, 67 or 76 with either one of those weapons and you can hunt during the rut. Not many 350 bulls but a decent chance at a 320. I guess it just depends on the type of hunt you want and what your goals are and how long you are willing to wait.
 

UT HNTR

New Member
Nov 4, 2013
10
0
59
Sacramento, Ca.
Thanks for your help Goat. As every year goes by it gets tougher to draw the LE units. I'm lookin ahead a few years so I'll keep putting in for points and more research. Thanks again partner.
 

Red Raider

Member
Oct 1, 2013
122
0
Midland, Texas
My dad and brother actually have had a deposit with Dark Timber for several years to hunt 61. Did you hunt with them?
Sorry for the delayed responds wapiti66, been running for the last few weeks. I haven't hunted with Dark Timber. I have heard they have a good success rate in 61. However, I was not impressed with the guides they were using for unit 62. We knew more about the mountains than they did.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
8,389
4,788
83
Dolores, Colorado
Garvey Brothers took some great looking bulls out of 61 last year. Here's the link. I understand all of these were Unit 61 bulls.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151894161094888.1073741825.179841299887&type=1

Raftopoulos Ranch shows the types of bulls they took out of Unit 2 and 201 on private land in 2012.

http://www.trophy-elk-hunting.com/photos.html
Several guys I know have hunted with Garvey Brothers and are very complimentary about their operation.
 

adamwipp

Member
Aug 9, 2011
68
0
Lodi wi
Here's a picture of my dad's bull, in unit 61. He bought a land owner tag in 2008.

This year he finally drew his unit 2 rifle tag.

The first picture is unit 61 bull
Scored just over 330

Second is unit 2 bull
Scored 369 1/80916090740a.jpg20131005_074512.jpg lots of 300 to 330 class bulls in 61 but not many over 350. Unit 2 I saw 4 bulls in the 7 days I was there that would score over 340.
 
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minn elk chaser

Active Member
Jan 6, 2014
332
72
:My son has 18pp so we have spend 2 weeks in 61 trying to figure out if he should apply for a tag there. IMO it is not worth the wait and gets allot of hype for nothing. You can kill a nice bull there but don't expect much above a 290 or 300 class bull. There are some bigger bulls there but after first rifle season you would be lucky to kill one. Would be happy to share info with you pm me.
 

Umpqua Hunter

Veteran member
May 26, 2011
3,576
88
61
North Umpqua, Oregon
Here's a picture of my dad's bull, in unit 61. He bought a land owner tag in 2008.

This year he finally drew his unit 2 rifle tag.

The first picture is unit 61 bull
Scored just over 330

Second is unit 2 bull
Scored 369 1/8View attachment 7733View attachment 7734 lots of 300 to 330 class bulls in 61 but not many over 350. Unit 2 I saw 4 bulls in the 7 days I was there that would score over 340.
'

Your dad must be a darn good elk hunter, because both of those bulls are excellent for their respective units.
 

adamwipp

Member
Aug 9, 2011
68
0
Lodi wi
In unit 61 my dad has a friend that lives in the area knows the unit very well.

His unit 2 bull was just pure luck. The bull he shot was much bigger than anything else we saw. We got 14 inches of snow and could not get into the areas we where seeing all the elk so we decided to walk out behind camp and this bull was less than a half mile from camp standing in the open with 9 cows. By far best hunt I have ever been on, and I didn't even have a tag. 23 year wait for the tag ended up being worth it for my dad.