North Front Range Colo
Turkey
Like many gobbler hunters this time of year I have cabin fever thinking about the upcoming spring turkey season. This year I'd like to try something new and try hunting closer to home. I live in the northern Colo front range and have seen a few scattered groups of turkeys along the foothills on private ground but have yet to find any spots with ample public land with a concentration of turkeys. I was wondering if I would be spinning my wheels searching for gobblers on public land between Boulder and the Wyo border? I wouldn't mind hiking miles to find a tom but just not sure if it's worth the effort? I would be curious if anyone has regular success on public land in this area in Colo...or am I just dreaming?
I'll be moving up there soon and will be in the same boat. I'm sure I'll still make the drive down here for turkey, just to many not to.
I've done pretty well on public land in unit 20. What I've noticed is that with all the hiking and driving. It makes more sense timewise to just go to NE. Most good areas have guys hunting on weekends so I go on weekdays. I wouldn't say you're spinning your wheels but you're asking for a darn tough bowhunt unless you get access to some "yard birds".
Cnelk is correct We have killed them in that area but havent been in That area since the high park
I've done a lot of hiking over the years along the Front Range and have only seen a handful of birds. Obviously I've either been hiking in areas void of birds or there aren't many around where I hike! I guess I should broaden my search!
I wonder if the high park and other fires may have actually helped turkey habitat by opening up some of the old, thick timber areas?
What otcwill said. The High Park fire did help. But it's still pocket hunting. You need to get back in behind the private where they have sanctuaries, which can mean quite a hike and some rugged terrain to get there. I used to bivy hunt for them. Then I figured out it was much more productive to drive three hours to NE.
I'll send you a PM about a spot I no longer have the gumption to access.
cnelk is right, Pingree has birds, but also lots of hunters. Last year I was in Jax and the guy at the hunting counter had a map out sending guys to SPECIFIC pockets. You know they weren't the first he sent there, nor the last. I talked to a friend who hunted that area last year and he said he'd never seen so many hunters and no birds. But they're around - just need to go further and deeper than the other guys. For a superman like TBM it would be a piece of cake, but for mere mortals, it's a ton of work for a bird.
I've burned a lot of boot leather hunting birds west of Loveland. Never killed one there. They are there, but nothing like hunting southern Colorado, NE Wyoming, Nebraska or Kansas.
Last flock I saw was inside RMNP in September.
Turkeys survived High Park. We have a flock of 18-20 that come around frequently. Always the big flock. However, you can see them for days or a week and then they can be gone for a month. They move and there is a LOT of private land here with small acreages. That really makes it a hit & miss prop. if you can get access. Don't know if they make it to public land although there is some within a 1/2 mile. Several neighbors feed them as well. They tend to think of them as pets and aren't too keen on someone whacking them.
I think they also read minds! I see them on my place so I go buy a license. Don't see them again until the season is over! Oh well, might try again this year if they come around during the season...
Ken, I have an idea. You shouldn't buy a license, but I will. The turkeys will think they're safe. Then when you see them, call me and I'll run over and act like a neighbor coming to visit.
They'll never know what hit 'em!
Area We hunted them was above the high park in unit 19 Just didn't know how the fire affected them in the area.
I thought I would bring this back up to the top. Is anyone on the North Front Range seeing many turkeys and what are they up to? I had a little time to look today and found 1 group of 13 and another with 5. Each group had a gorgeous fanning, Merriams tom in it. Unfortunately they were on private land and many miles from the nearest public land. I watched both groups for a while. One of the toms was spinning around a hen so many times the hen finally laid down! She was in the posture like she was ready to be mated but not sure if that was the case or she was wore out spinning in circles? I've seen so few turkeys over the years in Northern Colo so it was a special treat!
Seen a group Sunday outside of Fort Collins. Also seen a big Tom in city limits about 1130am same day off of Vine and Lemay. I had the first group fired up but they were on private.
I've been keeping my eye on a few for about a month. They are gobbling quite a bit now and just starting to break up
I'm also located in Northern Front Range CO. I've been searching for turkeys for a few years now.
My first scouting trip was up by Pingree park and I took my fully loaded elk pack.. about halfway through my hike a family ran up carrying their son. He had fallen off a small cliff while climbing on the rocks. Luckily I had my first aid gear as they had none. The kid had gashes in his head and cuts on his body. I got him cleaned up and the wounds covered and helped carry him out. They raced to the ER.
I went up the next weekend to try again. Driving up I saw two people laying by their motorcycle down over the edge near stove prairie. They had hit sand on a corner and went off the road. Luckily I had restocked my first aid from the previous weekend as I was the first person to see them. Helped make sure they were alright and drove down to call for help and headed back up to help them.
I went up a 3rd time but after hiking a mile or so in found a temporary residence of some unfriendly hippies. Not wanting to figure out what they were up to I headed out.
Someday, I'll find a turkey of the winged kind in the front range. Too many human turkeys up there for me, I may head east.
Everyone on here is spot on and I will probably just echo what they have said. Here's my two cents.
Hunted in 191, 19, and 20 for the last three years on public ground and it's tough. We hunt just as hard and sometimes harder than we do for elk and deer, with limited success.
I work in the mountains in these units every day and I can count on one hand how many groups of turkeys I have seen on public land from the road. They are there, but the numbers seem to be small and flocks seem to be very-very nomadic.
It's a fun hunt and enjoyed it, because it was unlike any turkey hunting I have done. I will be headed to Nebraska and Kansas from now on, because it takes about the same amount of time and money to get on birds.
I'll be back after the mountain birds this year, drew a plains tag last year so OTC here I come this year, they are tougher to hunt in the mountains but I need the exercise and I like the challenge!
