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Better area of CO for first elk hunt???

If you had a choice which area of CO would you hunt for your first elk hunt? We are trying to plan a family reunion hunt. I have a brother in Florida and we were separated when we were younger and our parents separated and we are trying to get back together and spend time together. I have hunted elk in Utah a year or two but not really seriously. We both are archery hunters and have decided an archery elk hunt would be a great way to spend time together and make some memories. We are looking for an area where we could set up a camp trailer as a base camp and then backpack in and spend a couple days at a time looking for elk. We are looking at the Rifle to Meeker to Craig stretch of the state and the Grand Mesa down to Dolores and over to Durango areas of the state. We plan on hunting 8-10 days. We are thinking the later half of the season would be better in order to get into better rut action.

I have been spending time using the CO Hunt Atlas and looking at the different areas. There is some good things to look at there but it isn't the same as seeing it in person. I live just across the border in SE Utah so I will be able to do some scouting trips in June through August, or whenever the snow clears. I have access to ATV's, if there is an areas that they could be used legally to get into a good trail head to jump off on foot and get into elk country.

I would appreciate any info that anyone could give me. Thanks.

I was a beginner on my first OTC hunt in Colorado just a few years ago, so here are a few tips.

1. Elk are everywhere, there isn't necessarily one unit better than another. Look at the success rates -basically the same in each unit. I'd pick an area closest to your home - make it easy on yourself. You may want to return to it multiple times to scout and hunt.

2. Since you live in UT, the western end of CO is closest. Also if you pick a unit next to UT, you may have some of those big UT bulls cross the state line. In Utah, most of the areas are trophy units, so you definitely have potential of bigger bulls coming into CO.

3. since you want to run 4 wheelers, pick a unit with lots of road, then hike into the middle of it away from roads.

4. Call the CPW, their team will give you good info, then call game wardens and biologists in the area.

Finally, my first OTC hunt was in the far west unit I just described. It had lots of ATV access but I didn't have an ATV, so I hiked to the middle of the nastiest stuff. I was in elk nonstop, I had elk fever so bad that I missed 3 times - once at 15 yds (didn't know that was even possible!).

You can drive to Meeker area, but it isn't necessarily better than anywhere else. It has the most elk, but it also likely gets the most out of state hunters. You live close to some great units and most nonresidents are not going to hunt the Western units - they are headed to Meeker/Rifle/Craig!

Plus I liked the western OTC units as the altitude was not so high. Lower elevation means nicer weather and easier breathing.

I now live in Western CO and I hunt the western OTC units simply because they are closest to my home and I simply follow the same script as above. I have shot elk in 2 of my first 3 seasons here. This year, I shot a bull the first evening - as I lived close to the area and had thoroughly scouted it.

My advice - keep it close to home so you don't have to travel so far. Then study maps and call biologists. Finally, scout it multiple times, if even for a quick weekend. These scouting trips also help you get your gear tested.

Bowcrazy has great advice!

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Correction. I now live in Eastern CO. Followed same script for East CO and have done fine hunting units close to home.

The suggestion for around here (Meeker) is good for rifle hunters as the OTC tags and ample numbers of elk and bear is great. However Archery tags are limited and require bow hunters to draw for elk, so that may be something to check into if your plan was to go archery.

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