Has anyone hunted the Gore range?
Elk
This area is pretty large. The Gore Range trail itself is over 40 miles long. In looking at the maps, it seems like its a challenge on just where to enter wilderness area. I could go in near the Blue River campground area but its quite a hump from there. I've done it before years ago when mountaineering. What if I started north of the Eagles Nest area? How much of a hump would it be to get into some good areas? I normally have to hump boned out elk anyway but sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. My area has been hit or miss the past 6 or 8 years. That's not good enough for me.
Pick a spot and go for it.
I think you'll find it's pretty popular from ANY access point anymore.
I used to hunt the Gore range.. two reasons I stopped.. 1. Tons of people (Hunters and hikers/backpackers) 2. Lots and lots of downed timber from beetle kill
good luck trying to find a place in Colorado that ISN'T crowded....
Not familiar with the area, but cohoythunters statement is pretty much true of every every unit in colorado, if we are talking otc.
People do still manage to have good hunts in them. It may require some flexibility, and being able to move around to stay away from the hordes of hunters, but it can be done. Elk get killed every year.
Even I have managed to bumble into some elk, and I have no idea what I'm doing. I managed not to kill one, but 3 separate otc hunts I ran into elk that were trying to get themselves shot.
Don't listen to negative trailhead talk. If people are into elk, they're going to lie to you. If they aren't, they're going to tell you how much it sucks.
Get on Google earth, find a bunch of spots, go check them out, and I bet you find something.
Hunted down West of Buffalo Park a few years, sometimes nothing, but always seemed to see and hear elk..got walked into 2 miles in by some hikers with kids and dogs one time. Also one year a big lion came through camp around 1:30AM screaming like a banshe, scared heck out of us being from the East, only heard the tame ones on TV. It seemed hit and miss. Fairly easy walking in that area till you get deep in, can be rocky, cliffs, rough and cat sign...
Well I wasn’t expecting a nervana or biblical honey hole. We will spike camp a few miles in. My son and I are in impressive shape and are not feint of heart. We did get on google earth so we have some ideas.
I’m not too concerned with hikers. That’s always going to be there. I don’t believe they are detrimental to a hunt. They are generally on the trail and don’t carry the hunting vibe so as a rule they are not an issue.
Last year we went in our old hunting area and were about 5-6 miles back. Towards dark as we set up our spike camp, two four wheelers showed up. They found a way to bushwack into the area. Illegal for sure but it doesn’t change the sum of the situation. I’m thinking wilderness areas now as they write heavy fines for it. I will also be exploring the Mt. Zirkel wilderness area as well this summer. We will manage. Thank you for the replies. If there are elk, they are huntable.
I've hunted it. Always got into elk
There's elk everywhere in the gore!!!!
Wolves, bears, cats a few outfitters in there too! Outfitters set up camps back in the drainages and the ranches hold the pressured elk by the road. Lots of blow down but you can get around it. The vail side has elk too.
Yeah, I've hunted the Gore range. If they aren't in the drainage you are in- move. Eventually you will find them....though it may be a logistic nightmare getting them out. I stopped hunting it too....too crowded even 9 miles in.
Just a note, I heard that Mt. Zirkel area had lots of blow downs...looked at it once, but was going to have to hike in about 8-10 milebus to get to the area we wanted to hunt. That year we hunted the gore,,did ok but no kills...I called in a nice bull, but my new hunting partner got so excited with a bull 10 yds from him that he could not pull his bow back....the bull circled and busted me.....game over, but thats elk hunting.
