Contributors to this thread:
My Hunting Partner and I used are 20 point to hunt unit 76 this year, we are going for at least 3-4 weeks. we are non residents so any information would be helpful. Thank you
Would gps coordinates help? It is the least we could do since you greatly helped the point creep.
I don't want to come off as a dick. But requests like this come up every year. People who do not regularly contribute useful content to the site want info when they need help. This is the WORLD wide web. Folks are hesitant to help anonymous. Additionally posters do not like to draw attention to units (On the www) they might be chasing with there preference points. (And contributing to point creep)
Unit 76 has been well documented on this and many other websites. To search for them on Bowsite, go to Google and type in Bowsite+Colorado+ 76+elk, and you will learn as much as anyone has been willing to share. Call the FS and bio for the unit. Make a scouting trip to the unit. If you have the ability to set aside 3-4 weeks to hunt, 4 or 5 days to scout and put boots on the ground is invaluable.
Congrats on the tag. It is beautiful country and there are plenty of elk there.
I agree with Z. Well said Brian.
I also always have a plan on where I am going to hunt BEFORE I apply for a unit.
He should be behind the 5th pine tree on the left after the west bend in the trail. :)
Wow guys, crabby much?? I don't see what the big deal is. They waited 20 years to draw a tag which took 13 minimum, that actually helps point creep not increase it.
I'd rather see people ask for help in units that are once in a lifetime hunts than ask for spots in OTC or zero point units.
To the OP - Start with the Colorado DPW site, look for the big game hunting atlas. That will show you a lot of information regarding where elk are. Then study maps to find access points and figure out the topography. I'll bet if you come back and show you've done some research more people would be willing to help out. I've never hunted there so I don't have any info I can share. Good luck, and ignore the haters!
Stoddard, send me a PM and I will give some tips.
Hey guys, my brother is stoddardmaya aka Jeff. he did not mean to offend anyone on here. We have been doing a lot of research on 76 including google earth and maps. they will be tent camping and have quads if needed, Jeff is 59 and his partner is 70 years old with years of archery hunting elk in Oregon. they have debated doing a drop camp with one of the outfitters, or camping at rio grande reservoir and hunting from their. they don't have unrealistic goals of a 340 inch bull but would like to have opportunity for a 300 class bull. they are not looking for gps coordinates, just trying to get an idea of what to expect, doing a drop camp vs hunting around the reservoir. after all these years and finally decided to cash in our points we would appreciate any info from those that have hunted unit 76 and would like to share your experience, please feel free to pm stoddardmaya. really appreciate your input. we will be travelling about 1200 miles to get their so scouting with boots on the ground would be difficult.
It would have probably been helpful if he isn't a regular member to have said who he was along with what they have already been thinking about so it didn't look like they just put in with their 20 PPs because it's a top unit and they hadn't done any homework.
If you have 3-4 weeks off I would just go DYI. I've hunted there twice and you should have no problem finding elk during the archery season. Don't think you need to get in deep either, both of the bulls we killed were within 3/4 mile of the road.
Again, it's not hard. Go buy a map, call some CPW people, maybe go on colorado hunting atlas, and then hunt.
Since when is the additional step of posting on a forum a necessary step? It's not. We hope you have a great hunt -- and that includes doing your diligence.
Rough country out there. The more time you spend in it, the better.
Good luck.
Yikes that was a lotta points! The highest elk hunt in the world and one of the steepest. Be in great shape and take diamox.
Thank you to the bowhunters with positive responses, the rest of the responses we will ignore and wish you a great elk season, we have learned so much from all of you over the years its sad to see some of your responses, but it is what it is and we will continue to do our research and have a successful elk season. Good luck to all.
Big mart, if someone asked you for your california public land duck spot, or your dealer mule deer spot, or coastal black tail spot on a public forum what would do?
I know a spot in an X zone out toward Susanville where I saw 17 bucks opening morning and 6 of them were california dream bucks. I’ll never get to hunt there again, but there’s no chance I’m posting it on a public forum. If the shoe was on the other foot I think you’d see it differently. I’ve asked for help, but I’ve also done my research, provided positive info to the forum ( I hope, haha) and been here for a long time. And most importantly, these questions are usually best in a PM. Search who posted on here last year about it and send them a PM asking specific questions. It’ll be received much better than, I’ve put in for 20 years and done no research, tell me where to kill a 350 bull. JMHO...
76 is steep, rugged, and will kill you if not in shape. Going in for so long, you'll need a bunch of food and it's a walk in from most trailhead. You want advice on 76? Get in shape and cover ground. Elk head down into the timber to bed for the day, and if you bust em out of the bedding areas, it'll take you days to find em. I've given some guys good locations in the past that helped em kill good bulls. The masinites from the valley are hunting 76 hard now, with no care to boundaries. Good luck, have fun, and use common sense about going in too deep.
John, Uscdryler, I usually would not respond to such B.S. no one asked for a honey hole location or even a special spot, no one said they did no research or where to kill a 350 bull. We have hunted Susanville and killed a 7x8 and huge 4x4 mule deer, not that difficult during the rut in November and it is fairly easy to draw that tag. the big bucks are right off the main road, I will help anyone with hunting blacktail in California or elk in Oregon. I have always done my own research and provided positive info to this forum. I am hunting a new location in Idaho and have not asked anyone for any info. I have killed a bull elk every year in Oregon for the past 7 years with no info from anyone on this site. If anyone would like info on Oregon I am willing to help any archery bowhunter. The point is my brother and our hunting partner drew unit 76 with 20 points, and due to their age and point creep decided to cash in. providing any info from past hunts in unit 76 with a P.M will not hurt anyone or affect their hunt in the future. please be respectful of fellow bowhunters looking for a little help on a unit that takes many years to draw. wish you great success in 2018.
An easy to draw rut hunt in california high desert? You’ve got my interest piqued. Ok, let’s hear it!
Bigmart........Sent you a PM........Badbull
Bigsmart---Read the OP again because nothing was said about any particular areas he was looking at or that any research had been done. All that was posted was basically to please help me with where to go, regardless of how many points it took to draw that unit. I'll stay with with I said in my other post and I'm sorry any of the other posts that were similar pissed you off!
topgun 30-06 that's why I tried to help my brother out, his OP was very vague, and I was just trying to help him ask the right questions. Thanks for all your input and we wish you a very successful elk hunting season.
I hope the hunt turns out well and some Booners are taken!
I hunted right on the border of 76 2 years ago and spent some time scouting it last year. Would be willing to share my experience with you. PM me.
I hunted it once for elk and once for moose.... both in Sept. PM me if you need some help. One thing I would be a little concerned about is all the dead timber from beatle kill. Not sure when that stuff will start falling but when it does it will be tough to get around in there. Mike TN
That tag is not "easy to draw." I put in for it for years before giving up. If you drew it last year, you can hope to draw it again in 20+ years with current point creep.
That said, I wish your family/friend the best of luck in 76 this year and grats on your NoCal bucks. I ended up burning my points in the early archery season for the "same" unit and saw 3 4x4 bucks in 12 days - all of which were double crab claws. Friend shot a 147. Dad shot a forky near the end of the hunt.
I hunted it once and ditto....
"If you have 3-4 weeks off I would just go DYI. I've hunted there twice and you should have no problem finding elk during the archery season. Don't think you need to get in deep either, both of the bulls we killed were within 3/4 mile of the road."
Spit coffee out laughing when I read Ryanrc's comment, classic! Wish I would've "drawen" unit 40, my point pool did the last 3 years but not this year. Can you guys please have the coordinates ready when I do!
I've hunted it, but you guys wouldn't be able to get to the spots we hunted.
FYI, get the Forest map that shows dedicated quad trails, motorcycle trails, etc. There are a couple of those trails you can quad in on [one is like 30 miles long as I recall] that puts you in some good country. Good luck.
Good luck! I hope you have a memorable hunt. Enjoy every minute!
I will be out in 76 muzzy hunting. Hopefully it gets drenched with rain this weekend.
Camp at Black Mountain Lake. We took one there last year. 76 is an awesome unit. Good luck.
I used an outfitter on a semi-guided hunt but the reality is that you really do not need an outfitter to get an elk in 76. You can just drive to the end of a forest service road, look up, see elk and start climbing. If you want a Pope and Young Bulls, I counted 14 the evening before the archery season opener, you might consider packing in off the forest service roads 5 or 6 miles and or a couple of miles off the ATV trail. The year I hunted, it was warm, even at 10,000 ft so I was glad I had an outfitter with horses to get my elk out and off to the meat processor's cooler in Del Norte. I would not hold my breath waiting for a 340+ bull in 76, but a 300+ 6x6 is definitely in the cards.
Haven't hunted it yet, just wanted to say good luck and have a great time!
