Loveland Colorado and archery hunting
Colorado
I will be planning a trip to fort collins and the loveland area to see about possibly moving there in the near future. I was wondering how the archery hunting is in that general area. Also archery ranges, clubs etc.
Thanks for any info
The Dennis Hansen archery range is at Lon Hagler SWA. Great range, great people managed by the Big Thompson Bowhunters club.
Unit 20 has some of the largest bulls in the state.
Loveland is a good area. Unit 20 is right out of loveland which can be great or awful. It depends how much time you have to scout it. There are some very big bulls in that unit. You are within three hours of some very good units. The fishing is good close by. The local archery range is Lon Hagler archery range in town which is very nice. Big Thompson Bowhunters is the local club. Fort Collins also has a nice archery range and has the Fort Collins Archery Association.
Thanks for the responses. Is there plenty of opportunity for OTC tags for elk in that area or is it draw units only. How is the mule deer in that general area? I'm not afraid to hike and get away from the crowds.
This is off the archery hunting topic but hows the job market in that general area. Background is Commercial and residential concrete but thinking about a career change and possibly getting into the oil boom going on.
Unit 20 is draw, but I don't think it takes any points. Unfortunately, it is also largely private. Getting away from the crowds is not the problem, staying on public land is. Just to the north you have 7,8,9,19,191. All draw but no points needed. The are good mule deer in the area. You don't need to go way back, you just need to scout and know where they are. There are huge bucks right out of town. To the west there are many OTC units within a few hours.
The job market is hit or miss. You should be able to find a job pretty easily in concrete. You will probably need to travel/relocate if you want to get into oil.
Thanks for the info. I will be headed that way next week. Definitely looking forward to it. I would still look into moving to Loveland area and just travel if I decide to go the oil route. I have a chance at taking a good job right now in the oil industry 8 days on 6 off.
Any other info would be much appreciated
Thanks
See? I told ya you'd get a better set of answers here.
UNit 20 is huge draw- Close to 4-5 points now and creeping higher. Used to give cow tags away. I'll bet it will be 10 pts soon.
whats the closest OTC units available for elk?
6, 171, 18, 28 are the closest OTC elk units in the mountains. Figure 2 - 3 hours to be pulling into camp.
Out east is all OTC but its plains, private, and there's just a handful of elk running around.
How are 19,20 and 191 for leftover mule deer tags ? Another words how is the mule deer hunting in those units. Keep in mind I'm not afraid to pack in on foot.
Thanks again for the info.
One more thing what archery shop is your favorite in the area and why ?
I am not necessarily a huge trophy hunter. I just enjoy the sport and getting out in the woods. I try and keep meat in the freezer all year long. Looking forward to heading out to Colorado with my wife this week. Hope you guys have a good season. Here is a buck I took this year in Utah and was perfectly happy with it.
I would say in general CO is bad for leftover mule deer tags. You can get them but don't expect to get a decent one. Mule deer tags are all draw. Some of the biggest bucks I have seen are right on the first foothill just outside of town. Unit 20 is okay, but 19 and 191 are pretty bad. Deer numbers are low, thanks to a DOW experiment. The numbers are getting better and there are a few good bucks in there, but there are definately much better places to go.
BTW-4 or 5 points to draw 20? Really? Are you sure you are looking at the general archery tag? There is a special unit 20 tag that lets you hunt near the park. They only give out a few and I thought that one was 5 points.
As for my favorite shop and why? I like two of them for different reasons. We have two new shops in Fort Collins. Rocky Mountain Archery is closest to loveland. It is a great shop with very nice owners. The service is good and they have a good selection. But hands down the thing I like most about the shop is they do a fanastic job of string making and installation. I am very picky about restringing jobs and they did the best job at the best price I have ever seen.
Gannett Ridge is another new shop in Fort Collins that is just north of downtown. They are also the nearest bowtech dealer. The shop is nice, the owners are nice and they have good products. They also cater more toward the backcountry hunter.
I would like to see both these shops stick around so I go to both.
By the way- That is definitely a nice muley.
Unit 20 usually has over 100 leftover deer tags for archery but for elk whether its cow or bull requires about 4 points now days to draw. 7,8,9,191 so far you can draw those tags first year for elk and for deer this year there were like 35 leftovers. 17, 171 and others are over the counter.
Thanks guys for all the input. Looking forward to meeting some of you if in fact the relocation goes as planned. How many of you shoot indoor leagues if so at what location?
Well I would like to say thanks again for the input. I just got back from my trip to the area and I will be shooting for a move when the kids get out of school this year. Great area and hope to be out there soon.
Good luck to all of you this season
Shane
Unit 20 can be a great unit, with a bit of work. It currently takes 3-4 points to draw an E/S archery tag. Like has already been mentioned, that number is on the rise. 5-6 years ago you could get that tag with 0-1 points.
As for shops, my choice is Archery in the Wild in Longmont. Boyd and his crew are great. There have been a few changes in the past few months, but still a great crew. I've heard the shops in Ft. Collins are good. I just haven't been there myself.
