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unit 561 colorado

any info or tips?

I live in 561 and honestly would never hunt it. I've hunted it several times while growing up but its a small unit, with a lot of easy access and the locals know it very well and hunt it as such. It is a beautiful unit though...

well I'm going with a group thats been going there for years. I hoping to just get some DIY experience from these guys for future hunts. They have had some decent success in the past.

That was not meant to discourage you. There are elk there, just my opinion of the unit. Good Luck

boatloads of mountain bikers

i hunted 561 for 16 days last year and the only place i saw the mountain bikes was on Marshall Pass Road on my way back to camp. i hiked the Continental Divide Trail to a couple spots and never saw any mountain bikes or hikers. this was in the southern part of the unit. i moved camp over near Redman and never saw another person period. i missed my opportunities on that hunt though they were far and few between. after talking to a couple locals, elk #'s aren't what they were 5 years ago for some reason. late snow melt last year may have had an effect on the herds from moving back into their summer range and more importantly their usual rutting grounds. there are elk in the unit but you will earn every opportunity you have. i can say that with certainty. i missed a giant herd bull when my arrow struck a branch and shot into the dirt shortly after taking this picture. that was the only shot opportunity i had.

the views are amazing in this unit.

a look into the "Armchair" from a short distance

thanks for all the help

trophyhill I appreciate the help and photos looks awesome. You going back this year?

no i put in for a unit a little north of there knowing i wont draw with 2 points but should draw it next year with 3 as a NR. i checked the box to send me an OTC ES tag. my friend just had double knee replacement surgery in December and the probability of him being able to hunt such a steep unit that soon after surgery are slim to none. if he can get around good enough to hunt we will do a OTC unit where the terrain is a mix of easy to as steep as it gets and lots of elk. (lots of hunters too)would i hunt it again? yes i would. knowing what i know about the unit now i believe i could get into elk much quicker and find more elk as well. if he cannot go i am considering another steep unit in the Sangre's not too far from 561.

i rode horseback in 1980 from chama nm through chalk creek pass colorado...ive seen some big bucks in my life...i think the biggest was north of marshall pass on the west side of the big mountain

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