Colorado Elk Hunting on the Uncompahgre Plateau
The Uncompahgre Plateau is an incredible ecosystem with a ton of public lands and big game habitat. It spans the San Juan Mountains, Colorado River Drainage and major river systems like the Gunnison, Dolores, San Miguel and Uncompahgre. The plateau is geographically significant and diverse. This massive swath of public lands provides a variety of opportunities for hunters.
If you’re considering an elk hunt on the Uncompahgre Plateau in Colorado, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Unit 61 Geography and Elk Herds
Unit 61 and 62 share a central border and occupy much of the same geographical area. They are actually divided by a road and are very similar in terms of habitat. The major difference between the two units is the draw system…
Unit 61 is entirely limited, while 62 offers over-the-counter opportunities for elk. They both have seasons for archery, muzzleloader and rifle. And both provide us with a great deal of public land access.
Unit 61 ranges in elevation with productive elk grounds running anywhere from 4,500 feet up past 9,000 feet. The success rates are high and the unit produces quality bulls every year.
The geography is manageable in terms of hiking, but like anywhere in Colorado, it benefits hunters to be in shape. From many of the access points, the landscape quickly drops away into steep canyons filled with aspens and oak brush. Compared to the more extreme slopes of the San Juans, the terrain here is a bit more forgiving.
Unit 62 Geography and Elk Herds
Unit 62 sits right next door, just to the east of unit 61. However, unit 62 is managed to provide hunters with more opportunity than the highly limited 61. Here, elk licenses are offered over the counter (OTC) for archery, 2nd rifle and 3rd rifle seasons.
Unit 62 offers plenty of public land and ample road access. As an OTC area, hunters here will have to deal with more pressure. But the elk numbers remain strong and guided hunters at Dark Timber Lodge enjoy good success rates. This unit is very large and having a guide who knows where the elk go lends a massive advantage for hunters.
Public Lands Elk Strategies
Unit 61 is a great place to get up on a high point and glass or listen for bugles. With excellent elk numbers in this area, we can take advantage of the topography, using our optics and our ears to locate bulls.
Being an OTC unit, the bulls in unit 62 will of course experience more calling pressure. While calling can still be effective, we find that silent spot and stalk strategies tend get the job done in this unit. Bulls will utilize everything from the dark timber zones, to aspen groves and oak brush, throughout the hunting season.
Learn More About Elk Hunting on the Uncompahgre
To learn more about guided elk hunts in units 61 and 62 with Dark Timber Lodge, please take a few minutes to explore the rest of the website. For more information and specific availability, please don’t hesitate to send us a message or call Adam directly at 208-691-3014.
