Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

Fossil Ridge wilderness

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Jfvince1 » 02 01, 2019 •  [Post 1]

Can anyone give some advice on where is the best place to access the Fossil Ridge wilderness in GMU 55 Colorado, or which areas to concentrate on? I think we have nailed that down as the place we will be bow hunting this fall. We're planning on a quick trip in July ( 2 or 3 days) to do a little scouting and put out a couple game cams. Any help would be much appreciated.
Jfvince1
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 4
Joined: 01 15, 2019

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 02 02, 2019 •  [Post 2]

I’ve got nothing for ya bud (have never hunted in CO) but, I pulled it up on Caltopo, beautiful area!
User avatar
WapitiTalk1
 
Posts: 8732
Joined: 06 10, 2012
Location: WA State
First Name: RJ

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Indian Summer » 02 02, 2019 •  [Post 3]

I can’t help but wonder and ask why so many people choose to hunt Colorado. I’m sure if you’re patient you’ll get some feed from our members who live there. Have you seen the thread on GMU 55?
User avatar
Indian Summer
Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Lefty » 02 02, 2019 •  [Post 4]

Indian Summer wrote:I can’t help but wonder and ask why so many people choose to hunt Colorado. ?


https://www.wideopenspaces.com/the-10-s ... ands-down/
1. Colorado

Many hunters say Colorado is the best state for elk hunting. Why? Numbers.

Colorado has the largest elk herd in the country at almost 280,000.

Some say trophy elk aren't so plentiful, but at a time when many states only allow harvests in the hundreds, Colorado has thousands of opportunities for hunters. Over-the-counter licenses also increase Colorado's popularity tremendously.
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby saddlesore » 02 02, 2019 •  [Post 5]

Indian Summer wrote:I can’t help but wonder and ask why so many people choose to hunt Colorado. I’m sure if you’re patient you’ll get some feed from our members who live there. Have you seen the thread on GMU 55?


I hunt it because where I hunt ML the elk herd in that area alone is about 12,000 elk.

I won't hunt WY because of that Outfitter pushed regulation that says you have to have a guide to hunt in a wilderness area, but not to hike, fish, or anything else.
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Indian Summer » 02 03, 2019 •  [Post 6]

That may be true Lefty but.... Colorado has elk habitat wall to wall. From the north border to the south and east to west. States like Wyoming and Montana have limited habitat. The mountains are mainly on thecwest side with isolated ranges elsewhere. It’s not really about overall numbers but more about density. Elk per square mile. Regardless of either of those hunter numbers are an even bigger factor. I prefer elk not to be so nocturnal hiding as best they can during shooting light. As far as trophy potential... there are nice bulls coming out of Colorado every year. Might be a little tougher to hunt but they are there. The right draw tag down there would probably be awesome. OTC I wouldn’t be interested in.
User avatar
Indian Summer
Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby saddlesore » 02 03, 2019 •  [Post 7]

Have to dispute that comment about Colorado having elk habitat wall to wall. Although there are a few elk east of I-25 which roughly cuts the state in half north to south,the majority of elk are west of I-25 which is the front range of the Rockies.Those elk east of I-25 are not heavily hunted because it is 95% private land. Mostly open, treeless prairie like western Kansas. CPW issues unlimted tags in those units,because they don't want them there.
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Lefty » 02 03, 2019 •  [Post 8]

saddlesore wrote:
Indian Summer wrote:I won't hunt WY because of that Outfitter pushed regulation that says you have to have a guide to hunt in a wilderness area, but not to hike, fish, or anything else.

I had a couple of buddies. one from Arizona the other Utah/Wyoming.
When they were forced to have a guide where they hunted they started an outfitter service for elk only.
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Waygoner » 02 04, 2019 •  [Post 9]

The easiest access to Fossil Ridge is from the south - Gold Creek.
Waygoner
Rank: Spike
 
Posts: 108
Joined: 07 13, 2012
Location: Gunnison, CO

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Jfvince1 » 02 04, 2019 •  [Post 10]

Indian Summer wrote:I can’t help but wonder and ask why so many people choose to hunt Colorado. I’m sure if you’re patient you’ll get some feed from our members who live there. Have you seen the thread on GMU 55?

I'm hunting there for several reasons: (1)I've hunted there before and it's beautiful, (2)it's closest to where I live, (3) there's lots of public land, (4) there's lots of elk, (5) I can get OTC tags even if I don't draw a limited one. (6) I don't have to hire a guide/outfitter. (Colorado encourages non-residents to come hunt while others have regs that seem like non-residents are unwanted.) Therefore I take my money to Colorado. Now can we get back on the subject of the thread? :D
Jfvince1
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 4
Joined: 01 15, 2019

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Scott69 » 03 19, 2019 •  [Post 11]

Killed my first archery bull right where your headed.I think I could help you out.Message me
Scott69
Rank: Calf
 
Posts: 50
Joined: 09 03, 2017

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Scott69 » 03 19, 2019 •  [Post 12]

I sent you my imfo of the area.Let me know how u do
Scott69
Rank: Calf
 
Posts: 50
Joined: 09 03, 2017

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby jmez » 03 20, 2019 •  [Post 13]

We've had really good luck in Co. We were also far less crowded in Co than where we hunt in WY. We had more people camped within 1/4 mile of us in WY, than we saw in 6 years in Co.
jmez
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 755
Joined: 01 07, 2014
Location: Piedmont, SD
First Name: jason
Last Name: mez

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby Lefty » 03 21, 2019 •  [Post 14]

jmez wrote:We've had really good luck in Co. We were also far less crowded in Co than where we hunt in WY. We had more people camped within 1/4 mile of us in WY, than we saw in 6 years in Co.

How about a little more regarding you Colorado hunt!

Let’s hear “ the rest of the story”
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby jmez » 03 25, 2019 •  [Post 15]

2-4 of us have archery hunted Co 5 or 6 years. We've taken at least 1 elk every year and went 4-4 one year. We hunt an area that is high and steep with a lot of deadfall, tough walking and hunting. I think that is the reason we don't see many people. There are also a lot of rockslides across the trails making is difficult, if not impossible to get into horseback. Several stretches 100-200 yards wide with boulders the size of cars, it is tough to navigate through them on foot, you couldn't get a horse safely across them.

A lot of recreational users at the trailheads and on the trails. We go up and hunt around timberline and rarely see any other hunters. Our first 2 years we saw no one else. The third year a group from Illinois showed up the same day we did and set up a camp. We visited with them, nice guys, never been elk hunting and didn't know what to expect. I fell in a river the second morning so went back to camp to change clothes, the Illinois guys were breaking camp. They were overwhelmed by the size of the country and terrain and went home.

A large group from NE showed up one year for ML season, 3 wall tents, they whole works. Could have started a liquor store with the amount of booze they brought. They were there for the social aspect not to hunt elk. They never ventured more than a mile from camp.

Been hunting MT and WY the last several years. One of my hunting partners went back to Co 2 years ago by himself over Labor Day for a quick hunt and shot a nice bull. He ran into one other hunter. We drive past a lot of camps going up the mountain but once we hit around 9000 feet they thin out pretty quickly.
jmez
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 755
Joined: 01 07, 2014
Location: Piedmont, SD
First Name: jason
Last Name: mez

Re: Fossil Ridge wilderness

Postby jmez » 03 25, 2019 •  [Post 16]

Don't see a lot of other guys where we hunt in MT either. It is kind of an out of the way spot and I don't think a lot of people are aware of it. A lot of bear hunters driving the roads but we share the area with some locals. They are the only other elk hunters we see. Hunt opposite sides of the drainage's and stay out of each others way. Have become good friends with them and help each other out.

Contrast to WY last year and that was a &*%^show. Literally people everywhere. Two camps directly across the road from us, one had 4 guys, one had 2. Less than 100 yards farther down the road was an outfitter camp. The other direction 100 yards down the road 4 25 foot campers set up. All day and half the night a steady stream of ATV and pickup traffic on the road.

We had a good hunt and went 3-3, a lot of elk in the unit. The only way to avoid the crowds was to get to the elk before someone else did. Two different times an elk was shot out of a bunch we were after before we got to them. The evening I shot mine a hunter walked up literally 2 mins after I shot the elk, he was following the herd. As far as elk sightings and hunting it was a great trip, not for me though with that many people.
jmez
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 755
Joined: 01 07, 2014
Location: Piedmont, SD
First Name: jason
Last Name: mez


cron