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Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

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Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby LineRex2015 » 02 14, 2018 •  [Post 1]

Hey guys and gals,
I live in southwest Missouri and have hunted white tails religiously since the day I could carry a bow. This year , myself and a buddy are planning a DIY OTC archery elk hunt in the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness in Colorado. We plan to arrive a day before the opener to try to get acclimated to the higher altitude and do a little scouting. This will be the only scouting we will be able to do since we live so far away, other than google earth and reading other forums and researching the habits of elk. Has anybody ever hunt this area or neighboring areas? Not asking for any bodies “Honey Holes”, just asking for any info or tips that people are willing to share. Also, we aren’t really hunting Antlers, we are after the meat and the experience. Both of us are 32 in pretty good physical condition, but know the mountains will for sure kick our butts lol. Anyway, thanks for the add and thanks for any info and experiences.
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby Elkduds » 02 14, 2018 •  [Post 2]

Rex, welcome to the Forum and a great group of members. Lots of valuable intel gets shared here, usually among members who are familiar w each other and often via PM. Feel free to join the conversation, and enjoy a frosty beverage w us around the campfire. After you post 3 times you will be eligible to access PMs, where the more detailed intel is likely to be revealed.

RE Zirkel, are you thinking east, west or north approach?
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby Old school » 02 14, 2018 •  [Post 3]

I live in SW MO as well and have done a few bowhunts for elk in Colorado in 4 different GMU’s. Have you narrowed down your approach to the area - which way will you be coming in from and how far back are you planning on going? I’ll be glad to help in any way I can. What city do you live in? I’m just NW of Springfield about 20 miles.

-Mitch
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby LineRex2015 » 02 14, 2018 •  [Post 4]

Elkduds,
We are thinking about coming in from the west like around Steamboat Springs. Not dead set on that way but definitely considering it.


Old School,
I live about 45 south of Joplin. We are thinking about coming in from Steamboat Springs area. Not definite but considering it. We will be driving into where it’s legal and then packing in for a couple miles or so, depending on how the altitude treats us.
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby Elkduds » 02 14, 2018 •  [Post 5]

2017 stats are not out yet. In the 2016 archery elk season there were 9140 hunter days in unit 14, 4873 in unit 16, 2140 in 161. Success rates nearly identical: 11, 11, 10% respectively. See where this is going?
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby Old school » 02 14, 2018 •  [Post 6]

So what are your goals? A wilderness adventure with a friend? Everyone has their own goals or dreams of what a DIY elk hunt should be like. If you go back a few miles to setup camp will you just hunt from there? Or spike camp some nights away from your base?

When I first started I got lots of advice to setup camp by the truck so I could stay mobile and not be tied down to one area. If you pack way back in there and don’t find elk, you’re kind of stuck on a wilderness camping trip. I personally setup camp by the truck that way we are mobile if we don’t find elk in the basin that looks so good on Google Earth. If you want a backpack backcountry adventure though, then setting up camp by the truck probably wouldn’t be for you.

Lot of things to consider. One thing is for sure - just go and learn, you’ll be glad you did.

-Mitch
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby saddlesore » 02 14, 2018 •  [Post 7]

Tough country to hunt. Dang rough. I use to hunt it years ago, but never did too well. We went in the east side, west from Walden. Lone Pine creek if IRC. Then took the trail towards Bear lake. There is pretty good road going east out of Steamboat that goes up over the pass. The continental trail crosses right there and you can go north. However, it is a pretty good drop off on each side. It would be tough to get an elk yout if it got down over the side. A lot of sheep are grazed in that country. Early archery season and you might get messed up
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby LineRex2015 » 02 15, 2018 •  [Post 8]

Elkduds, Yes sir I see where you are going with that lol thanks for the info. Is there any other area or GMU that you would consider that would possibly make for a more successful and enjoyable hunt?

Old School, we have heard of guys setting up camp by the trucks for that reason, and after hearing that it’s rough country and success rates aren’t all that high, it’s really not a bad idea. Is there any area or GMU that you would suggest might be better and make for a more enjoyable hunt?

Saddlesore, I really appreciate the info buddy. When you hunted there, did you see many elk? Is there another GMU that you would consider rather than there?
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby saddlesore » 02 15, 2018 •  [Post 9]

LineRex2015 wrote:Saddlesore, I really appreciate the info buddy. When you hunted there, did you see many elk? Is there another GMU that you would consider rather than there?


Never did see many elk there. I can't help with any OTC Units.My advice would be to look for units that show 0 to 1 preference point for a draw. Most OTC units are really crowded.
Idon't know if it is draw r OTC, but check out Unit 4,south of Bears Ears and west of California park.

Unit 25, Go in from Sweetwater lake and a up towards Turret Meadows. Or go west out of Derby Junction ( further up Colorado River before Burns) and go into Big Springs and head for Little Sugarloaf Mountain
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby Old school » 02 15, 2018 •  [Post 10]

Saddlesore will give you plenty of good info regarding Colorado elk. Listen to him as he has a ton of experience hunting elk and killing them.

I've yet to kill a bull in Colorado but I've come a long ways in a few years - by asking questions and following the threads here. Glean all the info you can here and then just go and learn. Boots on the ground, first hand experience will teach you quickly if you let it. Just know that virtually no matter where you go, expect to run into other hunters. It's not like a private land Missouri whitetail hunt. Learn how to hunt around the crowds...and you don't always have to go way back deep 3+ miles to find elk.

--Mitch
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby LineRex2015 » 02 15, 2018 •  [Post 11]

Thank you both for helping out!! I’ll definitely check out both of those areas and also do more research to get it narrowed down. Truthfully, this is why I joined the forum instead of watching hundreds of YouTube videos, cuz I’d rather hear experiences both good and bad, and not just the good parts that make a video. Y’all have been a great help!!
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby Old school » 02 15, 2018 •  [Post 12]

One good YouTube series you need to watch is “Land of the Free” by Born and Raised Outdoors - there are 50 separate days of hunting. They are straight up DIY elk bow hunters hunting public ground.

-Mitch
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby baddaddy » 02 16, 2018 •  [Post 13]

Line, If you hunt that area be aware there are a lot of moose in that area as well. a PO'ed cow moose can make things very interesting.
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby Lefty » 02 17, 2018 •  [Post 14]

baddaddy wrote:Line, If you hunt that area be aware there are a lot of moose in that area as well. a PO'ed cow moose can make things very interesting.
Yep

It seems like you are being realistic about your expectations.
I have always been the type that is excited about the adventure of a new area. For a while we lived 258 feet above sea level. guaranteed headache when we went to my wife's parents at 5500 feet, then worse when I went machining the following days at 75-9500 feet, don't let that ruin your hunt.
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Re: Mt. Zirkel Wilderness Archery Hunt

Postby Rojo_Grande » 02 20, 2018 •  [Post 15]

Planning on hunting unit 14 this year with my partners who hunt ML.

Have been up that way a few times but not during archery season. Seedhouse Rd. east of Clark gets lots of traffic from hunters, hikers, campers and other outdoor activities. There are a fair number of outfitters who pack into the wilderness area during hunting seasons from what I understand. Pretty rough country with lots of blow down/beetle kill. Still, there is a good population of elk there and success rate is about the same as any other OTC area. Get off the main trails and you should see elk. Also be aware there is an early Mule Deer rifle season in the Zirkel Wilderness area(gmu's 14, 16 & 161), Sept 1 - 9. ML runs Sept 8 - 16 for deer and elk.

+1 on the Born and Raised series.

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