# Colorado Muzzle Loader Elk



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

This last week I as able to go on a muzzle loader elk hunt in unit 61 in Colorado. This is quite a unique unit, road on top and nothing in the bottoms, at least where I was hunting. Opening morning found myself and hunting partner in a new area since he was archery hunting and hadn't seen very many bulls in the area that we had planned on hunting so we moved to another area that we had scouted before. Saturday morning was a beautiful morning with us seeing quite a few bulls in the 300-340 range which are quite common in this unit. Then in the afternoon we took a drive over the other side of the canyon that we were hunting and took a hike down a fence line to where I could see a nice draw and stock ponds further down. My buddy went the other direction. 

I hadn't been sitting for more than 5 minutes when I heard a noise down below me. Then I saw a cow with a bull hot on her heals. He was a very good looking 5x6 and I decided to take the shot. The first shot I shot over his back. The second shot hit him a little high just under the backbone, and the third shot right through the ribs. lungs, and on to the other side. The fourth shot was a little low with complete penetration and down he went. 

Now for you Utah muzzle loader hunters remember that this is Colorado. No sabots, no pellets, and no scopes. At 120 yards I had 2 complete penetrations and one that stopped on the hide on the off shoulder after breaking ribs going in and breaking one on its way to just under the skin. 

I was shooting a 300 grain Thor copper bullet manufactured by Barnes. 

This elk was a old one. He didn't have many teeth left and the ones that he had were worn down to the gums, and his ivories were the smallest that I have seen on a bull of that size. Just as I got the work done a outfitter and his hunter showed up and he estimated the bulls age at 10 years.

The photos of the bullets are of the recovered one and a new one as a example. 

The picture of the ivories have a normal pair on the outside of his with quarters as a size relation. 

Good luck for those that still need to tag one out.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Congratulations!!!


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## rutting (Jul 11, 2008)

How many points did it take to draw a muzzleloader tag?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

rutting said:


> How many points did it take to draw a muzzleloader tag?


For unit 61 non resident it takes 19 or more. Resident is up to 15-16


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Nice job! Unit 61, is that in the Grand Junction area? Units we hunt in CO are usually in the 76 area(s).


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

That is awesome. Great Job! We should draw our area 66 tags next year.

http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Maps/RulesRegs/BigGameGMUmap.pdf


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

High Desert Elk said:


> Nice job! Unit 61, is that in the Grand Junction area? Units we hunt in CO are usually in the 76 area(s).


That is one unit south of Grand Junction. It is West of Delta and Montrose on the west side of that big mountain. The road on the top is the boundary for units 61 and 62. You can get a unit 62 elk tag over the counter and have almost as nice of elk as 61 has but 61 is where the elk thrive. Lots of oak brush and steep canyons and lots of water. 61 also takes 15+ years to draw a tag for a non resident depending on the hunt.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

that road is called Divide Road. As you get closer to Ridgway there is a powerline that goes along a pretty good stretch of it. Down that way on the Southeast portion of unit 62 the area does hold some good elk and some VERY, VERY big bucks. I have family that lives on Log Hill. Area 61 as a whole is far better than 62 but 62 does hold some bruisers if you know where to go.


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