Western Colorado: A haven for hunting T
here’s plenty of reason of set your sights on Western Colorado as your hunting destination. The Centennial State harbors the two key ingredients all hunters look for: some of the largest elk herds in the country, as well as extensive public lands for hunting. All this spells one of the best chances of filling your tag of anywhere in the country. “The scale of the elk herds in Western Colorado is unprecedented compared to the rest of the country,” says Brad Petch, Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s senior biologist for Northwest Colorado. “There are very few places in the West where you can pick up a license at the counter and have a decent shot at getting a four-point bull.” It’s estimated that there are about 280,000 elk in Colorado, the most of any state, with more than 15 percent of those getting harvested every year. Other big game
populations are just as strong, with hunters migrating here from across the country to hunt for mule deer, moose, pronghorn, bear, mountain lions and more. From Grand Junction, you can head out onto Grand Mesa (units 41, 42, 411, 421, 52 and 521 for over-the-counter elk) and the Uncompahgre Plateau (units 61 and 62 for elk), as well as the Gunnison Basin (units 76 and 77 limited elk). After your hunt, take a tour through Grand Mesa or Colorado National Monument. Farther northwest, Dinosaur National Monument offers a glimpse of the region’s prehistoric past amid world-class pronghorn options. The region also is home to Brown’s Park on the Green River, offering world-class trout fishing in the A, B, and C sections below Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Just 20 miles off U.S. Highway 40, Rangely is another sportsmen’s hotspot whose hilly landscapes are populated with deer, pronghorn, elk and small game. Craig, the seat of Moffat County, continues to be ranked as one of the top hunting destinations in the coun-
Photo by Dave Dietrich
By Eugene Buchanan
2013 | colorado Hunter
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