Upcoming week off, headed to Colorado for fishing, jeeping and rock chucks

[nakneker]

We have some time off, Aug 24th - Sept 1st, I think me and the wife are gonna spend 5-6 days in Colorado doing some Jeeping, fishing and hopefully getting up in places where we can shoot a few rock chucks without large numbers of people around. The people part is the hard part of the equation when going to Colorado, it’s play time up there for all kinds right now.

We will spend one day at the San Juan River fly fishing below the damn at Navajo Lake, then from there we will head over towards Chama. I’m hoping by getting away from Durango, Telluride, Ouray and Silverton that we ditch a few hoards of people. From Chama will see what we can find for new roads eventually making our way to Creed and Lake City.

If you know that country and have some suggestions feel free to suggest away. I have a brother in law that lives in Montrose Colorado who does a lot of jeeping, fishing and hunting. He will have a few places to go but I’m always interested in other suggestions. The fishing and Jeeping won’t be hard but good rock chucking isn’t always easy to find where you aren’t being bothered by others.

Sean

 

[troupe]

Don't have any suggestions that would be helpful, but if you would want to adopt a 6'4", 285 lb fellow. Let me know, I may weight down your pack to much though. Have a great trip and try to avoid some of the tree huggers.

 

[nakneker]

Don't have any suggestions that would be helpful, but if you would want to adopt a 6'4", 285 lb fellow. Let me know, I may weight down your pack to much though. Have a great trip and try to avoid some of the tree huggers.

If it wasn’t a get away for me and the Mrs I’d be glad to fill a seat.

 

[troupe]

I guess that I understand. I think the Mrs. will appreciate it more as well. We need to see some pics for all of us, Enjoy !!!!

 

[ebb]

I hunted Elk outside of Gunnison back many years ago. Going west from Gunnison we came to a big dam made of rocks and debris that dammed the Gunnison river. We crossed the dam and followed lake Gunnison into an area called Soap Creek Mesa. I loved it up there. I don't know what it's like these days but may be worth asking about. The elk camp was on the west side of the lake and we could look across the lake with binoculars and see sheep up in the rocks on the other side. good luck hope you have a great time!

 

[Rocky Mt High]

Check with CDOT if traffic is still being detoured to Lake City from the Gunnison area due to the damaged bridge over Blue Mesa res. only handling lite traffic. They were running trucks down there and could be a mess….

 

[Rick in Oregon]

IRT rockchucks.....never shot them in CO, but from 50 years of experience with them here in central Orygun and N CA (3,600' - 4,500' elev), most, if not all of these critters go down around the second week of August. I've got them 400 yards from the house in fairly decent family groups, watch them from Jan to Aug. As I type this, they've all gone down for the season, at least here.

One of my local guys from 3 weeks ago:



I mention this just for intel, as they may be down there too, so prepare accordingly. I'm hoping that perhaps with the higher elevation than here, the CO chucks may be up for a couple of weeks longer. Once you're back home, post the trip up, I'd be interested to hear how it went. Best of luck.

Safe travels.

 

[ebb]

RMH is that the bridge we crossed just east of the dam?

 

[Mulligan]

Colorado has a daily bag limit on chucks

And

A possession limit?

Just FYI

 

[Rocky Mt High]

Ebb,
Not the first bridge east of the dam , before Sapinero.
It’s the Highway 50 ‘middle bridge’. East of Sapinero.

 

[ebb]

Its been too long to remember 2. I had a great time and killed a pretty nice elk, a mule deer and a huge coyote. I hunted with a guy that was from a different time, but a cool guy. Ray Parmalee. He told us how hard the sheep guys worked and that the coyotes were out of control, "If you see one and do not shoot it or at least at it you will be removed from the property and never come back!" He was the outfitter I hunted with on soap creek mesa

 

[chuckshooter]

IRT rockchucks.....never shot them in CO, but from 50 years of experience with them here in central Orygun and N CA (3,600' - 4,500' elev), most, if not all of these critters go down around the second week of August. I've got them 400 yards from the house in fairly decent family groups, watch them from Jan to Aug. As I type this, they've all gone down for the season, at least here.

One of my local guys from 3 weeks ago:



I mention this just for intel, as they may be down there too, so prepare accordingly. I'm hoping that perhaps with the higher elevation than here, the CO chucks may be up for a couple of weeks longer. Once you're back home, post the trip up, I'd be interested to hear how it went. Best of luck.

Safe travels.

In general, this has been my experience on their hibernation cycle, but occasionally when backpacking in the Sierras in late October we would see them out, I think as Rick said, at higher altitude they stay out a little later.

 

[nakneker]

IRT rockchucks.....never shot them in CO, but from 50 years of experience with them here in central Orygun and N CA (3,600' - 4,500' elev), most, if not all of these critters go down around the second week of August. I've got them 400 yards from the house in fairly decent family groups, watch them from Jan to Aug. As I type this, they've all gone down for the season, at least here.

One of my local guys from 3 weeks ago:



I mention this just for intel, as they may be down there too, so prepare accordingly. I'm hoping that perhaps with the higher elevation than here, the CO chucks may be up for a couple of weeks longer. Once you're back home, post the trip up, I'd be interested to hear how it went. Best of luck.

Safe travels.

I did this same sort of thing a few years ago, went jeeping up around Silverton. We found one area that had quite a few of them out and about right at the tree line. Maybe 10kish In altitude. Hopefully that’s the case. The season up there starts in August so hopefully we get some opportunity.

 

[Varmint Shooter]

High country chuck hunting yesterday. Son-in-law and I went to the high country, 9,000 plus, yesterday in search of chucks and a good time. Spotted several and took a couple each.
Colorado does have a season on them, Aug. 10 thru Oct 15. 2 per day and 4 in possession.
Someone thought they were good to eat, so a season was put on them.









g

 

[17VLD]

I was very blessed to have the opportunity to hunt a private 8000 acre ranch in Gunnison, busted a few with my 20 caliber wildcat and 617 Smith& Wesson. Colorado sure is beautiful and fun, especially in a Jeep
I'm sure you will have a great time especially if you are successful at avoiding any Karen's

 

[Bill K]

Colorado has a daily bag limit on chucks

And

A possession limit?

Just FYI

Do the also have a season to hunt them ?

 

[lawman29]

Do the also have a season to hunt them ?

Your question has already been answered in a previous post....

 

[Bill K]

I saw that but I did enter it prior to Varmint Shooters post. Timing was off on my side.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

I was very blessed to have the opportunity to hunt a private 8000 acre ranch in Gunnison, busted a few with my 20 caliber wildcat and 617 Smith& Wesson. Colorado sure is beautiful and fun, especially in a Jeep
I'm sure you will have a great time especially if you are successful at avoiding any Karen's

Agreed, but way to liberal for me.

 

[Mulligan]

Colorado is way too liberal for most working folks.

Completely full of trust funders and the elite

CW