Photo by Brian K. Strickland

The Gunnison Basin has a rich elk-hunting tradition. Every fall camo-clad hunters migrate to this central mountain region searching for the 14,000-plus elk that roam here.

"What's great about this area is it's mostly all public land, and there are lots of elk," says outfitter John Nelson of Gunnison Country Guide Service (970-641-2830). He should know. He's been successfully guiding hunters in this region for over 25 years. According to Nelson, the area offers hunters a variety of settings, which include locations with good vehicle access, as well as the opportunity to hunt seven different wilderness areas for those sometimes-elusive larger bulls.

Now that I've whet your wapiti appetite, here's a glimpse at the four game management units in the Gunnison Basin in which elk numbers are solid and, with a little effort, hunters could come away with a rack for the wall.

GMU 67
South of the town of Gunnison is GMU 67. "This is a great area to hunt," says CDOW district wildlife manager Matt Thorpe. "This unit isn't as rugged as other units in the area, so hunters have a good chance to fill their tags." Hunters in 2004 enjoyed a 37 percent success rate (all methods of take), well above the 25 percent statewide average. "Hunters should have good success this fall," says Thorpe. "Numbers are stable, and there are some good bulls in there." Latest post-hunt population estimates showed the Lake Fork herd pushing 4,500, with a bull-to-cow ratio of 28-to-100.

Don't jump in your truck and head to Wal-Mart to buy your tag just yet. You'll have to plan for this hunt because it's a limited-draw unit. But there's hope for next year! According to the CDOW, last year residents successfully drew a rifle tag in the first and second seasons with no preference points, and only one preference point was needed to draw for the third and fourth seasons. Non-residents were successful with only one preference point, and according to Thorpe, it's typical for the DOW to have leftover cow tags for this area.

There are several places hunters should mark on their maps if they drew a tag this fall, or are planning a future trip. If you want a bull in the above-average category and don't mind solitude, Thorpe suggests hunting the La Garita Wilderness Area, which is at the southern tip of the unit. "There are good numbers of elk there, and many of them go undisturbed during the season," says Thorpe.

For hunters wanting good vehicle access, Thorpe suggests going east of the Cebolla Creek drainage, Sawtooth Mountain, Cochetopa Pass and the Beaver Creek areas. When snow gets heavy in the higher elevations, Thorpe says to hunt the area's open parks, which the elk use for food.

GMU 66
Sharing the Lake Fork herd with GMU 67 is GMU 66, which is southwest of Gunnison. This is the other limited license unit in the basin. "Because it's a draw unit, there are lots of elk, and some good 5- and 6-point bulls," said outfitter John Martin of Mineral Mountain Outfitters (970-641-2673). "This area offers hunters a true solitary Western experience."

Luke Martin, the CDOW district wildlife manager, agrees. "This area provides a quality elk hunting experience because fewer hunters are allowed to hunt here, which allows bulls to get older," Martin said. Numbers from 2004 prove his point: Last fall 39 percent of tag holders (all methods of take) filled their tags.

Don't let the word "limited" scare you from applying to hunt in GMU 66. Residents with no preference points drew tags for the first, second and third seasons, and non-residents needed just one point to draw. "What's nice about this unit," exclaimed Martin, "is you can draw an either-sex tag just about every other year and have a quality hunting experience."

According to Martin, elk are well dispersed throughout this unit, so he suggests hunters concentrate their efforts in the higher dark timber and the cooler north-facing slopes during the earlier seasons. As the seasons progress and the snow flies, Martin suggests hunters start looking toward the lower elevations.