Allen (and anyone else interested) — The White River herd is the biggest elk herd in the world. White River NF is north of Rifle and just west of Glenwood Springs. While it sort of “on top” so far as east or west, it’s worth looking into. If you’re able to backpack in, the Flattops Wilderness can be awesome. Farther west I’d avoid the Uncomphagre NF, between Montrose and Delta, near Grand Junction, because it’s absolutely overrun with ATVs and getting worse all the time. Otherwise, good elk pops there (and deer, bear, turkey). San Juan NF, down in the SW, is huge with several wilderness areas. Although it’s among the most popular areas and has plenty of elk, I’d probably avoid the Hermosa Creek drainage for hunting from a road camp, due again to intense ATV traffic plus mjotorcycles and hunting’s new big enemy, mountain bicyclists. Down south of Pagosa Springs in the S. San Juans is a neglected area during bow season. Plenty to choose from! In my long experience here, if you want to enjoy an all-around fun and memorable trip and hear elk bugling, your first goal should be to find where ATVs are allowed (all forests now must publish Motor Vehicle Use Maps, or MVUMs, which are free and note all legally motorized trails) and go somewhere else. I’ve heard of folks backpacking into “wilderness” only to have ATVs go screaming by below them, just over the boundary. You don’t have to do wilderness to esape the motors. CO has 4 million acres of roadless areas that we (some of us) fight hard to keep that way. Perhaps these conditions and concerns will help you find a good spot in one of your original planned units. Like I say, I don’t know enough about any of them to say bad or good. dave
