Visit Montrose Visitor Guide - 31

hunting
Montrose has a long, storied
history unique to the outdoors
and hunting community, and
for good reason.
By: Marc Carlton
Montrose attracted local hunting legends
like Wayne Carlton, the father of modernday
elk hunting, Tim Strickland, a past
Olympic gold medal archery coach, and Phil
Phillips, a well-known hunting guide and
TV personality of Bucks, Bulls, and Bears.
Gordon Composites, producer of 90% of
the archery bow limbs for the entire hunting
industry, also headquartered in Montrose.
All these folks call the Western Slope home
because of what it offers.
Unit 61, located west of Montrose on the
Uncompahgre Plateau, is touted as one of
the premier hunting units in the entire state
and is known by experienced hunters for
having dozens of bulls in every drainage and
for giving up notable trophies every year. Its
sister unit, 62, encompasses 880,842 acres
of prime wildlife habitat and can be hunted
with licenses purchased over-the-counter
(OTC). These areas are tremendously rich
and support high numbers of elk and deer,
making Montrose one of the most popular
places in Colorado to hunt and recreate.
The word Uncompahgre derives from
the native Ute language and translates
as " rocks that make the water red. " The
Plateau has multiple access points and an
endless inventory of camping locations.
With elevations that rise from river valleys
to over 10,000 feet at its highest point, the
Plateau features diverse hunting habitats
featuring deep aspen benches and areas of
dark timber higher up as well as thick oak
brush, pinyon, and juniper trees at lower
elevations. Because of this diversity, hunters
often inquire about the best areas to hunt,
but the truth is you'll find wildlife high and
low in units 61 and 62 year-round. This is
one unique part of these units - every inch
is rich in resources for wildlife, front to back.
Some Western Slope hunting units are now
draw-only, requiring that hunters apply for
licenses in early April. Unit 61 is a limited
license unit and 62 is OTC, so be sure you
have the correct tag for the area you are
hunting. For these two units it's kind of hard
to miss as Divide Road, a prominent access
route on the Plateau, splits the entire thing
from north to south. The east side is unit 62,
the west side is 61.
photo and video credits: Marc Carlton
VISITMONTROSE.COM 31
Obtaining enough preference points to get a
tag in some draw-only areas can take years,
but for new draw areas you can get a tag
on one, if not zero, points. Take advantage
of these areas by putting in for them year
after year. Drawing a license for a particular
unit means you have to focus on one place,
but by doing so, you'll learn the area, hunt
it more efficiently, generally encounter fewer
people, and have better chances for success.
Hunting success comes from knowing your
area and learning it. Nothing can replace
having your boots on the ground firsthand.
As the southwest corner of Colorado
transitions into being mainly a limited area,
better hunting experiences and opportunities
will likely result.
For those who don't succeed in getting a
license in the draw or who didn't apply,
remember that other areas of the Western
Slope, such as Unit 65 and Grand Mesa still
offer OTC tags that you can purchase locally
up to the day before a particular season
begins. They provide ample opportunity to
chase elk, deer, bear, and Merriam turkey
without depending on the " luck of the draw. "
Prime hunting opportunities, combined with
multiple ways to access it, from DIY hunts
to a hearty list of outfitters to help guide
your chase, make the Montrose area ideal
for every adventure. Before making plans,
local experts recommend that you know
what you want in your hunting experience
and plan accordingly. Do you want to go
solo or pack-in by horse with a wall tent
for the trip? Montrose has the resources to
fulfill almost all of them, from drop camps
to fully outfitted lodges. Hotels, restaurants,
taxidermists, meat processors, and a local
Colorado Division of Wildlife office are all
here to help out and answer your questions.
The Colorado Outfitters association has a
complete list of guides and outfitters to sort
through.
Montrose is genuinely unique in its location,
and visitors benefit from its surroundings.
Exceptional hunting in Unit 61, fly fishing in
the Black Canyon, and an abundance of recreational
options is second to none. There's
a reason it's one of the most popular places
in the state in all those categories. Take advantage
of what the area offers - buy a tag,
put your boots in the dirt, and go hunting.
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