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Hi All, After a few years of putting in (6), I finally got drawn. I put in for both Bull and Cow elk in a few different areas, and had heard that these units held trophy elk. I did get drawn....for cow. The hunt is from November 4 - December 8th. I have never hunted these areas personally, but have heard that the success is generally lower. Any tips/suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

I grew up around friends and family who hunted, but it was not until my later 20's that I would get to experience what all the excitement was about. This excitement that I speak of is hunting the "grey ghost". Now, I first hunted for these magnificent and shall I say elusive animals in 2010 in Unit 32. I put in with my 2 brothers and good friend. I had to be back at work on Saturday, so I only got to hunt Friday. My younger brother and I headed back home with our tags empty. My older brother and good friend both filled their tags that Monday. My next experience came the following year when I drew a tag for unit 23 with my brother in law. My brother in law never hunted for deer before, so I was considered the knowledgeable one. I decided to hunt the lower east side of the unit around cherry creek. Scouting for our hunt was a blast and we manage to see many rattlesnakes, etc. On opening day of the hunt there were hunters everywhere. The only way to avoid other hunters was to hike back in. This proved to be successful in fing the deer. Taking one proved to be much more difficult. My good friend who was helping me out on the hunt spooked up two nice 4x4 bucks bedded down. I had the opportunity to take a shot with them on a dead run. When I tried to get them in my sights I could not see them!!! I had my lens zoomed in to full capacity from when I was at the shooting range sighting in my rifle. I adjusted and they were long gone by then. That afternoon we had another opportunity. My brother in law spotted a 3x3 buck about 450 yds away. I spotted another buck soon after that. Since my brother in law spotted his first we waited for his buck to get out his bed. My buck got up first and left. My brother in law was able to shoot twice at his buck but unsuccessful in both attempts. I decided to put in again to Unit 32 in 2012. My good friend Craig who had never hunted before put in with me. His wife gave me a hard time that she wanted him home in one day. Although she was joking, Craig and I both agreed to take the first bucks we saw. That afternoon of the first day of the hunt we saw 2 young bucks and decided to take them. Craig shot once from 400+ yds and missed. We decided to walk around the saddle and drop in on them. The first buck spooked up and Craig took him on a dead run. As he walked to his harvest, I walked around the back side of this knoll suspecting the other buck would come around on the back side. I was right! He came out 10yds in front of me where he laid after my shot. Although he was not big, he was 3 years of DIY work and learning of the species.