I'm moving to Colorado in July/ early Aug and am curious of a good place to move to around Boulder.  I know how expensive it is to live in Boulder, which is why I would like to know if you might know of a small town atmosphere w/ a lost cost of living in the mountains around Boulder.  I am moving back up there to go back to school at CU and cost of living is definitely a factor.  Loveland is a nice area, as well as Longmont, but any other places up in the mountains would be great.

Thanks,
GLX

From Boulder

aurora here :-)

Littleton checking in

Help!!

While all of you good people are on this thread, I would appreciate info on ELK hunting in Colorado. Shortly, I will have to make application and need suggestions on good areas for blackpowder and a second choice for modern gun. Any help and suggestions will be appreciated.

Harvey

Roaring Fork Valley is here a lot

SRM - Thanks for the welcome!!

Harv - Check out the Brown's Park area in the northwest of the state.  My family has hunted there for the past few years and it's a productive area.  Quite a few trophy bulls have been shot in that area and the pronghorn hunting isn't bad, either.  If you've got a game unit map with your application, it's game unit 201.  Maybe I'll see ya there next year!

Castle Rock Here. Got my first AR recently. Still havent used it yet. Anyone want to help me break it in?

Longmont (right next to Niwot).  :)

Living in western Kansas now, but still own three ranches in Colo.  Deer Trail, Byers, and Burlington.

I am just north of Castle Rock in Castle Pines North.

"Elk Hunting" is a joke we Coloradans just never get tired of telling.  "Elk hunting" is basically a term used for the act of a Billion people going into the Colorado mountains (most of them out of shape), in order to stand around in de-scented camo and look at each other.  Many of them, while huffing and puffing up the 12K' or higher "hills" will make more noise than a gaggle of eight year olds at a Pizza Hut birthday party.  Those that don't will be constantly running into you, (you'll hear them a mile away) asking "Seen anything?"  Well, no, that's why I'm sitting here quietly instead of skinning an elk, than you very much."  You'll reply.  Or perhaps, if you're really in a mood, you'll tell him (them) that you rode an elk around all that morning like a damned circus clown, then set him free.  (If you can't tell, the "seen anything" question gets to me).  All this time, the elk are all in an underground bunker, awaiting the end of hunting season.

What you'll see:  Lots of hunters...lots and lots of 'em.

Almost no elk.  This will be really bothersome to you when the DOW comes out with their harvest info, and says "its the worst harvest we've had in years...we'll have more licenses out next year."  Thanks.  The few elk you will see are the rejects from the underground buker...jokingly called "Scouts" by the other elk.

Time for me to take up bowhunting.

If you plan to hunt Colorado, here are some tips:

Get in AWESOME shape.
Know some wilderness survival.  Folks freeze to death every year in between bumping into other hunters and making lots of noise.
Have one of those space blankets.
Please keep your trap shut.  If you need to talk, WHISPER WITHOUT USING YOUR VOCAL CHORDS.  If you use your vocal chords, you can be heard across a canyon EASILY.  If I hear you, you've blown our cover.
Carry at least one MRE with you, as a "survival" necessity.
Get great boots, and I suggest sock liners.
Plan on the weather being awful, but have layers so you can hike in an 80 degree day in November.
Don't wear noisy clothes.
Keep your trap shut.  (Did I say that already?  It needed saying again.)
Don't ask me if I've seen anything.  If I see it, and can hit it(within my personal distance limitations), it'll be dead.  If I can't hit it, I'll be hiking to it and in no mood to answer dumb questions.

BTW, Blackpowder is a good choice. You won't have a third of th eidiots standing on your head for a better look.  Not only that, but the elk will not all have made it to the bunker yet.  Your weater should be better, too.  Still, plan for the worst as far as that goes.  What will you do if you hike 10 miles from camp, and it starts to snow...HARD?

Thornton here.
[sniper]

steve: you sound like you had a bad experience hunting.
you guys mean that I can get a ar15 here in colorado. yehah!
gun shows in denver? crossroads and tanners.
crossroads is not in the cssa site but they do not have another one untill august anyway. the csaa site should list the tanners shows as that is the one that I like to shop. and I think a trip up to the merchendise mart tanners show this weekend. think friday afternoon will spend about 5 hours there and see what I can buy. don't worry guys I will leave a few deals for everyone else when the show opens.

hey sam youall must be getting excited up there with only a couple more months and you can see the ground again with out the snow and ice. I think they call that perma frost or something.
last friday afternoon in denver would of seemed like home to you mountain folks.
sam  are the amu guys coming back this year as I would like to go again.
see all you guys soon. the season's coming yehah!  

I live in Aurora,and have a Bushmaster AK-Shorty. I would like to know how to get to that national grassland area so I can plink? I go to Pike national forest right now and it is to far.

Steve:

LOL, if it was easy they wouldn't call it "hunting", they'd call it "shooting for meat".  But the seeds of truth exist in your diatribe.  NOTHING eplaces good boots.  The only thing that comes close is good optics.  If there are that many people, move.  BTW, isn't "Greenland" a misnomer?  Have all the fun you can.

John:
The AMU was talking about it, but I haven't heard.  I'll try to make it to the show after the shoot, but I have my daughter's B-day party to get back to.

Harv:
Lemme know if I can help.  Besides shooting AR's, I also moonlight as a Hunter Education Instructor.

SRM

So when are we all gettin' together for a shoot?

Matt

some of us get together 2 to 3 times a month in the warmer months.
for highpower service rifle matches. if anyone wants to try it out we can get you the info and maybe even loan you some equipment for your use at a match.  
sam only going on friday as I do not have a table for this one like last weekend at crossroads. help a friend set up and shop till I drop and then head home.
where's the match? boulder or ault? jon

SRM & YANKEE

Thanks for the info.  I seem to get more hunter education every year.  As one gets older the equipment changes radically. I still use a bow here, because it's mainly meat hunting. Blackpowder for mulies in NM for the last 20 years.  I want to try some elk in CO. I get among them in NM, but they are really expensive.
My wife has quit shooting everything but the camera, but she is there,pacs,down,mud and cold. Like most people over 60, we are slow and shakey in many things, but the adventure is still wanted by both of us.  I am fortunate to have such a partner.
I have only 5 points on elk and mulies in CO, so I was trying to find an area where I could hunt first non draw area that was not too crowded. Where I used to backpack, it takes 8 points, minimum.(8 years of applications)

HARV: I would try and keep your points and let it build up for that area you want. what you might want to do this year as they have new rules on the take and alot of other changes.
if it was me I would put in for the first choice for the area you are trying to hunt in as it sounds like it will take a few more years to get drawn and then for a second choice pick a nice area that has high chance for getting your tag and you might like to hunt. some area's this year are two elk area's and also some are either sex deer again.
so lets say your second choice for elk you would apply for a cow tag and if drawn or not you may still buy a over the counter bull tag also. about 2/3 of the zones are like that.
remember only about two more weeks to get your applications in for the draw. good luck jon

Howdy,
Been lurking awhile.

Lancelot,
I just joined your board. Great idea.

Tanner show this weekend. I'm going.
We should try to meet up someplace.

Jon:
The match is in Boulder.  Come on up!

Harv:
Five points should be able to get you a good area.  Colorado Outdoors published the hunting stats for last year in the current issue.  Application deadline is April 2, e-mail me if I can help in any way.

SRM

I think this year I'm going to try Ft. Cartoon like Jon had recommended to me.  You just have to me "on alert" ready for the call.

I guess that means I'll need to buy another gun...dang!  (I routinely sell my hunting rifle right after hunting season...weird)

Jon,  Where is the Tanner show this weekend?  Is it at the Merchandise Mart?

Steve

Where else could it possibly be?

Mar 16-17 Denver Merchandise Mart Tanner [email protected]  
Mar 22-24 Colorado Springs Youth Outreach Center Sportsman & Arms Expo [email protected]
Mar 30-31 Loveland Larimer Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]
Apr 13-14 Pueblo State Fairgrounds-Creative Arts Bldg E.T.S. Inc  
Apr 20-21 Castle Rock  Fairgrounds E.T.S. Inc  
Apr 20-21 Loveland Larimer Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]
Apr 27-28 Denver Merchandise Mart Tanner [email protected]
May 11-12 Monte Vista  Fairgrounds E.T.S. Inc    
May 18-19 Denver Merchandise Mart Colorado Gun Collectors [email protected]
May 18-19 Brighton Adams Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]
May 31-2 Colorado Springs Youth Outreach Center Sportsman & Arms Expo [email protected]  
Jun 8-9 Denver Merchandise Mart Tanner [email protected]  
Jul 13-14 Ft. Collins Lincoln Center Wasatch [email protected]
Jul 20-21 Pueblo State Fairgrounds-Natural Res Bldg E.T.S. Inc  
Jul 20-21 Grand Junction Lincoln Barn Wasatch [email protected]
Jul 26-28 Colorado Springs Youth Outreach Center Sportsman & Arms Expo [email protected]
Aug 3-4 Denver Merchandise Mart Tanner [email protected]  
Aug 17-18 Brighton Adams Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]
Aug 24-25  Longmont Boulder County Fairgrounds E.T.S. Inc [email protected]
Aug 31-Sep 1 Loveland Larimer Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]
Sep 14-15 Castle Rock  Fairgrounds  E.T.S. Inc  
Sep 21-22 Denver Merchandise Mart Tanner [email protected]
Sep 27-29 Colorado Springs Youth Outreach Center Sportsman & Arms Expo [email protected]
Oct 5-6 Monte Vista Fairgrounds E.T.S. Inc  
Oct 5-6 Grand Junction Two Rivers Plaza Colorado West [email protected]
Oct 12-13 Denver Merchandise Mart Tanner [email protected]  
Oct 19-20 Loveland Larimer Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]
Oct 26-27 Greeley Island Grove Park E.T.S. Inc [email protected]
Oct 26-27 Ft. Collins Lincoln Center Wasatch [email protected]
Nov 2-3 Brighton Adams Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]
Nov 09-10 Castle Rock Fairgrounds E.T.S. Inc  
Nov 16-17  Longmont Boulder Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]
Nov 23-24 Pueblo Fairgrounds E.T.S. Inc  
Nov 23-24 Denver Merchandise Mart Tanner [email protected]  
Nov 29-Dec 1 Colorado Springs Youth Outreach Center Sportsman & Arms Expo [email protected]
Dec 7-8 Longmont Boulder County Fairgrounds E.T.S. Inc [email protected]
Dec 14-15 Pueblo State Fairgrounds-Creative Arts Bldg E.T.S. Inc  
Dec 14-15 Brighton Adams Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]
Dec 28-29 Loveland Larimer Cty Fairgrounds Wasatch [email protected]

[url]http://www.cssa.org[/url]
That would be the Colorado State Shooting Association.



Go nuts ;)

If the weather holds out, I'll be going to Dragon Mans this Sunday (17th) @11AM.  I'll be there showing a freind my AR in hopes of getting yet another person hooked on the fever.  Dragon Mans is OK if you get there early.  I don't go if it's too crowded.  I'll post an update on Friday/Saturday after I see how the weathers going to be.  Later all.

RE the elk hunting here in Colorado.  While elk are obviously scarce, we certainly have a surplus of Californians.  Do you suppose the DOW would go for a season on those?  [:D]

Actually, I'm the kettle calling the pot black.  I moved here from Florida in 1980.  Authentic Coloradoans are as rare as he elk. [;)]

I had no idea there were so many people from Colorado on this board!  Where do you guys from northern Colorado shoot at?  Are there any ranges or other areas to shoot up here?  I'm in Greeley during the school year and I don't know of anywhere to shoot up here - I usually have to drive home (4 hours away) to shoot.  Anyone attending the NRA banquet?

Hey guys, I'm not in CO rather 16 mi North of the border in Cheyenne, WY. I'm always in Ft Collins, Loveland, and Denver shopping with the wife.  Anyone been to Sportsmans Warehouse in Loveland by the outlet mall.  We all need to get together for a shoot.

SAM: will think about boulder maybe I can improve on my 744 last month.
also the cssa site is not bad for listing the shows but does miss the crossroads ones as that is the most crowded one around and great prices on ammo.
but I like shopping the tanners shows as they have more local dealers and it seems that I find alot more bargins at tanners, but we will see.
dang sounds good to me going over to the boulder rifle club site and get the times right. maybe will see you sam. if not good luck

Elizabeth & Kiowa checking in. I run the NRA High power matches at  Ben Lomand Gun Club. Check us out at  BLGC.org  

I have been to Sportsmans Warehouse several times. Its a great place. :)

There is a great range just a little north of you.  The Weld County Fish and Wildlife Association (east of Ault)range goes out to 200, has several different ranges.  Next highpower rifle shoot is 3/24.  E-mail me if you need details.  There is always Byers if your itchin to shoot out to 1000.

HTH....SRM

Sportsmans Warehouse is awesome. That rack of pistols alone......and the prices are pretty good too. Luckily, when I was there last month they said they're building 3 more down closer to Denver...:o)

Matt

Sportsmans is a good place to shop.  Some of the guys don't know jack but hey, not a bad selection.  Prices are ok as well.

I was hoping to shoot this Sunday (Dragon Mans), but seeing that there's a few inches of snow on the ground, I'll pass.