Colorado elk hunt

[bowdude]

Well this coming fall the brothers and I are finally going on a hunt together.  All 4 of us chasing wapiti in colorado north of Steamboat.   Any suggestions?  I hear the winter is bad this year there.  I have gotten a 4x4 in the past that my son called in, the other 3 are scoreless on them.  2 out of the 3 have been there with 1 first timer.   We will be hunting the first 2 weeks.

[kadbow]

The winter has only been bad on the front range.  Steamboat area is at best avg snowfall, my guess is below avg for this time of year.  Are you hunting an OTC unit?  Public land?

[bowdude]

Yes - OTC.  161 Around the Hog park guard station.  Had a bear come in to my cow calling the first year there. (like 14 years ago).  Been there about 6 times over all.  The plan is to do some stand hunting also over any sign we can find.   Any one ever had any luck with using game cameras to help pin point some movement?  I am trying to talk the guys into a digital camera each.  Take a laptop out for viewing the cards in camp, etc..

[ChuckC]

Good luck out there.   I  don't get to go west this year.  Oh well maybe next year.
ChuckC

[kadbow]

The best advice for an OTC area is to get away from roads and atv trails.  A game camera might work for a wallow but you can usually figure out recent activity just based on sign.

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Here is another good thing to know. That area gets pounded by grouse hunters when the grouse season opens. Hunt before the grouse season opens. If you are then when the multitudes arrive on their atvs with shot guns in hand ( and i do mean multitudes) you will wish you were else where!

[Sneakypete]

I second kadbow. Get away from the sound of motors! Not only better hunting (success) but better hunting (overall enjoyment and feeling of being in wild country). I'll admit a bias against trail cams in general, as I believe hunting should be based on skill and effort, not anything we can buy. But from an unbiased practical p.o.v., I'd say they're next to worthless for elk in rut, because the animals are so very unpredictable then. And after 14 years, you should be giving Us advice! Good luck.

[mmgrode]

Awesome!!! The best of luck to you this coming year on your elk hunt. Stay safe and have fun. I know the first year I get some time free in the fall I'll be out in Colorado chasing elk. This just gets me more pumped. Take care, Matt