One more Colorado elk question???

[BrianfromTulsa]

In a previous post, Orion and Whip advised that the last week of the bow season is best for them.  Naturally, I do not want to hunt during the muzzleloader week but what are the advantages of last week over the first two? Or vice versa? What do the elk do prior to and after muzzle loader pressure?

We're definately headed that way for OTC but we're not firm on the dates yet.  Not asking for locations just general elk behavior for complete neophytes.

Thank you

Brian

[Bill Kissner]

My advice if you are looking to hunt an over the counter area is to be there on opening day. I have hunted an over the counter area many years and find that the elk are easier to find before they have been harassed by other hunters. If you are backpacking in, the latter part of the season might be better.

[Whip]

Early can be good too.  Elk are more scattered and the bulls can be responsive to calls since they are looking for cows.  So early does certainly offer advantages.  It's just more of a quiet hunt.

The thing that I really like about the last week is the bulls are much more vocal (if you get away from hunting pressure) making it much easier to locate them.  My favorite part of elk hunting is the very vocal nature of it with bugling and calling.  I always equate it to chasing 800 pound turkey gobblers!     It's the ultimate adrenaline rush to have one come in screaming at you!

[Don Stokes]

Although I love hunting the rut, in a pressured area (like nearly everywhere now) I prefer the opening week. Once they're spooked a few times, they get much tougher to fool. Also, if it's warm, wallows and water holes are really good bets. Find a wallow in black timber, and if any elk are in the area they'll visit.

[TomK]

My experience has been a tad different.  I have found that for the most part, muzzeloader hunters will not venture far off the beaten path.  If you are willing to pack in 4-5 miles or more, you may not even see or hear another hunter, depending on where you go.  As for calling.... there seems to be an army of well meaning hunters running around blowing bugles at all hours of the day, driving the elk into the back country.  They mean well, but they have simply watched too many hunting shows on Saturday morning.  Again, go as far away from this confusion as your legs and back will take you, and you will probably be rewarded for your efforts.  Also, for what it's worth, throw the bugle away and use quiet, subtle cow calls.  Look for dark timber skirting green meadows, plenty of water, at locations that are distant from trailhead.  The elk will be there, all throughout the season.

[ArkyBob]

We have found that by going to Colorado during the third week there are a lot less hunters in the basin we hunt.  The area we hunt has a limited number of ML permits and there are a lot fewer ML hunters than there are archery hunters in the first two weeks.  We do pack in about five miles and get as far away as we can from others and that helps also.  It also helps that the area we hunt doesn't allow ATVs.  I also like that the bulls seem to be more vocal during this time vs. the earlier two weeks.  I havn'
t hunted the last week of the season but I would probably choose that week over the first two. JMO

BOB

[Orion]

There's little doubt that the animals are spookier by the last week of season.  But, it is closer to the peak of their rut and the bulls will be more vocal, as Whip notes.  There are also fewer bowhunters around later in the season.  Because of a bad knee, I can no longer pack in more than three miles. (Killing an animal also means three pack trips each for my hunting partner and myself and three miles a half-dozen times in two days is about as much as I can take, probably more.  I haven't done it in a few years.)  If you can get off the road at least three miles during any season, you'll distance yourself from more than 90% of the hunters.  Animals will be calmer, and often lower, during the first few days of the season, but they'll quickly head in and up as season progresses.  Good luck.  You should have fun regardless of when you decide to go.

[BrianfromTulsa]

Thank you fellas, three miles is the plan...  guaranteed to be funner than working.

[Missouri Sherpa]

I have hunted in Colorado every week of the season one year or another.  Because of the acceleration in elk rut activity I like the last two weeks of the season.  Muzzle loader season can be a tradeoff but actually I have seen very few muzzleloader hunters over the years.  The other tradeoff is as you get later into the season you increase the odds of having a major snow dump on you.  You can get snow any time during elk season and I have been snowed on more during the first 2 weeks of September than any other time but I have been hunting the first week of the season for the past 10 years and have not been using the last week of season at all.  I hunt the first weeks because I don't see any good reason to wait.  I can find elk just as often in the early season as I do later (and unspooked, unharrassed elk at that), it just requires relying on what I know rather than just waiting on them to bugle and tell me where they are.  If they aren't bugling I can still hunt elk, and it is not often they don't bugle at least once in a while.

I would suggest that you go elk hunting whenever you can and go for as long as you can. There isnt a bad time to go.  Sometimes you need 4-5 days just to find the elk before you can hunt them.  That doesn't leave much time to put together a plan, or pattern them for a successful hunt.  You will learn something about them every time you get to interact with them.  Good luck.

[arky714]

Any time you can go is best, time add as many days to your hunt as you can.Go early and stay late..I hunt 3 days rest 1 day the break will recharge your batteries i like the last week best, more elk bugeling ,make your hair stand on end..also walk as much as you can before you go...

[Gehrke145]

I hunt the hole season and like early and late.  The muzzy guys cause some problems in a few of my spots but any time is good!

[BrianfromTulsa]

We've discussed it and the phrase "800 pound turkey gobblers" sealed the deal.  See you guys during the last week.

Thank you for your help....

Brian