Which Week for Colorado Elk

[monterey]

Tater is right on!  

IMO, the earlier the better.  Here's why I like it.  First off, regarding weather, there will always be some kind of weather and it will often determine where the elk are hanging out.  So, first off you have to figger that out.

Next, very early the bulls are ready while the cows are still pretty much uninterested.  At this time, any bull that is not hooked up with a harem is going to be susceptible to cow calling and most of them will not be hooked up.  The sound of a hot cow in the ears of a bull will pull him easier than at any other time of the rut.  Later there will be plenty of subordinate bulls that will come to your cow calls, but the herd bulls will not.  They have a full time job maintaining their harem and won't come running to a call.

You have to use indicators other than bugling to locate the animals early since they may be very quiet even though they are willing to come to your cow call.  If they announce themselves by bugling, that is all the better!  Resist the temptation to bugle back and work toward them while using your cow call.  

If none make themselves be known, go where you know the animals are and do calling sets for 30 or 45 minutes at a time.  This tactic works all day long!  They probably will not let you know they are coming so if you have ever done any predator calling, do things the same way.  Just cause you don't see or hear them does not mean they are not looking at the back of your head!

This has worked for me from opening day right up into ml season.

I'm surely not the greatest elk hunter around, but this has worked for me many times.  Other methods work great too.  Adapt to conditions!

[DarkTimber]

IMO you will have a better chance a large bull (herd bull) the week before muzzleloading season before they have really gathered their harems but a better chance at killing a legal bull the week after.  

With that said I typically go the week after muzzleloading seasons.  I have never had problems calling bulls in during a 7 - 10 day hunt.  Either way I think you'll have a great hunt.

[irishhacker]

I would go somewhere else.. Im not contributing to colorado.

[highPlains]

Listen to irishhacker.

But seriously, call me crazy, I love hunting the muzzleloader season. I gladly put up with the crowds for the kind of action I have experienced that week, year in year out. I know that runs against the opinion of most, but in my 17 seasons that week has never let me down.  

Of the dates you listed, purely based on the action I have observed, I suggest the 14th-22nd. I try my best not to miss a day between the 10th-20th if I can at all help it.

[Burnsie]

Boy!, I really opened up a can of worms, I'm really scratching my head now.  I'm just going to get me and my brother to agree on a week and then get out there and hunt my **ss off.

[ChuckC]

That is the best.  Find em, wherever they are, and go have a fun time.  

Don't forget to smell the roses.  There are a ton of neat things to see and partake in while out in the mountains.

ChuckC

[awbowman]

Chi lac has it right.  Blood or no blod the Rockies is a special place.  It doesn't take killing to make a memory

[widow sax]

I do not like the first week at all as a matter of fact I will never hunt that week ever again. I like the second and third week in the area I hunt they seam to start to shut up towards the end of the third week from pressure. This year the third week is full moon so I will be going the second week into the beginning off the third. I have found it a lot harder in the full moon were I hunt. The mornings (my personal favorite) they go to bed and shut up very early in the morning with during full moon but evenings seam ok.   Widow

[fnshtr]

Originally posted by FerretWYO:
14-22 Those days in my experiance are tops.

I would stradle the middle two if i could. Start the 12th.

X2

Don't do it because I said it, but FerretWYO knows his elk hunting!

That time period has been what I've found best where I hunt. The ML hunters don't affect my area much as it is a pack in area and I've not seen one ML hunter in the last three years.

I know it's tough when you get advice and reasons for each week... it truly does depend on a lot of factors.

Good luck!

[Burnsie]

up

[monterey]

So, you see Burnsie, the consensus is to go sometime between opening day and the last day of season.  Glad we could help with the decision!  

[fnshtr]

I know I already posted... but let me give you some actual numbers/stats from previous hunts.

In 2010, I hunted 9 days before taking a young bull. I never had a bull to respond to cow calls until the evening before my kill. They would occasionally answer a bugle (location bugle) but that was it. The evening before I took my bull two of us teamed up and called in two bulls from opposite directions, but it got dark on us.

The next evening I called two different bulls in to within 30 yards and killed my bull at 23 yards. The next morning my buddy called one in, but didn't get a shot.

I had hunted off and on all season... and took my bull on the 14th of September. It just wasn't good until about that time.

I didn't get to elk hunt in 2011 due to a ruptured disc in my low back. Last fall I was on the mountain before season came in and hunted everyday. I called in cows and one calf, but didn't have any luck with bulls until the 12th of September. Between the 12th and the 16th I called in 6 bulls (one was missed by my son, another was 15 yards from him but he couldn't get the shot, and I passed one at 15 yards because of a branch in the way).

When I left on the 16th... the bulls were REALLY vocal. That morning I called in two different bulls and they both got wind of me before I had a shot opportunity. I was hunting around 10,500'.

My experience has been that you may chance into one earlier... especially a cow or calf... but if you want the best action, and the best opportunity to take an elk, especially a bull... choose the time period that ferretWYO suggested.

I know there are many factors... ML's, other pressure, location, weather, etc. I will be on the mountain by the 8th of September and prepared to hunt as long as it takes.

Good luck... and let us know how it goes!

[Burnsie]

Thanks for taking the time to respond Wayne.

[FerretWYO]

I had not ad this thread in a while. You have a lot of good information. I will give you a little more info as to why I made my recommendation. A fair bit of this has been addressed already by very trustworthy individuals but I will speak to it as well.  

The first weekend of the month will yield some talking but it will be rare and the rut will often peak around the 25ish.  Many people choose to hunt the peak rut and I don't blame them at all. It's a lot of fun. I prefer to hunt before then though.

 I don't call much if any at all. And for that reason I like to hear elk and be able to move to them.

Usually at the beginning of the month the elk are in scattered but separate groups. Some bulls àre starting to look at cows but nothing serious. Groups can be big or small. Then by the 12thish more and more bulls are claiming cows. This makes a lot of 4-12 head small groups.  It also scaters the elk out making them a bit more accessible when the orange coats are on the roads. As the days progress from the the bigger bulls will start roaming and gathering cows as they see fit. By the last week and the peak rut you could have 60-70 head in a heard.  How many eyes can you sneak up on and how many noses can you fool?  

Big heards have sattalite bulls that make for good calling if the situation is right. My personal preference is to search a little harder a little earlier and contend with the least amount eyes and noses to get the best experience from every stalk. Again these are my ideas and not the only way.

My advice is pick a time hunt all day. And be aggressive when the time is right.

[Burnsie]

Randy, Thanks for taking the time to lend your advice.  Your avatar picture definitely shows you know what you are talking about,  along with all the other exciting hunts you have shared here on Tradgang.  I'm going to process all this information,  try to make the best informed decision possible and then just hunt hard and make the best out of whatever I decide.  It will be a great trip regardless.

[Beanbag]

The first week is good . You will have the woods to yourself. One year we backed up to MZL season and were cut short mid week with a lot of scouts in the woods. PITA, My brother had a bull coming in and lost it to a MZL'r 100 yds up hill. They thanked him for calling it in for them. The early bird catches the worm.