CO elk - Which week should I bow hunt?

[Andy Backus]

Thanks curtis.

My main problem right now is that I can never get to bed before midnight because I'm up reading and researching and getting all pumped up!

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Two schools of thought with top elk hunters who are very succesful that I communicate with. They involve completely different tactics. I have taken exceptional bulls both ways.

First is when the season first opens and you get first chance at unpressured bulls that have been taking it easy all summer. They are not as wary and the giant bulls are easier to kill. The drawback is they are harder to find and not as exciting as the prime rut. The tactics are to get high, walk and glass. Find the one you want which may well be in a bull group early before they split up. Slip in downwind and finess the bull over with cow talk. He may or may not bugle and may come in quietly just to investigate. If you do not have him in sight during the stalk this can test anyones nerves not knowing if he is close and any move can blow him out, or he could be going the other way. When do I move closer, when do I call, is he near enough to see me, I don't know, You get the picture. NW Colorado I have hunted since 1969 and most of it where the elk summer is open country with excellent glassing to find a good bull. So this tactic can work well. The huge bulls are not in the middle of a bunch of eyes and noses (cows) and there are no satelite bulls to come blowing in fast when you cow call and blow the herd out.

Second is late during the rut when the elk are herded up and the bulls are very easy to find bugling there heads off. Satelite bulls are typically very easy to kill as they come flying in to steal a cow at the edge of the herd when you cow talk. The huge bulls are harder to get because it is very difficult to get through the satelite bulls and then through all the cows. It is extremely exciting with bugling all around you and the best time to get a bull but not necessarily the biggest bull. I usually watch to see when is best to make my move and catch the herd bull on my side of the cows and then try to call him with cow talk or make him think a satelite bull has stolen a cow combining bugling and cow talk. Many different calling techniques depending on the personality of the bull but that is a different article entirely. If there are satelite bulls, and in Colorado there are plenty of elk, then you must work into the best position and make it happen fast with the herd bull before being detected or having to move out because of the threat of blowing the herd out. I have made many moves on a big herd bull before finally getting it right. Move in, back off several times before it all went right. Tough judgement many times whether to risk blowing them out or if you feel you will get him before they get you.

I gambled one time on a 416 6x6 and won getting an arrow into him before a 380-390 satelite bull at 10 steps blew my cover. It could have easily gone either way and I doubt I would have found the big one again in that country where they are known to run for many miles when disturbed. So it was a big decision and gutwrenching continuing to call the big one with one circling me at 10-15 steps. In the high country of NW Colorado they are unlikely to go far if you bust them and the population is so dense there is a good chance others will just take there place in a day or two.

So do you want your best chance at an elk or the best chance at the biggest bull in the woods. A very exciting hunt with a lot of bugling just happy to arrow a bull or a very stressfull hunt trying to get the monster early season. The most fun hunt is the rut. With hunting pressure what it is now many top trophy hunters prefer the first week to try and get a monster before they are pressured but it typically takes a lot more elk expertise to do that kind of hunt.

 

[JimBoIHN]

Assuming it is not a big hiking area year round, I'd go early. The elk will not be spooked by the barrage of hunters. And the weather should be warmer. Before you go-GET IN SHAPE. Make those thighs BURN-they are going to anyway, either before or while you are there. So do your suffering before you get there.

 

[virtualjohn]

I'd advise you to not come to Colorado, just hunt around where you live. That goes for everyone. Leave the elk here for just me! HA!
Seriously. Everyone has posted some pertinent facts The sum of which leave you with what we go through every year trying to figure out our draw applications. Imagine combining all that with the choices for deer added in.
Early or late rut? Early snow or maybe not much winter at all?
If you are after a big bull and are willing to get high, early is the best because there has been no pressure. Early does mean getting high though, that's one certainty.
Good luck and have a safe hunt.

 

[kaseyfied]

great place to hunt elk.. last year I hunted diy in a couple units out of vail... I hunted the same time as the muzzleloaders... wasnt not bad at all.. but I went the 9th through the 17th of september.. and I was a little early where I was hunting.. they bugled.. but not much rutting when I was their.. first of october laster year was crazy awesome for the rifle hunters.. all about weather.. and hunting pressure like all elk hunting.. I hunt in oregon where I live and sometimes you get bulls to come the first week.. first day even.. havnt been educated or pressured.. so its up to you.. I myself will be going from the 16th through the end of the season in colorado this year.. they will be vocal... and rutting... but most bios I talked to last year said usually 2 or 3 week of season is when it gets hot.. if you want to talk more.. om me..

kasey

 

[Elkmen]

I have been told by several guides, and hunters in numerous states that they start around the 17 of Sept. that seems to be the magic date in most areas. Just my .02

 

[JimBoIHN]

This relates to MT area. I have arrowed 3 before the 16th, and 12 after the 16th. I STUCK 3 on 21 st,my lucky day. I like early because less pressure, big bulls usually arent cowed up and easier to get on. But it is less rut activity and I have not had the success.Harder to find a hot bull early.

Archery really necessitates bugling to have a reasonable chance so that points you to the early rut. So take the knowledgeable estimates of when that is most likely to be. If you're a climber, you can use the extra pressure by getting up to the high passes-exit routes before the hordes start stirring and hope they will drive something up to you.

 

[Andy Backus]

Thanks for all the great info guys!

Here's what I've decided.

You all brought me to the conclusion that I expected, which is that for a group of archery elk hunters with limited experience, going later in the season is the way to go. We'd have the excitement of hearing more bugles and have more chances of seeing, hearing and encountering bulls, which is really what it's all about.

With that said, I'm planning our trip for the first week in September.

It ends up I was invited to be a groomsman in a buddy's wedding the last weekend of the archery season, so that last week (after muzzle loader season) won't work. Doesn't he know he's screwing up my hunt planning?

I really don't want to archery hunt during the ML season this first time, so that leaves the week before.

Here are the positives of going early as I see them:

• Relatively small chance of having to deal with difficult weather up at 11-13,000 feet .
• We'll be hunting an area with good access to above-timberline - hopefully we'll have success glassing elk up high - less pressured too.
• A couple of us will try to draw muley tags - hopefully we'll see some velvet bucks up high too.
• Hopefully bulls will come to calling as some early season hunters have said.
• Easier (warmer) camping.

So there you have it. If anyone has any early season archery elk advice, I'd really appreciate it.

As I said, we'll be at 11-13,000 feet. In addition to the above-timberline terrain, we'll hunt several long valleys with small open parks thoughout and plenty of water (so hunting water probably won't be a priority). We'll plan to focus on north facing slopes and benches. We'll spend the early days with some of us glassing up high and some of us burning some boot leather in the timber trying to locate the elk.

My wife and I will be heading out to the hunt area in late July for some scouting and camping. Hopefully I'll learn some things about where the elk seem to have been in past seasons (I understand that if we see elk in late July we shouldn't expect them to still be in the same locations come September).

I'm planning to really work hard between now and then to get in the best shape I've been in years. I'm in pretty good shape, but I want to really step it up.

This hunt is something I've been dreaming about for a long time. It's going to be hard to sleep for the next 6 months.

 

[Timber338]

Thanks for all the great info guys!

My wife and I will be heading out to the hunt area in late July for some scouting and camping. Hopefully I'll learn some things about where the elk seem to have been in past seasons (I understand that if we see elk in late July we shouldn't expect them to still be in the same locations come September).

I'm planning to really work hard between now and then to get in the best shape I've been in years. I'm in pretty good shape, but I want to really step it up.

Your plan to head up to do some scouting is well worth the effort. I'm not familiar with NW Colorado, but I have hunted for years up in the Grand Mesa National Forest south of Grand Junction. The basins all over that area are filled with gamble oaks (short thick oak 'bushes'). At lower elevations (~7500 ft) the acorns ripen much sooner and fall to the ground in late August & early September. This draws the elk herds down to the lower elevations for the first couple of weeks of September.

Like you, I always avoid the muzzle loader season, and once a few gunshots ring out, along with the acorns ripening up higher, the herds move back up above 9000 ft for the rest of the rut. So my point is keep your eyes open for anything that might attract a big bull down to lower elevations!

I'll likely be hunting the last week of the archery season with an OTC tag, and like you am busting my tail now to get in shape. It's easy for most of us to put off the fitness side of things... I have seen several of my friends absolutely hit the wall during a hunt and just makes the whole experience miserable. So stay motivated and hit it hard all summer long!

Good luck!