Who's hunting Colorado this year ?

[Rock 29]

Got an Elk tag for early rifle in unit 77 just out of Pagosa Springs. Got a classic rifle to use in this area, Remington 600 in a .350 Rem Mag. Mostly timber in area we hunt, long shot would be 200 yds. in meadows. Can't wait!!!

 

[cohunter14]

We'll be out either 1st or 2nd season this year, still don't know for sure. Either way, I can't wait!

 

[Marble]

I've got a first season either sex tag for unit 28. My landlord lives in unit 18 and he said they haven't heard a peep from the elk yet. No cow calls or anything so I have some hope that the elk might still be rutting during 1st rifle season.

I routinely call in bulls during second season so you should be ok.

 

[wpwarren]

I routinely call in bulls during second season so you should be ok.

Thats good to hear. My unit is almost all above 9000 feet and sometimes the rut seems to be done by October.

 

[Buckshot300]

When are you going and what are you after ?
Also, how long is your 'to do', 'need to buy', 'might buy' and 'take' lists ?

Hunting deer and elk out of Craig. Hunting the 3rd period. Hope for snow. I have used the field dressing without gutting many times. Work slick. Anyway you cut it, it is all work after the shot. But don't you just love it. Shooting a Ti A Bolt in 300 WSM with a Christensen carbon barrel. Glass is Leupold 4.5 x 14. Hand loaded 168 Barns TTSX. I know I am good out to 600 yards.

 

[Marble]

Thats good to hear. My unit is almost all above 9000 feet and sometimes the rut seems to be done by October.

I am not an elk expert by any means so in my limited experience in CO (13 years), I have been fairly successful using calls during the second season. In the morning and evening on numerous occasions I have used a cow call to get bulls to come in. I have used bugles and cow calls to locate herds and often times I don't use anything, I just listen and go to them.

However, we hunt between 9000 and 11500. The animals will stay high until weather comes in. That would be extreme cold (single digits) or snow. Then they will move closer to the snow line if it's a light snow. In heavy fresh snow they move to areas where they can feed and will feed most of the day. Soon as the snow crusts up they tend to go back to feeding in the evening and mornings.

We glass for days prior to the season and frequently choose to hunt the morning or evening so we can glass herds out feeding in the evening, or moving out in the morning, going into a large stand of timber. 4 of the last 5 bulls I have snuck through timber with snow on the ground. The majority of the rest of the bulls were somewhere between 400-500 yards feeding.

I have been as successful stalking through the aspen and killing a bedded bull as going to a location where I believe a herd fed into on the prior morning or evening.

 

[Marble]

A quick tip I learned 4 years ago...

I use a heavy rubber lens cover, zip tied to my scope, along with flip top scope covers. Even the best scopes in snowy conditions get moisture between the caps and the lens. Ice will form. Internally the scope is still clear. I put a small piece of clean/dry toilet paper in between the hard cover and the lens, then the heavy rubber cover over the scope. Since then, when I have to look through my scope, my lenses are clear. I think the TP absorbs moisture and is needed, it's also available to quickly use on the lens.

Going from hot to cold, in the horse scabbard and out into 10 degree weather reeks havoc on scope lenses. The other necessity is some stuff called scope dope. Waterproofs, fogproofs and cleans your lenses.