CO elk hunt....I just cant wait.

[jimikinz]

I hit the road Wednesday for NW CO elk hunt I don't think I've been this excited for anything since I was a kid :hatsoff:

Its first rifle season (that darn work thing kept me from ML season), but i'm taking my .58 cap-lock BP gun...Some say its crazy, but I just love hunting with the ML!

Anyone have any info on how high the elk are? Weather is supposed to be pretty warm, so I assume they will be pretty far up...?

I'm packing in and prepared to spend the whole 5 days hunting from my pack, so I should be able to get away from the crowds!

Wish me luck!!!
Jim

 

[buford87]

Good luck Jim, keep yer nose to the wind and yer eye on the skyline.

 

[BrownBear]

They had a pretty good snow recently, so depending on where you're going, I'd factor that into the hunt, both the elk distribution and how you go about getting to them and back out. Go to this page and enter a few towns in the vicinity for an outlook, and you should be able to track back for some history.

 

[Greenmtnboy]

I hit the road Wednesday for NW CO elk hunt I don't think I've been this excited for anything since I was a kid :hatsoff:

Its first rifle season (that darn work thing kept me from ML season), but i'm taking my .58 cap-lock BP gun...Some say its crazy, but I just love hunting with the ML!

Anyone have any info on how high the elk are? Weather is supposed to be pretty warm, so I assume they will be pretty far up...?

I'm packing in and prepared to spend the whole 5 days hunting from my pack, so I should be able to get away from the crowds!

Wish me luck!!!
Jim

what unit are you hunting?
we just got pounded with snow that set off an eary migration in the high country.
here are some pics of bulls I called in fartin around this week as they migrate through to the low country.

MIGRATION TRAIL!! :shocked2:

EARLY WINTER

 

[longcruise]

Hard to say what the weather will be when you get there.... or what might happen during the five days you are in the back country! :shocked2:

What unit will you be in? I can give you some more specific ideas about NW CO if I know where you are going.

That first elk-only rifle season is one of the best seasons to hunt elk. The rut is still on and believe it or not, there are usually fewer hunters in the field than during ML and bow season. Especially for a back country hunter. Most modern rifle hunters stick close to easy access unless a guide or outfitter is getting them back in there.

 

[hoochiepapa]

The rule of thumb we always used was the elk follow the snow line-at least the majority of them do. The bigger bulls will stay with their harems until all the cows have been bred, then will move back up to the deep snow. As you are moving around, get on a set of fresh herd tracks, and follow them. Keep your eyes ahead of you, and watch for movement. I always looked for their legs moving, they are easier to see than the bodies.
Good luck!!

 

[jimikinz]

My tag is for units 12,24,23, 25, 131, 211, and maybe another one or two...basically from rifle up to meeker, and east over the flat tops almost to stamboat.

I'll check out that snow cover page. If there is a lot of snow, I may have to change the backpacking plans a bit.

will they head back up if the weather warms or snow-line changes substantially?

I'm flexible so O'm going to play it by ear for the most part.

 

[jimikinz]

Oh yeah....beautiful pictures too!!!

 

[Kentuckywindage]

i'd head to craig if thats in your game unit section that you can hunt.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Depending on how the feed is down below, they will move back up, but there's a lot of "what-if's". Depends on the feed, how warm it gets where they have moved to, hunters, lots of variables. I have seen it snow 9 inches up at 10,000 feet, and in a few days be 70 degrees or more. My dad used to say, "follow your gut instinct". But it's a learning process, and there's no crystal ball.
Good luck.

 

[jimikinz]

Aint that the truth!!

I tell ya'...no matter what I'm gonna have fun, so everything else is gravy :hatsoff:

 

[Greenmtnboy]

will they head back up if the weather warms or snow-line changes substantially?

No they will not this time of year expecially in the Crag meeker area. I hunt and guide just south of thos units. In the late fall when we get eary snow it drives the elk down and into historical migration areas or stageing areas. they will hold up until hunting pressure drives them to their wintering areas. Yes.... if there is a peak in between their migration routs they will go over the top but they are in the vally floors for good.
They will not!! turn around and go back to their high country summer ranges.
I guided in Meeker years ago and it's very good hunting you need to get here early and find the access point around the private land(ranches)
And yes many bulls are still in rutt so calling is a must to manuplate your elk also a cow call early morn will produce a bugle if a bull is in hearing range, leave the grunt tube at home it will spook most elk at this point, to many greenhorns bugle poorly during archery season.
Bring a spotting scope it's your best friend.
Here is an example of what I am talking about.
A year ago right before first rifle I was on the other side of the Mt range I guide on at a primitive sm game camp my buddy puts on every year, I noticed from a high ridge a snow storm had cut the range I guide, in half so when I got back to my unit I glassed that area and sure enough it caused the elk in that area to migrate early so I set my hunter up on the snow line and call this bull in wile he was migrating.
The county I live in is the size of the state of MASS so it is regional, Meeker may not have gotten the snow we did but I doubt it, the storm was a northern one.
Good luck buddy if you are a non lazy hiker you have a better then 50 percent chance of going in blind and still get an elk.
Remember a legal bull is a trophy so if you pass up a 4x4 it may be the only bull you see all season.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Not to argue, but here they do. The elk here don't have long migration routes like they do on the west slope. My family went through a great deal of investigation, following herds, and taking pics to prove to DOW back in the late 70's and early 80's that the elk here don't migrate out of RMNP. THere may be some bulls that wander looking for a fight, but they pretty much stay here, there's no place to migrate to, and the ranchers feed them.
THere are some north of here that move down onto the "plains", ranches where they won't be hunted, but it takes a lot of snow.
Have a great hunt, Jim!!

 

[jimikinz]

Thanks for the extra info. I have a few areas I am going to try. I am going in blind, but I'll be there the day before the opener to hike in.

I've never been accused of being lazy, and I have an either sex tag (with no compunction about killing a cow) so that may make my greenhorn oddes even better :idunno: !

How low are the "vaeely floors" they're in at this point?

 

[BrownBear]

How low are the "vaeely floors" they're in at this point?

Can't say about that particular area, but valley cover is prime turf where we go. Elk love tight tammarisc, willows and marshes more than whitetails. Great news for the quiet hunter who knows how to use cover.