So i am getting pretty discouraged with elk hunting, I have been at it 25 or 26 years and never punched a tag. I at least used to see elk in my areas, but it seems like the last 5 to 7 years we are lucky to hear a bugle let alone see anything. Last year in 6 days we put on 70 or so miles and saw no elk, no bugles and 30 or so hunters. How do you guys find the elk? So far we have put on 20 miles since opening yesterday morning and not a thing to show for it other than meeting about 10 new people in the backwoods. It has to just be luck right? Anyone have any tips that could help me out?
Are there any elk in colorado?
- Thread starter surich725
- Start date
Nickofthewoods
WKR
If you have been at it for 25+ years with no success you should probably just hire an Outfitter. You'll probably learn more in one hunt than you have in 2 decades of hiking around.
LCguy
Lil-Rokslider
Start letting your binos walk for you.
CAse in point, me and a buddy drew the same tag last year. It was his first ever elk hunt. Day 1, he was itching to walk around, really couldn't stand glassing so I told him which way I was looking and he could go walk around the other way. That day, I glassed up five different bulls and I had an opportunity at a 330" bull, but couldn't quite get a shot before last light. He saw zero elk. Granted this is muzzleloader and not archery.
CAse in point, me and a buddy drew the same tag last year. It was his first ever elk hunt. Day 1, he was itching to walk around, really couldn't stand glassing so I told him which way I was looking and he could go walk around the other way. That day, I glassed up five different bulls and I had an opportunity at a 330" bull, but couldn't quite get a shot before last light. He saw zero elk. Granted this is muzzleloader and not archery.
It's not luck.
Keep moving until you find them. Glass until you find them. Be at the glassing spots at dawn and dusk.
stumblinhorse
FNG
Archery? You been out there already this year?
There is no secret to elk hunting. There is no magic. Truly it is just amount of time…. That is all. I learned it a while ago. Time in the woods is the key to increase your odds. Beyond that, like shooting one on opening day is mostly quality of the unit and luck.
There is no secret to elk hunting. There is no magic. Truly it is just amount of time…. That is all. I learned it a while ago. Time in the woods is the key to increase your odds. Beyond that, like shooting one on opening day is mostly quality of the unit and luck.
Yeah no offense, sincerely, but it's definitely you. If there's no elk, move to where the elk are. I can walk 10 million miles in my back yard and never find a bull.
If what you're doing hasn't worked in 25 years, you needed to start doing something different like 24 years ago.
If what you're doing hasn't worked in 25 years, you needed to start doing something different like 24 years ago.
justinspicher
WKR
I’d start with stop archery hunting. I was getting frustrated with it and decided to rifle hunt and it changed everything. Archery season sucks. Its hot and there are people everywhere.
Think how good you could be at golf by now…….
Think how good you could be at golf by now…….
I think it’s you, but yeah if I go more than a half day without hearing or seeing fresh sign I’m movingNo, it is not just luck. If you have not killed an elk in 25 years of trying you are objectively doing something wrong. Has your entire quarter-century elk hunting strategy just revolved around walking 10 miles a day and hoping to end up within bow range?
WoolyBugger
WKR
I feel the same way about musky fishing.. Not totally convinced those things are real..
No I have been glassing with generally no luck, calling into draws, going to the next finger ridge and calling, sitting water, sitting travel routes, putting miles on to get away from pressure, hunting close to camp, I got hundred of trail cam photos of elk, when season comes they are no where to be found. Even went on a guided rifle hunt and we never saw a thing. I have been next to buddies that I have called elk in for and watched them shoot. Just never done it myself and kinda thinking it will never happen. I was hoping for some advise or maybe a hey I was doing this wrong and when I did this it all changed, but I guess not.
Damn, I had a big ol reply typed out and then this popped up and encompassed most of what I was going to say. The only thing I can think of is if there's no fresh sign, they've moved or migrated from where you're hunting and you need to move. If there is fresh sign, they're just possibly doing pressured elk things and hiding well. My best advice is to be at their elevation glassing first and last hour or two of light. For the rest of the day I would search for sign going into timber or cover and slow hunt it calling softly as you work it.
PathFinder
WKR
Man that's rough. But statistically, not that unusual.
Sincerely, most folks that want to try western hunting are better off going to Africa. Quit idolizing YouTubers and podcasts, and go do a hunt that will be worth your time and money.
Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
Sincerely, most folks that want to try western hunting are better off going to Africa. Quit idolizing YouTubers and podcasts, and go do a hunt that will be worth your time and money.
Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
shootnrun
Lil-Rokslider
Man.. I admire your dedication. If I went 25 years without killing an elk I'd have started golfing 20 years ago or something..
I haven't hunted CO, but have hunted 5 other western states.. Anything that didn't have elk I crossed off the list and moved to the next. Drive all night to change zones til it came together. You kmow the definition of insanity.. Keep moving and changing it up til you get on em.
I haven't hunted CO, but have hunted 5 other western states.. Anything that didn't have elk I crossed off the list and moved to the next. Drive all night to change zones til it came together. You kmow the definition of insanity.. Keep moving and changing it up til you get on em.
Hondo0925
WKR
- Joined
- May 8, 2022
- Messages
- 365
Have you tried totally different units or do you always hunt the same one? Like others have said I’d move around more. Dont pigeon hole yourself to spots you have already tried without finding any elk.
stumblinhorse
FNG
I would say that if you put in 20 miles by the first 18 hours of archery you are probably thinking about effort not actual distance. If you are truly saying you are covering 20 miles you need to get off the roads or trails and slow down. I was out scouting with my bow yesterday, since my CO GMU was inaccessible before last week. I went 1 mile in as a crow flies from my truck and it took me all day. It involved 3000ft of elevation change and a lot of nasty blow down.
But hey man, I totally get your frustration. Good on you that you are already out there. But as I mentioned before, if you give it only a couple of days thru out the season, with archery you will never get anything. The season is 4 weeks for a reason. If you can’t give 10-15 quality days, then do what others say and switch to another method of take. Muzzy hunting season is still great weather and man it is a slaughter out there. But archery is fun and mental and really hard.
Good luck! Slow down and try to enjoy hunting archery in CO before it is gone!
trophyhill
WKR
Have to hunt where the elk are to kill elk. If they aren’t there, they’re hard to kill.
LFC911
WKR
Welcome to RS, 25 years of elk hunting...what took you so long to join?
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