Best Advice for First Time OTC Colorado

[Marble]

That is slightly discouraging but thanks for the reply. I would prefer not to see anyone even if that means less chance of taking a big bull, but seems like no matter where in Colorado you will run into people.

Have you hunted 3rd rifle season? This might be another option for me.

Don't let your expectations be squashed. Do the trip you want, use a trail and then leave it.

Don't let people discourage you.

If it were me going to a new area, I would want to scout it. This is mainly for figuring out a lot of the logistics of the area.

Usually I do not just hit a trailhead blindly. I'll usually venture out until I find sign and then plan from there.

Be mobile, take breaks, and don't be obsessed with success.

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[trevvamos]

In between jobs I have about 2 weeks this September and looking to do an OTC Archery trip in Colorado. This will be my first elk trip and first time hunting Colorado. If time permits I plan to scout before the season, but that is unknown at this time.

Besides finding water source big or small what other suggestions do you have for first timer?

I plan to do a solo trip with a 5-7 day pack.

Just go…. you could scour forums, podcasts etc and get a million different opinions, but nothing beats boots on the ground. Keep at it, and pretty soon it will start to click.

 

[pcrossett]

Train, train and train some more, the more physically prepared you are going in to it the better. Won't tie directly to you finding elk but will make going over that one next ridge easier where they may be.

 

[skissell]

Make sure you are physically in shape to do a solo backcountry hunt. The mountains are a lot steeper than what they appear on a topo map. I would really hike as much as possible before your trip with the exact weight or heavier than what you plan on carrying during the hunt. Be confident in your ability to stay out there solo, have a good medkit and get familiar with the items and learn how to use them.

Once you're there it's all about how much determination you have to find the elk, they are there but sometimes you have to put the miles on to find them, but not always. Tons of information on YouTube as well, that was a good source for me when I started. Goodluck!

 

[Jaquomo]

Hey, how did I go from WKR to "lil Rokslider, LOL?

You'll see way fewer hunters and likely more elk if you put in those boot leather miles within a mile or two from the road, then move your camp and keep moving until you find elk. Usually, water is not an issue for elk. Hunters are the issue, and the influencers have made everybody into a "waybacker" wannabe. The further in you go, the more friends you'll make.

Go with an open mind, be mobile, and don't get discouraged. I hunt a 400 square mile area and sometimes move my camp every 3-4 days until I find elk. Last year I bowhunted a new area for two weeks, had 11 camps near me, was into elk almost every day within a mile of roads, and only ever saw three other hunters in the woods.

 

[cnelk]

For every guy that goes deep means one less in the places I hunt.

Go deep man. Go deep.

 

[CMF]

That is slightly discouraging but thanks for the reply. I would prefer not to see anyone even if that means less chance of taking a big bull, but seems like no matter where in Colorado you will run into people.

Have you hunted 3rd rifle season? This might be another option for me.

There's a good chance the people are where the elk are. Are you looking for a camping trip or an elk hunt? As others have said, they could be a half mile from the road or 10 miles, but it's a lot easier to find them without 30 or 40lbs of gear on your back. If you know you have time off, why be set on OTC when it's still application season?

 

[def90]

Keep in mind that wherever you hike in to if you beat the odds and are successful you will need to make a minimum of 4 round trips to haul everything out. It sounds great to hike in 5 miles and gain 3-4k feet in elevation until you realize you need to get everything out by yourself before the meat goes bad.

Other than that it's OTC so keep your expectations in check and have fun with it.

 

[Eastcoasthunter94]

There's a good chance the people are where the elk are. Are you looking for a camping trip or an elk hunt? As others have said, they could be a half mile from the road or 10 miles, but it's a lot easier to find them without 30 or 40lbs of gear on your back. If you know you have time off, why be set on OTC when it's still application season?

^^^^ take this advice and do some research on drawing a tag. There are quite a few state drawings still open and you can find a much higher quality hunt than OTC.

 

[bkusna15]

I did put in for the draw but my expectations are low since this is my first year applying. Looks like i might have to change my game plan, lighten the load to the neccessites, and search for elk before i even think about setting up a camp.

This will be my first experience getting an elk is the goal, but learning the land and understanding there movements is part of the experience for me as well.

 

[trophyhill]

I did put in for the draw but my expectations are low since this is my first year applying. Looks like i might have to change my game plan, lighten the load to the neccessites, and search for elk before i even think about setting up a camp.

This will be my first experience getting an elk is the goal, but learning the land and understanding there movements is part of the experience for me as well.

Yeah understanding their movements when pressured vs not pressured is a night and day difference. But once pressured elk feel safe, they go back to feeling un pressured again.

 

[raptor16]

Basically what everyone else has said, research old threads on this and then just go and do it.

I did my first elk hunt in 2020, solo OTC archery in CO. Drove all over the state (for fun as much as anything). Saw a couple of elk in two very different units. The first one I saw I wasn't expecting it all. I was maybe a 3/4 mile in right on a hiking trail with a herd of beef cows around. Turned around to check out my surroundings and saw a cow elk within range that had no idea I was there, too many trees for a shot. I never expected to see her right then right there.

I think a lot of it is luck. My friend killed a nice bull this fall 5 minutes after shooting light on opening morning. We can't claim anything but dumb luck on our part aside from getting out early and having other hunters push him toward us haha! We might've been 1,000 yards from the road.

 

[Short Track]

My friend killed a nice bull this fall 5 minutes after shooting light on opening morning. We can't claim anything but dumb luck on our part aside from getting out early and having other hunters push him toward us haha! We might've been 1,000 yards from the road.

That's how I deer hunt on state land. There is a high road, and a low road. I go in early, and sit in-between the 2 roads. Deer are pushed to me at sunrise.

 

[bsshaver]

Dont hunt the 1st week. Go to montana.


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[jgilber5]

People make it seem like the elk will run miles away when pressure hits, and go way high or down low. Don't overlook the nasty stuff just lateral to the prime spots. Don't be discouraged by vehicles at your access point. Last year was my first year, tons of rigs where I parked, but everybody was 4 miles over the ridge into the far basin, while the elk and I were less that a mile away.

 

[sanders3663]

In between jobs I have about 2 weeks this September and looking to do an OTC Archery trip in Colorado. This will be my first elk trip and first time hunting Colorado. If time permits I plan to scout before the season, but that is unknown at this time.

Besides finding water source big or small what other suggestions do you have for first timer?

I plan to do a solo trip with a 5-7 day pack.

Done our first DIY OTC Colorado Elk hunt last year. Last two weeks of September. Didn't have any luck. But we had fun and learned a lot of what not to do. Seen some other hunters but not what we expected to see. But that was probably because there were no Elk where we were.

 

[sanders3663]

Just go…. you could scour forums, podcasts etc and get a million different opinions, but nothing beats boots on the ground. Keep at it, and pretty soon it will start to click.

Agree with this.....all the e-scouting will still not prepare you for actually dealing with it in person. The perspective is totally different. Oh, and depending on where you are coming from be prepared to deal with altitude sickness. It doesn't happen to everybody but it does happen.

 

[Huntin_GI]

Go elsewhere. Idaho draw is still open. Hell, even Colorados draw is still open. OTC is an absolute shit show. Emphasis on shit.

 

[venado mula]

Come to MT and harvest elk, we have too many of them and get as many whitetail tags as possible. Seriously, we need to have more elk harvested, all of them.

 

[camelcluch]

Best advice, Have Fun. Everything else will work out.