Bird Hunting in the Elk Woods

[BoomerMillie13]

New member here - long time lurker. I have been living out in CO the last 3 years and have finally pulled the trigger on going after an elk this year.

I grew up an avid bird hunter with an uncle who bred and trialed dogs - so first and foremost I love anything that flushes. Since I moved here I have spent my weekends here chasing grouse in the mountains - often overlapping with Elk season. I have overlapped my bird hunting areas to the OTC unit I will hunt - getting my scouting in while taking a few birds here and there to keep the pups busy.

This past weekend I was yelled at by a group of archery hunters for shooting a couple sharptail near the area they were camping/hunting saying I scared off all the elk and ruined their hunt they drove across the country for. I only get to chase mountain sharpies 17 days a year so not much i can do for the overlap and its public land... my question to the group is how much does this affect the elk in the area? Am i wrong to chase birds during early season archery? Am I ruining my elk opportunity by grouse hunting?

 

[4cMuley]

Did you know they were there? How far away were you from them?

 

[Dirtbag]

Now is it's always a good idea to give people as much space as possible. If you gave them a buffer, safety wise, you aren't in the wrong at all though and likely didn't scare off anymore elk than they already have just by camping there. It doesn't seem like they are way back in the backcountry somewhere either.

Just because someone had a long drive doesn't mean all the rest of the hunters have to accommodate some unwritten rule.

With all that said, If I was planning on elk hunting an area, I definitely wouldnt be grouse hunting it before hand.

 

[The Guide]

An open season is an open season. I've killed a limit of mountain grouse (with a shotgun) while listening to elk bugle. I do carry either a 22 caliber pcp (pre charged pneumatic) air pistol or a 22 revolver if I'm bow hunting but I've never stopped bird hunting just because it was archery season.

Jay

 

[dtrkyman]

Maybe they scared "your" grouse away?

Seriously if you were not hunting on top of them it is public land, I would have told them TS.

 

[BoomerMillie13]

I never saw them on the hike in - their camp must have been on the other side of the draw I was hunting. BUT - it was far enough away where the fata*** had to get on his 4wheel and met me on the trail back to the car. I had plenty of names in my head to call him but figured it was easiest to say sorry and keep walking.

 

[BoomerMillie13]

Ok - thank you for the reinforcement here. I thought there was an unwritten rule in the archery world that you shouldnt be shooting guns during that time of year. There was a second there where i thought i was the a-hole.

Texas not making a good name for themselves in Routt County!

 

[loganwayne]

It may not be elk but I have it happen time to time grouse hunting during deer season. I try to not hunt somewhere there is a truck and usually wait till midday.

 

[Seth]

Sharptails are special and the season is short. You have just as much right to enjoy your pursuit as they do theirs.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

I was out grouse hunting a few years ago and goofing with a cow call in an area I wouldn't expect anybody to hunt and ended up calling in some Elk hunters. They were super relieved that I wasn't holding a muzzleloader after seeing my orange. I asked where they're going and offered to go the opposite way, they graciously told me it's cool and I've just as much right to be there as them. I told them that's nice but they have a bigger task than me and I proceeded to go the opposite direction they were going.

Having said all that, it's completely optional and you can hunt wherever TF you want as long as it's safe. Sure it's courteous if you know they're in the area to split but they had no business yelling at you.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Ok - thank you for the reinforcement here. I thought there was an unwritten rule in the archery world that you shouldnt be shooting guns during that time of year. There was a second there where i thought i was the a-hole.

Texas not making a good name for themselves in Routt County!

I realize it's the in thing to talk trash about Texans because y'all are jealous but there's tons of good Texans up there... like me.

 

[justinspicher]

It’s been stated, it’s public land. If you didn’t do it out of malicious intent, those dude can go F themselves all the way back to wherever they came from. Dude has the nerve to drive up to you on an ATV and complain about your hunting birds with a shotgun…..

 

[Poser]

Newsflash: public land doesn’t revolve around nor cater exclusively to elk hunting.

 

[Jmoore]

You’ve got every right they do OP.

 

[BoomerMillie13]

I realize it's the in thing to talk trash about Texans because y'all are jealous but there's tons of good Texans up there... like me.

My best friend/hunting partner here in CO is from El Paso. I like to pile on all the sh*t people give him for his license plate when we are up near Steamboat.

I know the feeling being from Minnesota and trying to get field access in SD/ND.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

My best friend/hunting partner here in CO is from El Paso. I like to pile on all the sh*t people give him for his license plate when we are up near Steamboat.

I know the feeling being from Minnesota and trying to get field access in SD/ND.

I had a good time with some CO residents a few years back talking to them coming out of one of the trails we'd just come out of, man we were all going to town on those damn Texans for an hour or so. They invited us back to hang out at their camp and we respectfully declined as we had decided to move areas after that and it would eat up the evening. Anyhow, walking back towards my truck to leave and I heard them saying something along the lines of "oh crap dude, he's got Texas plates." I smiled big and waved driving away, was pretty funny. They were cool, but interestingly enough the main guy was talking about beating the odds elk hunting and told us how well he's done hunting that unit because he's killed 3 elk in 20 years there... said the average is an elk every 7 years so he's beating the average. It was a 3rd rifle season and they had a big group, 12 guys or so I think, and his uncle had gotten a cow and they'd gotten a couple doe mule deer halfway through the season.

 

[SWOHTR]

If I were you, I’d still be laughing - that is funny. You’re not in the wrong.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Using just the few facts you have provided about those hunters I already know they weren't going to get an elk anyway.

 

[rideold]

This past weekend I was yelled at by a group of archery hunters for shooting a couple sharptail near the area they were camping/hunting saying I scared off all the elk and ruined their hunt they drove across the country for

Ha! Because the overlapping muzzle loader elk and rifle bear season folks don't use guns too???? They need to get a grip.

 

[Blowdowner]

I never saw them on the hike in - their camp must have been on the other side of the draw I was hunting. BUT - it was far enough away where the fata*** had to get on his 4wheel and met me on the trail back to the car. I had plenty of names in my head to call him but figured it was easiest to say sorry and keep walking.

Sounds like you were pushing elk toward them. If you went in past their camp that might be different but sounds like you didn’t even reach it? Only one direction in?