Bowhunting during CO Muzzleloader?

[bowhunter15]

I talked to the guys in my elk crew today. Sounds like they would really like to try muzzleloader. They all were assuming you could use scopes, smokeless powder pellets, etc and were a little disappointed when I told them about the restrictions, but they'd like to try it anyways. I looked into all the units with 0 preference points required for NR's to draw a tag. That leaves us with GMU 15/27 (72% chance), GMU 18/181 (68% chance), GMU 28/37/371 (79% chance), GMU 35/36/361 (81% chance), GMU 38 (55% chance), and GMU 44/45/47/444 (100% chance). Those stats were all based on the 2014 draw. There are a few more, but not in the North Central part of the state. All of those are OTC for archery, so I won't have any issues getting a tag. I'll have to talk to them about what they prefer, as there's no guarantee of everyone drawing. The 44/45/47/444 gives the best shot though. It contains the Holy Cross Wilderness, which is a plus I guess, but I have no idea what any of those units are like.

 

[bobhunts]

Go back to the web-site and look at success rates. They are not really good. It does not mean it will be the same for you. I was looking at the Holy Cross Wilderness area this year for my OTC tag as a resident. Success rates are low. Wondering why? Just looks so good when hiking it and doing one rifle season there.

 

[bowhunter15]

Go back to the web-site and look at success rates. They are not really good. It does not mean it will be the same for you. I was looking at the Holy Cross Wilderness area this year for my OTC tag as a resident. Success rates are low. Wondering why? Just looks so good when hiking it and doing one rifle season there.

5 Year success rates for Archery/Muzzleloader 44 (7/9%), 45 (7/12%), 47 (10/12%), 444 (9/16%). Not great, but I don't think the stats are very high anywhere. They always say 10% of the hunters kill 90% of the elk. They've got to be out there somewhere. I've only just started looking into the units listed before. Looks like units 15/27, 18/181 and 28/37/371 had better stats, but also a lower chance of everyone drawing. It would suck if someone couldn't go because they didn't draw but everyone else did.

 

[cnelk]

In the many, many years of archery elk hunting, here is what I have noticed:

ML hunting pressure can vary from place to place - some areas are complete zoos, others are vacant. Year dependent
Most ML hunters arrive about 1-2 days prior to season
They hunt until about Wednesday and then pack up and head home
Not many get far off the road
They typically have a large camp 4 or more guys [or a couple camps with 2-3 guys]
I wont archery hunt the opening weekend of ML but I will arrive the Thursday of the season and have a grand time.
Last fall, the last weekend of ML,a buddy and I went into a spot, drove by a camp, hiked a 1/2 mile and I called in 3 elk for him [he missed]


In 2013 I shot this bull on Friday evening of the ML season, not far from my truck, not a soul around

 

[Bar]

Lets look at my unit last year.

Archery......10 bulls killed....84 hunters for a 15% success rate.
Muzzy.........10 bulls killed....53 hunters for a 20% success rate.

Muzzy hunters had 9 days to hunt, and bow hunters had a month. If you talk to the muzzy hunters you'll see the majority of them killed their bulls at short distance. Bow range. Rag all you want on muzzy hunters, but they're not as lame as you make them out to be. I know my friends who use muzzleloaders can hunt, and we don't need a month to get it done either..

 

[cnelk]

Pete
Im sure on an average, both archery hunters and ML hunters spend about the same amount of time in the woods about a week +/-
Very few, and I mean VERY few, guys archery hunt the entire month long archery season.

So that isnt part of the equation

 

[weaver]

No need to take it personal Bar....there are lots of lazy archery hunters as well.

 

[Bar]

I'm a bit touchy about muzzleloader hunters. Sure there's the lazy ones who can't hunt a lick, but we have that in all forms of hunting. All the ML hunters I know are good hunters who pay their dues when it comes to putting in time to increase their success.


Brad....I know that most bow hunters won't hunt the whole month, but they do have a choice of when to hunt the month, and some do hunt more than a week. No other weapon has that option. If I failed the first week i'd love the option to go for another week.