Brother Cant make a Sept elk hunt in Colorado, should I wait until gun season in Oct?

[joshkaywood]

This September was supposed to be my first Elk hunt. I have been planning, training and saving for an archery Elk hunt in Colorado for a long time, and my brother was on board to join me for the hunt. Unfortunately I got the news last night that he is not going to be able to go in September, but he will be able to go in October. My questions are multi faceted:

1. Do we simply wait until October, even though we will be archery hunting?
2. Do we pick a different state that might be better suited for later archery hunting?
3. Do I hunt solo or with another partner in September?

Some things about me:
I am in good shape, and spend a lot of time hiking in the mountains so I feel confident I can put in the miles. I want to be in big country, this is more about the challenge than killing a monster bull (for me personally), and I know that the probability of me killing a bull is low given that this is my first Elk Hunt.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Dos Perros]

1. You decide. I have my opinion but this one is up to you and no one here can make it for you.

2. If you do want your brother to join you, go to MT instead of CO.

3. Refer to 1.

Where you coming from?

 

[joshkaywood]

1. You decide. I have my opinion but this one is up to you and no one here can make it for you.

2. If you do want your brother to join you, go to MT instead of CO.

3. Refer to 1.

Where you coming from?

Haha, yea I kind of figured that was going to be the answer. I appreciate the insight! I live in Chattanooga TN, so either way I am going to be traveling.

 

[COlineman78]

Yeah, just a warning that if you do hunt rifle season with a bow here in CO you will still be required to wear orange. I would consider MT. 1st rifle in CO gets them running all over the place and it's hard enough with a rifle in 2nd (I'm assuming you will do this rather than risk not drawing 1st), so it will be nearly impossible with a bow. The weather for rifle can be all over the place. Went up 3rd this past year and it snowed over a foot on us, which can make it no fun if you aren't prepared; but it could just as easily by 60+ the entire time (it hit 70 here yesterday).

 

[joshkaywood]

Thanks for your thoughts and time!

Yeah, just a warning that if you do hunt rifle season with a bow here in CO you will still be required to wear orange. I would consider MT. 1st rifle in CO gets them running all over the place and it's hard enough with a rifle in 2nd (I'm assuming you will do this rather than risk not drawing 1st), so it will be nearly impossible with a bow. The weather for rifle can be all over the place. Went up 3rd this past year and it snowed over a foot on us, which can make it no fun if you aren't prepared; but it could just as easily by 60+ the entire time (it hit 70 here yesterday).

Wow! I can't believe it hit 70! Is that normal for this time of year, or is it the effects of El Niño? Thanks for your input!

 

[COlineman78]

Wow! I can't believe it hit 70! Is that normal for this time of year, or is it the effects of El Niño? Thanks for your input!

Colorado really doesn't have "normal" weather. Any day in Feb it could be anywhere from -20 to 70. Colorado's best kept secret is the weather. We have a thing called the Colorado Triathlon which is skiing, riding your bike a mile and playing 18 holes of golf all on the same day. The saying in CO is that if you don't like the weather, wait an hour. The snow pack across the state is all over 100% of average, so it hasn't been warm by any means this winter; in fact it has been more sustained cold than normal and we have had show on the ground here in Denver for almost a month when it usually only sticks on the ground for a day or 2 after a storm. I have had snow at 9000ft during archery season and a hard freeze (in the 20s) overnight at 11,500ft in July. You have to be prepared for anything here.

 

[LongWayAround]

I moved to Colorado from Iowa in the spring of 2014 with the goal of killing an elk with a bow. I had never archery hunted but I bought a bow before I moved, warmed up with a couple gobblers, trained hard, and soaked up all the knowledge I could.

Waiting a couple weeks to hunt October would've saved me about $600 as that was the time difference to get my residency. But I was committed to going archery and the very first time I got in on a bugling bull confirmed my decision.

It took me 15 days to kill my first elk, alone, with a bow, and every step of the journey was worth it.

I say go for it on your own and tell your brother "next time"!

 

[joshkaywood]

Enjoying the Diversified Advice!

I moved to Colorado from Iowa in the spring of 2014 with the goal of killing an elk with a bow. I had never archery hunted but I bought a bow before I moved, warmed up with a couple gobblers, trained hard, and soaked up all the knowledge I could.

Waiting a couple weeks to hunt October would've saved me about $600 as that was the time difference to get my residency. But I was committed to going archery and the very first time I got in on a bugling bull confirmed my decision.

It took me 15 days to kill my first elk, alone, with a bow, and every step of the journey was worth it.

I say go for it on your own and tell your brother "next time"!

Thanks for your thoughts! I really want my brother to join me on this hunt, as we have always embarked on new adventures whether climbing, backpacking, fishing or hunting here in the east together. But the Elk hunt is much more my dream, and I have been dying to go for a long...long time! I'm really close to saying "next time bro." But I definitely want to get experienced folks thoughts.

 

[under h2o hunter]

I will offer this up for you to think on. The last several years I personally have seen the elk bugling hard during 1st rifle season. Elk can be called in and shot with a bow without a problem during rifle season. Yes elk will be getting shot at with a rifle but depending on where you go you most certainly can get into elk that are not pressured or shot at during 1st rifle season... That being said. If you have no idea on where to go and what that area is like then I would suggest heading to MT for a later archery season. The other thing you need to ask yourself is. Whats more important to you. Hunting with your brother or hunting in September?

 

[Poser]

Should I suggest the obvious option? Go hunting with your brother. Use rifles.

 

[joshkaywood]

This is what I have been hoping to hear

I will offer this up for you to think on. The last several years I personally have seen the elk bugling hard during 1st rifle season. Elk can be called in and shot with a bow without a problem during rifle season. Yes elk will be getting shot at with a rifle but depending on where you go you most certainly can get into elk that are not pressured or shot at during 1st rifle season... That being said. If you have no idea on where to go and what that area is like then I would suggest heading to MT for a later archery season. The other thing you need to ask yourself is. Whats more important to you. Hunting with your brother or hunting in September?

I definitely prefer to hunt with my brother, however being an archery hunter I wasn't sure if people archery hunt during rifle season. I've always heard that people hang up their bows during rifle season, but I don't have enough context to really understand the actual scenario on the ground.

I have a few spots narrowed down. I plan on backpacking in and have ten days devoted to this. Based on the research that I have done, I think that I can get far enough in to a few spots that might be away from serious pressure. Now my point of concern is the elements.

 

[joshkaywood]

Should I suggest the obvious option? Go hunting with your brother. Use rifles.

Haha, that is the obvious option. Which for whatever reason we haven't even considered it. I am going to see if he would want to hunt with a rifle.

Unfortunately my effective range with a rifle isn't much farther than that of a bow. On top of that I don't even own a rifle. So I am kind of forced to hunt with a bow. Plus it's always been my dream to get close and arrow a bull.

 

[ElkNut1]

Agree 100% -- go with your brother & use rifles! No brainer for me! (grin) Good luck!

ElkNut1

 

[Felix40]

Buy a used rifle then sell it after the hunt. You won't be out anything but ammo. At minimum you will extend your range 100 yards. Its freaking hard to kill an elk with a bow even in bow season. I haven't hunted 2nd rifle in Colorado but I'm sure its certainly not a sure thing with a rifle. You are going to have an adventure either way.

 

[Poser]

Buy a used rifle then sell it after the hunt. You won't be out anything but ammo. There isn't anyone on earth who can come close to rifle accuracy with a rifle. At minimum you will extend your range 100 yards. Its freaking hard to kill an elk with a bow even in bow season.

X2. From my experience in CO terrain, being able to shoot a mere 200 yards will increase your odds of success by 100 fold. Even 100 yards with open sights would be a huge advantage.

I realize that these days that archery-only everything is what all the cool kids are doing, but, short of the shot itself, you're going to have the same exact experience, go to the same exact places and experience the same exact circumstances as you would with a bow. I bowhunted CO in 2014, went back in 2015 with a rifle tag and enjoyed it much more. We went to an absolute hellhole, killed a bull and I don't think bows would have survived the journey as we spent so much time falling, sliding and getting generally banged up. As a non resident, DIY newbie, you have everything working against you anyway. Why use a less efficient weapon, too?

Think about it this way: When you roll that 15 lbs backstrap out on the grill for all your friends at a party 10 months from now, ain't nobody going to care one bit what weapon you killed it with.

 

[rayporter]

packed out 17 bulls and only 2 were over a hundred yards when shot, so even a single shot handi rifle for a hundred bucks would get the job done most of the time.

in colorado where i hunt they cant be called in by the time rifle rolls around. they may answer you but thats all.

 

[dunner543]

...short of the shot itself, you're going to have the same exact experience, go to the same exact places and experience the same exact circumstances as you would with a bow....As a non resident, DIY newbie, you have everything working against you anyway. Why use a less efficient weapon, too?

Think about it this way: When you roll that 15 lbs backstrap out on the grill for all your friends at a party 10 months from now, ain't nobody going to care one bit what weapon you killed it with.

I moved to CO last Aug and am a total elk hunting newb too, I think this is great advice. I prefer to bow hunt and did a couple short trips last year during Sept but my 3rd season gun hunt taught me the most as I got into some elk after 4 days of looking (didn't see any with my bow, long story there though). Regardless of the weapon you bring you are going to learn a ton so my advise is wait to go with your brother.

 

[joshkaywood]

Buy a used rifle then sell it after the hunt. You won't be out anything but ammo. At minimum you will extend your range 100 yards. Its freaking hard to kill an elk with a bow even in bow season. I haven't hunted 2nd rifle in Colorado but I'm sure its certainly not a sure thing with a rifle. You are going to have an adventure either way.

That definitely true, and worth the consideration! Thanks for the advice!

 

[joshkaywood]

I moved to CO last Aug and am a total elk hunting newb too, I think this is great advice. I prefer to bow hunt and did a couple short trips last year during Sept but my 3rd season gun hunt taught me the most as I got into some elk after 4 days of looking (didn't see any with my bow, long story there though). Regardless of the weapon you bring you are going to learn a ton so my advise is wait to go with your brother.

I feel like this really gets at it. Either way this is going to be a huge learning experience for me, and it would be better to have my brother there to learn as well. Great point!

 

[under h2o hunter]

I definitely prefer to hunt with my brother, however being an archery hunter I wasn't sure if people archery hunt during rifle season. I've always heard that people hang up their bows during rifle season, but I don't have enough context to really understand the actual scenario on the ground.

I have a few spots narrowed down. I plan on backpacking in and have ten days devoted to this. Based on the research that I have done, I think that I can get far enough in to a few spots that might be away from serious pressure. Now my point of concern is the elements.

Most of these guys on here I question how many really have any real experience hunting elk during different times of the year. I spend between 45 and 65 days straight hunting elk. I start with archery season then I hunt 1st rifle season. Last season I even then helped a buddy and my GF into 2nd season. Elk are responsive to calls if you know how to work them and use calls properly. Walking around pushing on a hoochi mama won't get the job done. But most certainly elk do respond to calls and can be called in. Maybe not to your feet but close enough to close the deal. I called my GF bull into 100 yards during 2nd rifle season last year. The past several years I have called elk with in bow range during 1st rifle season. So don't listen to guys saying it can't be done. As far as hanging up the bow during rifle season is a personal choice. I always use a rifle during rifle season just because I like having the ability to harvest the animal if it hangs up just out of bow range. But I enjoy calling them in as close as possible before I put the hammer down on em.