CO 1st rifle experience different than prior years

[Kyle Wheeler]

I am curious if others who hunted first rifle had a similar experience as us. We got a bull down but it was much tougher than years past.

Since 2019 we have found bulls with the herds and bugling during 1st rifle.

This year there was no bugling and cows were scattered. We did see 3 bulls with about 10 cows together opening morning but they scattered after that and we only found the smaller bull after that. It seemed like they were on the tail end of moving off the herd for sure and this was 10/12.

We killed a 4x4 on the last day with cows. We hunt same area which is why I was surprised.

Has anyone else noticed that this year or have we just been blessed with the extra rut activity in the years past since 2019?

Looks like next year season opens 10/15.. It has made me rethink first rifle for next year.

Hope everyone is having a great season!

 

[justin davis]

It was a hot weathered season. Bad moon. Elk activity seemed way down

 

[Kyle Wheeler]

It was a hot weathered season. Bad moon. Elk activity seemed way down

Yeah it just felt different but still tons of fun

 

[justinspicher]

Still better than working.

 

[Poser]

Seemed about typical for the area I hunt. Elk were responsive to bugling, saw one bull wallowing and thrashing, out feeding until as late as 11 AM and up and feeding again by 5 PM. Some years the herds are more consolidated if there is a particularly aggressive bull. Other years, like this one, each bull has a small herd of 8-10 cows and they’ll tend to be separated, but in proximity to one another. While seeing a big herd is cool and all, it easier to hunt smaller herds.

 

[Kyle Wheeler]

Still better than working.

100%

 

[Kyle Wheeler]

Seemed about typical for the area I hunt. Elk were responsive to bugling, saw one bull wallowing and thrashing, out feeding until as late as 11 AM and up and feeding again by 5 PM. Some years the herds are more consolidated if there is a particularly aggressive bull. Other years, like this one, each bull has a small herd of 8-10 cows and they’ll tend to be separated, but in proximity to one another. While seeing a big herd is cool and all, it easier to hunt smaller herds.

Very interesting! We have seen big herds since 2019 but I agree less cows allowed us to get closer. Thanks for the feedback

 

[Bobrobheimer]

We had the opposite experience. Typically we see some rutting behavior first rifle but not a ton. This year towards the end of the season we found an area where it was going off with bugles from a number of bulls throughout the day and night - despite shots being fired within this area. It was surprising to us.