CO 2nd rifle winter storm

[Newtosavage]

I have never seen that kind of weather in October, and I've also never seen so many elk camps clear out so quickly. Just wow. We went from 60 degrees and bone dry to 10 degrees and 15" of snow within 24 hours. After that, every camp around me (probably 20 or more) had cleared out. I couldn't believe it.

Sure, the hunting was tough as hell, but I never thought so many people would just up and leave. The last four days of the hunt, it felt like I was the only hunter in the unit! I didn't mind! But the crunchy snow all but guaranteed I was never going to sneak up on anything.

Who else stuck it out?

 

[coyotecreek]

We stayed until Wednesday because we had other obligations, but never saw an elk. We were into lots of fresh sign, but the crunchy snow made it impossibly to move on them. Tuesday morning we saw -4 degrees. Talked to several other guys who were not seeing anything either. Lots of guys headed out Wednesday evening as we were leaving.

 

[justinspicher]

Luckily I live close enough to where I hunt do I can sleep at home and freeze in a tent. I saw plenty of elk, all cows and calves though.

 

[crich]

Yeah climate change is a real pita...

Im all for crappy weather like you said it clears out 75% of other hunters. My hunts got canceled this year due to some personal things but some buddies had a hell of a time 2nd rifle with the snow... my truck has the good tires

 

[11boo]

First time I have ever seen this much snow during bow season. I did not bail cause I always endeavor to persevere.

 

[mlgc20]

I love that about Colorado weather. I was there for archery the first week of September. One day it was 95. The next it was 28 with 8 inches of snow. (Pictures below) Then I was there for 1st rifle and the weather was beautiful. Highs in the 60s and lows in the upper 20s.

 

[Northpark]

We too struck out. Hunter pressure was through the roof! Temp where we were dropped to -33!! One morning. -33! And honestly it didn’t really clear more than a couple camps out. We stuck it out and hunted to the bitter end of the season. Just couldn’t find bulls. A few cows and calf’s but no bulls. We couldn’t even avoid other hunters by going deep. We were going in an average of 7 miles off the road and we still found orange on every ridge. Also found wolf tracks in there for the first time though I know wolves have been in there for several years.

 

[5MilesBack]

That's the kind of weather I remember from most of my rifle seasons in the past. I loved it when I was younger, and we actually hoped we'd get snowed in. Most years we were pushing snow with the bumpers coming out. But as I got older, that bitter cold and wet stuff just lost any and all appeal. I sold my wall tent wood stove just so I wouldn't be tempted to ever do one of those hunts again.

 

[Newtosavage]

We too struck out. Hunter pressure was through the roof! Temp where we were dropped to -33!! One morning. -33! And honestly it didn’t really clear more than a couple camps out. We stuck it out and hunted to the bitter end of the season. Just couldn’t find bulls. A few cows and calf’s but no bulls. We couldn’t even avoid other hunters by going deep. We were going in an average of 7 miles off the road and we still found orange on every ridge. Also found wolf tracks in there for the first time though I know wolves have been in there for several years.

Interesting. I must have been in the fair weather unit. LOL Like SkinnyIndian said, by Wed. it was a ghost town around me. Huge multi-wall tent camps were all gone in a day. I went as deep as 3 miles in, and could see in much further in many places, and there was literally no one anywhere to be seen. It was pretty damn awesome except for the crunchy snow.

 

[Patton]

We camped in -7° and were hunting in 10-12” of snow. It started absolutely dumping on us as we set up camp.

 

[LongWayAround]

Not elk, but I filled my whitetail tag with a doe and followed up with a limit of ducks that morning. It was a cold night in the truck for sure.

 

[cnelk]

Looks like 3rd Season will get even a bigger storm.

Sure glad Ive been done elk hunting for 6 weeks

 

[WTFJohn]

Big storms are why I hunt later seasons; nothing like it. We saw only bulls for two days, went back to town to snag a bull tag and came back only to find a big herd of cows and spikes (which was fine by us).

First video is getting back to camp Sunday around 3:00PM, the smaller of the tents had a few snapped poles and a torn fly. -9* was as cold as I saw it that night, -14* the following morning tough.

Second video is the herd right after the first time hunter I was with shot her cow.

 

[Newtosavage]

We stayed until Wednesday because we had other obligations, but never saw an elk. We were into lots of fresh sign, but the crunchy snow made it impossibly to move on them. Tuesday morning we saw -4 degrees. Talked to several other guys who were not seeing anything either. Lots of guys headed out Wednesday evening as we were leaving.View attachment 229984

A familar scene.

I followed countless sets of fresh tracks over the days following the storm. They all led up into steep dark timber where I had zero chance sneaking up on anything before I was busted. LOL But it was still beautiful, peaceful and I wouldn't trade it for a dry warm hunt with hunters behind every tree (like opening day).

 

[Newtosavage]

Big storms are why I hunt later seasons; nothing like it. We saw only bulls for two days, went back to town to snag a bull tag and came back only to find a big herd of cows and spikes (which was fine by us).

First video is getting back to camp Sunday around 3:00PM, the smaller of the tents had a few snapped poles and a torn fly. -9* was as cold as I saw it that night, -14* the following morning tough.

Second video is the herd right after the first time hunter I was with shot her cow.

I didn't realize you could buy a tag after the 1st day of the season. That's interesting. Congrat's on the new hunter's success! And good for you for going back up!

I brushed 4-6" of snow off my Kodiak Canvas tent several times, hoping it would hold up. It did just fine, thankfully.

That 2nd video is exactly what I was expecting to see, eventually. I figure with all the fresh sign, it was only a matter of time before I walked into a herd or they walked into me. Just wasn't meant to be though.

 

[WTFJohn]

I didn't realize you could buy a tag after the 1st day of the season. That's interesting. Congrat's on the new hunter's success! And good for you for going back up!

I brushed 4-6" of snow off my Kodiak Canvas tent several times, hoping it would hold up. It did just fine, thankfully.

That 2nd video is exactly what I was expecting to see, eventually. I figure with all the fresh sign, it was only a matter of time before I walked into a herd or they walked into me. Just wasn't meant to be though.

After the season opens, you can only purchase tags in-person at a CPW location.

I think after we covered 13.6 miles Sunday in the snow & cold, she realized she was so physically invested that the only option was to go back out! Thanks, it's always fun to get someone like that into hunting and see them 'get it' mentally and physically.

As the snow stops falling and the sun comes out, they will in general move up in elevation and find south facing slopes with some oak brush/aspens/timber nearby to bed and feed. I find good spots where I can look at multiple slopes, then start glassing for tracks and bodies. These fed out from some dark timber on a north slope into oak brush on top then into an open hillside about 1.5 miles from where we were.

A tip to cover ground faster and more effectively in the snow, use micro-spikes or the strap-on crampons. They're like chains for your boots, and make a huge difference in where you can safely walk and how effectively you get up and down anything snow-covered. I wear them even as the snow thaws, they work equally well in semi-frozen mud.

 

[gelton]

Yup, in the area we hunted we didn't have much pressure to begin with. Opening day was a doozy as I assume 8-10 bulls were taken judging by the shots, then the snow started. After that, we heard 2-3 shots throughout the remainder of the season and by Wednesday it felt like we had the whole unit to ourselves.

Spotted some elk, knew where they were, but they kept giving us the slip. Also got busted by a herd of 20-30 with 5-6 bulls @ ~600 yards with my rifle strapped to my pack...I see a gun bearer in my future.

 

[Newtosavage]

After the season opens, you can only purchase tags in-person at a CPW location.

I think after we covered 13.6 miles Sunday in the snow & cold, she realized she was so physically invested that the only option was to go back out! Thanks, it's always fun to get someone like that into hunting and see them 'get it' mentally and physically.

As the snow stops falling and the sun comes out, they will in general move up in elevation and find south facing slopes with some oak brush/aspens/timber nearby to bed and feed. I find good spots where I can look at multiple slopes, then start glassing for tracks and bodies. These fed out from some dark timber on a north slope into oak brush on top then into an open hillside about 1.5 miles from where we were.

A tip to cover ground faster and more effectively in the snow, use micro-spikes or the strap-on crampons. They're like chains for your boots, and make a huge difference in where you can safely walk and how effectively you get up and down anything snow-covered. I wear them even as the snow thaws, they work equally well in semi-frozen mud.

Good advice, I was so wishing I had some small snowshoes for the last 6 days of the hunt. But then I wouldn't have lost 10 lbs either! ha, ha.

 

[Newtosavage]

Spotted some elk, knew where they were, but they kept giving us the slip. Also got busted by a herd of 20-30 with 5-6 bulls @ ~600 yards with my rifle strapped to my pack...I see a gun bearer in my future.

I quit strapping my rifle to my pack years ago, for that reason. Now I only carry it in the hand (about 90% of the time) or sling it barrel down over my left shoulder, the way we were taught in LE training, so I can have it up and aimed in about 2 seconds with just my left hand. The first few days it was kind of a pain, but I got used to carrying it after that and hardly noticed it from then on.

 

[davsco]

i did private land this year after getting skunked diy/public land the prior two years. was hoping the incoming storm would stir them up sunday morning but it didn't. back into town sunday afternoon as there was zero visibility. guide said day after storm would be epic and monday indeed was! i got a cow mid-morning and a small bull at last light. damn was it cold!! and yes the storm/cold did bring a lot of hunters back into town / hotels!