Colorado 1st or 3rd Rifle - Opinions Needed

[Fever Buck]

Fellas,

Need some guidance on picking a season to hunt elk for this year.

Background:
I’m a Colorado resident going on his 4th year of elk hunting. Been unsuccessful every year. First 2 years I did first rifle in the Grand Mesa Units and Meeker. Then I tried archery OTC near Montrose (I didn’t think anything could be more crowded than Meeker 1st Rifle but I was wrong ). I’ve decided that I need to stop hopping around units and stick with a certain season to better understand where the elk are and how they move and hopefully build on success that way. I currently have a 1st rifle tag that’s very easy to get (generally over 1k tags leftover after the draw every year) and my work is asking me to see if I can push off my hunt until around 3rd rifle.

After doing some research on 3rd rifle, it seems to be a good option. Generally colder weather so the elk should be moving more, longer season (except for this year due to winter kill) and hopefully less crowded than 1st rifle since non-residents are normally back home hunting white tails.

Is the only real advantage for 1st rifle the fact that you are the first ones to really start pressuring the elk with rifles?

If any of y’all could provide guidance on which season you prefer and why, I’d greatly appreciate it. I called CPW and they told me I could swap tags prior to 1st rifle season starting so I’d like to let my work know soon on which direction I’m going.

Thanks y’all!

 

[justinspicher]

I prefer the later seasons, as I seem to have the woods and elk to myself after that first weekend. The colder the better and please let there be snow. I don’t mind first rifle and will gladly take it if I got a tag, but it is not as successful for me as the later seasons. Plus I don’t have to pay an extra $9 to hunt the same animal.

 

[Fever Buck]

I prefer the later seasons, as I seem to have the woods and elk to myself after that first weekend. The colder the better and please let there be snow. I don’t mind first rifle and will gladly take it if I got a tag, but it is not as successful for me as the later seasons. Plus I don’t have to pay an extra $9 to hunt the same animal.

Gotcha. Thanks for the input. Have you found that the colder weather helps with getting elk moving?

 

[MallardSX2]

Lot of dead elk by those later seasons. I would hunt earlier before the elk are picked through. But that's just me.

 

[CAElkhunter]

if you pick later you are heavily dependent on weather. If it is late season and it is warm you are usually at a disadvantage. I always prefer the first week and the element of surprise from Elk at the range of rifles versus Arrows

 

[justinspicher]

Gotcha. Thanks for the input. Have you found that the colder weather helps with getting elk moving?

I don’t think it helps get the elk moving, like you think anyway, but it helps me to find them.

 

[Hnthrdr]

1st you can catch some cows having a second cycle if they weren’t bred… also other than muzzy first time things are going boom, I think it’s a big advantage. 3rd is heavily weather dependent year to year

 

[Fever Buck]

1st you can catch some cows having a second cycle if they weren’t bred… also other than muzzy first time things are going boom, I think it’s a big advantage. 3rd is heavily weather dependent year to year

Interesting. I do remember 1st rifle Meeker seeing elk on private still bugling.

 

[Fever Buck]

I don’t think it helps get the elk moving, like you think anyway, but it helps me to find them.

Do you generally need to wait for 4th rifle before they start moving?

 

[justinspicher]

Where I live/hunt they are there all year, I don’t hunt first or fourth because they are a draw.

 

[cnelk]

.

 

[cnelk]

Definitely 1st season over 3rd season. Especially this year

 

[Fever Buck]

Thanks y’all. Sounds like I need to stick with my original tag.

 

[Foldem]

I personally like 3rd season better, but I'm hunting big bulls. If was after any legal bull or cow I'd take 1st.

 

[Marble]

I do not think the question the OP should be asking is what season to hunt. It is more a question of where. I would trade wintery rlweather for knowledge of the geography im hunting and the animal behavior.

If i know the area, doesn't matter the weather I can find elk.

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[Fever Buck]

I personally like 3rd season better, but I'm hunting big bulls. If was after any legal bull or cow I'd take 1st.

Interesting. Would you mind explaining why the difference in target for either season?

 

[Fever Buck]

I do not think the question the OP should be asking is what season to hunt. It is more a question of where. I would trade wintery rlweather for knowledge of the geography im hunting and the animal behavior.

If i know the area, doesn't matter the weather I can find elk.

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Yeah I’m definitely trying to stick with a unit to learn it. Just figured it wouldn’t hurt to also be more consistent on what season to hunt as well.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Yeah I’m definitely trying to stick with a unit to learn it. Just figured it wouldn’t hurt to also be more consistent on what season to hunt as well.

It’s a good idea, but remember tons of variables every year which can keep you guessing, which keeps it challenging and fun.

 

[Fever Buck]

It’s a good idea, but remember tons of variables every year which can keep you guessing, which keeps it challenging and fun.

Good point.

 

[Marble]

Yeah I’m definitely trying to stick with a unit to learn it. Just figured it wouldn’t hurt to also be more consistent on what season to hunt as well.

It is something to consider. But CO is also at the tail end of a 5 year season shift experiment. They basically pushed 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seasons 7-10 days back beyond the traditional start dates. If it goes back to what it used to be, then you'll have to reevaluate what season to choose.

2nd season used to end no later than Oct 31. Now, the season sometimes starts Oct 30. I would prefer for CO to move 1st season up a week and shift the other seasons by a week also.

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