Colorado Bugle Report?

[trophyhill]

I was out bear hunting fri-Mon in SW CO. Heard bugles every night, saw elk every morning and evening. I was at “fall bear elevation” 7,000-9,000 feet and didn’t see a single elk hunter while covering ~30 miles because, you know, “the elk are up high”

I’m up high because the hoards are down low

 

[Poser]

I’m up high because the hoards are down low

I’d venture that 10,500 to 11,000 feet is the median elk hunting destination altitude in CO. For one, the high country is super aesthetic and the romanticized idea of elk hunting. Two, I think the plan is to get higher than everyone else, same as getting deeper than everyone else, but in reality, hunting pressure and seasonal shifts tend to push high country elk lower. Those high tundra slopes are the first to turn brown (already the case) and high country sanctuaries are invaded by hoards of hunters. There’s elk up high, no doubt, but I increasingly believe that too many hunters are hunting too high and are unsuccessful as a result.

 

[camelcluch]

I was at 11000 and not one bugle.

 

[nrhardin]

I’d venture that 10,500 to 11,000 feet is the median elk hunting destination altitude in CO. For one, the high country is super aesthetic and the romanticized idea of elk hunting. Two, I think the plan is to get higher than everyone else, same as getting deeper than everyone else, but in reality, hunting pressure and seasonal shifts tend to push high country elk lower. Those high tundra slopes are the first to turn brown (already the case) and high country sanctuaries are invaded by hoards of hunters. There’s elk up high, no doubt, but I increasingly believe that too many hunters are hunting too high and are unsuccessful as a result.

I agree. Been going low for a while now. Figure there’s a spot at the table for everyone but I’d rather breathe a little easier anyway.

 

[cnelk]

We haven’t been more than 1/2 mi from the truck….

Go Deep Boys

 

[cnelk]

330yds from the truck.

Now off to Alaska

 

[nrhardin]

Nice work!

 

[GPool1842]

Bed bugles all day opening week from 10.5 to 12.5, in two opposite ends of the unit in central colorado. We killed a cow at 11.5 on 9/4 with multiple bulls screaming at us from the benches.

 

[Bluumoon]

I was out bear hunting fri-Mon in SW CO. Heard bugles every night, saw elk every morning and evening. I was at “fall bear elevation” 7,000-9,000 feet and didn’t see a single elk hunter while covering ~30 miles because, you know, “the elk are up high”

Buddy wanted to look for bear up high, saw and heard bulls bugeling and raking tress ~11k end of last week. They got quite as soon as the atvs rolled into the valley. More bugles when I finally talked my buddy into bear elevations. SW CO

 

[trophyhill]

I was at 11000 and not one bugle.

I was at 9500 after work this evening. Not a single bugle. But…….I did call in some veal about 20 minutes before the end of shooting light. It hung out calling out to that cow (me) it heard until dark. I was hoping mom was behind it. I was less than 500 yards from the road.

 

[trophyhill]

I’d venture that 10,500 to 11,000 feet is the median elk hunting destination altitude in CO. For one, the high country is super aesthetic and the romanticized idea of elk hunting. Two, I think the plan is to get higher than everyone else, same as getting deeper than everyone else, but in reality, hunting pressure and seasonal shifts tend to push high country elk lower. Those high tundra slopes are the first to turn brown (already the case) and high country sanctuaries are invaded by hoards of hunters. There’s elk up high, no doubt, but I increasingly believe that too many hunters are hunting too high and are unsuccessful as a result.

Although I agree to an extent, after seeing the pressure the last few years at lower elevation and easy access, I’d rather hunt where there are less elk and less pressure than call hunters in one after another. For me, it’s just as much about the experience I’m looking for as it is anything. It’s part of my anti social make up when I enter the elkwoods

 

[camelcluch]

I’m the same. I’d rather see way less people in the woods. However, the majority of people don’t bug me. They stay with in a mile of any road and are in camp by 9 am. I do hope we get to see caps on non resident tags though.

 

[bradyhunt]

I was in wilderness 11-12k Fri-Mon and was in elk everyday. Could've arrowed spikes and cows, but the two legal bulls I saw in range both saw me before I them. The only bull bugling was the herd bull with 30+ cows, calves and sub bulls and he wasn't interested in going out of his way to fight me, just kept leading his harem away. A little early...

 

[Gerbdog]

Have a golf tournament connected to work Friday and then back into the elk woods in S. CO immediately after the tournament.
Getting excited, my last two years of seasons were over within the first 4 days, excited to see some elk behavior besides the pre-rut routine.
Also curious to see how my favorite area is with pressure on it, those two guys i ran into last week were the first souls i'd ever seen there, may force me into plan B or C. We will see!
They were talking with the weather, may be done now with the heat and dry again.

 

[Jwknutson17]

Had two encounters opening day on decent bulls. Got busted before shot opportunity presented it self. Coming through the brush quartering to at 21 yards. Other was 42 yards and needed to take another two steps and it would have been dead. Didn't do it. Turned around and walked away. It hung around at 70-90 yards for a few but didn't see what it wanted to see in the more open timber so it didn't commit. First one bugled at me and other was silent. Since then I've heard two total bugles since the opener. Heading home Friday and back on the 17th. Brutal so far..

 

[Gman12]

Heard bugling each of the first 5 days in NW CO. Some days more than others. Some days more in the mornings and other days more in the evenings. It seemed as though they would get pretty fired up in one drainage and be pretty quiet in adjacent areas. They were vocal in pockets but certainly not screaming everywhere.

 

[arock]

Didn't hear or see anything except for 3 beautiful mule deer (didn't have a tag unfortunately and one was a taaaaaaaank) and a lot of grouse. 10,000-11,000 ft I guess in the northwest quadrant but more towards the east of it if that makes sense.

 

[RusticRiver]

Monday and Tuesday late afternoons into evening had the same heard bull bugle/growl back and forth for a couple hours but couldn't get anywhere near before taking the cows over the top. Had 3 rag horn 4 points come in silently within 15 yards and one mature bull come across a meadow and creek but was 1000ft below me. Haven't heard a peep since but have been in elk every day. N. Colo.

 

[reaperukon]

Hunted central Colorado for 7 days. Couple bugles throughout the night. Had a few early in AM at daylight. Had plans to go watch some football in Denver Saturday so checked out of the elk woods for a couple days. The weather looks like it is going to change here tomorrow or so (really good on Tuesday -Wednesday it looks like) and I wonder how things will change. Even today there was a bit of rain pushing through the state in little pockets. I wonder if we will hear report of more bugling today and later next week.


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[Gerbdog]

Got away from work / life obligation for 1 days yesterday to hunt and it was pretty silent in S. CO. Saw the big bear that i had found sign of earlier in the summer though, and sure nuff he's a big ole chubby bear. No tag for him though so... he lives to see another day. The elk were REALLY quiet, and it seems the area i was hunting was vacated of elk, i got one to bugle twice right before dark but he shut up and never came in.