Colorado first rifle hunt advice

[Bcoonce117]

So I have archery elk hunted 2 separate times. But I am very much an amateur elk hunter at best. I drew a unit with limited tags but decent success. The area is mostly thick timber with a couple areas you are able to glass. My brother hunted this unit last year during the archery season and found success. My question is how will the elk be acting during this season?

I am going to start out in the area I can cover country and glass to hopefully find them. Am I best just grinding out high mileage days if that doesn’t work out? Meadow to meadow and any edge habitat I can find? We are arriving 3 days early to hopefully figure out somewhat of a game plan.

I will take any and all advice thanks.

 

[Hondo0925]

Some years 1st rifle is similar to archery. Bulls bugling/rutting etc….
Don’t be afraid to hunt it just like archery season. But now you have a rifle in your hands. Find more open areas, like meadows, chutes, and the like.
Meadow sitting in the evening can also be very productive.

 

[Bcoonce117]

That’s great news! We are hoping to fill some freezers. Plan on being in the mountain during darkness morning and evening.

Yeah I should add pressure will be much lower because every season is a draw with limited tags.

 

[Phaseolus]

Leave your bugling stuff in the truck. If you hear them bugling head towards them.

 

[Yooper906]

I’m in same boat as you, always archery and drew a 1st rifle this year. We are getting in Oct 12, to give us a few scouting days.

With only a 5 day season and two tags, I want to hopefully find the elk before opener and have one day at daybreak the first day. That way we have some time to get the 2nd tag filled.

My plan those first three days is glass glass and glass. I want to be cognizant of not busting through areas that hold elk and blowing everything up before we can hunt them.

I think we will stay high along ridges. We are in a higher elevation unit with steep slopes, so gonna be paying close attention to chutes etc.

 

[Bcoonce117]

Leave your bugling stuff in the truck. If you hear them bugling head towards them.

Definitely wasn’t going to call. Might have a cow call to stop them if needed

 

[Bcoonce117]

I’m in same boat as you, always archery and drew a 1st rifle this year. We are getting in Oct 12, to give us a few scouting days.

With only a 5 day season and two tags, I want to hopefully find the elk before opener and have one day at daybreak the first day. That way we have some time to get the 2nd tag filled.

My plan those first three days is glass glass and glass. I want to be cognizant of not busting through areas that hold elk and blowing everything up before we can hunt them.

I think we will stay high along ridges. We are in a higher elevation unit with steep slopes, so gonna be paying close attention to chutes etc.

That’s the same way I feel. With only one area that is really glassable and the rest of country being heavily timbered. I think I’ll focus on the glassing terrain for scouting. There are 3 of us and we are going to split up the first day hunting to increase our odds. One guy is going to hit chutes and meadows in timber

 

[CuseHunter]

Sounds like glassing will be tough. You probably won't know for sure till you get there how glassable the land is. I'd try glass early mornings and do some ground and pound during the day. Always have good luck finding benches on hillsides