Colorado Muzzy Elk or 1st Rifle

[Dakota_Rookie]

Hunt how you enjoy hunting.

Want to call one in? Pick the weapon that let you hunt during the rut.

Don’t care about calling? Hunt any weapon you feel comfortable with.

Success is best served when hard earned. The weapon likely won’t be the difference maker. You will be the difference maker.

Thanks for the advice. I'm not sure which way I'm exactly leaning yet. I do feel more comfortable with a rifle in my hand since I've never actually hunted with a ML.

I've hunted elk three different years, getting "closer" each time.

Year one was in 2019, OTC Colorado archery. Only elk we ever saw was a lone spike.

Year two was in 2021, OTC Colorado archery (during ML season). Was on a herd for days with bulls bugling but was in and around a burn, which made it tough to close the distance. Had a small legal bull at 60 yards but was through a bunch of timber. May have been able to squeeze a shot through, but wasn't comfortable.

Year three was last year, 2023, Wyoming general. Hunted archery season and called a couple bulls in to 40 but never had a shot presented. Went back by myself for rifle opener and took a shot on a bull on opening day with 15 min left of light. Swear I heard impact but never found blood. I was alone and tracked the small herd for a mile that night. Came back in the morning, never found blood again and continued to track the herd for 3 miles off the national forest. I'm pretty sure now that I shot over the bulls back and may have hit a tree behind him, or something..

Anyway, ML is attractive since I've hunted Colorado that time of year in OTC units but like I said, I'm very comfortable with a rifle and glassing. Since I drew a ML deer tag this year I will probably decide which elk tag I'll apply for after shooting and getting some ML experience.

Thanks for all the input and good luck to you all who have tags!

 

[Lil-Rokslider656]

Thanks for the advice. I'm not sure which way I'm exactly leaning yet. I do feel more comfortable with a rifle in my hand since I've never actually hunted with a ML.

I've hunted elk three different years, getting "closer" each time.

Year one was in 2019, OTC Colorado archery. Only elk we ever saw was a lone spike.

Year two was in 2021, OTC Colorado archery (during ML season). Was on a herd for days with bulls bugling but was in and around a burn, which made it tough to close the distance. Had a small legal bull at 60 yards but was through a bunch of timber. May have been able to squeeze a shot through, but wasn't comfortable.

Year three was last year, 2023, Wyoming general. Hunted archery season and called a couple bulls in to 40 but never had a shot presented. Went back by myself for rifle opener and took a shot on a bull on opening day with 15 min left of light. Swear I heard impact but never found blood. I was alone and tracked the small herd for a mile that night. Came back in the morning, never found blood again and continued to track the herd for 3 miles off the national forest. I'm pretty sure now that I shot over the bulls back and may have hit a tree behind him, or something..

Anyway, ML is attractive since I've hunted Colorado that time of year in OTC units but like I said, I'm very comfortable with a rifle and glassing. Since I drew a ML deer tag this year I will probably decide which elk tag I'll apply for after shooting and getting some ML experience.

Thanks for all the input and good luck to you all who have tags!

You’ll be the difference maker.

Sounds a lot like my road to my first.

Close encounters year one; when i had no clue what to do with it

missed and opportunities year two

helped another harvest a bull year 3. Missed two bulls myself ( clean shooting, bad luck. One moved, one clipped a branch)

Killed one this last year.

Stick with it. It’ll pan out.

Only thing I have really changed now that I wish I’d done sooner. Hunt more; I’m now hunting two seasons; one in state archery, one out of state rifle.

I learned a s**t ton last year after killing a bull during archery season and still having a rifle tag in my pocket. My rifle season was so much more chill with the “pressure off”. A lesson I learned in my fishing past but needed to experience again.

 

[Ddubs20]

If muzzeloader hunting, practice, practice, practice. Most think muzzy you just pick it up and extend your killing range. Borrowing the muzzy is fine if you practice a few months and are proficient with the weapon.

 

[Coveyleader]

ML season is a week later this year... I cant wait

Which plays out great for archers for a change.

 

[Coveyleader]

I’ve hunted September elk for over 20 years, with the ML season always right in the first half. I’d take that first rifle any day of the week if I used guns. Weather is nicer, elk move more, meat care is way easier, and there are still big bulls with the cows and many times still bugeling. I remember packing 4 elk in 3 days, the last guy with a tag was like “we’re good” with a couple days to go.

 

[cnelk]

Which plays out great for archers for a change.

OTC Archery Elk is going to be a joke more than ever this year.

 

[TNKnoxville]

Dakota Rookie,

1st season was my first time elk hunting. Elk were mostly still in groups with minimal bugling. We had snow above 7000 feet but none below. Most movement was below 7000. ending up shooting a lone bull coming off a mountain top down an old slide at 550 yards.

3rd season was cold 18 inches of snow and windy. Bulls were by themselves in heavy cover due to the weather very little movement. Shot a bull at 505 yards we found coming out of some aspens. Had to use mules to pack it out. Glad I had good gear!!!!!!!

3rd season was moderate weather very little movement saw very few elk. shot a lone bull at 100 yards coming down some heavy cover to a field.

3rd season again moderate weather little to no snow. Only movement was early morning and just before dark, heading to and from fields. Did not shoot an elk but got a nice Mule deer.

3rd season very nice weather no snow, alot of movement early morning and evening, got my biggest bull coming off a field going back up the mountain at first light at 250 yards.

I use a 300 win mag, I dial with a custom turret cut to my load and verified to over 700 yards.

Was at a wedding at the ranch last year in late August and we saw alot of large groups and some bugling. Weather and aspens were awesome.

We hunt near Craig, CO.

Looking forward to the muzzy hunt. I'll be the only one!!!!!!! They have never had a muzzy hunter. They concentrate on bow hunting. I bow hunted for over 30 years, both compound and trad, until I hurt my shoulder and gave it up. After being out in CO I almost started back up but my body said no....lol.

It's interesting shooting open sights with the muzzy. So far at 50 yards < 1inch groups. I have to start practicing at 100. Just found some Blackhorn and Federal 209A primers so I'm ready!!!!!!

 

[Hnthrdr]

Which plays out great for archers for a change.

14-22 has historically been really good for rut action… I think the muzzy guys have a big advantage. Good thing most of them just road hunt haha a guy that is a successful archer & decent caller that picks up a smoke pole, is super deadly

 

[Coveyleader]

OTC Archery Elk is going to be a joke more than ever this year.

Most likely so. I had the points to draw a tag I wanted, but a few new findings came up last year in my OTC areas so I wanted to validate it again this year. We shall see.

 

[5MilesBack]

14-22 has historically been really good for rut action… I think the muzzy guys have a big advantage. Good thing most of them just road hunt haha a guy that is a successful archer & decent caller that picks up a smoke pole, is super deadly

A guy that is a successful archer & decent caller that picks up a bow, is super deadly.

 

[Coveyleader]

14-22 has historically been really good for rut action… I think the muzzy guys have a big advantage. Good thing most of them just road hunt haha a guy that is a successful archer & decent caller that picks up a smoke pole, is super deadly

That may be true, but having no guns chasing elk this year until the 14th in the areas I hunt will be money. Huge difference between pre ML and post where I hunt.

I’ve said it before, and it’s worth saying again, a decent bowhunter that has moderate success on elk with a bow turns into a monster with a ML in hand. My experience says you don’t want to hunt behind them in the season and I try not to.

 

[Dakota_Rookie]

Dakota Rookie,

1st season was my first time elk hunting. Elk were mostly still in groups with minimal bugling. We had snow above 7000 feet but none below. Most movement was below 7000. ending up shooting a lone bull coming off a mountain top down an old slide at 550 yards.

3rd season was cold 18 inches of snow and windy. Bulls were by themselves in heavy cover due to the weather very little movement. Shot a bull at 505 yards we found coming out of some aspens. Had to use mules to pack it out. Glad I had good gear!!!!!!!

3rd season was moderate weather very little movement saw very few elk. shot a lone bull at 100 yards coming down some heavy cover to a field.

3rd season again moderate weather little to no snow. Only movement was early morning and just before dark, heading to and from fields. Did not shoot an elk but got a nice Mule deer.

3rd season very nice weather no snow, alot of movement early morning and evening, got my biggest bull coming off a field going back up the mountain at first light at 250 yards.

I use a 300 win mag, I dial with a custom turret cut to my load and verified to over 700 yards.

Was at a wedding at the ranch last year in late August and we saw alot of large groups and some bugling. Weather and aspens were awesome.

We hunt near Craig, CO.

Looking forward to the muzzy hunt. I'll be the only one!!!!!!! They have never had a muzzy hunter. They concentrate on bow hunting. I bow hunted for over 30 years, both compound and trad, until I hurt my shoulder and gave it up. After being out in CO I almost started back up but my body said no....lol.

It's interesting shooting open sights with the muzzy. So far at 50 yards < 1inch groups. I have to start practicing at 100. Just found some Blackhorn and Federal 209A primers so I'm ready!!!!!!

Sounds like you had a lot of success! Congrats!

Also sounds like you can get all kinds of weather in Colorado during the rifle hunts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TNKnoxville]

Yes we have had different weather each time out! Be prepared for any weather!!!!!

But just know elk hunting can be as addictive as crack

 

[Hnthrdr]

A guy that is a successful archer & decent caller that picks up a bow, is super deadly.

This is also true haha

 

[Hnthrdr]

That may be true, but having no guns chasing elk this year until the 14th in the areas I hunt will be money. Huge difference between pre ML and post where I hunt.

I’ve said it before, and it’s worth saying again, a decent bowhunter that has moderate success on elk with a bow turns into a monster with a ML in hand. My experience says you don’t want to hunt behind them in the season and I try not to.

I can agree with that, honestly some of my areas get dogged so hard the guns going off doesn’t make that big of a difference, but I will say a couple times in another part of the state the elk reacts very differently after the first few days of muzzy season… bugling can fall off a cliff it seems