Elk Success in Colorado - who has had it?

[D_Eightch]

Looking for success stories for people that have done early season archery elk hunts in CO. Not even looking for what part of the state. Just trying to find out if it is actually all doom and gloom when it comes to the number of hunters. Were you able to get away from people? Do most just hike 1 to 2 miles off the trailhead? What was your experience?

 

[KHNC]

Not since 2004 anyway. But i dont elk hunt in CO much. Too crowded early season. Absolutely a last resort, last ditch, no other opportunity place to go , i just gotta go elk hunting situation. But, then i would still probably regret it after i arrived in an OTC unit.

 

[sneaky]

May as well go now while you don't have to deal with wolves. Once they introduce them it will change the entire dynamic of things in CO.

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[bascott1]

Been to Colorado on 6 OTC hunts. Successful twice and had a couple opportunites on the other times. My unit I hunt is in the southwest units that are going to draw for archery. It did seem like numbers were down or the elk just werent there. Still had some bulls bugling (few and far between though) and passed on some cows and such. I am no expert by any means but the amount of people there was way higher than in the past. Normally two to three camps in our area. This time there was at minimum ten.

 

[Neljay]

May as well go now while you don't have to deal with wolves. Once they introduce them it will change the entire dynamic of things in CO.

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I haven't done any research regarding the wolf introduction in Colorado. Just wondered if anybody knows when they are starting. I

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[trophyhill]

I hunt CO every chance I get. The vistas and high altitude solitude draws me in almost as much as the elk do. I said almost. I just love CO and if I ever move from where I love living in NM, CO is my first stop. Central CO as well as the Western Slope are fantastic places to be.

 

[trophyhill]

I haven't done any research regarding the wolf introduction in Colorado. Just wondered if anybody knows when they are starting. I

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It's gonna be on an upcoming ballot. I think the only hope the good people of CO have is Trump intervening and putting treehuggers and the corrupt greenies in their place.......

 

[baz77]

Hunted Colorado OTC archery one time it was absolute shit show with other hunters everywhere ..no luck on elk but some great scenery.

 

[jdmaxwell]

Hunted OTC SW Colorado unit early every year for last 10 yrs.
We normally at least kill 1 elk every trip. 1 yr 2 of us both killed bulls.
Piles of hunters at trail heads and anywhere a trail is on a map.
We rarely run into any hunters where we hunt.

 

[Coveyleader]

I’m a resident so take that for what it’s worth and hunt the same areas year after year. Yes there can be a lot of people. Especially the last few years, but we kill a lot of elk yearly during archery season. The last couple years opening weekend has been some serious work.

I know the areas we hunt better than most and this is the main reason we kill elk. As a NR first year in there is no doubt you would work a lot harder than me.

 

[D_Eightch]

I’m a resident so take that for what it’s worth and hunt the same areas year after year. Yes there can be a lot of people. Especially the last few years, but we kill a lot of elk yearly during archery season. The last couple years opening weekend has been some serious work.

I know the areas we hunt better than most and this is the main reason we kill elk. As a NR first year in there is no doubt you would work a lot harder than me.

Not afraid of hard work and don't expect to walk of a trail and shoot an elk 10 minutes into the hunt. I just read so many horror stories of people not being able to get away from hunters. I was just wondering if it may be similar to my Idaho experience. Once I got 2.5 miles back nobody else was around

 

[danarnold]

many times, opening weekend is def a shit show and when the orange army shows up for MZ it might be worse. been successful more than not. not much to do with going 2.5 mi in imo

 

[Dos Perros]

Looking for success stories for people that have done early season archery elk hunts in CO. Not even looking for what part of the state. Just trying to find out if it is actually all doom and gloom when it comes to the number of hunters.

Have had good archery OTC hunts in two parts of the state. Have seen plenty of people in other places, just hunted where they weren't.

Were you able to get away from people?

Yes.

Do most just hike 1 to 2 miles off the trailhead? What was your experience?

Not really sure how most people do it. I've done the pack-in-8-miles thing and the pack in less miles into country that looks pretty daunting from the road. In 3 years we ran into one guy that posts here and he's pretty legit, and we've run into some kids with horses. That's it. And we had good hunts.

 

[7mmremmag]

Messed up two opportunities in my first year. Going to New Mexico this year.

 

[camping1601]

NR and shot 3 bulls and a cow 4 of the last 5 years, but the cow was with a ML. The learning curve up until that point was pretty depressing and embarrassing.

 

[Coveyleader]

Chatted with our group tonight 5 guys, last 3 years we’ve arrowed 12 elk. 6 of them are mine but still good hunting. Couple losses those years as well.

 

[commandoNate]

I've bow hunted 3 seasons now and not taken an elk. The first season I was still trying to figure out their early season pattern and hardly saw or heard any. I've taken 10 or more with a rifle in October and November so I've got late season down.) My second season I was in em off and on and missed a makable shot on a good bull. I simply drew my bow too early, got shaky but was afraid to let down because he was looking right at me. I zipped it clean under him. D'oh!! Third season we had hot streaks for a few days and cold streaks for a few days. Back and forth. I got a buddy of mine a couple opportunities on elk that didn't work out but I never drew my bow. We're gonna double this year though. We already talked about it.

 

[rambo2345]

I have enjoyed hunting in Co. Been on 3 Otc archery hunts. Good scenery and several elk. Have seen lots of hunters. Even several miles in lots of hunters, many with horses. Hard to find places in any state that are not hunted hard