First Time Colorado Trip Elk HELP!

[DenverCountryBoy]

Try this spot:
39°35'56"N 106°03'55"W

The water level was so low last year, you could walk there.

 

[juan trueno]

You’re asking for advice on where to go in the months leading up to Guys going to those places and using them themselves.


I like to wait until the current year season is underway to ask about honeyholes. Pretty easy to get a guy to give up a spot when he’s 360 or so days from his next hunt and he’s already sworn not to go back to where he killed this one. success makes for pretty loose tounge. I just ask guys who have already tagged out where they did it and if there were anymore bulls there and if they shot a dink I usually ask if there actually were any nice ones- so I don’t waste time chasing raghorns and spikes.

PS- check out the burns!!!

Good luck and go get em Big A!!

 

[Newtosavage]

Sounds like Alpha has been suitably flogged for having dared post his question.

That will teach him.

 

[jmez]

OP, I was a first time elk hunter in CO 4 seasons ago. I understand the need for help.

My first question is why that particular area? Elk hunting is an "all-in" proposition for us NR's and considering the time you will need to invest to have a decent chance, a few hours drive to a better area is a relatively small investment in the big scheme.

So where's the area? Guy is looking for help go ahead and tell him where this area is and where to go.

 

[Newtosavage]

So where's the area? Guy is looking for help go ahead and tell him where this area is and where to go.

Are you asking for yourself?

I have no problem telling folks where I hunted in previous years, for a number of reasons.

1) it's all public land and we all own it
2) every single one of us has willingly accepted help from someone in the past
3) elk are seldom in the same place two weeks in a row, much less two years in a row
4) I'm happy to help out a fellow hunter and even moreso a new hunter

So if you're asking for yourself, I'll be happy to tell you. But don't expect to see me there if the elk aren't there. And if they are, it's public land and everyone (elk included) are free to go where they choose.

The OP was given some very sage, experienced advice earlier in this thread. If they are wise, they will take it to heart because it's spot-on advice.

 

[cnelk]

3) elk are seldom in the same place two weeks in a row, much less two years in a row

Some may want to to re-think or study this one some more.

Elk have staging areas, and they have breeding areas they use year after year, same time, same place.
Ive killed 4 elk kneeling by the same tree, the second week of September, 4 consecutive years

 

[Newtosavage]

That's just it. Anyone asking me for advise is clearly asking the wrong person. LOL

I'm just relaying my personal experience. The place we found elk my 2nd year of hunting was miles from the first place. Were there still elk in the first place? Sure there were. Just not in the numbers we had seen them on year one because livestock had overrun the area. So we moved about 5 mi. and hunted two large herds. The 3rd year I hunted, I was 200 miles away and covered up by bulls with only a cow tag in my pocket. No trouble finding them. Just the wrong tag. The year after that, the same spot had 10" of snow and we found herds of elk 3K feet lower than the year before and my buddy killed his 6x6 on opening day.

If you know a spot where they are year after year, that's great! That's what being close to your hunting areas and putting the years in does for a guy. I have some whitetail spots like that on public lands back east in MO, IL and TX. Took me years to find them.

 

[jmez]

Nope not for me. I find my own places to hunt.

Asking someone why they chose a certain area and then telling them there is way better hunting a few hours away isn't very helpful. Just tell him where to go.

 

[kulpak02]

Hey Alpha! I dont have a lot of advice for you but I won't be sarcastic either. Obviously you knew nobody was going to give up there spots. However like someone else said pick a spot on your map that you think might hold Elk. Hike there and set up camp. Play the thermals and hunt. If you don't find them move on to another drainage.
If I was you I would get a few miles from the roads. I have hunted CO 3 times and shot 1 bull and 2 cows. 2nd season hunting. If you put in the time and hike the miles you will find Elk. Stay persistent and don't get discouraged. Last fall I hunted 8 days and walked around 90-100miles. I ended up with a cow on the 8th day. We saw 2 bulls but I never got a shot. The snow had them pushed lower but we stayed persistent. This year we are heading out 1st season to a new unit. So we will be doing the same things I just mentioned. Good luck to you and your friend!

 

[NewGuy]

lol!
View attachment 92095

Looks like a solid spot.

 

[SaHunter]

Hello Gents,

My buddy and I are looking to go Hunting elk for the first time. Expectations are low seeing would be great shooting one would be a Dream come true. with that in mind we are looking to find a good GMu near Breckenridge , if you have any good info please send it our way, or if you have hunted that GMU, did you see anything? where about were you? all that good stuff.

Thank you in advance.

Some good advice so far so I'll add another bit. I hunted several different places around the state and the best luck I had was hunting the same area several years. Stating the obvious but you learn an area to hunt strategically, find interesting spots in that area to go back to and become more and more familiar with what not to do. I tried several areas across the state but only became consistently successful with this method. Not alsaying you can succeed with enough miles put in within one area (or multiple areas) but this has helped me.

 

[SaHunter]

Being a social scientist the formula is: hike + learn + luck x years = get elk. If you have an area narrowed down you will get some good responses. Generally from what I have seen most responses will most likely be summarized by the formula above