First Week Colorado Thoughts and Lessons

[dirt_nap]

Throwing some thoughts here as try and unpack our week, and maybe get some insights from those more experienced then myself. Here is a little bit of background. This was our third season hunting archery in Colorado, second season in this unit, OTC. We were hunting a large valley with peaks at 11.5k, bottom around 8.5k.

We glassed from one ridge to the other, and saw a ton of elk. Every evening, they would pop out of the same areas, and then feed in avalanche chutes starting around 6:30 pm, and then feed down to a wallow that we found last year that is buried in deep timber. In the morning they would feed up from the bottom and either bed back up in the timber along the chutes, or feed over the saddle to the backside of the mountain.

We thought that once we saw them bed we had them pinned, but tried both calling them out of their bedding areas, and ambushing them with no luck. We tried raking with a light bugle one setup, some cow calls another setup, and a lost calf for our third setup, and none worked. We also tired waiting in ambush, but I think due to the amount of loose rock on the side of the ridge they heard us and bounced. There was also a storm that rolled in that afternoon that I think maybe moved them, and swirled our wind.

We were able to set up a successful ambush on the saddle they pass over, but we had a group of cows come in from the other side where we were not expecting them, and we were not in the right position for a shot. Now we know to set up a guy higher in case they come from the other side.

Here are my two questions:

1. Does anyone have any insight or tips on getting the attention of these avalanche chute bulls? There were single bulls, and a few bachelor heards. Is ambush the ticket?
2. We did not hear a single bugle the whole week, and were not able to call in even a single spike. We were very minimal in our calling, trying to save it for drainages we have seen elk bedded in before, and around wallows, but had no interest. Are there vocalizations or ideas that I should be considering?

Any help would be appreciated, we are a couple of young guys trying to make the move from rifle to archery, and feel like we are close to starting to put the pieces together, posting here to try and gain some insights from those wiser and more experienced than us.

Thank you in advance.

 

[taskswap]

Where is "the water" in relation to the above movements?

 

[dirt_nap]

Down low, there is a spring that feeds a wallow about 800 feet below where we would see the bulls pop out in the afternoon. They would make there way down there, and then we would catch them coming out of the timber right by that wallow most mornings. We did not see them move down midday to water, only at night.

We would also see cows and calfs bed down low near that wallow. We thought about trying to set up an ambush there early morning, but I think it would blow out that whole bedding area.

 

[patagonialuke]

Your experience sounds very similar to mine, especially when it comes to the first week of September in my part of CO.

Calling has been nearly useless for us during the first week, so we've opted to do a lot more still hunting and ambush setups.

Setting up ambushes has been more miss than hit for us overall; the elk in our zone never seem to follow precise enough paths for us to simply wait and have them come across inside archery range. Have had a few exceptions, but we've been more successful with ambushes later in the month when we can move the elk the final 40-100 yds with calls.

This year, we've been spending a lot of time 'still hunting' through suspected bedding areas and travel routes. We've bumped some elk, but in areas that allow us to travel somewhat quietly (not silently), we've been able to get within range of a lot of cows and a couple bulls. Just moving slowly and deliberately while regularly glassing through the trees to try to spot anything before we're right on top of it.

Totally depends on environmental factors, but I think this will be my primary strategy going forward during times when the elk aren't vocal. Another bonus is that I have gotten a much better idea of their bedding areas and travel pathways (which are all covered by trees in our zone, so we can't learn much by glassing alone).

 

[dirt_nap]

We did try a few still hunting setups, and got in close to a set of three spikes, but by moving through that drainage slowly over the course of the morning we were able to find a wallow and a bedding area that was unglassable. Maybe we need to make that more of a core part of our strategy moving forward.

Good to know that we are not the only ones not hearing any bugles. I did hear one the week before season started on a scouting trip, but those boys clammed up quickly. One highlight for us though is that we did not see any other hunters past the first mile from the trailhead. The level of pressure with the different tag allocation for OTC was wild.

 

[Gerbdog]

its first week of september, there will be some pockets of bugling and rut activity but it wont be much and it wont really turn on hardcore for another week probably, maybe 2. Dont despair over that, it sounds like you are doing everything right to hunt quiet elk, theyre just tough to hunt when they wont talk

 

[dirt_nap]

I really wish I could get back out there this month, but my wife and I had our first kid this year, and I do not think another trip is in the cards. Good to hear that it seems like we are on the right track with our first week approach.

 

[va_to_co]

Throwing some thoughts here as try and unpack our week, and maybe get some insights from those more experienced then myself. Here is a little bit of background. This was our third season hunting archery in Colorado, second season in this unit, OTC. We were hunting a large valley with peaks at 11.5k, bottom around 8.5k.

We glassed from one ridge to the other, and saw a ton of elk. Every evening, they would pop out of the same areas, and then feed in avalanche chutes starting around 6:30 pm, and then feed down to a wallow that we found last year that is buried in deep timber. In the morning they would feed up from the bottom and either bed back up in the timber along the chutes, or feed over the saddle to the backside of the mountain.

We thought that once we saw them bed we had them pinned, but tried both calling them out of their bedding areas, and ambushing them with no luck. We tried raking with a light bugle one setup, some cow calls another setup, and a lost calf for our third setup, and none worked. We also tired waiting in ambush, but I think due to the amount of loose rock on the side of the ridge they heard us and bounced. There was also a storm that rolled in that afternoon that I think maybe moved them, and swirled our wind.

We were able to set up a successful ambush on the saddle they pass over, but we had a group of cows come in from the other side where we were not expecting them, and we were not in the right position for a shot. Now we know to set up a guy higher in case they come from the other side.

Here are my two questions:

1. Does anyone have any insight or tips on getting the attention of these avalanche chute bulls? There were single bulls, and a few bachelor heards. Is ambush the ticket?
2. We did not hear a single bugle the whole week, and were not able to call in even a single spike. We were very minimal in our calling, trying to save it for drainages we have seen elk bedded in before, and around wallows, but had no interest. Are there vocalizations or ideas that I should be considering?

Any help would be appreciated, we are a couple of young guys trying to make the move from rifle to archery, and feel like we are close to starting to put the pieces together, posting here to try and gain some insights from those wiser and more experienced than us.

Thank you in advance.

Curious--as someone in a similar position (new western hunter)--what was the terrain/habitat/slope like that they were in? Typical north facing, or no?

I was also out for the first few days last week and heard bugles the night before season, but that was it.

 

[Poser]

I was out glassing for bears in scrub oak country for a few days. I was up high, about 1,000 feet higher than all of the elk hunters who were in the creek bottoms blowing on bugles like it was New Year Eve at the exact moment is was legal shooting light. The bulls I saw, whether bedded or traveling were entirely indifferent, sometimes not even turning their heads in the direction of calling. I did hear some real elk bugling and even chuckling at night, up until about 45 minutes before first light. Based on what I observed, if it were me, I'd be out and about in elk country no later than 4:30 AM (3 AM would be much better) seeing what I could locate and then move in on them (silently) in the dark.

 

[3forks]

To the OP, sounds like you just need more time, but you’re doing what I consider the right things.

Until the satellite bulls start getting a little more wound up, or you create/run into the right scenario with a herd bull, it’s difficult to make something happen if the timing on a herd is just a little off. Those herds are still mostly in their summer routine in those avalanche chutes.

What was the rationale for not setting up close to wallow / spring or the route the elk were using to get in there? Wind?

 

[dirt_nap]

Curious--as someone in a similar position (new western hunter)--what was the terrain/habitat/slope like that they were in? Typical north facing, or no?

I was also out for the first few days last week and heard bugles the night before season, but that was it.

valley ran north to south, we were seeing elk on the west facing side for the most part, but the east side had some good action as well. I can send you some pictures if you like, don't really want to post them here.

We found them bedding in aspen patches at daybreak, they were in patches of duglass fir for their midday bedding areas. We would see them out feeding as early as 4:30pm until dark, and then from dawn to around 9:30am. They did not seem pressured at all, and still very much in their summer patterns. We tried sitting water for a day since it was so hot, but only had bear and deer come in.

 

[dirt_nap]

To the OP, sounds like you just need more time, but you’re doing what I consider the right things.

Until the satellite bulls start getting a little more wound up, or you create/run into the right scenario with a herd bull, it’s difficult to make something happen if the timing on a herd is just a little off. Those herds are still mostly in their summer routine in those avalanche chutes.

What was the rationale for not setting up close to wallow / spring or the route the elk were using to get in there? Wind?

Wind was the main factor, and sound. The wallow is only about 3/4 a mile from camp, but the route to get in there is rough. I Just didn't think there was a way we could get down there in the dark without disrupting them with sound and smell. Our ambush setups were much further up the ridge on game trails we had seen them use closer to 8/9am where we knew they were not bedded for the night.

My thought is that if they liked that wallow, I would rather them scent me a mile away from there as they are on the move then when they are in their beds. But I guess it could have paid off to be more aggressive.

 

[va_to_co]

valley ran north to south, we were seeing elk on the west facing side for the most part, but the east side had some good action as well. I can send you some pictures if you like, don't really want to post them here.

We found them bedding in aspen patches at daybreak, they were in patches of duglass fir for their midday bedding areas. We would see them out feeding as early as 4:30pm until dark, and then from dawn to around 9:30am. They did not seem pressured at all, and still very much in their summer patterns. We tried sitting water for a day since it was so hot, but only had bear and deer come in.

Pics would be great!

 

[Coveyleader]

The first week is very hard if you don't know the area. Silent elk in timbered country is almost impossible when they're quiet.

If you can glass, it's a different story, and finding elk in chutes can be an easy way to stalk in on them.

Later in the season, elk can be easier to find. One, they talk. And two, just look at a map and find the nasty places where the grid lines are one on top of another, and the elk will be there, and talking.

 

[dirt_nap]

The first week is very hard if you don't know the area. Silent elk in timbered country is almost impossible when they're quiet.

If you can glass, it's a different story, and finding elk in chutes can be an easy way to stalk in on them.

Later in the season, elk can be easier to find. One, they talk. And two, just look at a map and find the nasty places where the grid lines are one on top of another, and the elk will be there, and talking.

We did talk about trying to get out later next year when they may be more vocal. I think our main issue wasn't finding them this year, but it was closing that last 200 yards. Getting to see a bull bed down at 9 am from a mile away and then having him disappear by the time you make it over there was so frustrating.