First Week Colorado Thoughts and Lessons

[dirt_nap]

Since you knew where they were you should not have tried calling them out of their beds, especially this early in the season when they are not rutting. After you did that they KNEW you were there.

Good call. That would explain why ambush led to more interactions for us. Do you feel that calling them out of their bedding areas could be a more viable strategy a week or two later in the season?

 

[Phaseolus]

In heavily hunted (and called) units I’m not a fan of trying to call them out of beds. It’s different in premium units of course. Elk have become very call shy in Colorado outside of premium units. Calling experience helps level the playing field. Video learning does not. Experience is gained by finding out what works and what doesn’t.

 

[dirt_nap]

In heavily hunted (and called) units I’m not a fan of trying to call them out of beds. It’s different in premium units of course. Elk have become very call shy in Colorado outside of premium units. Calling experience helps level the playing field. Video learning does not. Experience is gained by finding out what works and what doesn’t.

Good insight. Coming from rifle hunting them for years the calling/getting in close still feels like the biggest hurdle for us. I appreciate the wisdom on not trying to call them out of their beds.

 

[mnbuckfinder]

Remember that once a shot does present itself (if you're lucky enough), that an elks shoulder bone is very tough and they have very large lungs. Extreme heartbreak on the second to the last day of my hunt this past weekend. Hindsight 20/20

 

[dirt_nap]

Remember that once a shot does present itself (if you're lucky enough), that an elks shoulder bone is very tough and they have very large lungs. Extreme heartbreak on the second to the last day of my hunt this past weekend. Hindsight 20/20

Sorry to hear it man. Guessing that you didn't recover the animal?

 

[mnbuckfinder]

Sorry to hear it man. Guessing that you didn't recover the animal?

Unfortunately not. Watched him run away with couple cows, arrow had very little penetration. Found blood where he entered the woods, only followed it for about 100 yards uphill. Was very small drops with a few feet to yards between them. The rest of that day and moat the next day I spent on that mountain face, went up high and grid searched back and forth through timber. The weird thing was he ran/walked without a limp at all on his hit shoulder. Shooting a Lift X at 73 lbs, 439 grain arrow, with single bevel iron will in front. I did not plan to try and compete with a shoulder bone, but I sure thought my setup would've had a different outcome than that.

 

[awcopeland]

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.

Do you think this advice will hold true during 1st rifle (adjusting for sunrise)?

 

[Poser]

Do you think this advice will hold true during 1st rifle (adjusting for sunrise)?

First rifle is entirely different behavior phase for elk vs. the first week of Sept. Moon phase is also a factor.

 

[WISGUY]

Do you think this advice will hold true during 1st rifle (adjusting for sunrise)?

Getting up early will benefit you in all the right ways. Get up early and listen. You should hear them.