Help for a first timer...

[KyleR1985]

Hey guys,

I'm making a trip to Colorado in September with 4 guys. One of them has a cabin really close to the ground we'll be hunting. We are all first timers heading out west. I'm in pretty good shape and hunt hard, but my crew appears to be a bit more on the low and slow side. I'm not new to hunting public ground, and typically cover 3-5 miles a day when doing so. But none of it has been at elevation. We will be hunting from September 12-18.

Elk tags are archery OTC in this unit, and one of us drew a muley buck tag.

I also drew a cow muzzleloader tag.

I had originally planned to get an either sex OTC tag, but now I'm wondering if I should forego that, just use the first day or two to scout, and then hunt ML for cows only. Killing a cow is not the goal of this trip - I just want to learn the lay of the land, not die, and figure out all the things NOT to do on an elk trip. Shooting one would be a bonus for sure.

Are the odds of a new person with no real understanding of elk country good enough to limit range from 150 yards on cows only, to 60-70 yards with the bow for either sex?

I'm the ultimate pragmatist, so it's difficult for me to imagine a scenario where 5 greenhorns walk into OTC public ground during the ML season and have elk in our laps.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[OFFHNTN]

If it were ME, I would just concentrate on the ML cow, especially since it's your first trip. Throwing another expensive tag in on the trip would add unneeded pressure. I would feel like I'd have to carry both bow and ML in case I saw a bull and/or cow. You are hunting 7 days, it might take you 2-3 to kill something, then possibly a day or two to pack it out, now you are down to 3-4 days left.....and what if one of your buddies kills, more packing and less hunting.
I would use this hunt to LEARN everything about elk and camping in the mountains and ENJOY the experience with as little hassle and pressure as possible. I would think you'd have a fairly good chance at taking a cow, so you'd get a taste of packing one out as well. Next time, go for a bull.
Good luck!

 

[Catahoula]

I think you should just run the ML cow tag. IMO I believe your chances increase with cow tags no matter the weapon.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

I agree, ML cow tag and KISS. The experience and meat in the freezer is a good goal. Folks go years without ever bagging a bull. Others put in the time and are successful every year, and other have horseshoes you know where. Better to have your mind focused on one goal than multiple, makes decisions easier.

 

[KyleR1985]

If it were ME, I would just concentrate on the ML cow, especially since it's your first trip. Throwing another expensive tag in on the trip would add unneeded pressure. I would feel like I'd have to carry both bow and ML in case I saw a bull and/or cow. You are hunting 7 days, it might take you 2-3 to kill something, then possibly a day or two to pack it out, now you are down to 3-4 days left.....and what if one of your buddies kills, more packing and less hunting.
I would use this hunt to LEARN everything about elk and camping in the mountains and ENJOY the experience with as little hassle and pressure as possible. I would think you'd have a fairly good chance at taking a cow, so you'd get a taste of packing one out as well. Next time, go for a bull.
Good luck!

Thanks for the replies guys.

I would do one or the other, not both. But I have been leaning the direction you all are suggesting. I'd rather be focusing on the higher level picture right now and learning the basics. I know myself, and know with a bow in hand, I'm gonna spend my time trying to get 50 yards from an elk instead of just generally trying to find elk. Can't hit the ball if I'm not even in the park right?

Seems to make sense. Seeing elk at all would be a big win for me.

 

[NJDiverDan]

One thought to add, what are your buddies doing? If you are in better shape, is your plan to hunt by yourself and leave them to what they want to do on their own? You could be a pretty effective team with you calling with your ML tag and them out front if a bull comes in first. If a cow comes in, you have the extended range to take her. With 5 guys, you could split into two groups to try to maximize your chances. Or let the Muley guy go and glass up a buck while the 4 of you chase elk.

 

[KyleR1985]

One thought to add, what are your buddies doing? If you are in better shape, is your plan to hunt by yourself and leave them to what they want to do on their own? You could be a pretty effective team with you calling with your ML tag and them out front if a bull comes in first. If a cow comes in, you have the extended range to take her. With 5 guys, you could split into two groups to try to maximize your chances. Or let the Muley guy go and glass up a buck while the 4 of you chase elk.

Yes - we intend to split up into two groups, 2 and 3. We are thinking exactly that, do our best to maximize odds.

I suspect we'll also be splitting up some individually for short periods or doing some glassing.

We definitely will not all five be single file covering the same ground!

 

[spike camp]

150 yards, open sights on a cow with a ML?
I’d be more accurate with my bow, at that range lol!

 

[Mikeha33]

I've been travelling from KS out west to hunt for a few years, and haven't killed anything yet. When I left KS the first year, I thought I would hold off a few days to shoot a cow, and target antlers first. Now, literally thousands of miles and thousands of dollars later, I will shoot the first legal elk that passes withing archery range, including a cow, for multiple reasons. Elk hunting in the mountains is a different kind of challenge. For me, it has been much more mentally challenging than physical. Going days on end, and hiking 50+ miles without seeing any fresh elk sign or hearing an elk, let alone seeing one will take its toll on guys pretty quickly. My advice is, take your ML, and go after a cow, and you'll still have an amazing time with a very formidable challenge in front of you.

 

[OFFHNTN]

I've been travelling from KS out west to hunt for a few years, and haven't killed anything yet. When I left KS the first year, I thought I would hold off a few days to shoot a cow, and target antlers first. Now, literally thousands of miles and thousands of dollars later, I will shoot the first legal elk that passes withing archery range, including a cow, for multiple reasons. Elk hunting in the mountains is a different kind of challenge. For me, it has been much more mentally challenging than physical. Going days on end, and hiking 50+ miles without seeing any fresh elk sign or hearing an elk, let alone seeing one will take its toll on guys pretty quickly. My advice is, take your ML, and go after a cow, and you'll still have an amazing time with a very formidable challenge in front of you.

Agreed. Some guys get lucky their first time out, but the MAJORITY have to work very hard. And until you do it, there is no way to know how you will handle the challenge and the grind. Some guys think they can hunt hard, then they go "out west" for the first time and the mountains and the elk humble them.

 

[CX5Ranch]

Go scout hard with a muzzle loader in hand. Then send me 661 dollars or burn it, either way it will be the same for the bull tag.

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[BeaverHunter]

Go scout hard with a muzzle loader in hand. Then send me 661 dollars or burn it, either way it will be the same for the bull tag.

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Well you could at least invest the $661 for him.

 

[njdoxie]

Agreed. Some guys get lucky their first time out, but the MAJORITY have to work very hard. And until you do it, there is no way to know how you will handle the challenge and the grind. Some guys think they can hunt hard, then they go "out west" for the first time and the mountains and the elk humble them.

Yeah, plenty of first timers on rokslide say they’re good for getting miles back in and hunting hard every day, they’re not lies, but they just don’t know what they’re in for. Until you’ve done it, there is no telling, if or when you’ll tap out. It’s real easy to say what you’ll do when you’re sitting at home, rested, far away from a steep mountain, no taste of disappointment in your mouth.


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[trophyhill]

Yeah, plenty of first timers on rokslide say they’re good for getting miles back in and hunting hard every day, they’re not lies, but they just don’t know what they’re in for. Until you’ve done it, there is no telling, if or when you’ll tap out. It’s real easy to say what you’ll do when you’re sitting at home, rested, far away from a steep mountain, no taste of disappointment in your mouth.


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That’s no lie. CO is tough country for the most part. Can’t wait for opening day. It will make my NM hunt feel like a cake walk.

 

[KyleR1985]

I appreciate the input guys. I've done quite a bit of backpacking camping in the mountains, and do my best to get off the beaten trail. But I know it's a totally different scenario chasing animals that don't want to die through terrain that most folks aren't interested in traversing.

I fully plan on taking a good 24 hours easy to scout and glass and figure out the lay of the land before diving off in the nasty.

Really looking forward to the suck. Grit baby

 

[trophyhill]

I appreciate the input guys. I've done quite a bit of backpacking camping in the mountains, and do my best to get off the beaten trail. But I know it's a totally different scenario chasing animals that don't want to die through terrain that most folks aren't interested in traversing.

I fully plan on taking a good 24 hours easy to scout and glass and figure out the lay of the land before diving off in the nasty.

Really looking forward to the suck. Grit baby

You’ll be fine brother! You’ll know when to take a break, and when not to. Like when a bull comes screaming in your face

Most of it just depends on you! If you’ve got heart, you will make it over that next ridge! And the next one, and the next one, and the next one and.........

 

[Brett8133]

Take the muzzle loader and get a cow ! The first time I went I bought a muzzleloader land owner tag to use . We got into screaming bulls for 3 days straight never saw one I killed the first cow and might I add the only cow I saw which was probably a 2 yr old . This was a public land draw only unit for archery muzzleloader rifle etc . I seen 2 spikes and the cow I killed although being surrounded by bugling bulls screaming in full rut fashion with a veteran elk hunter calling we still never seen a bull . So yeah go with the cow tag enjoy learn and love life ! Good luck


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[mmcmurtrey]

This will be my second season hunting elk OTC. All I can say is hunt hard and enjoy yourselves. Its a beautiful time of year to be out in the mountains!

 

[MOcluck]

Every time I go back and start to climb that first mountain I think to myself " I forgot how hard this is". And every time I go back home after a few weeks I forget all over again. Keep it as simple as possible. There is usually a pretty good learning curve involved. Good luck!

 

[87TT]

I retired 4 years ago and have been elk hunting the last three. I can hunt the whole season if need be and usually spend 25 days a year hunting, And I live here in the zone. I hit and lost a bull two years ago and shot a cow with a rifle last year in a bonus hunt after hunting hard all bow season (all of September) I can say it takes some time to A) learn elk B) find said elk and C) kill said elk
Sure guys go out and luck into elk every year but don't count on it.