How to keep away from the crowds of Colorado for second rifle season

[AgentP]

I’m venturing on my first ever elk hunt and could only manage to draw one of the most pressured units in Colorado. I’m looking for advice on how to keep away from the crowds. Every spot I show my buddy he says there will be a bunch of people there. Losing a little bit of hope but trying to remain hopeful

 

[cnelk]

Definitely hunt at night

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

Drew one of the most pressured units…. If it’s draw I guarantee unless there’s OTC tags it’s not one of the most pressured units.

Hunter there, guided there, packed elk there, if you are picking a main trail head ur gonna be bombarded for several miles in, you need to think out of the box cause every other Hunter e scouting right now is looking at the same stuff you are. If ur buddy knows the unit and he’s not telling you where to go just saying that’s a bad spot, I wouldn’t call him much of a buddy. Now if he’s never hunted the unit and going off speculation, I’d take his advice with a grain of salt. I’ve been in that area and some trailheads are wide open even though you’d think they would be busy.


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[87TT]

Definitely hunt at night

That's too funny. my first thought also.

 

[Walthers]

I’d say just get out and hunt. You’d be surprised how elk move. Find some drainages and good looking timber and see if elk get pushed in. I am an otc guy and have had elk in surprising places becuase of where other hunters push them. Just my two cents.

 

[bz_711]

I've never rifle hunted...but for Sept my tips are:
-Do not park at TH or parking area, just find roadside area's with no other activity.
-Cross a hard to cross river crossing.
-Find pockets that require a steep off trail uphill climb to access

Do all 3 and you'll find some areas with little to no people...and sometimes elk.

 

[AgentP]

I've never rifle hunted...but for Sept my tips are:
-Do not park at TH or parking area, just find roadside area's with no other activity.
-Cross a hard to cross river crossing.
-Find pockets that require a steep off trail uphill climb to access

Do all 3 and you'll find some areas with little to no people...and sometimes elk.

By pockets you mean clearings? I heard to hunt not the clearings but the treeline around them since the elk likely won’t feed in the open till night

 

[WRO]

Don’t be afraid to hunt close to the roads, 400yards to 2 miles, a lot of time it gets overlooked.

 

[AgentP]

Don’t be afraid to hunt close to the roads, 400yards to 2 miles, a lot of time it gets overlooked.

I feel like you can’t get further than 2 miles from a road or trail in that unit anyways haha. I’ll have to do more onx scouting

 

[Scooter90254]

Here's a little secret. By 2nd rifle 98.7% of the Elk have moved down to private land. That can be unit dependent. There's a good number of units that won't have single elk living on public land.

A nice north facing slope with meadows close by hasn't had an elk on it in over a month by the time you get there. 75% of the hunters are going to setup on the old sign.

If you keep those things in mind while scouting it will go a long way to finding the elk and some room to hunt.

Or hunt at night is actually a good suggestion.....

 

[AgentP]

W

Here's a little secret. By 2nd rifle 98.7% of the Elk have moved down to private land. That can be unit dependent. There's a good number of units that won't have single elk living on public land.

A nice north facing slope with meadows close by hasn't had an elk on it in over a month by the time you get there. 75% of the hunters are going to setup on the old sign.

If you keep those things in mind while scouting it will go a long way to finding the elk and some room to hunt.

Or hunt at night is actually a good suggestion.....

hat do you mean by setting up on old sign?

 

[AgentP]

Don’t be afraid to hunt close to the roads, 400yards to 2 miles, a lot of time it gets overlooked.

Would you say everyone hunts the trails and being close to a trail is bad?

 

[bz_711]

By pockets you mean clearings? I heard to hunt not the clearings but the treeline around them since the elk likely won’t feed in the open till night

I mean pockets of ground that are untouched by all humans - not just hunters. In CO you need to pay more attention to all the other recreationalist more than you do hunting pressure.

Avoid: hikers, fishers, photographers, campers, Side-by-sides, jeep clubs, mountain bikers, trail runners, granolas and smokers.

Find little patches of hard to reach ground that 100% of vehicles are driving by.

 

[Jbehredt]

Just go. Walk further than other people. Or up steeper hills. Or through thicker blowdown. Maybe spike out to extend your range. You’re late to the game if you wanted room to roam during elk season in CO. Thousands of others have recently found the same inspiration you did. At least during rifle the other guys are easy to spot so you can keep trucking.

 

[Poser]

Sometimes its the overly obvious spots that can be good. An overloook pull-off, especially if it has restrooms. You know, the ones full of bikers and soccer mom's taking selfies with the mountainous background? Dive off that overlook and you might be surprised what you find 1/4 mile downhill.