How was Colorado 1st rifle?

[Mosby]

My son had a tag for 1st rifle. I didn't but went with him. Overall a good week. Ran into a few hunters but not many. Got checked by a GW....which is becoming an annual event for me in Colorado. We saw elk and he got on a few bulls but he didn't get one. He passed on a smaller bull first day because he was with a much larger bull but it didn't work out. Saw a nice bull the last afternoon but didn't have a clear shot and bull never came out in open. Pleased he didn't take a bad shot. Moon sucked and I would have liked it a little colder but I spent a week hunting with my son and I have no complaints.

 

[PassCreek]

Last year was definitely better that's for sure. The snow wasn't bad in my area but there weren't the number of Elk around like last year.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I just got back to NJ today. We had a group of 7 camped out in the Flat Tops. It snowed about 8” the day before which made it nice for tracking. Days were beautiful and the nights were chilly but not bad. It was my very 1st time to CO, let alone elk hunting.

Took my very first elk at 711 yards with my 6.5cm. I was shooting the 127g Barnes LRX rounds. I was up on a ridge line shooting down into a opening in the timber. She was standing broadside and I placed the crosshairs just off to the side of the front shoulder. The bullet actually hit a few inches higher, going thru the blackstrap area and severing the spine. The round dropped her in her tracks without taking a step. She fell awkwardly on fallen logs. While she was practically dead, she was still moving her head around so I chambered another round and put a final round thru her neck to finish her off.

Both shots penetrated both sides of the elk and continued into the ground. It was late afternoon and sunlight was disappearing quickly so I didn’t have time to dig around looking for the round. I’m impressed tho. Will definitely be using these LRX rounds for future hunts.

The rifle


Shooting lane ( the opening area in the timber)


The elk. She’s massive. 4 of us struggled getting her back to camp

Good work! I’ve shot a big old cow. I plan on never doing it again. Man she was hard to eat!

 

[landman650]

For those who got frustrated with the lunar cycle, view it as a chance to kill them in the timber in their bed. They still will inhabit the same areas, still sleep in the same terrain and spots and still will travel the same corridors, but will come out later and go in earlier.

I've found it tougher during full moon cycles because they move less during daylight hours, until I started sneaking timber and killing them in their bed.

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So for this strategy, do you still play the wind and sneak from upwind? What in deep timber are they attracted to? I figured they’d bed down under some trees up high on a slope so they can see things coming from downhill.

 

[mlgc20]

Went to Colorado first rifle with my 14 and 12 year old daughters. We didn’t get it done. We didn’t even see an elk. Although we saw a ton of deer. Hunting pressure seemed pretty typical. Even without an animal, it’s always awesome being in the backcountry with your kids. Had an great time.

 

[Jevans44]

Seen way more orange than elk, seemed like the farther I would keep pushing back I just kept running into more pressure unfortunately.

 

[Shooter28]

Good work! I’ve shot a big old cow. I plan on never doing it again. Man she was hard to eat!

Hard to eat- as in, the meat wasn’t very good or there was just a lot to finish?

 

[Ucsdryder]

Hard to eat- as in, the meat wasn’t very good or there was just a lot to finish?

Flavor was great. Tough as hell!!!! Even the back straps were tough. Ended up grinding it all.

 

[Marble]

So for this strategy, do you still play the wind and sneak from upwind? What in deep timber are they attracted to? I figured they’d bed down under some trees up high on a slope so they can see things coming from downhill.

For elk you never ever lose the wind. Ever. They typically will be in the same general areas, not to far from feed, within known escape routes.

I only have seen elk bed in the semi open when there is little to no pressure, or, after a fairly decent very cold storm.

It takes me most of a day just to go a mile or maybe 1.5 miles. Use binos to look through the timber.

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[Marble]

Sounds exactly like the guys I encountered from Arkansas. I will be helping that group if I go next year! They bumped several but said they needed more guys willing to get out and do it to be successful. Thanks for the input. I'm trying to learn on my feet here.

A little tip for sneaking timber. Carry walking sticks and use one to soften steps and move brush/sticks so you don't step on them and break them. They also double as a shooting stick at times.

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[Carlisle]

I was in southern CO with a group of 4. We hunted hard and killed one 6x6. I think the moon hurt us.

I had one good day out of 5 with several bulls responding to cow calls but could not get them in sight. Had cows within feet several times.

Snow was pretty much gone by the time we left. This was around 9000 feet.

Good luck!


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[Preston]

Any one hunt unit 49 first rifle or going out during the 2nd season? Good hunting to those that were successful

 

[JakeSCH]

Incredible week. Had 5 solid opportunities on legal bulls but ended up notching my tag on the last day on a smaller 5x4.

Passed on a couple 6x5's early on, had a picture perfect opportunity on a huge 6x6 that didn’t work out because I never put my scope back to the zero stop after shooting at 1k mid day the day before.

 

[Tega52]

I just got back to NJ today. We had a group of 7 camped out in the Flat Tops. It snowed about 8” the day before which made it nice for tracking. Days were beautiful and the nights were chilly but not bad. It was my very 1st time to CO, let alone elk hunting.

Took my very first elk at 711 yards with my 6.5cm. I was shooting the 127g Barnes LRX rounds. I was up on a ridge line shooting down into a opening in the timber. She was standing broadside and I placed the crosshairs just off to the side of the front shoulder. The bullet actually hit a few inches higher, going thru the blackstrap area and severing the spine. The round dropped her in her tracks without taking a step. She fell awkwardly on fallen logs. While she was practically dead, she was still moving her head around so I chambered another round and put a final round thru her neck to finish her off.

Both shots penetrated both sides of the elk and continued into the ground. It was late afternoon and sunlight was disappearing quickly so I didn’t have time to dig around looking for the round. I’m impressed tho. Will definitely be using these LRX rounds for future hunts.

The rifle


Shooting lane ( the opening area in the timber)


The elk. She’s massive. 4 of us struggled getting her back to camp

Hell of a shot!

 

[backcountrymuzzy]

It sucked. I think all the elk migrated to Wyoming. It was hot…full moon…tons of hunters…dusty…poison oak was terrible this year…no elk killed.

I know there isn't supposed to be poison oak or ivy at higher elevations or in Colorado much at all, but opening week of archery this year I was camping near a creek around 9,500' for 4 days and got what looked exactly like poison oak all over my legs somehow. Itchy, puss filled blisters and rash. I've had poison oak a bunch in the past and it was identical. Called the forest service nearby and they had no idea what it could have been. I've never encountered anything like it in Colorado in the past 6 years of bushwhacking around.

Anyone know of any other plants we have here in CO that give a similar rash to poison oak?? My research came up pretty empty

 

[Marble]

I know there isn't supposed to be poison oak or ivy at higher elevations or in Colorado much at all, but opening week of archery this year I was camping near a creek around 9,500' for 4 days and got what looked exactly like poison oak all over my legs somehow. Itchy, puss filled blisters and rash. I've had poison oak a bunch in the past and it was identical. Called the forest service nearby and they had no idea what it could have been. I've never encountered anything like it in Colorado in the past 6 years of bushwhacking around.

Anyone know of any other plants we have here in CO that give a similar rash to poison oak?? My research came up pretty empty

Could have been stinging nettle. Poison oak doesn't usually blister up but nettle does. Looks like water blisters on the skin. I've gotten some on my arm before in the high country in CA.

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[Fishermen0105]

Most of the bulls we saw had broken antlers. My dad took what probably wouldve been a 6x6 with a broke left side and I took a big 5x5 with several broken points. I got mine on opening day and my dad waited til the last day. Wouldnt say we saw tons of elk but we got into two different herds that had a good bulls. 2 bulls on a short 5 day hunt was very labor intensive!

 

[gday5]

I went with a group of five and we ended up with one bull. A lot less elk activity than in years past. Tough hunting overall, but always good to get out with the family and enjoy the woods. Glad I still have a tag in MT too.

 

[Jrodanapolis]

I have a 4th season tag (late to the party this year) and we scouted during first season, only because it was the only time both of us could make the trip happen. I didn't see any elk, but we were lower in elevation than I expected them to be - mostly went to scope out the area and come up with a plan.
Heard two shots right at 7:00, and then two more within 5 minutes of each other. Didn't hear anything else the rest of the day, but saw a lot of people driving around.

 

[Buffalorider]

I have a 4th season tag, but my resident buddies hunted 1st rifle and said it was the best it’s been in years. Saw 100+ elk and 6 shooter bulls.


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