Hows Colorado Archery season been?

[TexasCub]

They’ll (CPWD) never do it because they are money grubbing bastards, but they HAVE to reduce this non-res OTC crap, it’s just a horrible formula for anything except making them money.

 

[Scooter90254]

They’ll (CPWD) never do it because they are money grubbing bastards, but they HAVE to reduce this non-res OTC crap, it’s just a horrible formula for anything except making them money.

See this is my fear. The unit I was hunting was predominantly locals. And there was a few of them who were outwardly not happy with the crowding. And I honestly don't blame them. If all of a sudden 100 extra guys showed up at my white tail camp in Michigan I would have an opinion about it.

I don't think they need to limit tag numbers at all. Still sell 50,000 archery elk tags. The problem is all 50k could go to one unit the way it is now. Most of the good elk hunting units are now being over ran. We don't want to turn the local hunters into Anti NR advocates.....

Most Colorado hunting reports will start with "Lots of Guys"

 

[Scooter90254]

And I just realized this topic is hijacking the thread.....

I apologize.

 

[TradAg02]

In the OTC unit I hunted open week, it was packed Friday-Monday am with Colorado residents. By Monday evening the unit cleared out except for a handful of nonresidents.




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[ColoradoV]

Hey just remember that it was the #1 or the top priority of the Colorado bow hunters association to keep otc totally otc!!!

Don’t forget to thank them any chance you get!

Thanks CBA!!!

 

[el_jefe_pescado]

To answer your question:

Fall has arrived...at least in NW CO. The season started off hot and dry as others have stated. But the past four days have brought a lot of moisture and cooler temps to this region. We woke up with snow on the ground at the higher points this morning. Yee haw!

I live in the center of a very popular OTC unit and get to watch elk in some capacity virtually everyday. I have seen older bulls gathering cows since the 9/4 but it is still the early phase. Now is a great time to get it done before the herds are truly “established”. I’m hearing a lot of bugling with the bulk of the action occurring at first light, it seems like the elk have been taking there sweet time getting off their beds in the evenings IMO. Don’t discount the mid-afternoon when they get up to stretch their legs and start staging toward the food.

Pressure is what it is. I would say this year is on par, that is to say there are a lot of hunters but at the same time a lot of elk. I have actually seen less hunters than the norm on the hill that I hunt. I assume it will greatly increase on Saturday. I think all the muzzleloader guys will be in for an action-packed week.

Quick note: Get off the trail and start climbing up the nasty stuff. If it looks sexy on google earth somebody else is seeing it too. If it looks like you need a chainsaw and fixed ropes to top out — you’re probably on to something (that might be a little extreme but you get the idea). We have been finding most elk in plain sight. I’ll leave it at that.

My last thought...don’t expect that bull to come lip-bawling the whole way into your setup. More often than not the times when you’re close and he shuts up are when you need to have an arrow nocked. CO elk will come in quiet, at least in my experience. I’m more interested in hearing the unmistakable “crack” of footfalls in the timber than anything. That’s been the story this year.

I’ve missed one bull thus far this season. Flat out mis-judged the yardage on what should’ve been a chip shot...So now that the monkey is off my back — let the fun begin! I hope this helps!


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[LongWayAround]

A raghorn snuck in silent on me last night after cold calling and taking a snack break on a log.

Not many elk where I'm at but I got close to a good buck this morning. I'm going to wait him out and hope for a mistake tonight.
...his rather than mine for a change.

 

[Catahoula]

Quiet first 2 weeks. No bugles heard in my area (NW Co). Came home yesterday, will blow off a week for the muzzy season. Perhaps go back up the last week of archery. A friend of mine has had chatter about two hours west of me though.

 

[Halftime Heater]

Had a small 5x5 run through my camp opening morning.

 

[BrokenArrow]

Hot and dry down SW CO also. Not a lot of kills reported. Less than usual.
A little rain last weekend and some rain starting Monday. It was 32 degrees Thursday morning at my house (8900 feet) and hoping it’s gonna kickstart some herd gathering.

 

[Sportsman247]

Couple of friends just got back from hunting up in units 4 and 5. Said they called up 6 different bulls but none presented a clear shot. All of these came from one general area and they were not able to get any responses on the other land hunted. They felt it was still early for the most part.

 

[Tejasbow]

I went opening week. First time I've ever been on opening weekend. Our experience was different than most I'm reading. We hunt high, like 10-11.5. they were bugling and using Meadows from Saturday to Wednesday when the weather changed. After that they got a little more scarce. But never went a day with seeing elk. Was an awesome trip full of frustration, disappointment, horse shoes and hand grenades.

 

[jog]

I agree with the sentiments regarding limiting tags. Too many hunters in many otc areas.
As a solo hunter there is a tipping point between temps and distance that determines how far I can ethically go (off trail) after elk. This season has been influenced more by the number of hunters than the heat. Elk do what they do with some variation to weather but when they are smelling a hunter every 1/4 mile they will get edgy and an elk that goes stealth is a lot harder to kill. I also hear bugle sequences that just do not make sense to me or the elk. Its one thing to make a poor sounding bugle, (elk can sound pretty bad too) another altogether to be saying the wrong thing. Over and Over and Over.

 

[Bassman]

Partner and I just got back from Northern part of the state for mulie and elk. From 9/5-9/9 it was pretty hot and dry. We spotted a few cows being chased by a spike while glassing for mulies but not much else, one close bugle and that was it. We ended up tagging a nice buck before the weather got very cold and wet, temps fell dramatically and dropped several inches of snow. Unfortunately, we only spotted one nice bull the entire trip (and I muff the shot and put an arrow over its back). We heard only a few distant bugles, even after the colder weather rolled through. Overall, we saw a few guys at the trailhead with downed bulls

 

[JordanH]

Hunted opening day through the following Friday 9/6. Saw a 5x5 first evening at 50 yards thought he would come to me but he went up the cliff instead of down to me. No Shot. Not much action, but lots of fresh sign. Dry. Hot. A few showers but hardly enough to keep the dust down for 15 mins.

Thurs morning the 5th my buddy and I crept down a deep drainage to get up through the dark timber and onto the finger leading from feed and water to the bedding area and avoid blowing the elk out. We go down then come up to get the wind in our face. I finally got to my spot (deep beetle kill timber with no skid trails so rough sledding) about 7:05 and hear elk crashing and cow call after cow call over where my buddy set up. I figured he shot an elk. Good.

I get set up, range some spots, call and have branches breaking in front of me. I have an elk coming! I'm nocked on, waiting, watching, listening.....nothing. I try to call again and my reed is wet and jammed. Like a dumbass I put down my bow and go to clean the reed and the bull jumps 25 yards in front behind thick brush and trees. He didn't spook hard so I call and he starts circling to my right inside 30 yards. I draw as he passes a tree and he starts into my next spot at 32 yards so I know I am dead on range wise. But I can't find my peep. It twisted. I get the pin on and the arrow deflects and kills a pine tree instead of the bull. Bull jumps but then walks off, not a hard crashing departure so he was still puzzled by what he encountered.

After an hour I go dig my arrow out of the pine and work over to my buddy. He shows me the setup and where he shot the bull. No blood for 20-30 yards then a little. Dark. i'm thinking liver shot. We track it along the top until it starts to drop off and then hear the bull crash off down the steep timber below. Damn!

We back out and go back to camp and come back at 3. In the meantime a monsoon rolled through with hard rain and hail. Any blood would be washed away and tracks ruined. We decide to start below where we first started up from the drainage figuring he bailed off down there and laid up to die. Worked perfect, we spot the bull and commence butchering him up. Takes 2 loads for 3 of us with his wife taking small 20 lb loads. I took out both hind quarters. it was rough as usual. Nice 5X6 scoring in the 250" range which ain't bad for a flatttops OTC unit under 2 miles from the main FS road.

I go back to try and fill my tag this weekend.

 

[AGPank]

I was in unit 12 from 9/1-9/9. Started hot and dry. Rained a couple days toward the end and started to cool a little.

I was in elk/bulls everyday. They were quiet, but bulls were coming in curious to an advertising sequence (see elknut app).

I got caught in some bad setups where elk came in where I wasn’t expecting them and bulls hung up just out of range.

I misjudged a nice bull who snuck in behind me at first light and shot just high. I screwed up on a small bull that came in, somehow let my arrow roll off my rest before / while drawing.

Ended up with a cow late in the hunt. Bulls were mostly alone. They were out most the day in oak brush and aspen. Never seem to have enough time, but exhausted at the end of the trip too.


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[coloyooper]

Been quiet in the woods. I'm not sure if they're just not fired up yet or it has to do with the pressure in the units I've been hunting. Blew it on a nice 5pt this weekend. Came in silent and never saw him as I was stepping around a big brushy pine. Wrapping up my season this upcoming weekend.

 

[Smallie]

First time ever elk hunting we hunted the north end of unit 18 from 9/7 until 9/14. Hiked in 3.5 miles to camp and then hunted another 2 miles from there. Only heard one bugle pretty high up and didn’t cut any fresh sign so moved around to some BLM spots. Never heard another bugle or even put eyes on an elk despite walking up and down trying to find any fresh sign but everything was about a week old. Had a blast walking until we got bluffed out and saw plenty of mule deer and witnessed the full moose rut our last morning. Had 3 bull moose come right to the ridge we were glassing from and try to fight each other at one time. Definitely made the trip worth it and we learned a ton can’t wait to get back out there next year. Good luck out there the rest of the season

 

[jog]

Coming to a honey hole near you.....

 

[ephemeral]

JordanH, that's a fine read. thank you.

Got out last two weekends. Opening was a sh!tshow with all the access points taken so I moved to a new area. Been working the dark timber. Lots of sign but nothing in the way of action. Temps took a turn past few days, and with the cooler weather I'm hoping things change. No bugles. No hunters on my side. North facing. Drop from 10,200 into 9.500 in less than a mile. I'm hosed if I stick one, but you gotta go where few are willing.

The tent is set up at the edge right now. Friday night, I'm hoping to hear a chorus.