Late Rifle or Archery Rut?

[Bulldawg]

If you guys were to be burning a fair amount of points, would you choose to hunt elk in a good unit with a bow or in another good unit with a rifle during the 4th rifle season (Colorado)? I am on the fence, I want to burn my points this year and I can't decide what to do, I love hunting bugling bulls but I really get a kick out of glassing up bulls during the later season and this is going to be the last time I will have an opportunity at either tag so I am going crazy over here. Tell me what you think!

 

[ahlgringo]

Easy for me- bow season all day, everyday. Up close and personal. BUT- your points, you gotta decide


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[drrice]

Archery all the way

 

[elkguide]

Archery for sure. Love a bugling bull.

 

[Bearded Bowhunter]

Archery any day. Nothing beats mid to late September in elk country.

 

[elkduds]

Early rifle (gmu 61) or 1st rifle in CO. Elk are likely still bugling. Or muzzy if you want to go bang during the rut.

 

[lang]

No question-Archery

 

[idahohikker]

Archery is more fun; I agree with everyone else. Usually rifle seasons have better success rates because of the weapon's range. Which one is more important to you? There are other factors to consider but I think those are two of the main ones.

 

[sndmn11]

I would choose an archery tag because the length of the season allows for unforeseen circumstances to not muck up the whole season.....illness, family death, truck trouble, alien abduction, etc.

 

[les welch]

Archery elk anytime without a doubt.

 

[5MilesBack]

I would choose an archery 300 bull every time over a rifle 400 bull. Nothing like September and screaming bulls.

 

[Bulldawg]

Wow that's pretty unanimous! I love bugling bulls as much as the last guy but I spent quite a bit of time last season, for the first time, sitting behind glass and glassing for bulls in their later season patterns and it was pretty awesome. I was looking for and glassing 5 and small 6 point bulls in the 3rd season OTC but I got the major itch to glass up big bulls in one of the upper end units. I hunt archery every year and love it, and I only hunt in all honesty pretty crummy units, so I started saving points to hunt the rut in a better unit and now that I have the points I don't know what I really want to spend them on haha.

Half of me wants to spend a lot of time behind the glass find the "The Bull" and pursuing a big bull with the rifle and the other half wants to get into the high country surrounded by elk bugling non stop and zipping and arrow through one. Decisions decisions

 

[Jon Boy]

Wow that's pretty unanimous! I love bugling bulls as much as the last guy but I spent quite a bit of time last season, for the first time, sitting behind glass and glassing for bulls in their later season patterns and it was pretty awesome. I was looking for and glassing 5 and small 6 point bulls in the 3rd season OTC but I got the major itch to glass up big bulls in one of the upper end units. I hunt archery every year and love it, and I only hunt in all honesty pretty crummy units, so I started saving points to hunt the rut in a better unit and now that I have the points I don't know what I really want to spend them on haha.

Half of me wants to spend a lot of time behind the glass find the "The Bull" and pursuing a big bull with the rifle and the other half wants to get into the high country surrounded by elk bugling non stop and zipping and arrow through one. Decisions decisions

Funny I have had the same experiences as you. I've killed far more elk with my bow than any other weapon and I absolutely love screaming bulls into bow range.. However, the last two seasons I've been able to spend some time behind the glass late into rifle season and boy do I love glassing up big bulls in scree fields with snow on the ground. I hunt multiple states so its easy for me, Late rifle. I will bow hunt another state the same year. When looking at premium tags I am always going the late rifle route. I can have fantastic bow hunts in OTC units in Montana or Idaho any year and a late rifle tag in a premium unit is going to offer me a much greater chance at success.

 

[Ross]

I enjoy both equally so would be tough decision for me. In the end would decide how much you love the intense bugling action knowing the limitations of success with a bow versus being able to reach out and touch one with a rifle. Good luck

 

[Foldem]

Late rifle for me. September is Muley season

 

[mtnrunner260]

Late rifle because you can otc archery in other states and in most cases you'll be able to draw another archery tag with less points.

 

[cnelk]

I like to hunt elk early and deer late

 

[PredatorX]

I'd say trust your instincts. I love to hunt with the stickbow. But this year my instincts tell me to take the boom stick. That could be because I haven't killed one yet with the bow haha.

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[Travis Bertrand]

thats a tough call. I hunt rifle, bow, and muzzy. I would say whatever that chances are at killing a big bull. you can probably have the same amount of fun killing a smaller bull with your bow with less points... like 0

 

[DEHusker]

This, to me, is totally dependent on the unit. Colorado has such a short 4th season for bulls that you gotta get in there and find one. If you can't find them it is a miserable hunt. I hunted 4th season rifle bulls in Colorado one time and finding elk was really tough. Big bulls have been hounded and hounded for months by that point and are usually holed up in thick, nasty, dark, difficult to access timber. I have had little success glassing such thick country late season. Throw in access issues with snow, cold, wind, etc and it can get pretty bleak pretty quick. At least archery allows a much longer season to find them, plus they are talking. IDK, unless you have max or close to max points, there are not many archery units in Colorado that I'd consider truly premium units. If you have the drop on a great "glassing" unit for the late season and KNOW where the elk will probably be, I'd go archery.