Old Colorado OTC elk

[Andrewlonghi]

Out of all your years of hunting OTC in Colorado, has anyone hunted the same bull for multiple years? Did you ever get him what were some of the things you learned while trying to get him or was it just impossible the bull was just that smart.

 

[cnelk]

Of all the bulls I’ve got on camera in late summer, we’ve never killed one that I got on camera.

 

[Jbehredt]

I can’t say for certain that I’ve ever seen the same bull twice.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

Hunted the same bull for 6 years, OTC rifle, game camera footage, and always seen him a week before my tag. But never could catch up with him with tag in hand


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jaquomo]

Yes, when I used to hunt and guide on a ranch that was my BLM spot before a big land trade. He had a distinctive drooping brow tine.. I killed him in the third year I hunted him. Wasn't so much that he was "smart", but that I just never had a good opportunity to get an arrow into him.

 

[Tobe_B]

Been chasing the same bull for the last 3 years. Pictures on cameras and rumors of people seeing him continue to surface. Had one chance back in 2021 and a buddy I was with messed it up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[5MilesBack]

Ya, I found a bull one year during archery that I blew an opportunity on. The next year I found him in the same location. He was actually bedding within 5 yards of a trail. I came around a bend and smelled him. I quickly checked the wind with my powder and started sneaking in, not knowing how far out he was. At less than 10 yards, he jumped out of his bed and took off. Even at only 5 yards off the trail, I still couldn't see much of him as he left his bed. Later that season I jumped him again right off that trail but a couple hundred yards above that first spot after some switchbacks. The next season I ended up shooting him, but had no idea it was the same bull until the blood trail led right to his bed from the year before.

Another bull I chased one year that had a horse whinny kind of bugle.....very unique. Then didn't hunt that unit the next year, but was back the year after that with my daughter for her ML tag. First day we hunted that year I found him, along with his horse whinny, but never could get a shot. Then my buddy that's a game warden in there ended up shooting him the next year during first rifle. He was a nice bull the first year I found him. He was a stud when my buddy shot him. This was the first year I saw him. The date is wrong on my camera, I replaced the batteries and never reset it.

The worst part was......when I first found that bull, I bugled from just above that tree above him. He was in the bottom when he whinnied back. I worked my way down and couldn't find him, so bugled again. He responded from the pic spot and all I could do was shake my head. Over the course of about 30 minutes, we had completely switched places. I did try to come up a small draw to the right of that pic, but never did find him again that season.

 

[Andrewlonghi]

Been chasing the same bull for the last 3 years. Pictures on cameras and rumors of people seeing him continue to surface. Had one chance back in 2021 and a buddy I was with messed it up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe this year

 

[Andrewlonghi]

Ya, I found a bull one year during archery that I blew an opportunity on. The next year I found him in the same location. He was actually bedding within 5 yards of a trail. I came around a bend and smelled him. I quickly checked the wind with my powder and started sneaking in, not knowing how far out he was. At less than 10 yards, he jumped out of his bed and took off. Even at only 5 yards off the trail, I still couldn't see much of him as he left his bed. Later that season I jumped him again right off that trail but a couple hundred yards above that first spot after some switchbacks. The next season I ended up shooting him, but had no idea it was the same bull until the blood trail led right to his bed from the year before.

Another bull I chased one year that had a horse whinny kind of bugle.....very unique. Then didn't hunt that unit the next year, but was back the year after that with my daughter for her ML tag. First day we hunted that year I found him, along with his horse whinny, but never could get a shot. Then my buddy that's a game warden in there ended up shooting him the next year during first rifle. He was a nice bull the first year I found him. He was a stud when my buddy shot him. This was the first year I saw him. The date is wrong on my camera, I replaced the batteries and never reset it.
View attachment 668124
The worst part was......when I first found that bull, I bugled from just above that tree above him. He was in the bottom when he whinnied back. I worked my way down and couldn't find him, so bugled again. He responded from the pic spot and all I could do was shake my head. Over the course of about 30 minutes, we had completely switched places. I did try to come up a small draw to the right of that pic, but never did find him again that season.

That's a nice bull for sure

 

[Ddubs20]

Tried stalking in close the last day of archery and bumped the herd and bull at 20 yards, got to within 50 with no shot an hour later. Opening day the next year, I had him come by at 40, held my draw forever while he was behind a tree, let it fly and hit a downed tree...
He was slightly bigger the year prior.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Not my bull but a buddy of mine has chased a bruiser of bull in a heavily hunted otc unit, bull is a tank with a super distinct and wavy royal, saw him two years ago, this last year he got close, if he makes it through winter I bet he will be around in Sept

 

[buffybr]

I was born in Colorado, but I only hunted the last 10 years that I lived there. All of my hunts were DIY on public land and I don't remember hunting in the same area twice. Although I have killed some nice bulls, all of my elk hunting has primarily been for the meat so each year I shot the first legal elk that I saw.

My Colorado elk were 5 5x5 bulls, 1 6x6 bull, and 1 cow. That 6x6 bull wasn't exceptional, but he did draw a crowd when I stopped at the Idaho Spgs check station.