Stick a fork in me - I’m done

[cnelk]

Just returned home from spending 22 days of hunting the Colorado OTC archery elk season.

I never drew my bow.
This is the 4th time in 20 years that I didn’t punch my elk tag. So I’m still above average

A week of that time, I had 3 NonRes buddies and my son in camp.
We had a good time chasing a just few bugles. It was a different year as far elk numbers tho. I called in a few elk but there seemed to be a tree in the way or too thick for a shot.
One morning, 4 of us had a bugling bull surrounded within 50yds. So thick he still slipped through without a shot.

We feasted well - fresh walleye, pulled pork, lasagna and a few cocktails.

Some things I learned this season where I hunted:

1- the wolves are a real issue in Northern Colorado. They kept the elk quiet and very dispersed. I talked to a nearby rancher on my out of the woods this morning and he said the wolves were seen chasing his cattle the other night.

2- ML hunters also have a real impact during their week. I drove over to the Owl Mtn area one day and was absolutely floored with the amount of hunters in that area. Definitely an area to stay away from!

3- Colorado OTC Archery Elk pressure is also a very real thing. Hunters damn near everywhere.

Next year is far away but after this year, I’m definitely going to reconsider some things.

I did bring home a moose shed tho!

 

[Maverick1]

Just returned home from spending 22 days of hunting the Colorado OTC archery elk season.

I never drew my bow.
This is the 4th time in 20 years that I didn’t punch my elk tag. So I’m still above average

A week of that time, I had 3 NonRes buddies and my son in camp.
We had a good time chasing a just few bugles. It was a different year as far elk numbers tho. I called in a few elk but there seemed to be a tree in the way or too thick for a shot.
One morning, 4 of us had a bugling bull surrounded within 50yds. So thick he still slipped through without a shot.

We feasted well - fresh walleye, pulled pork, lasagna and a few cocktails.

Some things I learned this season where I hunted:

1- the wolves are a real issue in Northern Colorado. They kept the elk quiet and very dispersed. I talked to a nearby rancher on my out of the woods this morning and he said the wolves were seen chasing his cattle the other night.

2- ML hunters also have a real impact during their week. I drove over to the Owl Mtn area one day and was absolutely floored with the amount of hunters in that area. Definitely an area to stay away from!

3- Colorado OTC Archery Elk pressure is also a very real thing. Hunters damn near everywhere.

Next year is far away but after this year, I’m definitely going to reconsider some things.

I did bring home a moose shed tho!

View attachment 456163

Sounds familiar! Maybe you should have gone deeper off the road? (Too soon?! ).

 

[Indian Summer]

If you didn’t kill an elk things aren’t looking too good. Seeing a hunter like you not kill is a reminder that tag soup can happen to anyone. It makes me nervous! I’ve killed so many in a row the odds are not in my favor. I leave for Wyoming in a couple weeks. Hopefully I won’t come home a make the same post. Even in Wyoming it seems like there’s more pressure. I don’t really understand why since the number of licenses sold stays the same.

Good luck with the rest of your season.

 

[cgasner1]

On my way home from being gone for 2 weeks on a moose hunt my partners archery season wrapped up while we where in camp seems odd to be coming home and my archery season is just about to start


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cj0n3s12]

Jealous you got to spend 22 days out there. Moose shed is cool though!

 

[ozyclint]

As an outsider it seems Colorado OTC is a basket case.

 

[CJohnson]

That’s a heck of moose shed though!

 

[cnelk]

Sounds familiar! Maybe you should have gone deeper off the road? (Too soon?! ).

Never had a problem for years until the wolves moved in.

 

[5MilesBack]

Man, you got 5 days to go. Things were just starting to get going where I was on Thursday and Friday.....after 14 days of frustrating hunting. Heading back up in the morning.

 

[SandyCreek]

The wolves in that area are why I cashed in my moose points on a cow last year. Figured I might as well kill one before the voters in boulder by proxy do.

 

[Gerbdog]

Yea hunting pressure was real this year... and i found the elk to be a little odd in their behavior also... i found herd bulls cowed up Sept 1st and i just finished my hunt this weekend on a group of cows with no herd bull and the spike was still around... hadnt been chased off by a bigger bull yet. Unusual.

 

[Poser]

Hold up. Did I just read that a guy who hunts elk 22 days straight complains about the pressure impact of muzzleloaders?

What about the pressure impact you had while HUNTING 22 DAYS IN A ROW?

 

[cnelk]

Hold up. Did I just read that a guy who hunts elk 22 days straight complains about the pressure impact of muzzleloaders?

What about the pressure impact you had while HUNTING 22 DAYS IN A ROW?

Wrong. I said I hunted 22 days.
NOT IN A ROW

 

[isItFallYet]

I think my buddy found the other matching shed near owl mtn.

 

[cnelk]

I think my buddy found the other matching shed near owl mtn.

That’s cool. But I was a long way from Owl Mtn

 

[justin davis]

Sad to hear about the wolves. They aren’t even “here yet”. And we are seeing some issues already

Sucks

 

[rayporter]

the times, they are a changing!!!!

 

[Dead Coyote]

We went 4 for 6 people in 6 days Public OTC. 1 cow and 3 bulls and yes we seen people and a lot of bears. One I stopped running to my son calling for me at 8 feet. A nice 300 pound Sow with Cubs. Things were a little hairy, but Thank God she turned and ran.

 

[Billy Goat]

I get it, 22 days in, I can't feel my legs either...

 

[isItFallYet]

That’s cool. But I was a long way from Owl Mtn

So was I except one morning that I did hunt it. There were 5 hunters in the same drainage so I left.