Two Weeks in the Colorado Elk Woods

[ColoradoBowhunter]

Muzzy season kills the archery hunt here in CO. I can't stress enough how much I hate how they set the dates up. You're best best is going to be the couple days before Muzzy starts or the last few days of Archery season. If I was spending 2 weeks I would try and get somewhere that I wasn't hearing many muzzy shots and start scouting. By the last couple days of archery they should be sounding off again. Given that it's warmer every year I'd put my money on the rut being later vs earlier. Thoughts on where you're headed? Good luck!

 

[trophyhill]

Muzzy season kills the archery hunt here in CO. I can't stress enough how much I hate how they set the dates up. You're best best is going to be the couple days before Muzzy starts or the last few days of Archery season. If I was spending 2 weeks I would try and get somewhere that I wasn't hearing many muzzy shots and start scouting. By the last couple days of archery they should be sounding off again. Given that it's warmer every year I'd put my money on the rut being later vs earlier. Thoughts on where you're headed? Good luck!

Was it last year or the year before we had snow the second week of September?

 

[Gerbdog]

Was two years ago, 2020 i believe, got out of the woods with my elk 3 days before the area got 18"s, and last year we had the driest fall into January ive seen since moving here. Weather be fickle.

Was a super dry spring but seems like the monsoons have come in for the summer so... im hopeful those antlers are growing

 

[Hoyt Ag]

I live in Meeker, work in Craig and we seem to be getting rain pretty regularly in some areas. I know Unit 22 has gotten more than average rain for June and July. 12 and 24 as well. I think last two weeks of Sept are going to be two amazing weeks of hunting for us all.

 

[ColoradoBowhunter]

Was it last year or the year before we had snow the second week of September?

Yup It was 2 years ago. I was actually hunting in Utah. High winds caused a massive blowdown. It was like someone packed the trees with dynamite and set them all off. Trees on that ridge got totally blown over and there was not an elk to be seen in there after that. And yes, add snow on top of all that. Here are 2 pictures of the same hillside. Sunny one is before, cloudy one is after the snow melted off but you can see all the trees that got blown over.


I got back to CO and went up to the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area to hunt where I had scouted and the treefall made it so tough to get in. Didn't see a single elk up there but probably a good thing because getting it out with all the fallen trees would have been....challenging.

 

[dnfletch79]

I prefer to avoid the muzzleloader hunters, but I prefer the first week of the season but I am probably in the minority.

 

[EVD]

Was it last year or the year before we had snow the second week of September?

Last year on the 21st, it was 18 degrees with 2-3" of snow when we left the truck in the morning. Cold, but a great morning as my friend at 62, arrowed his first bull. 2 days prior it got up to 80 during the day.

 

[bigjohn2]

Probably just better timing of the rut. No doubt at all there will be more hunters in the woods. Archery guys dont slow down much during September. Its a big crowd. ML guys just add more to the pile.

Every day spent with a bow in your hands is to be coveted no mater what day you are there. From my experience the more people the better if you know escape routes the elk are using.

 

[KHNC]

Every day spent with a bow in your hands is to be coveted no mater what day you are there. From my experience the more people the better if you know escape routes the elk are using.

Well, good news is, you wont have to worry about me being n your way.