Which week?

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Jan 12, 2021
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Newbie elk hunter post #2.

If you had an early season CO archery elk tag in your pocket and had your pick of 7-10 days in September to hunt, what would be your “go to”? With my work, I have the flexibility to pretty much pick and choose a straight 7-10 days for a hunt.

Thanks for your input. The feedback my 1st post got was amazing!!
 
Can you scout?
I could incorporate scouting time, but I am coming from Ohio once. I cannot make two trips as of right now. So, I will be out once to hunt with e-scouting. I know I will need to learn once I have boots on the ground. My overall, long term application strategy takes this into account. I am in year one.
 
Another vote for right after muzzleloader ends. Early season has been a a very hot or cold experience for me, while 3rd/4th week usually gives a little bit more consistency on rut action for me
 
Does 10 days include travel time?

Early season is more likely to be warmer weather but there will be more bulls looking for cows.

Later in the season you will probably have cooler weather and the potential for more vocal elk.

On the other hand, you might roll in Labor Day weekend and they're going apeshit.

Guys always think the rut is late or whatever because it's warm. It's always right on time because of biology. It's just a matter of where you're standing when they're getting after it.

There's really too many variables to say what period will be better than another for any given area.
 
For Colorado archery I’d say Sept 12-22 ish has been good.

Local knowledge can vary. I see more elk early and easier to somewhat call, bigger herds by the end and see bigger bulls but all seem to run away and are dispersed more, or pushed onto private after the muzzy.
 
I spent the entire month of Sept, west chasing bulls. Have killed early and late.

I find early bulls looking for cows easier than late season bulls w cows. And only having one nose and 2 eyes is way better than 20 noses and 40 sets of eyes. But again, early tends to be hot/warm. Where late is always cool.

Make a decision, go and enjoy.
 
Does 10 days include travel time?

Early season is more likely to be warmer weather but there will be more bulls looking for cows.

Later in the season you will probably have cooler weather and the potential for more vocal elk.

On the other hand, you might roll in Labor Day weekend and they're going apeshit.

Guys always think the rut is late or whatever because it's warm. It's always right on time because of biology. It's just a matter of where you're standing when they're getting after it.

There's really too many variables to say what period will be better than another for any given area.
I would say 10 days does include travel. It would take me one day getting there and one day back. It is a relatively easy trip. I have been out there before for family vacation.
 
If you scout and locate a bull then kill him opening week. If you can’t scout, and hoping to find them screaming and rutting then go 3rd/4th week
 
@Fibonacci4u can you work remotely? The reason i ask is last year i rented a VRBO in the unit i had a tag the last week of August. Every evening i was off work at 3:30 and hit the hills, scouting and looking for elk. This year I'm doing it again (working remotely). Only I'm doing it the 2nd week of September and I'll be scouting with my bow in hand and then hunting f/t the last 2 weeks of season. Just a thought if you can.
 
I could incorporate scouting time, but I am coming from Ohio once. I cannot make two trips as of right now. So, I will be out once to hunt with e-scouting. I know I will need to learn once I have boots on the ground. My overall, long term application strategy takes this into account. I am in year one.

I'd get in the Monday that ML opens, chat up some of those folks as they are getting ready to bail, and hunt off that Intel.

If you could scout, I'd get some cameras up mid August, return at the end of the month, and hunt off that information for a few days. Then either reset cameras and return during ML (above), or stick out the rest of opening week.
 
Opening day can be awesome if you know what you're doing or hit the luck lottery. After that, things can go downhill quickly. With extensive knowledge of my area, I like the late September better, but I'm not sure odds change much for a NR. I'd take a cool at the moon calendar and base it off that if you need to make a decision pretty far out.
 
Get a full day of glassing the day before the season opens, know where to be in the dark on opening morning and then hunt until your time is up.

We have had a really hard time hunting after the muzzy guys. They kill a lot and make a real mess of things in my experience.
 
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