2016 Colorado Elk Scouting
Elk
OK, so other threads are featuring gloating or whining about draw results, unfair state policies or "it's about frickin' time I drew, I had more preference points than my dodge has miles" kind of threads in all their full glory.
I'd like to spend some time instead talking about and sharing ideas, photos and insights about what we're all going to be doing for the next few months whether we drew our dream unit or will be hunting a spectacular OTC unit.
I'm already planning on buying a new trail camera and finding some new country in the unit I plan to hunt. I'm also hoping to find some mt bike trails that will let me get to good vantage points for glassing. My gear repair list is growing and I know I have some tuning to do based on early arrow flight.
Anyone else?
Just waiting for the snow to melt and get some boots on the ground!
It appears a buddy and I have drawn. I am just perplexed on where I want to hunt as three areas have a great amount of Elk one area I have never been but was only a few miles across the boarder two years ago and the Elk were massive. I think a July week long trip will be in order.
Last summer our son was born and it was busy to say the least. Over the next four months or so I will be in the unit I drew for 60-70 days, plan to do a little hiking every couple of days, plus putting up a trail camera or two! Wish me luck!
Such an amazing hunt last year in Wyoming and hoping our hunt this year is just as amazing. Getting a new clothing setup after years getting by in cotton.
Going scout and put up cameras next month. Need to learn more about the area I've been hunting. You know, I wonder what's over the mountain kinda stuff.
Not only did I find a killer new hot spot today, but also collected a pound of morels! Great day!
I'd glassed this basin for a few years but hadn't bothered to find a way into it. Finally got serious and figured out a little access point into the NF where it touches private using Jordan's DIY Hunting map. Asked a nearby landowner and he confirmed I could park there and hike in from that corner.
Only a mile in on an easy hike, vs. four miles over steep nasty rocky deadfall from the other NF side. Which is why elk are always there when I glass it.
It has everything, including plenty of previous years elk sign, lots of rubs, wallows, two small streams, aspens, grassy meadows and steep timbered bedding slopes. And I bumped a couple bulls out of a very established bedding area.
Even more psyched now! Smoked pulled pork with sauteed morels and steamed asparagus and a couple cold Fat Tire ambers tonight at the cabin... :)
Jaquomo, ha; that is some pretty good gloating...congrats!!!
I'm just looking at a new area for OTC. I believe it will be good. Bought a Jeep so I will play around with that getting into areas I would not take my truck. Then I will put the pack on and see what I am getting into. Gonna be fun.Jeeps are stupid in price!
I will be doing the same thing I would even if I had not drawn one of the tags I wanted.
workout / virtual scouting / workout / go thru all my gear / workout.
did I mention workout!!!
After Sundays backpack hike ill be watching were I put my feet a little closer. Ive never met a more pissed off copperhead.
I scouted 2 new OTC areas this weekend. I'd say that the snow is a lot lower than I was expecting. Some roads I was hoping would be open were not and we did about 10 hours of driving in a day to get around to those areas. Definitely not as much success as Lou! Going to have to stay after it. I have 3 or 4 OTC units I'm considering for this year. I didn't even know there were morels in the mountains.
Happy to have got some time to head up and see some new territory. Took the trail camera up but didn't find any where worth placing it. Scouting with a pregnant wife is going to make it tough.. she normally can out hike most guys. But especially since it's our first she wants to take it easy and for some reason wants me to be around.. at least I timed it for an after hunting season delivery date!
I'll be headed to CO again this year to a unit I've hunted twice before. Hoping to find my release where I left it while breaking down a bull and a bugle where I left it next to a secluded little spring. :-)
Ha ha Nick!!
Working out, scouting a familiar OTC unit, researching a new unit in another state, lots of shooting and gear tinkering. Map study galore.
After hunting my areas for over 25 years, there are just a couple new spots I want to check out.
Other than that, I will be doing mostly 'elkcamping' over the summer
I have three really good areas and I just can not decide, maybe I need to take three weeks to hunt instead of one this year.
Finally got out in the mountains. I found a number of new areas that look great! how much good are game cameras? I have found that the elk are in different places in the hunting season than the summer. My best scouting sign is rubs on trees. That shows where they are during the rut.
Lou can f8nd mushrooms ANYWHERE, especially when eating the ones he grows in the back of the house!
Hung two cameras over two different willows but they are fed by the same spring. Kind of like Lou but easier to get into I found a meadow and bedding area just behind a well used meadow and trail. I shot my bear close to this new area and I've had a few bugling matches there but now I see why they stay in there.
Next up, hike around a lone mountain because Google Earth shows a saddle on the backside, that connects this mountain to the rest of the chain, that is not visible from the only road in the area.
The next two months is basically a waiting game for me. I like to hunt high country and these are some photos of me trying to get in to set some trail cameras in a new unit last year mid June. It was mid July before we actually were able to get down into it the bottom.
I usually just start researching hypotheticals this time of year, then I have a list of places to hit as access becomes available.
Heading up this afternoon for to set a few cameras and get a sense for snow pack. I also like to hunt very high, so expecting the snow to be an issue still.
I am extremely excited for this year's hunt. It's even going to be otc in Co. After talking with Ike a plan was figured out and now it's in motion. Come July I will be in the unit's every weekend to scout and see if Ike's ideas can be accessible and will be holding elk come September.
Screw elk. They are too easy to hunt. Hanging up the bow and going only for archery deer this fall.
Good luck to all you who like the ease of calling in those love struck bulls that are dumb as rocks!!!
Took my new Kenetrek bridgers out today and they did quite well. Wore them for two hours yesterday and all day today. Set up elk spa but forgot to bring a SD card, so no pics until next weekend.
I need help. I have never seen nor heard an elk before in my life. One of my items on bucket list is to hunt an elk, if you noticed I said, hunt not kill one. I have applied for the NM drawing for two years and have had no luck, this year I plan to go to buy OTC tag in Colorado. Is there a senior citizen out there that can show me the ropes. I am 74 years old in fairly good shape and a Bow Hunter.
Did some glassing the last couple of days. Don't like to bump the cows this time of year wth new calves. Saw a nice big blonde bear. My OTC area has elk in it from early spring to early winter. This cow walked up on me.
June for most of us archers is when our feet hit the ground to start scouting from the recent good news of the tags we have drawn. This year will be a little different for me since both archery tags start a lot later than what I am accustomed to. Although very excited to get started I feel like I have a bit of a cushion of time. I feel very fortunate to have drawn a Desert Sheep tag that starts late November and a late season Muley tag that starts December 1st. Very excited about both.
I was going to go scout this weekend, but between the high chance of thunderstorms and the hordes of people out for the holiday weekend,i decided too wait.
This is one of three weekends that I don't go to the mountains......
Amen to that! I did buy a new pair of Lowas, replaced the ones I bought 4 years ago. Now I have two great boots. I also just got the Onx maps app for my phone. My shooting is getting better out to 80 yards. Relax, relax, it is just for practice purposes!!
I like to go this weekend to learn where the recreational ATV riders will be concentrated on Labor Day weekend. Also tells me where other bowhunters are less likely to hunt because they're ascared of ATVs.
The elk I'll hunt in September aren't there now but the rubs and wallows are. They'll listen to those ATVs ride by while lying in their beds in the cool timber, chewing cud.
Antler growth is getting exciting!
I went scouting in Routt NF this last weekend, the entire area I wanted to hunt has been eliminated as it is now totally surrounded by private land, and the owners are not allowing access. One a**hole went so far as to put a giant rolling steel gate across the forestry road. Needless to say, that area won't be practical this year as the hike in would be over 10 miles now from the nearest access.
I plan on scouting the Sangres in late August to see what I can see.
I can tell you that the racks I saw in Rocky Mountain National Park were amazing. Of course we can't hunt those guys. But it was nice to at least see animals after the scouting trip was ruined.
Not this year.... but in a couple!
Plan to be back up in my spot the next two weekends. Let it rest one weekend then back to hunt!
Ran out to my spot this morning. It was WET. 4wd going sideways way too often. Steering was just a suggestion as the road took me where it liked regardless.
I got there though. And back out. Rained the entire time. All sign washed out and nothing fresh enough to not be washed out. That was disappointing. Called a bit with bugle and cow calls. No responses but the elk in this area are not very vocal so no big surprise. Hoped off season they might be more inclined to respond. Heck, maybe they are gone. sigh.
Had fun though and found some new stuff.
Loads of sign and elk in the unit. WET! Water everywhere! This will make it more challenging than normal, but I can hardly wait! Got video of a 5x5 bull sleeping 25 yards from me. He finally winded me but walked off quietly.
