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Where are the elk in October?

I have been hunting a spot in the Zirkel Wilderness for 3 years now. During archery, I am hunting the alpine meadows right at treeline, and have really had good success. This year, is my little boys first elk hunt, a first rifle cow tag in the same unit. My question is: Where can we expect to see the elk second week of October? I have never hunted elk this late, so I'm a little worried. Should we stick to the same general areas that I bowhunt? Barring any significant weather events, will the elk tend to stay up pretty high until snow falls?

The elk will be up high until either heavy pressure or significant snow pushes them down. I would certainly take a look at the places you have experience and have seen them before. If they are not there I would watch the wind and slowly work the lower meadows and aspen stands at the prime hours of the day. If you find a very promising location, you could set up and wait just like archery season. This would save the boys energy and avoid rushed shots.

I agree with RogBow. You should stick with the areas you know. There is really no reason for the elk to move between archery season and 1st rifle. Barring a huge early storm I think you will find them the same places you see them during archery until pressure causes changes. Good luck to your son!

I agree. Unless there is a really major weather event they will be in the same place. Even what seems to be a major weather event doesn't really faze them. They seem to know that it will warm up and melt off.

A few cows that weren't bred in September Will be coming into estrus about then and the bulls are very interested in a cow in heat call.

Last year I missed a bull on the last day of archery season. I took my granddaughter on the first rifle hunt and she shot a bull no more than 300 yards from same spot, in fact it might have been the same bull. This was about 10,000 ft, and it was a warm Fall.

Good luck!

Same areas as rifle season. They will sense no hunters have been in the woods for 2 weeks after archery and may go back to their old patterns of coming out a little early in the meadows.

2nd season is when the elk really get stirred up

I am bringing my bow in the same week for a cow hunt unit 14 but I have never hunted the Zirkels. My plan was to head in at the north lake trail head past seedhead. Any advice on this area or a better jumping off point would be appreciated.

FYI there's a 500 acre fire just above Big Red Park and it sounds like they're gonna let it burn. Access to North Zirkel will be affected

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