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Second season crowds

This is my first time hunting second season. Always heard how busy it gets. Got to Kremmling yesterday at my daughters. The town and highways are loaded with hunters. Archery season doesn't hold a candle to this. Easy to see why the local businesses count on it. Wow! Heading out this morning to camp and go have look up on my secret mountain and maybe tie a deer up for tomorrow. Hunted this spot fourth season lasted year with very limited tags so this year will be a new adventure. But at least I will be hunting! Good luck to all you second season hunters out there.

I'm taking my dad to my spot where I archery elk hunt and also brought my nephew this year during 1st season. From what I saw is rifle hunters are very, very different from archery hunters. Huge camps that look like a music festival and lots of trucks driving around. I've never been in this area during 2nd rifle so anxious to see how it goes. But you're right, at least I'll be hunting!

2nd season in Colorado is NOT what I would call hunting. Horribly overcrowded. I stay out of the woods in this one - for anything. Hell, I won’t even go into some of my fishing places this time of year.

You're right Treeline. This is absolutely insane and the last time I'll go with anyone on an OTC rifle bull hunt. We planned on staying a few more days but decided to head home 1st thing in the morning. Not worth it.

Is third season any better?

Just think. Be happy all these people dont bow hunt

Well I'm sitting in a glassing spot this morning. Four does at first light. One buck late yesterday that I passed on. Back on a somewhat isloted bench in steep rocky stuff. Haven't been bothered by other hunters yet. But I can glass for miles and see multiple vehicles parked all over. I'll stick it out. Did I mention no big buck has found this spot yet this weekend? I'll let you know how it ends up.

Good luck! Hopefully most of the horde will start to clear out and the critters will move around a little better.

I made it one day as well. I bailed last night. Saw a couple cow elk, but it was hard to get excited. Quads everywhere, running up and down the road. Trucks driving up the main forest service roads at 3mph with guys looking out the windows. I was not impressed.

Also, I’ve come to the realization I’m a terrible deer hunter. Year 4 of not seeing a buck with a rifle buck tag.

Yeah, middle seasons are pretty crowded. If you hike at least a mile off the roads you'll find much more solitude, road hunters are ridiculous but at least they stay near the roads...

I saw 2 other hunters opening day first rifle. Course I was 3 miles in. Sounds like you guys road hunt during archery season?

I was 4 miles in where I saw people. I hiked in before first light and sat on a point. Two guys came strolling up to the point an hour after first light. They didn’t realize I was there until they were 20 yards away. You could see the disbelief and disgust on their faces. Haha

I put 15 miles opening day per the gps dirk. No road hunting here! I only heard 3 shots and I was out all day. It’s possible I wasn’t in a very target rich environment.

Yea right Dirk, road hunt during archery lol

I went and hiked looking for grouse, I had my pumpkin suit on. over the course of a day and 5 miles of hiking and 12 driving I saw 47 and one wildlife officer. She was very nice.

Rifle hunters no more than a mile from the road. Muzzle loaders maybe over a mile but not very often. Archery hunters 5 plus miles or further only till they kill one that far back. Then they figure out how to get in better shape?

Huge difference in pressure between first rifle - all limited draw, five day season and elk only, vs second and third combined seasons with OTC elk and deer at the same time. But one thing you can count on: after the first weekend the enthusiasm and energy levels of 80% of the hunters drops way off. They give it hell for a couple days and then the whiskey, cigars, and cards take precedence in many camps. Guys get up at 8 and start the road hunting circuit.

Like one guy at the gas station told me, "Hunting was terrible. The only thing we killed was a big bottle of whiskey."

Well I decided to get 'er done. Watched a small 4x4 for over twenty minutes. Kept debating about wanting to get to my camp back home and hunt birds and get ready for our upcoming deer season. But was initially planning to hold out. Finally decided, what the hell, and shot. Been gone a lot. So head home Tuesday morning. Sitting at my daughter's with a drink and watching a little football. Have to take the head to Hot Sulphur in the morning for mandatory cwd test. Yah there were a lot of guys on wheels running the roads. I hiked back to a kind of out of the way ugly spot and saw 10 deer. It was fun. Always is.

Congrats!

So the outfitter I guided archery for asked me to come out now and guide rifle. No way. My mind is headed home. Miss too much when you work. ( Treeline!). That's why I retired over 12 years ago!

now you know why the elk rifle success is only 18% overall in Colorado.

Congrats on the deer op. Paul

Took my son elk hunting this past weekend where I archery hunt. During month of archery season we may see less than a half dozen other hunters; most of those are bear hunters. We camped near where we wanted to hunt. In the morning we had 12 people come by our camp. Maybe two hunters could hunt the area. Knowing the area is key. I went to where I knew the elk would run as soon as it got light. My son did not connect but he had an opportunity. The other hunter said they did not see anything. We saw over 50 elk come out of the valley. The last part of the season is always better as far as crowds are concerned.

OTC seasons are a mess down here. DOW always brings in four other officers to help patrol. The county roads look like highways with guys zipping up them before first light. And the lil junction restaurant at 5 am is super crowded. Never could understand guys sitting in a restaurant dressed in camo eating a huge breakfast... The hunters font bring in as much money to small ski towns like the skiers do. With wolf creek being opened and snow falling on a regular basis, the ski shops and motels are packed. Skiers come more often, usually several times a year, spend more money in town and stay at motels or condos. All I know is from the scammer going off a lot, the deputy sheriffs and Dow is keeping pretty busy. And the elk keep piling in on the three big ranches around here.

The crowding during rifle stinks but I'm thankful there are still folks out hunting. No, they might not approach it like many of us but the day when there isn't a demand for the opportunity to go hunting we will all be worse off.

Opening morning we covered 5 miles on foot saw 3 other hunters from about 600 yards away and killed a bull in one of the most crowded units around my house. Just like archery, it is all about knowledge and experience. You watch people and it can get pretty predictable as to where they will go and what they will do...

As some mentioned on here go where you think they will end up not where they should be. In a unit we have hunted in the past they go low as you can drive, camp and hike down from the top. This is a good thing for us as they push the Elk low into the quakies. Pressure can be a good thing. Think like a blocker in a massive pheasant hunt.

Glunt x 2

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