Colorado Archery (Opinion)

BigShot · Mar 23, 2008

I have hunted Co. rifle elk seasons plenty in the past (1st-4th) and understand the pros and cons of each.

My question is this, Im an avid archer here at home (PA) and will be giving an OTC archery elk unit a try this fall.

In your opinion, what are some of the pros and cons of hunting
Early..Before Muzzleoader (Aug. 30 - Sept. 12)?
During... Muzzy (Sept. 13-21)?
Late....After Muzzy (Sept. 22-Sept.28)?

Remeber this is in a OTC Archery Elk Unit in Colorado. I will have plenty of time to hunt and can pick any time of the month to do it, but will have (ZERO) on-hands scouting, just research, topos, etc.

For the Colorado Archers, historically, when have you had most success?

Please advise? Thanks in advance.

HiMtnHntr · Mar 23, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Mar-23-08 AT 09:16AM (MST)[p]Early: You get to hunt elk that have not seen hunting pressure yet, but calling may not be as effective. Calling works though, and early is my favorite and I've killed the most elk early.

During muzzy: Increased hunting pressure, but the rut is heating up. Find an out of the way spot and you could do well. If you hunt near easily accessible areas, expect a pile of orange.

Late: The rut is really heating up now, but the elk have been a bit educated after being shot at for a week and pushed around for nearly a month.

Bottom line: Get into an area that is not so easily accessed or an area that is overlooked, regardless of the time of season. I've seen big bulls called in within sight of a major access road the first weekend. That spot was overlooked. I've seen big bulls above timberline bugling in plain sight during the muzz season. My bro killed him a week later the last weekend with a bow. He bivied on him and put in 3 sixteen hour days for that bull. Not many guys will do that. In general, get where others won't go and hunt all day. On your map, circle areas of a few square miles without a road, that offer water nearby and good cover for elk.

Rem308 · Mar 23, 2008

Go early,the less the animals are disturbed ,the easier it is to get close to them.

Califelkslayer · Mar 23, 2008

I'm burning 13 NR points this year on a Colorado archery tag. I've hunted Montana 7Xs archery and their season runs Sept 1 thru Oct 14 and I've hunted all phases.

I'm gonna hunt Sept 14th thru 28th this year. My experence early is that the weather is too hot and elk bed down the 1st hour or 2. They don't get back up til the sun starts down. Less bugling activity too.

I plan on using muzzy season to my benefit. I'll hunt hard from the 14th thru the 19th. The last 2 days of muzzy season I'll morning and evening hunt and try to visit with muzzy hunters mid-day and pick their brains. Thats unless I'm onto one or the weather is really cool, then I'll hunt all day and wonder what I'd have learned. Good luck!

Coloradoboy · Mar 23, 2008

Well for me I really like either the First week of season since the animals have yet to see any pressure. Only thing is the elk haven't started rutting yet and the days are warmer so the activity is limited. So I mostly hunt water early in the season for elk. But since I have a really secluded area that doesn't see hardly any pressure if any all season the last part of season is fantastic due to the rut is in full swing and the muzzy hunters are gone. I usually stay out of the woods during muzzy season but the time can also be very productive if you got a good spot. It all comes down to as others said; finding a good spot that is off the beaten path where elk can find refuge and feel comfortable to talk.

muleymaddness · Mar 23, 2008

Go to the Colorado website and there you can find harvest stats on units over the past few years. This would at least help you narrow the season down based on past harvest percentages. This might be a good tool to use based on your question.

BigShot · Mar 24, 2008

Thanks for eveyones opionion...it is greatly appreciated.

HiMtnHntr · Mar 24, 2008

harvest stats won't help for time of season because it is all one season.

wannaBelkhuntin · May 1, 2008

I have only hunted the last 2 years. The first year the only bulls we heard bugle were 1500' down in a valley below us,that was the first 2 weeks of archery. Last year we were into bulls 10 times and that was the week of muzzleloader and the following week. I don't know about the sea of red as I never saw a muzzleloader hunter the whole 9 days of MZ season last year. One other thing to think about is the price of fuel. I drive from western NY and I see you are from PA so fuel is a big issue if you are driving, I think it cost us 1500.00 for fuel last year and it has gone up 1.50 a gallon since then. What I am getting at is after Labor Day weekend fuel is normally cheaper. 2 years ago it was 20 cents a gallon cheaper on the way home, because it was after the holiday.

MikeTN · May 2, 2008

My vote would be for "Early" but I would like to caution you about a couple of things......1) Colorado is different than any other state because of the amount of hunting pressure it gets and because of the muzz season in the middle of archery season AND CO over the counter is way different than a CO draw unit that takes 13 points. I hunted that draw unit a couple of years ago for archery and killed a nice 6X on Wed. of the muzzleloader week....we did not see another hunter nor did we hear any shots. I said all that to say this....when you get advice from people who hunt in WY or in a great CO draw unit as to what the best times to go are you need to consider the differences for CO OTC.
2) "Early" does not mean the same thing in CO from year to year. CO always starts the last Saturday in August which dates can change significantly from year to year. This year the season starts 8-30...last year it was 8-25. Five days is a significant difference when you are talking about the elk rut. Those first two weeks before muzz starts should be pretty good this year....go early.
Mike-TN

Grasshopper · May 2, 2008

In my opinion, the best time to bowhunt elk is when there is no moon. That changes every year. Look at the phase calendar, and you'll have your answer.

Califelkslayer · May 4, 2008

I agree on the moon too but if the rut is on, they'll rut 24 hours a day.

cohntr6 · May 10, 2008

When I lived in CO I hunted anytime I could get out from the 1st weekend of the hunt to the last weekend of the hunt ( I only killed 1 bull in 8 years of bowhunting and it was the 3rd week of archery).
I realize you may not be able to be out there for the whole hunt but I would hunt as long as you can. I looked forward to the last weekend of the muzzleloader season (usually 3 weeks into archery season) because that is when I would see and call in more elk than at any time during the season. The weather is usually cooler (often snow at the higher elevations) too.
As far as finding honey holes and other out of the way places it is really crucial and would heed that advice already given, especially the advice that HImtnhntr gives, he knows his stuff, and hunts heavily pressured public land (in areas-LOL).
Bottom line, archery season in CO is awesome whenever you get out!!
Good luck!
Jeff