Archery elk first timer

[BuckBowhunter]

Hello everyone. I’m new to monster Mulies and was hoping to ask a few questions. I know how things can be on the topic of OTC elk hunting with all the pressure that has been seen and felt in recent years but I was hoping someone would be willing to share a few tips. My dad has been elk hunting twice when I was still too young to go. For 20 years I’ve been eager to get out to the mountains with him at some point. Finally, this year looks like it could be our year to go together with my dad and brother. We’re avid archers and respectful woodsmen. We’re considering unit 53 the heaviest thus far into my research. I’m open to anything but don’t hold back positives or negatives please. Thanks in advance!
Pic to add the community feel

 

[Horsecorn]

Only tip I got is hunt hard and often.

 

[BuckBowhunter]

Only tip I got is hunt hard and often.

Ok thanks for the tip friend

 

[txhunter58]

Leave Camp in the dark, return to camp in the dark.

You will get different opinions on when to hunt. Success is probably pretty even between early mid or late September, but I just love the chance to hear a bugle in late September, so I recommend the last week.

Units 53/54 are good elk units, but you will work for them. If your dad had any success or he hunted before, that I would give the nod to that area.

 

[BuckBowhunter]

Leave Camp in the dark, return to camp in the dark.

You will get different opinions on when to hunt. Success is probably pretty even between early mid or late September, but I just love the chance to hear a bugle in late September, so I recommend the last week.

Units 53/54 are good elk units, but you will work for them. If your dad had any success or he hunted before, that I would give the nod to that area.

Hey thanks a lot for that info. I keep hearing we’ll work hard for them there. As of now we’re planning on leaving around the 15th due to work restrictions.

I imagine it’s impossible to avoid the crowds on otc units anywhere?

 

[Deercy]

You will be forever changed. I've experienced it all. Tight budget early days where I used goodwill for tent and sleeping bag and pack, to the swarovski and western mountaineering and kifaru. All fun. I've had days in crowded areas where I was all alone, and got ran out of a place in a limited area because of the crowds. It seemed like every tag holder came to the same place. I get riled up just seeing an elk, give me a tag and I forget all responsibilities.

 

[Gunnihunter]

Learn to call before you go. Buy an instructural cd/video and practice. Learn cow calls, you will also need to bugle. You will learn a lot hunting. Experience can’t be taught. Good luck, HAVE FUN!

 

[Focoelkman]

Great advice above: I’ll add.

They are big and make a lot of noise but can be quiet as a mouse too. Not much of a tip I guess but ya don’t always have to walk on eggshells.

Have a sharp knife and sharpener!

53 is quite large, so have a few plans or spots picked!

Enjoy the heck out of the time you have on the mountain with your dad!

 

[BackcountryRob]

Colorado OTC Archery... What type of hunt are you guys planning? DIY, camp in the backcountry, truck camp, motel, or guided drop camp?

Crowds - It seems very difficult to avoid the crowds, but often the crowds are there for a reason. So finding the crowds, then finding an overlooked hard to access "hole" near there can be great.

Backcountry - It seems impossible to go further than guys nowadays, and with outfitters it's just difficult to hike in 10 miles and have a picture perfect basin to yourself. So, although my favorite type of hunting is a backcountry camp, I feel it's more productive to camp by the road and stay mobile (Out of state hunter without local knowledge or pre season scouting). It's just too much of a time and energy commitment to spend a day hiking deep to get away from people only to find multiple camps in your paradise basin.

A lot of the guys like the picture perfect country with lush meadows they can glass. But search for the dark shaded timber with nasty blowdowns no one enjoys walking thru. Have multiple backup plans of areas and even different units.

Enjoy it and good luck!

 

[Bluehair]

I sorta disagree with calling in an OTC unit……nothing shuts them up faster here (usually).

Hunt where you find sign, and look for the steep timber north slopes.

And heres a pro tip - don’t set up behind a blind or piece of cover unless you can shoot over it and have room to draw your bow. That took me a while to learn

 

[BeanMan]

Learn to call before you go. Buy an instructural cd/video and practice. Learn cow calls, you will also need to bugle. You will learn a lot hunting. Experience can’t be taught. Good luck, HAVE FUN!

The most important part of calling in an OTC unit is learning not to call much. Don’t overdo it or elk will run away.

 

[Deercy]

I've preached that most people hunt elk where they wish they are. Those beautiful meadows and bottoms are picture perfect, and would be the most beautiful spot to see an elk, but my experience is they are more likely to be there in the dark.

 

[BuckBowhunter]

There’s several of you that have responded so forgive me for not responding individually but I appreciate all your input! It is already a sentimental trip so your effort in responding is much appreciated!

I have onx and have been doing a ton of online scouting with it and google earth etc. trying to decipher the terrain as best possible and find the “dark timber” patches. Having not been out there I understand things may not look as they seem online as they do when boots are on the ground. Any advice for how to distinguish dark timber from something else?

Really love learning from y’all and I can’t wait to gain experience myself. Can’t beat learning something new in the outdoors and “can’t cheat the mountain” right?

 

[BuckBowhunter]

There’s several of you that have responded so forgive me for not responding individually but I appreciate all your input! It is already a sentimental trip so your effort in responding is much appreciated!

I have onx and have been doing a ton of online scouting with it and google earth etc. trying to decipher the terrain as best possible and find the “dark timber” patches. Having not been out there I understand things may not look as they seem online as they do when boots are on the ground. Any advice for how to distinguish dark timber from something else?

Really love learning from y’all and I can’t wait to gain experience myself. Can’t beat learning something new in the outdoors and “can’t cheat the mountain” right?

@Deercy @BeanMan @Bluehair @BackcountryRob @Focoelkman @Gunnihunter @txhunter58

 

[nocwalker]

BB, good luck on your hunt. I'm a bowhunter from Pa. and just cant wait to go west, wish I did it when I was young. Im not familiar wth unit 53, I think that may be in the Gunnison area (never been down there). Our first trip out there I scouted online as you are looking for north and east facing timber with meadows to the west and south. I found an area way in the back country that I liked thinking no other idiots would go that far and also thinking an idiot from the east coast could do that at over 10,000 ft.
Somehow during that winter and spring my senses kicked in and questioned our ability or lack of it to pull this hunt off. During my continued research I found out there was an outfitter back there and he had a camp in the exact spot I wanted to hunt. I talked with him and made a drop camp deal with him for a hunt that included 4 extra days and at the 1 week hunt price, very reasonable and awesome guy.

The reason I telling you this:
1. we took the logistics of getting a camp in there out of the equation by using the drop camp. ( I could not have gotten a camp in there)
2. our tags were "either sex tags" I ended up shooting a cow on day 5 of the trip and have no regrets. It was not easy for 2 whitetail easterners to get close to any bulls.

Not sure if this is a tip or not but, Every time I've gone out there I take a supplement from Wilderness Athlete called "Altitude Advantage" to combat the change in altitude since I'm from 100' above sea level. We don't know if it really does anything or not but we've never got sick so we keep using it

We will be traveling west for our 4th elk hunt this year in Utah, see you on the highway. Good Luck buddy

 

[1989Cohunter]

I used to live in unit 53, it’s fairly rugged terrain and also very busy. One thing I will say that I have seen a few people do is don’t kill something so far back you can’t get it out. Elk are no joke to cut up or pack out. Especially if your not from a similar elevation to where your hunting. I think 53 is still otc for elk. With that being said a lot of the neighbor units are draw for archery so it’s going to be stupid busy. Also like others have said don’t get to Willy nilly with the calls. It’s most definitely more of a sign of people to those elk then other elk.

 

[BackcountryRob]

There’s several of you that have responded so forgive me for not responding individually but I appreciate all your input! It is already a sentimental trip so your effort in responding is much appreciated!

I have onx and have been doing a ton of online scouting with it and google earth etc. trying to decipher the terrain as best possible and find the “dark timber” patches. Having not been out there I understand things may not look as they seem online as they do when boots are on the ground. Any advice for how to distinguish dark timber from something else?

Really love learning from y’all and I can’t wait to gain experience myself. Can’t beat learning something new in the outdoors and “can’t cheat the mountain” right?

North Facing Slopes, Google Earth with historical imagery. Find a date where the aspens stand out vs the conifers, usually fall or spring, summer imagery is most difficult to tell tree cover type and density. Finding real photos of an area, for instance searching reviews of a trail from all trails or other hiking site, then comparing those to Google Earth of that same area can be helpful.

 

[Tigers]

I’ve hunted there a couple times. Think they may have recently changed it to MB only, but could be confusing it with another. Get in really good shape, hunt really early and really late. Get good at calling and trade off with your partner between shooting/calling in setups. Chances of closing the deal goes way up if you’ve got a caller 50yds+ behind you.

 

[nripepi]

One thing to remember is Muzzleloader season is open that same week you are going. Not sure if that will increase pressure overall as some archers skip that week but there will be some guns going off.

 

[BuckBowhunter]

I’ve hunted there a couple times. Think they may have recently changed it to MB only, but could be confusing it with another. Get in really good shape, hunt really early and really late. Get good at calling and trade off with your partner between shooting/calling in setups. Chances of closing the deal goes way up if you’ve got a caller 50yds+ behind you.

MB only?

 

[otcbowhunter]

Get in shape!
Get in Shape!
Get in shape!
This isn't flat land WT hunting. Buy a Garmin watch and increase your Vo2 max. Run a trail marathon if you can or better yet an ultra. Your age will help, but it will not fix everything.
Elk are not under every tree and rock like WT's. This was a hard pill to swallow when I started. Keep moving and when you smell them stop, get the wind right and make a plan.
When your best area isn't working don't try to make it work. Move!
Scout people! Use the areas that people move elk to as your hunting destination. I'll say that again. Scout people!
Best of all, have fun and enjoy the time with your dad and brother. This is priceless!
BTW This will ruin your WT hunting! Seems so silly to be sitting in a treestand after you have been in the mountains chasing elk. lol