Perfect Storm for Rifle seasons

[ridgerunner]

Each year there is talk of the later dates, coinciding with early storms to really get the bucks on the move and experience some amazing hunting for the 2nd or 3rd seasons. My question is when is the last time this has happened? I don't follow CO hunting too much but am curious. It seems lately most of the years the seasons have been pretty warm with minimal snow.

 

[muleyslayerwa]

2018 was a good year that I can remember

 

[ORIONTHEHUNTER]

Yeah 2017 or 2018 was the last time I remember decent snow for the rifle seasons.

 

[jims]

One in around 10 years? The stars don’t all line up very often. Anyone that hunts Colo often knows that it can be a blizzard one day and 80s the next in Oct and Nov. Crunchy snow, full moon, otc elk hunters…there are a bunch of other factors.

 

[Katoom]

I hunted 2018 2nd season, started out like summer (t-shirt weather) in the NW corner

 

[muleyslayerwa]

One in around 10 years? The stars don’t all line up very often. Anyone that hunts Colo often knows that it can be a blizzard one day and 80s the next in Oct and Nov. Crunchy snow, full moon, otc elk hunters…there are a bunch of other factors.

Yeah that was my exact experience in 2020

 

[elkmo41]

10” snow in 2020 opening weekend of second season. Deer were running down the mountain in waves the whole day.

 

[The_Coloradoboy]

It’s always a crap shoot. More times than not it doesn’t pan out like this past year. Like others said, ‘18 was a really good year. 2020 wasn’t too bad

 

[HntHrdr]

2020 was a cold/snowy 3rd rifle in my part of the state for most of the week. Last year 3rd rifle I was packing out a buck in 55 degree temps around 9.8k feet or so as the sun was going down. It can be hit or miss for sure

 

[COHunter]

2002 was an epic year when the snow came

 

[one_dryboot]

1941 was a year I’ll never forget. Snow. Cold. Giant bucks everywhere. My hunting guide Kirt Darner was the Mule Deer whisperer. The greatest mule deer Hunter to walk this earth. I still have the hat he signed for me.

 

[1989Cohunter]

last year I hunted In 2’ of snow first season. And zero snow for my wife’s 4th season. I’m happy if it dumps snow 2nd season. It’s been a while since it’s done it where I hunt.

 

[littlebighorn]

In 2011 there was some snow early. It also snowed a little on the third season opener, but then it warmed back up and the snow all melted. Toward the last of the season the bucks started rutting pretty good and it had a bodacious ending for me!