hunterojc

How is everybody doing in Colorado with the stick and string?
I took my buddy opening weekend and called in a 6 point probably 310" and there was a cow right in front of him at 50yds. and shot at a cow that was only 12 yds and shot right over her back I was sick but what an experience.

Howler

Our group drew a big fat zero close encounters opening weekend, except for the moose. Two of the guys did see one small bull and a few cows, but hardly heard a peep out of any bulls.

Blackelk

We have a drop camp in since opening day so far they have missed one cow and shot a 4x4 bull. They are coming out Friday so maybe they will get another chance.

There's no elk talking in the San Juan's of Colorado right now. You may hear a hunter or two but no elk. Our elk don't really start until around the 15th or after. People have changed this over the last 20years. They actually go into full rut and the most activity in between archery season and 1st rifle season. They have 2 1/2 weeks to go full force during this time.

All the hunters have went high and there was camp after camp of archery hunters near any places where the roads end in the high country. I haven't seen many hunters in the mid range of mountains. If i was coming into Colorado this following week I'd concentrate between 9500 to 11,000 feet that's where the elk are hanging out right now at least in most of the San Juan's.

We also have been having afternoon showers so it's quieting up in the woods. Good luck

onebigelk

Sounds like I might luck out and catch them just right. My son-in-law and I will hunting the san jans the 18th - 27th. Will be my first time archery hunting for them and my sil's first elk hunt ever. Are you guys hunting NF land possibly wildernes area? Do archery hunters and muzzleloader hunters get along ok or is there anything I should know? Good luck to everyone chasing those great creatures. I can hardly wait

Blackelk

onebigelk,

Muzzle loader ends the 20th so you won't have many days of them left to bother you. We all seem to get along here as long as a atv's don't try and come into wilderness or non motorized area's then it gets a bit testy. Our drop campers are hunting in the wilderness in the San Juan's. Blue lake behind Platoro was packed with hunters, elwood pass and park creek had a lot of walk in's. Middle fork at the end of Platoro reservoir always has day hunters walking in it.

I would go to Hansen creek if you know where that is. It's south of blue lake and you can hunt further down in the canyon to seperate yourself from people.

You might prepare for snow flurries that time of the month but they are gone fast but can get really cool for a few hours. Good luck to ya

onebigelk

Thanks for the info blackelk. I don't know where Hansen creek or blue lake is, but I'll check my maps and google earth to see if they are close to where we will be. Its going to interesting to see how the weather is from day to day since we will be packing in most of the time and spending several days at a time.

hunterojc

Yeah usually I dont start hearing them start talking until the end of archery season but two bulls were talking back and forth and that is the way that we found him. We only saw two other hunters after the opening day it was pretty awesome and that might be the reason that they have been vocal already.

Howler

hunterojc, were the bulls still in velvet? The bull moose that I saw, 4 of them, all still had full velvet!

hunterojc

the bull that we saw was all hard horned not even a little bit bit of velvet on him.

onebigelk

Do the elk change elevation very much day to day or over several days during archery season? I saw a small herd single filing up a hill one morning in the spring while turkey hunting a couple years ago. Also, do the bulls usually follow behind the other elk or do they lead the way? Do the herd bulls talk more or less than satelite bulls.