Brandon_SPC

So my friend and I are planning a hunt to Colorado during the rifle season for our first elk hunts. This will be a DIY hunt. The season with probably be the 2nd rifle season (Oct 22-30 from what I got at the website) with an over the counter bull tag. Currently we are planning this a year in advance so we go up there prepared. I live at sea level (Pensacola, Florida) and elk camp is around 10,000 feet. It has been a long time since I been up there an frankly last time I was up there was probably with my dad when I was in the 5th grade. Besides the running 6-10 miles a week I do and working out at the gym is there any suggestions any one has? What workout regimen would you do? Also is there any suggestions on how to hunt post rut elk? Do I need calls? Is there a way to locate a bull after the rut? I know these might sound dumb but when all I hunt is deer the size of a Great Dane this will be a whole new world for me.

Champlain Islander

Conditioning will be important especially since you are coming from near sea level. Second rifle season still has some bugling but not like in September. I carry a bugle and a couple of cow calls. I always hunt south central Colorado during the second rifle season and am headed out there in less than 2 weeks. The cows often have a bull or two hanging around so the cow calls can either attract a satellite bull or pull the cows to you and the herd bull will follow. I use the bugle mainly for a locator but use it sparingly. If I can get one to answer I work my way in that direction in the hope of either an ambush or a spot and stalk. Elk are large and travel in groups so find the fresh sign and hunt them by still hunting with an emphasis on scent control. If you get winded these things will blow out of the county in an instant. There are always a lot of eyes, ears and noses looking for a hunter so it is easy to get busted. Slow and steady looking at everything with a good set of binos. I have found that if they see you move a quick cow call will often settle them down but if you get winded it is all over. Good leather boots are needed because of the steep and often rocky terrain. I carry a hunting pack with all my gear for field dressing and some game bags. We leave the pack frames in the truck and one of the gang will usuaally go out to bring them in while a couple of us start the field duties. We do the gutless method and pack out either whole quarters or boned meat. Planning on how you get the animal out is important. Having a few in your party is always good. It took 5 of us about 4 hours to get mine out last year and that was an easy one. My buddy took one the day before and the same team worked on his in about the same time frame. A few years before we had one on the ground and killed another on the way into that canyon the next day. It took us 2 full dark to dark days to get them both out. So plan on success and plan on how you will get them out. Cover the meat with game bags to keep the dirt and flies off the meat. I carry a Wyoming saw to cut off the scull cap and antlers. Good luck and don't forget to carry a lot of water. You go through a lot of it due to the altitude.

Big Uncle

Other than the obvious need to get into the best shape of which you are capable the best thing you can do is to arrive at elevation a few days before your hunt to scout and get your body acclimated.

Wear good boots, forget the calls, and plan to hunt the rough country that most others avoid. By second rifle season elk in OTC units get spooky from being pushed around by hunting pressure. Go up early (before light) and come down late (after dark), take a nap on the mountain in the middle of the day, and do not plan on seeing your camp in the daylight.

Champlain Islander

Big Uncle gives good advice on getting acclimated. I live at 118' above sea level so I always get out there early in the week 3 or 4 days before the hunt. Take it easy for a day or two. Several years ago I had a bad case of altitude sickness so I take Dr prescribed Diamox now 2 days before I get there and 1 day after to help condition my body to run on lower oxygen levels. If you get one you will be shocked at how large they are. The meat is excellent.
If you can manage to work into the wind you often can smell them. They smell a lot like dairy cattle to me. The problem out there is the wind is always blowing and often changes so staying downwind is hard.

Brandon_SPC

Thanks guys. Now I got a question I was talking to my friend we can either go the 2nd rifle season or 3rd rifle season (we are leaning to the 2nd season). Either way we will be able to take off from work. The place we are going gets very little pressure. I know my grandfather has been hunting this same spot for at least 10 years and barely still sees anyone. Last season he stated he didn't see a single person but he hunts early rifle and the 3rd season. I'm just curious for a 1st timer would 2nd or third 3rd season be better. He never hunts the 2nd rifle and not sure why, I think because of work conflicts. Any experience between the two?

Champlain Islander

I don't know the GMU you will be headed to but snow can be the major issue. In our case we hunt around the 9-11K foot level and always second season. Our location is about an hour north of the NM line so we are in south Colorado. We always get some snow and have often had a lot which limited our access to some good spots. Third season in our hunting area will definitely have lots of snow but if the area you are hunting is lower elk often leave the high peaks area to migrate to the lower levels. If your area is on the winter migration path then third season would be a better bet. If your grandfather hunts 3rd season that is probably why.

Brandon_SPC

Our place is about 2 hours heading west of Denver. Would that lead to a winter migration? Sorry for all the questions. I have asked him some of these questions, he isn't one to get into the technicals about it. All he said is those are the two seasons he goes and generally it works for him. Whether he shoots a cow in the early season or a bull in the late season. He has never been the one to worry about calls, scents, masking his scent or any of that.

Champlain Islander

I haven't been hunting in that part of Colorado. Sounds like your grandfather has a lot of experience in that area. Spend a lot of time with him and talk about your plans. The information he has in his head is probably priceless. I am a long time whitetail deer hunter and spend most of the fall still hunting and tracking deer in the larger woods of northern New England. I hunt elk the same way and have had good success. What works for me might not work for the next guy. Our first trip was with 3 of us from our area and none of us had ever even seen an elk much less hunted them. it didn't take much time for us to learn about them. They are deer on steroids and if you are a good turkey hunter which we are that helps too. Personally I have found calls to be a great tool. Nothing works every time but a cow call used properly can yield results. I wouldn't go for elk without one. Elk are social and actually quite noisy in the timber. As they move through the timber they mew back and forth and make quite a bit of noise. If your grandfather doesn't get busted by scent ask him what he washes in because I want some of that.

If you access the Colorado DOW web site there is a great interactive map showing all sorts of info including migration corridors, summer and winter ranges as well as private and pub land boundaries. check it out..... good info.

txhunter58

You should find out what unit the hunt will be in and take a look at the first season. There are a fair amount of units that you can DRAW a 1st rifle elk tag with 0 points (which sounds like you have). You will have to put in for the drawing next March, but you have nothing to lose. You can put in as a group, so either both of you get drawn or neither one of you get drawn. If not drawn, you get a preference point for next year.

Why the first season? Several reasons. Generally you catch the end of the rut. I just am addicted to hearing bulls bugle! There is nothing like it! Best chance of that is in the first season

Second: this is a limited draw only AND elk only hunt. So you will only have about 1/2 as many people hunting elk as the later seasons AND NO deer hunters.

And lastly, if you look at the success statistics on the first season, they are generally higher, usually 50-100% higher.

I would always choose 1st rifle over later seasons UNLESS the area you will hunt is lower country that is only good in later seasons, when snow can push them down to you. But snow is a fickle thing. Sometimes a blizzard happens in September and sometimes it is warm and dry in November.

Also, sent you a private message

Brandon_SPC

Thanks for the information. All this information from both of y'all have been awesome. I have also asked him about the who scent thing. He says he just washes he stuff in water, uses non-scented deodorant, and well being up there for a week straight I guess there isn't a way to mask your scent.