Colorado muzzleloader elk hunt

BGHUNTER00 · 10-13-2004, 11:06 AM

I know it's early, but I now have enough preference points to hunt this season (CO muzzleloader) next year, so I need some help. This should be the rut, right? Less hunters in the area? I've read a lot of articles on how to hunt elk, but very few on this season in particular. My friend and I (no guide) will be hunting in the White River National Forest Flattops Wilderness Area so any tactics or tips would surely be appreciated. Thanks Troy

Buckslayer1 · 10-13-2004, 05:42 PM

Me and my 3 buddies have 11 preference points for elk in Colorado. We need 1 more point to get picked for the trophy unit we want for the muzzleloader. Our other 3 buddies went in the unit we want this sept. With the bows It took 9 points for archery. They seen close to 50 bulls and all 3 bagged bulls. This is a rut hunt and they mostly used cow calls. They packed in 3 miles to hunt.

Pygmy · 10-14-2004, 06:57 PM

Buckslayer....Are you talking about 61, or 2 and 201..?? I wish you the best of luck in the draw...problem is, the darn number keeps going UP...

My partners and I drew muzz tags this year in 76, which required 9 points ....We had a good hunt and went 2 for 3 on nice bulls, with a six point and a 5 point...

The muzz season does fall during the rut, and the bulls should be bugling and responding to calls.. This year, due to rather hot weather , they weren't exactly on fire, but they were bugling enough to make it interesting.... Everything was over by about 9:00 am, however, and then they'd leave thier beds about 4 or 5 PM and be active in the evening..They seemed a bit more vocal in the evening....

Buckslayer1 · 10-17-2004, 07:24 AM

Pygmy-- You are right it is one of the 3 you named. After we get picked I will tell where the hot spots and the unit. For we will never get picked again it will take to long to build up points I will be dead by then. Congrats on your elk hunt in unit 76

Pygmy · 10-17-2004, 08:18 AM

Buckslayer..hehehe..I know what you mean...I wasn't trying to pin you down...

It's sort of a shame it works that way... My buddies and I now know where and how to hunt in the area that we hunted in 76, but by the time I drew another tag there, if I'm still kicking ,I'll be too old to get up and down the mountains...

Best of luck in your draw...

Colorado Bob · 10-17-2004, 08:26 AM

I'm right behind you guys. I've got 9 points & counting

Highpower · 10-19-2004, 06:30 AM

We hunted the Flat-tops several years ago. Tough hunting, but good elk hunting. If you don't own horses, rent them when you get there. You'll need to go more than three miles to get to the prime areas, IMO. Hunt the tree line and you'll see good elk. We rode 6-8 hours before setting camp and still had hunters around. We've since started hunting areas 3-4. Lower altitude, timber's not near as dense. Just got back and we had 5 for 9 in our camp. Good hunting.