Brother and nephew are in Steamboat Springs Muzzleloader hunting. Seems like they are getting beat up trying to get on them. According to them and the locals that they have spoken to, the elk aren't vocalizing yet.
Is this what you guys that are out there are finding out?
Next question would be...... what would your approach be if you were in their situation?
Brother has hunted the area a number of time late season, but never with a muzzleloader. Of course it's not the same, but he thought he had a good idea of where to start from his time afield.
Thanks for any insite you can provide!!

Tell them that you can't hear the bugling from the bar.

Seriously the whole year here in CO has been a bit off. From extended winter then on into an extended summer with that whole north park area having a 250% snow pack ....things are a bit different. I don't hunt that area but my first thought would be to go up as high as you can and work down.

Cooler weather is what is needed to really get'em crankin', but in the past few years, it seems like the last week of archery season is when the action really picks up. If some cooler weather rolls in at the end of muzzy season, they should finally hear and find the elk.

There will be no bars for those two, they took the sister inlaw along to cook. My 27 year old nephew is in great shape, so he can get it done. Hopefully my brother cuts him loose rather than hunting together.
Thanks for your help.

I am hunting in GMU 511 and heard and saw 1 last night. Thought it was a hunter until it came down the wash toward me. That was the first 1 I heard.

I was deer hunting in Unit 7 last weekend with my boys above the Laramie river valley. Sunday morning we heard a bull bugling from across a valley. At first I thought it was some of the guys who were bowhunting in the unit. My youngest (13 y/o) has been playing with my cow calls for the last 5 months driving us all nuts, so he lets out some cow calls and a few calf calls to see what would happen. We had a smaller 5x5 come on a half mile trot across open ground to find us. He came within 30 yards before he noticed both my boys just vibrating with excitment.

My nephew had one sneak in behind him yesterday and got away. Of course after 4 days of not seeing anything, the dang thing came in the back door. Oh well,,, it's a start. Thanks guys.

I'm in Utah and I heard them bugling good last Sunday in the early morning. I know that info doesn't help you in CO. Anyway keep us updated and post some pics when he's successful.

I have some buddies just east of Steamboat and they said the bulls started bugling on Monday around them!! I leave tomorrow night for Steamboat and will be there for all of next week trying my luck for my first elk!! Keeping my fingers crossed!!

I've bowhunted the Flat Tops in 06, 08, 10'. 06' was 4th wk archery. I had the most action that wk. Last 2 trips were unsuccessful muzzleloader attempts, so just went archery that same 3rd wk. I had less action both times. In 08' I never even saw a Bull. I've heard some say the Bulls are bugling more in Oct. these days, then past. Not sure if thats true or not. But the action sure has been slow that 3rd wk. of archery/muzzle in Flat Tops.