Western Colorado Elk: High or Low?
 

Gents, I'm stuck. I have always hunted elk early in Western Colorado, from Bow or muzzleloader to first rifle season or second if I had to. Well, this year I'm stuck with third season or nothing. It's not because of the licensing, but rather my "non-hunting" schedule. I'm forced by circumstances outside my control to hunt LATE. I have only done this ONCE before, and I didn't like it. The elk couldn't make up their mind if they were going down low or holding up high- they ended up living on the private lands inbetween where I couldn't get to them. This year, the water up high has been scarce. There's not enough water to drink, the wollers are all dried up, the creeks are barely a trickle, the snow has been gone for months- snowpack was severely lacking this year. With all the lack of water, the foraging is poor in the normal habitat above 9,000 ft. I'm hearing rumors that the elk are already hitting the valley floor for grazing. SO!!! Does anybody have some sage advice on where they'll be in November? Lol... who's got the mojo? Any psychics on this page?

We will be arriving Saturday for the last week of bow in eastern Colorado. We will be camping at 9K and hunting from 8K to 11.5K. I hope we can find some elk. Not much water up where we are going so it might be tough.