2nd or 3rd season?

[steveshuntn1]

I’m sitting here going over draw odds in CO on gohunt. I have good odds of getting a bull tag in both second and third season in the units I’m looking at, but the cow tag for my daughter the odds are only good for the 2nd season in the same unit I want to put in for the bull tag. My question is since her cow is number one priority is 3rd season better for the cow hunt? This will be our first attempt at elk hunting.

 

[trb]

I'm assuming you're talking about Colorado?

Estimated harvest statistics are available on the CPW website so you can compare potential success rates between 2nd and 3rd seasons. "Better" totally depends on the unit. In some units, 90% of elk (and especially cows), may have made their journey towards private land by 3rd seasons. In other units, waiting til 3rd season perhaps would have allowed weather to push elk down from the high country.

I'd also recommend checking out the CPW Hunting Atlas' Elk layers and seeing how they overlap (or not) with where you are planning on hunting.

If all the previously mentioned stats are equal, I would lean towards 2nd season. It's 9 days instead of 7, slightly less potential for crappy weather, and there is a LOT of pressure in 2nd season that can really affect elk once you get to 3rd and 4th seasons. That being said, my brother killed a bull at 12,500 ft in the middle of 3rd season this year, so who the hell knows with how much the weather/climate in Colorado is changing.

 

[Bullshot]

Unless you have knowledge of (and access to) where elk might get pushed to by 3rd in the unit you are considering, I’d go 2nd, hands down, particularly on your 1st attempt. Some elk are likely still scattered all around in most Nat forests. Find some nat forest land about a half mile+ (from road) or mile+ (from popular trailhead) in with some thick cover between summer range and private winter range and hope other hunters move them around or you get lucky with weather getting them on their feet. Investigate transition zones from pine to aspen or from aspen to oakbrush. If no elk or fresh sign are seen, assume they are buried in thick timber and blowdowns and thus you might have to turn on your stalking skills!

 

[nrpate05]

Both seasons can be productive and that depends on weather, pressure and where you are hunting, among other things. My vote would be for 2nd rifle for reasons that others have stated. I would bank on pressure being heavy no matter which season you choose. I have come to like the last half of second season. Most people are excited to get out and want first crack at animals so they setup and hunt the opener. Often, after humping the hills for four or five days, they have either filled tags or are beat down physically and mentally, so they pack up and head out midweek. This can leave animals slightly less pressured by the end of the week. Third rifle can be similar but it is two days shorter so that last half of the season isn't quite as long and people are more willing to stick out 7 days compared to 9.

 

[Sagebrush1]

Also, if your daughter is under 18, that cow tag could roll over to third season.

 

[Soliderity]

I guess that should be the 3rd season .

 

[Hockaday2017]

Go for second season and if she is under 18 her tag should roll over for 3rd season.