First time DIY Elk Hunting - Unit 561 - First Rifle (10/11 - 10/15) - help greatly appreciated

[Clintos1980]

Make sure you check out the Colorado Hunting Atlas on the CPW website. Play around with those elk layers. If the weather during your hunt is warm, you’re gonna have to gain some elevation and hunt the summer concentration areas. I think too many first-timers underestimate how high elk can be in October.

For sure, thank you. I've been looking at that atlas a bit already.

What would you consider warm vs cold for that area? I see the summer vs winter layers on that atlas, and when we go, the averages in that area are low 30's (night) to high 60's (day). Being from TN, I would not consider that particularly "cold", but being that it's in those CO mountains, I'm not sure if that's considered warm, cold, or somewhere in between in regards to where the elk want to be.

 

[rmyoung1]

For sure, thank you. I've been looking at that atlas a bit already.

What would you consider warm vs cold for that area? I see the summer vs winter layers on that atlas, and when we go, the averages in that area are low 30's (night) to high 60's (day). Being from TN, I would not consider that particularly "cold", but being that it's in those CO mountains, I'm not sure if that's considered warm, cold, or somewhere in between in regards to where the elk want to be.

October temps in the Colorado high country can vary wildly year to year. Elk locations will have more to do with snowpack than actual temperatures. If the temps follow your stated averages, elk will be high. If, however, the mountains get hit with snowfall and then some cold temperatures creating a crusty top layer, making feed tough to access, then those elk will be motivated to move lower toward their winter range. If you don’t get any snowy weather and feed is still available up high, those elk will stay at surprisingly lofty elevations. I shot a Colorado bull on a beautiful Oct afternoon one year at 11,900 ft. Most of the hunting pressure was down near the roads 2,500 vertical feet lower.