Lot's of Questions.....CO Elk

[Colberjs]

I am preparing for my first completely DIY and quite possibly solo CO elk hunt and I have tons of questions but don't want to start a new thread for every question. So I'm hoping you guys will help me out by conversing with me here.

Dates: Archery season runs Aug. 30-Sept. 28. Will I be better off going first week or later in the season to try and catch the rut?

What are the temperatures (hi's and low's) I should expect at 10-12,000 ft that time of year in southern CO?

Unit? I'm considering three different units right now.

86- At the recommendation of a fellow Hunt Talker via another source.
77- Where I rifle hunted my only other elk trip and only saw a cow/calf pair in 7 days.
75- At the recommendation of my barber who told me exactly where he and his father have hunted the past several years and have had success packing in on mules. (The area he showed me doesn't look very big to me.)

I know I have a ton of other questions I'll post up as they come to me.


Thanks in advance for any help you guys can offer. I'm excited at the opportunity and want to be as prepared as possible.

 

[Summitthunting]

Recheck your dates. First or last week is my preferance.

Archery
Deer/elk (west of I-25 and Unit 140) Aug. 30–Sept. 28

 

[Colberjs]

Recheck your dates. First or last week is my preferance.

Archery
Deer/elk (west of I-25 and Unit 140) Aug. 30–Sept. 28

Thanks. Don't know where I got 14th...

 

[jrabq]

Early season temps are usually 30's and 40's for lows, 60-80 for highs. Afternoon thunderstorms can really cool things off. By the end of the season lows will usually be in the 20's, with highs 50-60. But some years you can get snow and it will seem like winter for a few days. I have had more luck in the early season, but a lot of guys go last week. Some years the "rut" can be disappointing without much bugling.

 

[sagebrush]

Be prepared for heavy rain. It doesn't rain a lot but that is small consolation if your are 2 miles from camp and under a torrential monsoon downpour. At 12,000 feet, a monsoon can drop hail, sleet or snow, so getting soaked to the skin can be down right dangerous.

 

[JohnCushman]

Don't count on the weather in any way shape or form. One year I archery hunted elk in high 80's and sun and the next it was in the 40's and raining. One year it did both, back and forth. Dress in layers and have good rain gear and relatively waterproof boots.

 

[Colberjs]

What kind of rain gear do you guys use? I have some Bass Pro Redhead stuff but it doesn't breathe and I get almost as wet from sweat as I would rain if I'm moving. I've been consideringf Frog Togs but not sure how noisy they are.

I just treated my Danner Pronghorns with Obenaufs last night so my feet should be good.

 

[ScottP]

What kind of rain gear do you guys use? I have some Bass Pro Redhead stuff but it doesn't breathe and I get almost as wet from sweat as I would rain if I'm moving. I've been consideringf Frog Togs but not sure how noisy they are.

I just treated my Danner Pronghorns with Obenaufs last night so my feet should be good.

I carry cabelas space rain for archery season in CO. Always in the pack, its really light but does the job.

 

[cohunter]

Weather is crazy like many have said. I carry Sitka jacket and pants in my pack. They are spendy but I stay dry.
With being in OTC units be ready to see only a few elk and a lot of hunters unless you get away from the main travelled areas.

 

[Colberjs]

Weather is crazy like many have said. I carry Sitka jacket and pants in my pack. They are spendy but I stay dry.
With being in OTC units be ready to see only a few elk and a lot of hunters unless you get away from the main travelled areas.

Sitka gear is definitely out of the budget right now. I plan on doing the best I can to get away from the crowds. I'd like to find a spot where I can sit on a high spot and glass a while and then move to the next ridge and do it again.

 

[sra61]

When I guided in Idaho, it rained all the time during bow season. One September it rained every single day. You learn to get used to it. We tried every kind of rain gear. Like someone else said, you sweat and are just as wet. Light wool is the best we found to at least feel like you weren't wet. Some of the new fleeces work good too, and dry quicker. I just finally came to the conclusion that being wet wasn't the end of the world, hell my body is mostly water any way, right? I always shot for any time after Sept. 15. That was when the bulls were really going. The bigger bulls would come out of the woodwork, and where you saw a raghorn chasing cows and squealing his head off one day, the next day would be a big boy moved in and took over the herd. They knew when the cows were close to estrus and they wouldn't waste all of that energy until those cows were ready for pickin'. Of course this is all my personal experience from Montana and Idaho. I suppose it could be different in CO. I haven't been able to bowhunt for elk for years, and I hear that the wolves have changed the elk breeding habits up here a lot. They say they are much less vocal than they used to be.

 

[Colberjs]

Has anybody bought or used "Backside" camping gear? I see sleeping bags and tents going for some good prices on Camofire but I don't know anything about the brand.

Thanks!

 

[ccc23454]

gonna warn you about those danner pronghorn boots, they are great boots but if weather is sloppy and you have to walk down hill they may just kill you or atleast wish you were dead. look at the sole, if they have the arrowhead looking tread take a second pair of boots for the nasty days. i learned this the hard way trying to pack a bull and buck off a mountain, eventually i just wore my tennis shoes as they were even better in the mud.

 

[fwagner]

I hunt the Grand Mesa near Grand Junction Colorado, western colorado. I have hunted opening week and waited to go till the last week, archery that is. In my opinion the later in the archery season you can go the better, hands down. You get a lot more action in terms of calling the later you go. That being said, I hunt 7-10 miles from the parking lot so I rarely see hunters so pressure isn't a issue. This year I will be going muzzleloader. I also think that it is a new moon the last week of archery this year which doesn't hurt. Temperature wise I have seen 70's and I have seen 20-30's so you just never know. Last season we hiked in on the top of the mesa through six inches of snow, just depends on the day. I also purchased a "4 man" backside tent from camofire.com a few months ago. I haven't used it in the field but I popped it up and it looks great! Poles are quality and it is easy to put up. Even has a moon roof! The "four man" tent would fit two guys and all your gear easily, three might be tight. I'm 6 foot 1, 178lbs and four of me would be way too much. Don't be afraid to email camofire.com and ask what tents they have. I email them and order stuff all the time, they will still sell you their gear at discounted prices even if it isn't up on the website.

 

[Zach]

Rain Gear for me, frogg toggs in drab brown.

 

[Colberjs]

gonna warn you about those danner pronghorn boots, they are great boots but if weather is sloppy and you have to walk down hill they may just kill you or atleast wish you were dead. look at the sole, if they have the arrowhead looking tread take a second pair of boots for the nasty days. i learned this the hard way trying to pack a bull and buck off a mountain, eventually i just wore my tennis shoes as they were even better in the mud.

Thanks for the heads up. The Danners I have do not have the arrowhead tread pattern that you mentioned. I do have a pair of Carharrt brand boots I picked up on clearance at Tractor Supply a couple to years ago that I will take also. They seem to be pretty good boots. I just don't wear them often because they make my feet hot in the summer time.

I hunt the Grand Mesa near Grand Junction Colorado, western colorado. I have hunted opening week and waited to go till the last week, archery that is. In my opinion the later in the archery season you can go the better, hands down. You get a lot more action in terms of calling the later you go. That being said, I hunt 7-10 miles from the parking lot so I rarely see hunters so pressure isn't a issue. This year I will be going muzzleloader. I also think that it is a new moon the last week of archery this year which doesn't hurt. Temperature wise I have seen 70's and I have seen 20-30's so you just never know. Last season we hiked in on the top of the mesa through six inches of snow, just depends on the day. I also purchased a "4 man" backside tent from camofire.com a few months ago. I haven't used it in the field but I popped it up and it looks great! Poles are quality and it is easy to put up. Even has a moon roof! The "four man" tent would fit two guys and all your gear easily, three might be tight. I'm 6 foot 1, 178lbs and four of me would be way too much. Don't be afraid to email camofire.com and ask what tents they have. I email them and order stuff all the time, they will still sell you their gear at discounted prices even if it isn't up on the website.

I appreciate your input. The only issue I have is that I don't think I can wait that much longer to hit the woods. I'm so excited I can't hardly think of anything else. Haha. That's good to know about Camofire. I've been waiting in the Volcano burner and coolest to come back on so I can get it before I go.

Rain Gear for me, frogg toggs in drab brown.

I've been considering Frogg Toggs also. I've read mixed reviews. Do they keep you good and dry? Are they breathable?

 

[ElkNut1]

Yep, choose light weight packable rain gear & choose your dates from the 18th on. Be prepared to penetrate 1 to 3 miles min. This will get you passed most hunters & not so pressured elk! Don't be shy about Bugling to locate unseen elk! Good Luck!

ElkNut1

 

[Colberjs]

Yep, choose light weight packable rain gear & choose your dates from the 18th on. Be prepared to penetrate 1 to 3 miles min. This will get you passed most hunters & not so pressured elk! Don't be shy about Bugling to locate unseen elk! Good Luck!

ElkNut1

I saw several different bugles on blackovis. What needs to be considered when picking one?

 

[Rooster52]

Even though I prefer muzzleloader elk,When I do archery hunt I prefer the first part of season before the elk are pushed back miles in the mountains or down on private property.It can get pretty hot so I concentrate on water.We have had good luck with tree stands over waterholes .

 

[elkfanatic1]

i hunt 2nd rifle in units 80 and 81 and have great success, every year!!