Need advice

[Ckidd_21]

Hey guys, need some advice and hope you can help. I drew an archery buck Muley tag and grabbed an OTC either sex elk tag for Colorado. Did a lot of scouting during the summer and was originally going to focus on the buck tag since I used points for it. However through my scouting I was seeing a lot of bull and cow activity and shifted my focus to hunt the elk. I left my cameras up until opening day and even saw activity the night before the hunt. However, since opening day two weeks ago I haven’t sent anything. A little sign here and there for tracks but very little scat. I’ve hunted about 8 days total and hiked a lot of miles and can’t come up with anything, seems like everything changed up since opening day.
Here’s my question: do I a) keep hunting the area since I’ve seen some in the area just not recently or b) go to a different area about 50 miles away that I didn’t scout at all but may turn something up with less roads around it? Thanks for any input!

 

[Wyhunter]

Elk move a lot. If you aren't seeing fresh sign, they probably aren't where you are hunting, or at least have a lower population density than before. Continue to look for fresh sign especially near water or potential bedding areas. Doesn't make sense to focus on elk where there currently aren't many elk. If you don't find any fresh sign, I'd switch it back to deer or check out a new area. My 2 cents.

 

[cohunter14]

Yeah, chances are they moved to their rutting areas at the beginning of the month. Especially if most of your game cam pictures were of bulls, that would be my guess.

Having said that, I'm with Wyhunter - either stay there and hunt deer, if they are there, or relocate. It doesn't have to be 50 miles away but expecting the elk to randomly show back up in that area is probably not realistic.

 

[2rocky]

Hunt your Deer Hunt. If and when you tag out, use the remaining days to hunt elk with whatever intensity you feel inclined. If during your deer hunt a legal elk steps into range when you aren't stalking a buck you would like to kill then whack him with no remorse...