I tagged a cow at 10,905 in a wilderness area on Sunday in Colorado. This is my third season hunting Colorado and my second Colorado public land elk. Here are a couple of observations, which other Colorado public land hunters might find useful, and which might prompt additional discussion on how to successfully hunt elk on public land in Colorado:
1. Once the Snow Flies, the Elk Head for the Lower Elevation: in Montana, where I grew up, the elk seemed to stay high until the snow was either crusty or 18 inches deep (or better). In Colorado, at least in the unit I hunt, it seems to be the case that as soon as the snow flies, most of the elk head immediately for lower range. I was fortunate to harvest this cow at high elevation, but there were not many elk up high, and I ran into two hunters on the pack out that had killed elk at lower elevation. My conclusion: there isn't much of an advantage (other than getting away from other hunters) to going high once it's snowed heavily a time or two.
2. When Hunter Pressure is On, the Elk Retreat into the Timber Early, and Return to the Openings Late: I noticed this trend last season, on a back country archery hunt. It applied this rifle season too: the elk seemed to be retreating from the openings into the timber early in the morning (before 7:00 a.m.) and not returning until near dark or after. I shot this cow 20 minutes before dark, at the end of legal shooting light. My conclusion: be on the openings early, and stay as late as you can.
Perseverance prevails. Good luck to all you public land hunters!
Doug
1. Once the Snow Flies, the Elk Head for the Lower Elevation: in Montana, where I grew up, the elk seemed to stay high until the snow was either crusty or 18 inches deep (or better). In Colorado, at least in the unit I hunt, it seems to be the case that as soon as the snow flies, most of the elk head immediately for lower range. I was fortunate to harvest this cow at high elevation, but there were not many elk up high, and I ran into two hunters on the pack out that had killed elk at lower elevation. My conclusion: there isn't much of an advantage (other than getting away from other hunters) to going high once it's snowed heavily a time or two.
2. When Hunter Pressure is On, the Elk Retreat into the Timber Early, and Return to the Openings Late: I noticed this trend last season, on a back country archery hunt. It applied this rifle season too: the elk seemed to be retreating from the openings into the timber early in the morning (before 7:00 a.m.) and not returning until near dark or after. I shot this cow 20 minutes before dark, at the end of legal shooting light. My conclusion: be on the openings early, and stay as late as you can.
Perseverance prevails. Good luck to all you public land hunters!
Doug