Colorado First Rifle Season Tactics

[kbhillhunter]

Hey all - heading out to Colorado for first rifle season next fall. We have settled on Unit 4, elkhead mountains of Routt National Forest. I've been desktop scouting for a few weeks now (Colorado Hunting Atlas, Google Earth). Looks like the majority of the unit is around 8500-9500 with a handful of mountains that peak around 10500/10800.

Is this elevation going to hold a lot of elk during the first rifle season? To me, it seems kind of low when I compare it to what I read, which suggests the elk tend to hangout much higher until a meaningful snowfall occurs. From what I have been reading, the past few years have had very mild-falls. The entire region falls within the summer concentration range (as per the Colorado Hunting Atlas) and the migration routes head towards the winter concentration areas which are in the private lands that completely surround the national forest boundary.

Judging by the 2015 harvest and herd data, there are for sure a lot of elk in there, but I am unsure how much of that harvest occurred on private lands, and what kind of movement to expect at those low elevations. I wont have a chance to get boots on the ground until a day or two before the hunt so trying to do what I can from the desk for now!

 

[HighDesertSage]

Lot of elk, tons of hunters. There will be elk where you are looking. Best piece of strategic advice I can give you is find a saddle, or area you can see. There will be enough people to move elk around.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I haven't hunted that area, but I have hunted first rifle in Colorado. I'll give one piece of advice (for two reasons): Get there a few days before you hunt. First, it will help you acclimate, which can be a very real consideration if you're coming from lower elevations. Altitude is real! Second, those elk will likely be easier to find before the season opens. So, find some, make a plan and try to shoot one opening morning. They'll still be out there after that, but they won't get any easier to find/kill. Good luck!

 

[marksjeep]

Lot of elk, tons of hunters. There will be elk where you are looking. Best piece of strategic advice I can give you is find a saddle, or area you can see. There will be enough people to move elk around.

This is my experience in that area as well.

 

[jlmatthew]

Bring your camera. If you don't bag one on opening day, you can at least take pictures of them on private cause that's where they'll be.

Elk hunter magazine has a pretty spot on article this issue about hunting OTC area's and what to expect.

 

[Zach]

Bring your camera. If you don't bag one on opening day, you can at least take pictures of them on private cause that's where they'll be.

Elk hunter magazine has a pretty spot on article this issue about hunting OTC area's and what to expect.

I can think of a few ranches right off the top of my head that will provide some good photo ops.

 

[Gut Shot]

Is this elevation going to hold a lot of elk during the first rifle season? To me, it seems kind of low when I compare it to what I read, which suggests the elk tend to hangout much higher until a meaningful snowfall occurs.

It has been my experience that elk are rarely where they should be and are always where you find them. I'd advise going in a couple of days early and finding the elk before season. The farther from the roads/trails the less hunting pressure.