Bow Opener vs Week 2 for OTC elk

May 16, 2015
83
0
This will be my first bow hunt for elk. I have 1 week to bow hunt OTC in Colo. Given that I wouldn't be able to begin hunting until the Monday after a Saturday opener in week 1, I'd appreciate any thoughts about advantages and disadvantages of hunting the 1st vs. 2nd week of the season.
 

coloradoshedhead

Active Member
Jul 9, 2014
156
25
Colorado
The opener is a great time to hunt because the bulls theoretically haven't been pressured for 9 months. Bow season is a month long, thus hunter pressure is more spread out. Missing the first two days isn't gonna hurt too bad for catching the "pre-rut" bulls. Every area differs even within that unit depending on certain factors(weather, pressure, "moon phase", terrain etc.). The unit I hunt some bulls rut hard starting in the middle of august and some don't bugle 'til the middle of September. The best piece of advice you will get on this forum is the numero uno way to learn what the elk are doing in a certain time of season in your area is time spent and boot leather placed on the ground. It isn't rocket science(as much as some guys make it out to be). If you have spent any time hunting big game previously you will see the bulls are ready, or not(no noise), or you are in the completely wrong area(no noise or sign). Either way, there is a learning curve for every bowmen, and spending time learning what the elk are doing during a particular time of the season in your unit will help you surpass the "average sportsman" and more than likely land you an animal. Good Luck on your endeavors sir.
Remember it doesn't take a genius to be successful in elk hunting, just dedication.
 

Slugz

Veteran member
Oct 12, 2014
3,618
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Woodland Park, Colorado
Some very solid advice from coloradoshedhead. When I first started bowhunting I used to always go in a few days before muzzle started. Id capitalize on all the above (previous post) mentioned. I've shifted though now to hunting the opener for a week. In addition to the normal setups I feel like I'm able to capitalize on hunting wallows and water. Animals appear to be a little higher and more inquisitive. I suspect cause the bachelor herds are just breaking up and horns are at the tail end of being rubbed. Lastly, the best advice I ever got was stick to an area and learn it. Don't hop around GMUs every year. Really commit to one for 3-4 years, find the animals and pattern them. It takes time though. Once I learned an area I have never left. Its a limited draw so Im lucky to see it every other year, but the off years I'm in there with family that drew the tag or go in during rifle. Key here is I know the valley in and out. All that being said, time in the woods produce results, go when you can as much as you can. Truth be told I work like a lunatic all year round so I can go in at weeks at a time. Best of luck and PM me if there is anything I can help with.
 

JPSeveland

Active Member
Jun 8, 2014
165
0
Cheyenne Wyoming
I totally agree with the two posts above. The first week has always been a magical week for me and my family. Hunting the pre rut may not be as fun to others that are only looking for the rut fest that may only last 2-3 days in your area if your lucky. I feel that the elk have not been pushed around very hard tell after the first week. I have found great success with very little to no bugleing during this time i use carlton fighting cow call and his estres whine along with woods wise hot estres call. Every archery elk me and my family kill is in the first 9-12 days of season. Slugz is absalutly right find the type of terrain you want to be huinting the are you want to dedicate time to and really learn it spend as much time there as you can. Hope this helps and good luck.
 
May 16, 2015
83
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Thanks to all for the great advice and insight. Sounds like the first week is special and unless circumstances change, I'll plan to be in Colorado earlier rather than later. Becoming familiar with an area and understanding elk behavior and how it changes during the season also seems to be key advice. I need to learn more about elk communication, and especially how to interpret calls and respond with the proper vocalizations (or none) and at the right time. I've been practicing with a diaphragm call but haven't been able to produce much sound, let alone something that sounds like an elk. Guess learning to use one those calls is like learning to play an instrument - lots of practice until you get the hang of it. If I don't improve on my diaphragm calling I'll try a reed call. Thanks again for everyone's thoughts and advice - I'm looking forward to getting out and having fun and hopefully having something to share come October.
 
Apr 17, 2015
74
0
Colorado
Where I hunted, it was tough to find bulls the first few weeks. I was on the cows but didn't see my first bull until the third weekend. This was 3-4 miles into a large wilderness area. I now believe that I should've gone farther/higher but it was my first wilderness area rodeo.
 

Slugz

Veteran member
Oct 12, 2014
3,618
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Woodland Park, Colorado
BOTWJR,

Stick to the diaphragm. Like you said, with practice it will come. Probably the best instructional CDs out there are from some guys called Elk Nuts. They are old but they still have the best sound and the only one that breaks down the specific animal noises into groups and subgroups. Like learning a new language. Lastly, don't be afraid to not call. Its ok. 1 out of every 18 set ups may result in the animal coming to you on a rope like on tv. More often then not, spot and stalk, finding them before they find you, don't walk through the woods with bad wind and using a cow call to calm or drag them into bow range will produce results that first week.
 
May 16, 2015
83
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Good points. I guess it all depends on where you are. Whatever happens, I'll be learning and hopefully be able to quickly adapt.
 
May 16, 2015
83
0
Thanks for the lead to a source with elk call sounds Slugz. I checked out the Elk Nuts website - lots to look at. Seems like ther basic CD is a good place for me to start.
 

Slugz

Veteran member
Oct 12, 2014
3,618
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Woodland Park, Colorado
Not a problem. I agree, perfect place to start. Quicker you learn what they are actually saying, quicker you are into animals year after year. If I had a dime for every time I heard " I don't know where the animals went, I've been blowing on this bugle and hoochie mamma all day" All the best and yell at me if you need anything. Pm me if you want to talk about your GMU, I may have hunted it.
 

the wanderer

Member
Nov 14, 2012
66
9
Burlington, WI
I went elk hunting for the first time last year in a heavily hunted unit in Colorado in the last week of the archery season. I would like to go back, but I'm also trying to figure out which week would be the best week to go. We had Bulls bugling every day in the mornings and late afternoons. So by the end of the trip I had a little bit of an idea as to what they were doing. I did have one encounter with a bull we made a move on one afternoon. There was also a ton of elk sign. Rubs, wallows, and trails. I think that most of that sign was old though considering we were there in late September. I feel like the area was pressured pretty hard considering all of the people we saw and the fact that there was a drop camp in the same area. I like the idea of going the first week of the season, but I'm afraid if they aren't bugling then I'm gonna have a real hard time finding the elk considering my level of experience elk hunting. It's basically all dark timber. Therefore, glassing to find the elk isn't eally an option. How much and what kind of calling sequences would be suggested for the first week of the season? I forgot to mention that I'm willing to shoot any Legal bull or cow.
 

Slugz

Veteran member
Oct 12, 2014
3,618
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Woodland Park, Colorado
Wanderer,
Just my 2 sense here so take it for what its worth. You speak of getting to know an area and your right, if you cant glass and or scout it out to see what they are doing in Aug then its tough. You are correct, not much bugling so that limits the location finding ability to usually on the foot. If you know where the rubs are at then chances are you are very close to the perfect spot or transition area catching them moving from feed, water to bed. IMO we as hunters get stuck in the idea of thinking I have to hear them to find em. Yes it helps and makes for better stories and is a lot of fun, but in Colorado you have to use the hunter pressure to your advantage and figure out where they are gonna go next. You mention the dark timber. There is a reason old timers used to always hunt rifle and still do with a short barrel lever action, high scope mounts and a 3-9x. Easy swing in the darkest nastiest stuff you have ever seen. It sounds like you are in the right spot. Sorry for the campfire rambling. To answer your question. My game plan consists of hunting wallows, water and rub areas with a MT decoy, cow call and zero bugling from a human, opener till roughly 8 Sept usually around 10k feet. 8-9 Sept till opener of muzzle maybe a location bugle if I hear them other wise nothing but cow calls. Muzzle opener till 15th you have to re-pattern them or know where they are gonna go and get there before they do or intercept them on the way. Post muzzle they start to get vocal and the hunting usually turns into something like on tv. Ive pretty much describes my GMU in Co that my family and I archery and muzzle hunt. Pretty much the same applies all over the state, just have to figure out where its happening. Weather though can be the gamechanger. We have drug a screaming bull 600 yards across an opening when it was cold and raining before about Sept 5. I like the opening week because that's IMO your best chance for a bigger bull on public land. or shear numbers of animals moving around its tough to bet the second week as the searching and moving really starts. Pm me about your GMU and I may be able to give you some more area specific details.
 

raekit

New Member
Sep 29, 2013
16
0
Fullerton, CA
Just got back from CO for the last week of Archery OTC. We had a blast and got into some elk, but didn't get to get let the arrow fly. This was our first year and we learned a ton. Thanks for all your posts on here. Appreciate it.