skunked in Colorado

prhunter

Active Member
Apr 18, 2016
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286
West Texas
Just returned from my Colorado muzzleloader elk hunt. The area we hunted was at elevations above 10,800' to approximately 11,300'. There was a lot of elk sign (rubs, tracks, etc.) in the area which made things look promising.

On day two of the hunt we had 4 different bulls responding to my cow calls from the bottom of a small canyon. It sounded like two of them were hot so we held our position thinking the bulls will close the distance. After approximately an hour of calling I made my move but the bulls stopped talking and could not be located. The rest of the trip was quiet with very little bugling activity.

Overall, it was a great trip minus the little elk activity. It was not as crowded as I thought it would be and the weather was warm which I think had something to do with the bulls not being so vocal. Already planning for next year's hunt. I will post some pics soon.
 
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JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
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You may of been a couple thousand feet too high for when the rut is kicking in. The bulls will be with the cows down lower.

But the main thing is that you had fun and learned a few thing for the area that you were in.

In the area that I am in the elevations run from 6,000-11,000 feet. Most of the elk will be around 8,000'.
 

prhunter

Active Member
Apr 18, 2016
415
286
West Texas
Glad you had a great time. Here in SW Colorado, the weather has finally started to cool down. I live at 6800" and last night was our first night down to freezing temps.
Now I'm starting to wonder if I should have applied for the first rifle instead of the muzzleloader season...
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
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Generally M/L and Archery are always warmer than the rifle seasons. The last couple of years, our monsoons have pretty much fizzled out which makes it warmer. No way of really predicting what the weather will be when you have to apply for the tags....just luck. You have to adjust your tactics to compensate for the conditions.
 

mallardsx2

Veteran member
Jul 8, 2015
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I cant speak for everywhere but where I was hunting elk they were COMPLETELY bedded by 8:00AM and didn't move until an hour before dark. The temps were just too high for them to be active mid-day.

In over 80 miles and 8 days of being in the woods from well before daylight to well after dark, I could count the number of bugles I heard between 8-5 on one hand.

That makes for hard hunting. Its like hunting a needle in a haystack when they lock up early.

The amount of pie eyed pipers blowing their bugles during the day was pretty unreal though...lol
 
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JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
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Gypsum, Co
I have been in areas where it has been very hot during the elk hunt. As a matter of fact it was 5 years ago when I was on a muzzle loader deer hunt. We watched the elk as they bedded down as soon as the sun hit the hill side that they were on. They didn't get back up until the sun went down on the other side. You never did see them with the sun glistening off of their backs. The deer were the same way. That hunt turned into a hunt where we the hunters spent more time moving around the camper looking for shade than we did hunting. I shot my deer that year at dark thirty, I had just got him cleaned when we had to pull the headlamps out to get out and back to camp.
 
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Bullcan

Member
Oct 6, 2016
78
27
Where about were you at ? I just got back from Unit 48 by Leadville. I got skunked also, but had a great time. Hunted about the same elevations as you
 
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