4th Season CO Elk

[Steve Gray]

This will be my first year hunting 4th season. I picked up a tag that was relatively close to home(FoCo) which is unit 6 in CO. Does anyone have experience hunting 4th season here? I've archery hunted it a few times and know there is a lot of winter range in the Walden valley. Just curious to know if i will have more luck south side down my the KOA/Bull Mtn area or up north by Crowley. I've also considered glassing the BLM all day to try and catch them across that. Just got a B tag is all for an FYI. Any advice is appreciated...or send me a message on past experiences.
Thanks!

 

[Bar]

It shouldn't be hard to kill a cow on the winter range.

 

[LongWayAround]

I shot a cow glassing where the trees meet the sage in that area during 4th season last year. It shouldn't matter much what end of the unit you hunt.

 

[Steve Gray]

Thanks guys!

 

[Bar]

Good luck and enjoy that cow meat. I always prefer it over a bull.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

The one year I hunted 4th they weren't pushed down on the winter range yet but the roads were trashed/snowed in already making getting up to them a problem. We had to look for resident herds instead which we did find in some deep hole areas (bulls too, but no tag ). But the big heards weren't down.

 

[Bar]

That's always the chance you take hunting 4th season. I never had the guts to try it. I know where the elk are in earlier seasons.

 

[Elkfitness]

Due to a work issue, I'll be up for 4th season this year as well. It's been tough being home during archery! But, now I've got tags for all 4 seasons in Colorado (2 elk tags and 2 deer tags). Can't wait.

 

[DEHusker]

I'm not sure if the fire(s) will affect the usual elk dispersion this year or not. I know that Independence mountain is not open yet but might be later??? In any case, there are also some private land owners around Walden that hate the herds coming down to eat their hay and sometimes give permission to shoot a cow late in the season.

 

[Steve Gray]

So it's possible to actually find a rancher that would allow shooting a cow....for free? That'd be a first encounter for me

 

[Mustard Tiger]

I drew a NR bull tag for this unit and season as well, have never hunted it with a rifle in hand but some snow would be greeted with eager pair of Lowa's!

 

[cnelk]

I'll weigh in on this.

Ive hunted North Park units [6/161/17/171] pushing almost 30 years.
There are two big things that effect the elk

1- Hunting Pressure
2- Weather

The elk head to the 'Duck Farm' [Arapahoe Refuge] the first chance they get.
Sometimes its the weather that makes them go, the others times its the pressure.
Since the weather hasnt been too bad yet, the hunting pressure may have pushed them out there but prob not too much.
Last I heard the elk were still up high.

You may want to try Johnny Moore Mtn [along with many other hunters] but as stated above, GMU 6 has plenty of elk, but lots of hunters too.
Up near Village Belle, Kings Canyon, or Pinkham Mtn, Camp Creek can all be good.

Up in 161 [Independence] I have been told the elk are already moving back into the burn area eating the new grass.

@ Mustard Tiger
If you drew a 4th season bull tag for 6, its probably an E/S tag not just a bull tag [Hunt code EE006o4R]
May want to confirm your tag

Not much of a chance to get on any private without paying a trespass fee, if you can get on at all

Good luck to you

 

[Steve Gray]

Thanks for all the input. Hopefully we get it done in 5 days.