Late Season Elk Hunting

[njdoxie]

The one with cartoonishly large antlers that got away

You'll be back in that spot this year, right?

 

[Jon Boy]

Not much to add after Ross and Kad. I will say I wouldn't count on a big dump of snow pushing good bulls lower for a very long time. Ross had a great example of that bull hanging out in a rock slide. In the range I hunt Ive seen bulls up at tree line in belly deep snow at the end of november. Just clinging on a partially wind blown slope. This makes for a very tough hunt physically, but not very hard to find elk and kill elk.

 

[kad11]

You'll be back in that spot this year, right?

You bet!

 

[nphunter]

Not much to add after Ross and Kad. I will say I wouldn't count on a big dump of snow pushing good bulls lower for a very long time. Ross had a great example of that bull hanging out in a rock slide. In the range I hunt Ive seen bulls up at tree line in belly deep snow at the end of november. Just clinging on a partially wind blown slope. This makes for a very tough hunt physically, but not very hard to find elk and kill elk.

Thanks, the last two years there has been snow and I'm planning on being up in it this year if it does snow again.

 

[LowLand]

Great thread. I put in for 3rd rifle in Colorado this year, so this is all very useful.

Sent from my SM-G935U using Tapatalk

 

[nphunter]

Ttt

 

[dirtytough]

My experience with late season elk in Colorado is a little different. I always hunt 3rd season which is the beginning of November.

A spot I like to hunt you have to hike in about 3 miles before it gets good. It's a big drainage running east west. I have never seen an elk on the south facing slope in there. Only the north facing. There are elk there regardless of snow depth during 3rd season. Sometimes there isn't any snow sometimes there is a foot at the top. A lot of times you only see a bull one day. After that he is gone. Then new bulls migrate in. It was burned in the past so there is decent glassing.

So if I was looking for a new spot to hunt early November here is what I would look for.

A north facing slope that's been burned in the past with difficult access. Probably the main thing though is difficult access to reduce human presence in the area.

Again that is just my experience hunting in Colorado. Good luck

 

[nphunter]

My experience with late season elk in Colorado is a little different. I always hunt 3rd season which is the beginning of November.

A spot I like to hunt you have to hike in about 3 miles before it gets good. It's a big drainage running east west. I have never seen an elk on the south facing slope in there. Only the north facing. There are elk there regardless of snow depth during 3rd season. Sometimes there isn't any snow sometimes there is a foot at the top. A lot of times you only see a bull one day. After that he is gone. Then new bulls migrate in. It was burned in the past so there is decent glassing.

So if I was looking for a new spot to hunt early November here is what I would look for.

A north facing slope that's been burned in the past with difficult access. Probably the main thing though is difficult access to reduce human presence in the area.

Again that is just my experience hunting in Colorado. Good luck

Thanks, I have defiantly been looking at hard to access places, my #1 spot is 3 miles and 2800' from the nearest road and my second spot is closer but still a float, 2 miles and 2000' to get there. One is in an old burn.

 

[nphunter]

Ttt

 

[TBARR]

Good thread guys!!! If I had the tag and I was not super familiar with the area I would try and find the bulls now in their pre rut summer grounds. That way you know their sanctuary where the bulls are together all summer. A lot of bulls will leave their cows and bachelor back up in those same areas post rut.

 

[nphunter]

Bringing this one back up since it's getting closer to hunting season.