Elk guru needed

[ddavis_1313]

So the time has finally come. I’m set to head to Colorado this year to chase elk in the mountains and I need some advice. My buddy leased about 1000 acres in southern Colorado, unit 54, about a mile from twin peaks ranch. He’s paying a pretty penny for it but subleasing most of the season so he’s getting most of his money back. I’ve been invited to go with him. He’s hunted this property before but as a subleaser and was always during second rifle. There have been some big bulls taken here and close by. A couple 370+ the past few years. But he’s never hunted archery season.

So here is the question. If you have 8 days, when would you consider going during archery? I know the later in the season usually equates to more vocal but the dominant bulls will usually be with cows and hard to pull off them for two rookie elk callers. We are kinda torn between the first week and second week. The first week of the season will be a full moon and the second will be a waning moon to no moon. Water shouldn’t be an issue as well. Elevation is between 8k and 9500k. Nearest public is at least 15 miles away.

So what day you. Educate me!


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[mlucashr]

Awesome opportunity. I just picked up a bow this year so I’m no help. But if it were me I’d be buddying up to the best caller I know and offering to pay for him to run the bugle. Good luck man!


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[ahlgringo]

If there are not going to be other hunters (muzzie) during muzzie season on the property- then that would be my choice. It’s usually a decent part of the rut- and potentially other bulls gettin pushed around in what is probably the busiest (def noisiest) part of bow season.


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[idahohikker]

2nd week for sure in my book. Usually much more rutting activity and getting at herd bulls before they're cowed up. I'd go Sept 12-19. I hunt ID though so there may be a little difference in timing.

 

[wapitibob]

1,000 acres ?

 

[ddavis_1313]

1,000 acres ?

Yep. Borders a huge ranch. He’s hunted there before and shot elk during rifle season. Last time he’s been was two years ago. There was a 380” shot off it last year I believe during rifle season. But he’s got game cam pics off it while they are still in velvet. So they are there early season too.


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[5MilesBack]

1,000 acres ?

I agree. I would be hard pressed to spend money on a 1000 acre gamble. They're either there, or they aren't. And if they aren't........what's your backup plan?

 

[muddydogs]

I agree. I would be hard pressed to spend money on a 1000 acre gamble. They're either there, or they aren't. And if they aren't........what's your backup plan?

This is what I was thinking as well, 1 1/2 square miles to chase elk isn't squat and depending on how many sub leasers are hunting the archery season and what the pressure is like on the adjacent property's it won't take much to push the elk off this little piece of ground. Should be an easy hunt if your corralled in less then a 2 mile area, within a 1/2 to full day you should be able to cover the area and know if anything is around so having a backup place would be a good plan.

 

[GotDraw?]

Agree with @muddydogs and @5milesback

Out west, 1,000 acres to an elk is like 1/4 acre to a whitetail, they will pick up and move a mile+ in the blink of and eye. Prior posters are correct, they will either be there or not. Better be some seriously compelling (ie better than anything else within a mile or more) grazing, water and un-pressured shelter to keep them there- or maybe it's a fantastic travel corridor. You may well get lucky, like sitting a wallow, but get that backup plan in place in the event you show up and there's no fresh sign. Don't waste your time there if there's no fresh sign.

 

[ddavis_1313]

Any insight as to which would be a better week or are we going to discuss how small of tract of land this is? He wouldn’t have leased it if it didn’t hold elk. My question was not if the land is big enough. It was which week would be better for movement etc.....


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[cnelk]

Any insight as to which would be a better week or are we going to discuss how small of tract of land this is? He wouldn’t have leased it if it didn’t hold elk. My question was not if the land is big enough. It was which week would be better for movement etc.....


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Well, if you can predict the best weather for one week, Id pick that one

 

[muddydogs]

I would be hunting it opening morning so I had the first crack at any elk that might be there before they get pushed off by other hunters. Size of the property has just as much to do with when to hunt as anything else, with that small of place to hunt I would not be worried about if there bugling or not because its not like you are going to chase a bugling elk down and being that confined you should be able to find the elk if there bugling or not. Another question would be how many sub leases are there and when do they plan to hunt, if none are hunting archery then either week works and the second week might be better as elk could get pushed in from other property's if no one is hunting yours.

 

[cody covey]

Opening week, most likely from a treestand if it were me. Not how i typically do things but seems like it would fit the bill for you on that small of a piece.

 

[gelton]

I have made a similar hunt, my first elk hunt ever, in the same general vicinity on 1,000 acre piece of land owned by a fairly well known person. What has been pointed out above is exactly right, they are either there are they arent. The place was covered in mule deer though...I would suggest going during a time that you can draw a mule deer tag so if the elk arent there you will have something to hunt.

Most of those smallish land owners all work together and know each other. When the elk come down they start calling each other on the phone to let each other know where and when to expect them. That being said, he got his bull this year during first rifle which is a bit earlier than normal.

 

[ddavis_1313]

So I guess you guys missed the point that my buddy leased the whole place. He will sublease around the dates him and I go. There won’t be anyone that hunts before us regardless of when we go. He has some of the only water for several miles. There will be zero pressure on this land before we get there and only a hand full of guys there all season. No hunting to the northeast for miles, no hunting to the east. Very if any to the south,and a bigger ranch to the west that gets hunted.


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[idahohikker]

Leave the attitude at home OP. Rokslide is a really positive place. I would be focused on how to hunt a small parcel just like everyone else. Dates seem secondary.

 

[ddavis_1313]

Leave the attitude at home OP. Rokslide is a really positive place. I would be focused on how to hunt a small parcel just like everyone else. Dates seem secondary.

Not sure where the attitude is in my last post... but ok. And yeah, I’m trying to learn as well.


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[GotDraw?]

@Gelton makes a good point above

You asked about timing. Questions for you: How far are you from the hunting lease? Do you have to by plane tickets for the trip? How flexible is your work schedule? Do you want to shoot a herd bull or are you satisfied with a big satellite?

You are dealing with a LOT of variables here, any one of which can totally change the answer for you.

Facts that don't change:

Elk rut is well documented to start in latter Sept. Here is an excerpt you can read:

There is no point in recalculating the elk rut peak for each year. You don’t have to annually search websites to determine when the elk rut will peak this year, because the fall equinox always occurs on September 22nd or 23rd. Of course, there are variables that will affect what we see and hear, but the rut will go on with or without our hearing and seeing it. The most active elk rut peak lasts 5 to 10 days and happens primarily because of a precise ratio that occurs each fall between daylight and dark. That ratio of light and dark causes hormones in cow elk to flow that result in an estrus cycle. Regardless, each cow comes into estrus at different times of the rut. They don’t all go into estrus during the peak. It is called the “peak of the rut” because most of them do.

Some cows go into estrus earlier, young cows perhaps much later. Some do not get bred during their first estrus cycle and have a second estrus period throughout the first three weeks of October.

Weather, as mentioned can be a huge factor. Can you easily change travel/work plans for bad weather? If it is nasty, windy and pouring rain, you may have a tough time getting on them. If they are pressured in the general vicinity, 1000ac may not provide enough sanctuary.

All things considered, I'd probably go in the 1st or 2nd week before the bulls are hearded up and you may get a better crack at a good satellite that is on the move.

 

[3forks]

So I guess you guys missed the point that my buddy leased the whole place. He will sublease around the dates him and I go. There won’t be anyone that hunts before us regardless of when we go. He has some of the only water for several miles. There will be zero pressure on this land before we get there and only a hand full of guys there all season. No hunting to the northeast for miles, no hunting to the east. Very if any to the south,and a bigger ranch to the west that gets hunted.

If you guys aren't accomplished callers, you should probably concentrate on hunting that water on the lease (especially since it's the only water around).

However, it's been a dry winter so far, and potentially your water source could be dry this fall, so I'd consider that too. Also, those elk you're counting on to be on your lease may be higher than usual this year to stay on greener grass unless this spring brings a wetter weather pattern.

 

[ddavis_1313]

@Gelton makes a good point above

You asked about timing. Questions for you: How far are you from the hunting lease? Do you have to by plane tickets for the trip? How flexible is your work schedule? Do you want to shoot a herd bull or are you satisfied with a big satellite?

You are dealing with a LOT of variables here, any one of which can totally change the answer for you.

Facts that don't change:

Elk rut is well documented to start in latter Sept. Here is an excerpt you can read:

There is no point in recalculating the elk rut peak for each year. You don’t have to annually search websites to determine when the elk rut will peak this year, because the fall equinox always occurs on September 22nd or 23rd. Of course, there are variables that will affect what we see and hear, but the rut will go on with or without our hearing and seeing it. The most active elk rut peak lasts 5 to 10 days and happens primarily because of a precise ratio that occurs each fall between daylight and dark. That ratio of light and dark causes hormones in cow elk to flow that result in an estrus cycle. Regardless, each cow comes into estrus at different times of the rut. They don’t all go into estrus during the peak. It is called the “peak of the rut” because most of them do.

Some cows go into estrus earlier, young cows perhaps much later. Some do not get bred during their first estrus cycle and have a second estrus period throughout the first three weeks of October.

Weather, as mentioned can be a huge factor. Can you easily change travel/work plans for bad weather? If it is nasty, windy and pouring rain, you may have a tough time getting on them. If they are pressured in the general vicinity, 1000ac may not provide enough sanctuary.

All things considered, I'd probably go in the 1st or 2nd week before the bulls are hearded up and you may get a better crack at a good satellite that is on the move.

So wouldn’t shooting a herd bull be easier earlier before he’s surrounded by cows?


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