Picking Two Weeks to Elk Hunt CO 2017 Archery

[Deerjunky]

A buddy and I are planning our first elk hunt to CO for the 2017 archery season and due to the time constraints we all have we are working on picking two weeks to spend in the field. My gut tells me as a guy with no knowledge going in to shoot for the middle two weeks (3rd to 16th). Anyone have any thoughts we plan to hunt on the western slope generally north of I-70 and being new to it our hope is to at least see some elk and hear some bugles and just have a good time in the mountains. In your opinions is this time frame a safe bet or should we shift a week earlier or later to maximize rut activity? We are both in good shape and I have a good deal of backpacking experience so we will be hunting off our backs rather than from roads for plan A

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

Later

 

[torrey.harris.5]

^x2 later


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[cnelk]

Later isnt necessarily better.
There are some other factors you should look into.

1- Does the unit you are looking to hunt have a lot ML tags available? This alone can make a big impact on the the 3rd week of season.

2- Bugling is cool to hear, but doesnt mean hunting will be better. Later means cows and bulls will be herded up and harder to call.

3- Weather. Later means the chance of snow and crappy weather will put a damper on the elk and your hunt

4- Its been my experience that bulls [& cows] will respond well to soft calling early before the rut really kicks in.

5- But Ive killed them later in the season too

I think the two weeks you mentioned would be a pretty good time...

Good luck

 

[danarnold]

I like the dates, I would prefer to go a little bit later bud to me muzzleloader season is a factor, last year I killed my bill on the 7th, a couple years before that I killed one on the 10th.
Last year I was south of 70 and there was almost no bugling where I was but the weather was kind of odd

 

[chindits]

first week and last week split

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

To me the days don't mean a whole lot, I have hunted very consistently during the Colorado archery season. I guide so it's nearly every day I'm somewhere on the mountain. And some years week 1 is the time to hunt sometimes it's week 2, sometimes it's week 2 and 4. It's never the same, I have had hunters have success like crazy, they came back the next year same spot same week and we skunked. There are so many factors. What unit are you planning to hunt? That can also pursuade a decision on what week


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[Beendare]

Cnelks post pretty much nailed it.....


Fyi most newbies dont cover enough ground to find them...... and remember the #1 factor is hunter pressure in those OTC units.
If you use that advice you will be ahead of 90% of bowhunters

 

[justinspicher]

I'd check the moon phase as well to help in deciding your dates.

 

[Deerjunky]

So far we haven't picked specific units, its whitetail season were we are at and we need to do more research. I was thinking north of I-70 because I have spent time in the Glenwood Springs/Meeker area and having a clue in the area sounds better than going in without having spent time on the ground but we are flexable. My goal is to get better mappings of the public land/GMU interface moving forward but my hunting partner needs to put in for his vacation dates within the next month for 2017. It looks like most of the northern White River National Forest is in units only open to private land for OTC tags.

 

[MesaHorseCo.]

I regularly bowhunt during muzzleloader....there is much less pressure where I hunt during that time due to all the archery guys staying home that week