Elk elevation during the rut and 2nd rifle - units 28,35,37,371 - Colorado

ESB75

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Englewood, CO
Looking for some guidance on what elevation other hunters are finding the elk in these units, during the rut and also 2nd rifle season. I have hunted these units for the last 7 years and have been successful killing cows and raghorns. Over the years I have noticed that the elk tend to be at treeline on Ptarmigan Peak, Porcupine Bowl, Mt Nystrom, Saint Louis Peak, Steelman headwaters, etc., right up until the end of August. As soon as the archery season starts most of the elk disappear into the timber. The nice bulls I glassed all summer vanish! I have been fortunate to fill my tags, but not with the mature bulls I have glassed in July and August. The majority of my tags have been filled at 9,500' on South and Southwest facing slopes that have aspens and meadows. I am a backpack hunter. I ambush the elk when they are coming down to feed at night. This method has worked with my rifle and my bow. While this tactic has been effective for filling the freezer, it hasn't produced a good bull. The books I have read (Eastman, Laubach, Curtis, Robb, et al) indicate that the bulls gather up harems and rut in timber pockets. Supposedly big bulls keep their harems confined to a small area while they are rutting. This explains why I am not seeing the elk in the bowls and at treeline during archery season. But where are the "pockets?"

Can anyone weigh in on how to find these timber pockets where the elk rut? What elevations do you find them at (assume Colorado mountain ranges with peaks up to 14,000' - i.e. not Wyoming)?

Last question: What elevation and terrain do other hunters bump mature bulls during second rifle? From my reading, it seems that after the rut the mature bulls go up to higher elevations and confine themselves to places where few hunters will go. Again, what are likely elevations to find these "hidey holes?"

Thanks in advance. I am looking to step up my game and connect with a nice bull, on public land in the OTC units I hunt. The bulls are definitely there, I just need to some help on what elevations and terrain are most likely to hold a good bull.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
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If you look at a lot of the big bulls in magazines that were shot during archery, ML, and even rifle seasons.........you'll notice in the pictures that a bunch of those bulls are at or above timberline.
 
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ESB75

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Englewood, CO
Thanks. You are right! Still feel like I am missing something. Maybe I need to go in farther and stay out longer. If it was easy, everyone would get a big bull:).

- - - Updated - - -

Juan, this past year the herd I was on was about 100 animals. The cows were at 8,000' hanging out on on the border of private/public land. I was positioned just above the on public land. What I experienced was a lot of bugling in the early am (still dark) and listening to the bulls bugle their way up to higher elevations before shooting light. This would be consistent with what you said "above or below the rest." It seemed like the bulls were coming down to the herd after dark (I could hear them bugling their way down the mountain) and then leaving just before daylight...this is a high pressure area too. There are several finger ridges coming off the main ridge and the bulls were using those fingers to come down to the cows. At least that is what it seemed like was happening. Where the bulls were coming from was dark timber that was steep, had plenty of deadfall and was about 2,000' higher in elevation. Nasty place. I am trying to come up with a strategy for this year in that area. Maybe waiting them out on a game trail up high on a finger ridge?
 
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My experience is outside of the rut as I’m not an archer- so from my perspective It’s not about them being at a different elevation than the herd so much as it is about finding the elevation the animals are hanging at and then find the nasty pockets that are difficult to approach due to terrain wind etc and often the larger bulls will be sequestered in these areas- often within a couple hundred yards of the herd. The setup can vary a lot but think in terms of access and escape routes in terms of thermals, and pressure. Sometimes you’ll see bulls want to bed up above when the thermals are on there way up so they can keep there nose full of cows but post rut I usually get them posted up where they get clear air and often times they’ll be in that zone on a slope halfway between the shoulder of a spur and the water in the draw - that zone where they are almost in the downdraft from the draw but are still getting the up that the rest of the face will have during the day- which makes it hard to get to them- and when that do that the herd will “usually” be between them and the “easy” access. At least it seems like that.

I just got a bunch of people riled up in mule deer forum by not taking a thread seriously enough- so I went ahead and added this post here IOT not have that happen again, as I don’t want to put anyone into a mood any worse than I have already first thing in the new year
 
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ESB75

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Englewood, CO
This is great information. Thank you! Your description of where bulls will bed, with respect to the bottom of the draw and the top of the side ridge was really helpful. In my mind I am picturing them on a steep sidehill where they would be very difficult to approach and get a shot on one. Getting me thinking about some of the draws I hunt! One more question if you don't mind. Are you trying to still hunt through a timbered draw, hoping to get a shot before they take off or are you looking for an ambush site hoping to intercept them on their way out/in?
 
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