Finding Elk Opening week

[ThomasCrook]

I hunt Colorado and last year I couldn’t seem to find many elk during the opening week. I think this year since we’ve had such a hot summer and everything that I’ve noticed is so green, that they’ll most likely be up above tree line for a while. Any suggestions or input would be awesome!

 

[Catahoula]

I concur.

 

[edwards.tj]

2 weeks ago I saw elk in Colorado from 8500 to 12000.


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[JordanH]

Look for the nexus of cover, feed, and water. Then cover ground and look for fresh sign. When you find it, slow down and look for elk.

 

[Marble]

I hunt Colorado and last year I couldn’t seem to find many elk during the opening week. I think this year since we’ve had such a hot summer and everything that I’ve noticed is so green, that they’ll most likely be up above tree line for a while. Any suggestions or input would be awesome!

I have found this to not always be true. The last few years, except for last year, the elk were not as high. When I say high in CO I am thinking 11000 plus. If it is warm out, bugs are rampant and out in the open water filled basins there are tons of bugs hiding in the green grass and fresh foliage. They will move from this area if bugs are thick and go just below it during the day into dark timber. Temperatures drop and the bugs go by by all night and the elk come right back in. They are only going a mile to get away from them give it take.

My expereince is the elk can find a place that's cool to relax at in a many different places. I'm in California, and there are elk all around where I deer hunt right now. It's in the low 90s each summer day here, but the elk stay put. It's not a temp thing. They have food, cover and cooler north faces to hide in.

For rifle if you want to find elk. Take just a few days to glass your area from a vantage point and see where they are at. After seeing several animals over a few days, you will understand what the elk are doing, feeding on and where they are traveling.

Hit the area you saw them at and go edge to edge to find bedding and travel corridors.

A lot of people wont go into thick timber after elk with a rifle cause they say it's too thick to shoot. Over half of the animals I've killed in the last 10 years have been in heavy timber close to 50 yards away. It's possible. Move slow and never loose the wind. Ever! Use your binos to look 100 yards in front of you in the timber. You will see animals before they see you.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

I hunt Colorado and last year I couldn’t seem to find many elk during the opening week. I think this year since we’ve had such a hot summer and everything that I’ve noticed is so green, that they’ll most likely be up above tree line for a while. Any suggestions or input would be awesome!

I am no expert. Actually next week will be my first time but last year I got a PM from a Colorado guide giving me some general areas because he saw we were from NJ and he grew up here and wanted to see me have success. We didn’t get out there because of flash flooding at home and lost two cars.

I sent him a pm a week ago asking if the areas he suggested were still where I should be looking and he said yes but suggested looking low instead of high which was counter to everything I have read for the early season and seen on recent podcasts. I guess the moral of the story is elk are where they are and we are just going to have to find the sign.


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[Ross]

They are starting to hit wallows and talk in the jungles almost party time

 

[Newt]

A lot of people wont go into thick timber after elk with a rifle cause they say it's too thick to shoot. Over half of the animals I've killed in the last 10 years have been in heavy timber close to 50 yards away. It's possible. Move slow and never loose the wind. Ever! Use your binos to look 100 yards in front of you in the timber. You will see animals before they see you.

I shot my bull after climbing up from the bottom of a thick/steep north facing slope. I was trying to be as slow and quiet as possible bushwhacking when a bunch of elk busted out in front of me not more than 30 yards. Scared the heck out of me. They couldn’t see me and I couldn’t see them.

I immediately started cow calling to see if I could trick them into thinking I was a dumb little calf that was lost. It worked long enough to give me an opportunity at a shot about 80-90 yards.

That made me a believer of dark timber hunting.

 

[Coveyleader]

Hot dry years, elk much easier to find. Wet years, they are spread out. Good luck.

 

[ThomasCrook]

Thanks for the input guys. I’ll take all of that into consideration.

 

[RojoGrande]

At least in my part of the state the snow pack took a long time to melt off. The green line took longer to move up the slopes. Seemed as if the cows and calves stayed lower longer. The monsoons were pretty strong and regular as well. There's water and food more dispersed across the area. Not to say they won't go into their normal areas but why climb a mountain if good food, water and shelter can be had lower down on the hill?

 

[Marble]

At least in my part of the state the snow pack took a long time to melt off. The green line took longer to move up the slopes. Seemed as if the cows and calves stayed lower longer. The monsoons were pretty strong and regular as well. There's water and food more dispersed across the area. Not to say they won't go into their normal areas but why climb a mountain if good food, water and shelter can be had lower down on the hill?

That's what I'm hoping for. Going solo archery in 3 weeks and hope I'm not too deep when find my animal.

 

[ElkArcher918]

Opening week for starters I hunt high, 10k-12k ft. elevation and at least one ridge beyond a major trailhead or FS road. As the season progresses I drop down looking for bedding areas and chasing bugles. Sometimes I wish could just tie one to a tree before the season starts. Elk hunting is just alot of fun work.

 

[Mountainjedi]

I hunt Colorado and last year I couldn’t seem to find many elk during the opening week. I think this year since we’ve had such a hot summer and everything that I’ve noticed is so green, that they’ll most likely be up above tree line for a while. Any suggestions or input would be awesome!

Elk should be spread evenly across the mountain. Feed is everywhere.