Going archery elk hunting during muzzleloader week?

[GodSpeed1]

Is it even worth it as an archer to go elk hunting during the muzzleloader week in Colorado ? Just curious of your opinion thank you

 

[Dirtbag]

Absolutely. The more time afield the better. It wouldn't be my top pick for taking the week off, but if its your only time to go, or if you have the time off regardless its worth going. From my experience a lot of ML hunters arent giving it a lot of effort in regards to getting to the tough accessed spots anyway.

 

[gelton]

Muzzleloader hunters don't bother me because as mentioned most of them don't put in a ton of effort. Muzzie hunters with horses on the other hand...drive me nuts.

 

[Coveyleader]

They are a pain in the ass, and screw up the areas I hunt yearly. Don't think that ML guys don't get out of the truck and hunt. I know plenty that were shitty bowhunters and just couldn't close that last 50 or so yards and never shot many elk. Now, they come back with MLs and absolutely hammer the area and elk at the same time.

 

[westslopelaker]

No way, I'd stay home during muzzleloader week.

 

[Broadhead]

I've hunted the week of muzzleloader three times in Colorado with a bow and have saw a total of three muzzleloader hunters. If you're an archery hunter that's willing to hike, the only competition you will have is other archery hunters.

 

[SLCbowhunter]

I've played around with hunting after, during, and before the muzzy season in CO, definitely settled on hunting before as my preferred timeframe. Getting pounded with muzzys definitely seems to change elk behavior in the area I like to hunt. The elk move higher on the mountain and start moving to cover about 10 minutes before the sun hits the mountain, and they don't come out of cover till maybe 10 minutes before. I've still had some great encounters, but it seems like the margin for error on a stalk shrinks to zero.

 

[HuskerHunter97]

I think other archery hunters will frustrate you before muzzy hunters will. I took the muzzy season off in 2020 to backpack hunt and saw 2 gun hunters and about 20 archery hunters.

 

[Overdrive]

Just go hunt if you have the time.

And just think you can be like all the others and blame Muzzie hunters if you don't get one that "week"

 

[sodaksooner]

I may hunt part of muzzy week this year. Have a buddy that will be in Golden that needs some help that week but only on the weekend. Not going to drive out and drive back, so will just take an extra week and stay out there. We are not really scheduled to hunt until the following week, but will probably be able to hunt 3 or 4 days early. Not too worried about it. Only 30 muzzy tags in the entire unit (only 85 non landowner bow tags) Last time we hunted that unit and overlapped only saw 2 that weren't in an atv. Typically we overlap one of the weekends and Ive never seen another muzzleloader hunter in the field. Have heard a few shots over the years though. That said if it's your only week, go...

 

[Mighty Mouse]

If you want to know how many ML hunters will be in your unit, look at the tag quotas listed in the draw report. In my experience bowhunting during ML season, I encounter more archers than ML hunters. I prefer the first week of archery season, but if that weren't an option for whatever reason, I wouldn't have any qualms about going during ML season.

 

[rideold]

If I could only go during muzzy season I would. That said, I have the flexibility so I never go during muzzy season. I figure that part of the month has the most people in the woods.

 

[svivian]

Depending on the unit you want to hunt there may be Rifle bear hunters there the whole season...

 

[Hoyt Ag]

Before or after, never again during.

 

[cnelk]

Look at the Draw Recaps of the units you’ll be hunting.

Depending on the unit, Look for ML Bull Tags, ML Cow tags, E/S ML elk tags, ML Bear tags, ML Deer tags (buck/doe/E/S) and Rifle Bear tags

 

[browning2480]

Better stay home that week.

 

[5MilesBack]

If you're an archery hunter that's willing to hike, the only competition you will have is other archery hunters.

Except when you find someone like me (a bowhunter) that's helping a ML hunter with their hunt, and we're hunting it like I would a bow hunt.

I've had 5 ML hunters shoot bulls I was working since 2010, and I never knew they were even out there until they shot. But I still hunt ML week, along with the other weeks as well. It is what it is. If my season is open, I'm probably out there.

 

[JB64]

I’m heading in the tail end of ML season and staying the whole following week. Either way, can’t kill anything from the couch and not too worried about the other dudes.

 

[Fjellvei]

Optimistic ML breakdown :
10% hunt only half the allotted time, 20% don't hike further than a mile, 10% can't get shot off in the rain, & 10% oversleep? These leaves you only competing with ~30% of the MLs in the field get out there!

 

[GodSpeed1]

Optimistic ML breakdown :
10% hunt only half the allotted time, 20% don't hike further than a mile, 10% can't get shot off in the rain, & 10% oversleep? These leaves you only competing with ~30% of the MLs in the field get out there!

Brooo !!!!!!!! Hahahahahahaha!!!! I’m dead !!!!!! good one