Muzzleloader impact on CO Archery seasons

[Idaboy]

Curious how people target dates for archery when it overlaps with Muzzleloader...are the ML numbers that high that it really changes the archery scene? Seems like waiting until Sept 17th to archery (and ML done) that the elk will have been really kicked around by that time, and more difficult to pull bulls off cows. I kinda have to pick a 7-10 block of days, was thinking Sept 12-22 and just deal with the ML hunter pressure?....no offense to the ML hunters, that first week of season just is so damn hot, so like to go mid-late Sept.

 

[Seth]

If the dates work for me, I hunt and deal with more folks in the woods.

 

[cnelk]

If you’re referring to ML hunting in an OTC archery unit, I’d say the archery hunters have the most impact.

 

[Coveyleader]

Totally unit specific. My “go to“ spots suck after ML season. Why? Because guys that used to bowhunt it, but could never close those last few yds that bow hunting demands, have now resorted to MLs and they nuke the bulls that used to escape. Their success rates now are way north of 75% as a group. I’m happy to see the ML dates in CO this coming year (24) seem to be later for whatever reason.

 

[Idaboy]

Totally unit specific. My “go to“ spots suck after ML season. Why? Because guys that used to bowhunt it, but could never close those last few yds that bow hunting demands, have now resorted to MLs and they nuke the bulls that used to escape. Their success rates now are way north of 75% as a group. I’m happy to see the ML dates in CO this coming year (24) seem to be later for whatever reason.

That's interesting....there is so much opportunities in CO, but seems like ML could really hammer the elk. I don't ML, but will have to read up on archery success vs ML success rates in the units I am looking at

 

[Idaboy]

If you’re referring to ML hunting in an OTC archery unit, I’d say the archery hunters have the most impact.

Yes that's what I was referring to....I guess there are actually 2 issues
1) hunting pressure/educated elk in early Sept
2) ML harvest rates that make it that much harder to tag an archery bull in late Sept

 

[Elktaco]

Just another excuse why you didn't get an elk.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

I’m not going to blame any 1 group of hunters. From my experience over many years of guiding, one of the biggest issues I’ve seen that has affected the elk and hunting is inexperienced guys just walking through the woods aimlessly, trudging through feeding grounds, bedding areas, not understanding winds, blowing bugles every 100 feet, the guys that “hunt”15-20 miles per day” and camping directly in elk transition zones. This has taken the areas I hunt and be good 1 day then blown out for weeks. Nice talked to some of these guys that have trudged through a bedding area, they had no idea they pushed elk out, said well we haven’t found any sign or seen anything and I ask them about the 15 head they blew out the other side of that timber area.

It’s been the guys that watched 1 to many YouTube videos and are way inexperienced with elk and literally have no idea what to even look for, that make the elk woods and elk hard to hunt.


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[The_Jim]

My hunting partner and I picked up some second choice mz cow tags a few years ago. It was really busy…mz elk and deer. Archery elk and deer. Early rifle deer. Hikers. We had no problem finding elk at the beginning of the week. The end was pretty quiet though.

@cnelk is spot on - we mostly ran into archery elk hunters.

 

[spike camp]

My hunting partner and I picked up some second choice mz cow tags a few years ago. It was really busy…mz elk and deer. Archery elk and deer. Early rifle deer. Hikers. We had no problem finding elk at the beginning of the week. The end was pretty quiet though.

@cnelk is spot on - we mostly ran into archery elk hunters.

Unlimited OTC archery tags vs limited ML tags for the same area, you’ll likely always run into more archery hunters, eh?

 

[camelcluch]

Are you asking if muzzy has more effect? I don’t think the muzzy gun has any extra effect and there are only so many tags for each unit. I hunt a lot of otc and a few draw units. I have only seen two ml hunters where I go to. I do usually run into multiple archery hunters each year. I guess I’m saying, pressure is pressure. Colorado opportunities are getting harder to come by. Just hunt while you can.

 

[westslopelaker]

Where we hunt during muzzleloader season it is noticably quieter for bugles and a lot busier for pressure. I prefer the week after muzzleloader hands down!

 

[Jaquomo]

In my unit the bowhunters are the hard-charger, go-getters who really pressure the elk hard and either drive them into deep holes, or down onto huge private ranches where they don't come out. ML guys mostly stay close to roads or flat-out road hunt. Also seems like they hunt for the first 2-3 days, then back off and do a lot more driving around and hanging around camp, or go home until the following Friday night.

The good news is that there are way fewer bowhunters in the woods during that week, so if you're willing to get a half mile from a road, you will be bothered less by other hunters than during the other 20 days in September when you only have to contend with deer, elk, moose, and bear archers, sheep and goat hunters, rifle bear, grouse hunters, high country rifle deer hunters, wood cutters, OHVers, mountain bikers, rifle scouters, etc..

 

[Str8shooter]

Big moon, too dry, too hot, too windy, too much rain, muzzleloader guys, grouse hunters, non-residents....soon to be wolves. Any can impact a particular area or a particular stalk but none really effect hunters that are adaptable.

 

[ElkArcher918]

I've archery and muzzleloader hunted my home unit(s) on alternate years and I can tell you that there's a shit load more inexperienced greenhorns running around with bows spooking elk. Hey, muzzy hunting is no cake walk here in CO. No scope, no sabots, . There's alot less muzzy hunters out there compared to archery. The years I do archery hunt I just slightly tweak my hunting approach and use the additional pressure to my advantage, since I know my area fairly well. I make no excuses the years I can't get it done, it's hunting.

 

[Idaboy]

Just another excuse why you didn't get an elk.

Was not really thinking about it from that standpoint...more just the balance of public land pressure and with my limited time off work, trying to weigh the benefits of early vs late archery as I only archery hunt

 

[Idaboy]

Unlimited OTC archery tags vs limited ML tags for the same area, you’ll likely always run into more archery hunters, eh?

Agree. I was trying to weigh the whole early vs late Sept option, as I can't take alot of time off to hunt

 

[Idaboy]

In my unit the bowhunters are the hard-charger, go-getters who really pressure the elk hard and either drive them into deep holes, or down onto huge private ranches where they don't come out. ML guys mostly stay close to roads or flat-out road hunt. Also seems like they hunt for the first 2-3 days, then back off and do a lot more driving around and hanging around camp, or go home until the following Friday night.

The good news is that there are way fewer bowhunters in the woods during that week, so if you're willing to get a half mile from a road, you will be bothered less by other hunters than during the other 20 days in September when you only have to contend with deer, elk, moose, and bear archers, sheep and goat hunters, rifle bear, grouse hunters, high country rifle deer hunters, wood cutters, OHVers, mountain bikers, rifle scouters, etc..

Great points

 

[camelcluch]

Something to think about; while hunting the last few days of muzzle my buddy and I headed back a few miles. Nothing major but close to 3 miles back. At about 6 pm conditions were getting good. Then the sound of bass rolled through the valley. Not just any bass but like a mini truck convention type bass. My buddy and I couldn’t take it and headed for the boom. We crested a ridge and was amazed. 3 miles back and a full rave going on. The whole enchilada with hippies, laser lights and dj. They packed everything back including generators. I’ll take ML season over a backcountry rave any day.

 

[Idaboy]

Something to think about; while hunting the last few days of muzzle my buddy and I headed back a few miles. Nothing major but close to 3 miles back. At about 6 pm conditions were getting good. Then the sound of bass rolled through the valley. Not just any bass but like a mini truck convention type bass. My buddy and I couldn’t take it and headed for the boom. We crested a ridge and was amazed. 3 miles back and a full rave going on. The whole enchilada with hippies, laser lights and dj. They packed everything back including generators. I’ll take ML season over a backcountry rave any day.

OMG...that would suck