Completely torn about hunt date

[eriks.]

Ok, so I've been preparing (reading everything elk, logging on here enough that my family assumes I'm on Elknut if I'm on the computer and gearing up/conditioning) for the last 2 years. I really thought that I was going to go to Colorado for the last 7-10 days of the season. My reasoning was that I'm packing in on foot and thought that starting later would put me into cooler temps(which might give me a little more time to pack it out before it spoils) in case I was blessed with a harvest and secondly because I would LOVE to hear some bulls bugle and have the interaction of calling them. From what I've read on here and other places, it seems like the later in the season the better for this style of hunting.

Here's where I'm torn. I just talked to a game warden for the unit (gmu 77)I wish to hunt and shared these same thoughts with him. His reply was to the effect that it could be as cool or cooler on opening week as it might be on the last week. He believes that the last week of archery will be one of the busiest weeks of the season because a lot of people share the same reasoning as I do. He also made a good point that there will not be as many animals after the first week to hunt and that if it stays warm, the bulls won't really start rutting until after the archery season ends.
I know that no one on here can tell me what is "the thing to do", but it sure would be nice if you veterans could weigh in on this and give me food for thought so I can make a decision.

I'm going to hunt as long as the Good Lord will allow it to happen and I know I will have a great time regardless of what the date will be, but dang it, I'd really like to have the best chance at shooting one of these animals that keeps haunting my dreams! lol

I should probably just pick a date and go with it and make the most of the short amount of time I will have. I admit it- I'm making this too hard!

[cnelk]

Dont second guess yourself.
Pick a date and go

Did you happen to ask the DOW guy how many ML hunters typically hunt in the area?
Where I hunt, I wont archery hunt for the first 5 days of ML season as it is pretty crowded
But after about day 5, they get tired and go home

My 1st hunt date plan is solid now.
My NR buddy called last night and he will be out for the first week due to work.
Im completely OK with that as pre-rut is always a good time to kill elk

I will hunt long weekends later in the season f I need to also

Good luck!

[six]

Never hunted early archery, but I can tell you there is something magical about being 20 yards away from a bull that is screaming his head off at you. The screams almost knocked me over. Personally I would never hunt the early season for that one reason.

I've hunted 4 different units and if you can hike back in a couple miles there's a good chance you won't have to worry about other hunters.

[eltaco]

Never hunted early archery, but I can tell you there is something magical about being 20 yards away from a bull that is screaming his head off at you. The screams almost knocked me over. Personally I would never hunt the early season for that one reason.

I've hunted 4 different units and if you can hike back in a couple miles there's a good chance you won't have to worry about other hunters.

This is one of the biggest misconceptions in elk hunting, IMO. You said you've never hunted early season and won't because they aren't screaming. You should give it a try sometime... you might be surprised at how much action you get into

I'm going opening week again this year... and its not because I don't like screaming bulls

[ElkNut1]

No brainer for myself bud! I'd stick with those last 7 days & do whatever it took to locate elk & hunt them. If it means getting away from other hunters & fighting the heat a bit if an elk is down then so be it! If you have to leave your elk over night because of distance just make sure it's hung in the shade & in elk bags with hide off. Have your red pepper with you to put on those elk bags as Crazyelkhunter has mentioned once hung & pack out first load from kill site. Don't over think it, hunt hard & have fun! On the other hand if I chose early I'd be hunting high with lots of glassing with Spot & Stalk in mind more than a lot of calling, so much depends on the elks attitude at any time of your hunt!!

ElkNut1

[otcWill]

My best advice: come for 10 days not 7. Doesn't matter really when you come in terms of whether you'll hear bugles. If you are where the elk are you will hear bugles. I think the first 10 days would be better in high pressure areas and the last would be better if ya can escape the crowds. Biggest bull we've killed otc was on Labor Day and came like a puppy to the simplest of calls. He had no cows and was just getting ready to leave his bachelor group. Good luck!

[buglmin]

lol...why do guys worry bout black powder hunters? The way it sounds, there isnt nothing but a sea of orange in the woods during black powder season...truth be told, you wont see that many black powder hunters, DOW dont issue that many tags!!
I live and hunt in GMU 77 and 78, spend a lot of time riding and fishing the areas. And truth be told, the bugling isnt like it once was, we just dont have the elk population we did several years ago. Plus the fact that we get more non resident hunters in this area then most people think about, with a very high number of outfitters, both local guys and outfitters from Texas, Arkansas, and other parts of the state...trailheads look like a Walmart parking lot!!
Funny how guys think that hiking in several miles will put them in high elk numbers and away from other hunters...you have no idea the pm's I get bout guys asking about certain areas. See, guys come out here one year, pay an outfitter and learn the country, and come out the following year with his three or four friends and hunt the areas the outfitter hunted them in. Happens a lot out here...
For the past several seasons, the elk seem to be bugling more at nights and later in the year around here. In the first few weeks of October, its amazing, and the first gun season can be simply amazing. Guys put a lot of good bulls on the ground that first gun season...
So, be prepared to hunt your butt off, cover a lot of ground, and dont expect a lot of bugling on public land. If you want to hear lots of bugling around here, park along the highways next to the huge ranches around here in the evenings and you'll hear lots and lots of bugling...
Dont know which F&G guy you talked to, we've got six in this area, but I hope it was Mike Reid. The other F&G guys will actually just blow smoke up your a$&!! I know this isnt what you wanted to hear, but the truth is the truth. This is a very hard unit/area to hunt, with high numbers of non resident bowhunters, And I think we'll see even more bowhunters the last two weeks of the season this fall. Everyone thinks the last two weeks will be simply magic!! Hell, I plan on being in the Gila in NM just to get away from the hunters around here...

[twinkieman]

Go with your original plan, at least you're not all torn up that it's elk season on the horizon, and you won't be able to go. That would be what would really tear me up!

[eriks.]

@buglmin- Yes, it was Mike and he seemed genuine in his answers and comments. Your observation about bugling later was spot on with what he told me. Same with the thought the last week would be the busiest. The Gila! Lucky dog!! A couple of years ago I stopped at the head of Wolf Creek Pass at night and got out of the car. The night was full of bugles! I just stood there and smiled.

@Cnelk-From what I gathered, the numbers of hunters are pretty steep but not nearly as many as there was several years ago.
Here in MO, I have used the other hunters to my advantage but the big difference is I know the lay of the land at home but not there.

@Elknut1-Yes sir! The whole idea is to have fun and I am making that number 1 on my list of things to do!! There is water available to cool the meat if necessary and I'll have the numbers of packers in the area if I decide that the job is just too big and hopefully will be able to get one to come to the rescue. This site has had so much information that has really been a Godsend. I can't say enough good things about all the people on here!

@otcWill-I'm self-employed so getting the time off isn't too big of a deal. It's more family oriented concerns that would pull me away. I'd love to stay and hunt the full 10 but it will depend on how things are going back at the home-front.

I have to laugh at myself many times. I come from a long line of obsessive worriers. I'm fighting it but every now and then, well, I lose the battle and post something like this. Lack of experience is a big downer in making a decision-especially after putting as much time and money into the preparation as what a guy does for a hunt like this. I'll be at peace with whatever date I come out and feel blessed to be there. I appreciate everyones thoughts.

God bless, Erik

[Bandrews]

Hey eriks, I hunted the area you mention last year during the latter part of archery season. We backpacked into an area we have had some previous success at. Seen more hunters than in the previous five years total prolly. Took a couple days to find some elk, as it was drier than usual. Bulls weren't bugling at all hardly during day. We found a wet creek/drainage and slept there that night. After dark, bulls fired up all around us. Killed a decent bull the next morning but it was tough. The hunters we ran into did say the hunting was good in that area the first week but had slowed way down. I felt like we were fortunate. I will say the hunter I was with was older and we were somewhat limited to the terrain we could hunt. So we didn't hit the steep stuff very hard like usual. I'll be headed back this year again for the week around muzzy, and either labor day weekend or the last weekend, have decided which yet. I'm leaning towards last weekend for all reasons you mentioned, granted I don't kill one on our big trip.

God Bless you too buddy!

BJ

[cnelk]

Lets ask this question in a different way...

If the season was only 9 days long and it started on Sept 1, would you not go?

[buglmin]

I dunno where in 77 you plan on hunting, but remember that at the trailheads in 77, Poison Park, Williams Lake, Hossic and Grantite, or off the Mosco road in the upper Nuche Valley, you've only got 4 or 5 miles befoe you get to the boundary of GMU 76, which is a draw unit. After all the complaints the last few years about hunters sneaking in and hunting, and killing bulls and taking only the heads and some meat, the trail heads will be watched and hunters talked to. If you have antlers, be prepared to be asked where the kill was and where the meat is. Know where the boundaries are, cause the fines a few guys got last fall werent pocket change.
Also, to avoid outfitters, you can stop at the forest service office and ask about outfitters camps in the area. But remember that outfitters using day use permits can be in that area as well with several clients. The parking lot at Poison Park looked like a Walmart parking lot last fall. And yessir, when we got into camp that night, we had seven other camps within 400 yards of ours. And with a lot of the wilderness in GMU 78 being burnt, I think the south San Juans and 77 will be packed.
We're taking the horses and chainsaws in the morning to clear the trail into the area we're planning to hunt. Might be a long seven mile ride, but after flying the area, it'll be worth it!!

[eriks.]

You betcha I'd go cnelk if the season was only 9 days. That would make it a lot easier on this ol' boy if I didn't have the opportunity to choose! lol
So are you saying that would be your pick of the season or trying to get me to simply approach from a different angle?

I would love to have a reason to tell the game wardens where the meat and kill was! That is, if I could talk through the big grin I'd be wearing! Thanks for the info buglmin, on where to find out about the outfitters. I forgot to ask Mike.

Congrats on getting one last year under those conditions Bandrews!

I've never had the chance to hunt anywhere but the midwest where hunter numbers can be crazy during the rifle season for whitetails. I mean you can see people everywhere. I wonder how subjective is the idea of crowded? For someone like me, it might feel like I have the place to myself but to you guys that know what it is like to truly be far from people, it may feel totally crowded. Does that ring true at all or is it in reality an overly full place?