Rut timing for CO

[snake]

I will be heading to CO (most likely Southwest area) in September to bowhunt for 7 days. Would I be better off heading out there on the 5th or on the 12th? I really want to hit the rut as close as possible as this will be my first time elk hunting and want to hear bulls bugling and have as much action as possible. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[buglmin]

Wow...seems like for the last five or six years now, the rutting activity has gotten later and later. If I was coming out west, I'd try to hunt as late as possible, like the last week of the season. Thats when it seems the rut is starting to pick up. It also seems like the bulls are coming into the rutting areas later then sooner.
Last year, towards the end of the season is when we noticed the rutting activity really starting to pick up. More and more bugling, more fighting going on. And because of how late Colorado is running this year, the last week might be the best. Although, it could be really crowded with other hunters,

[mandrroofing]

I plan on hunting co. The last 10 days of Sep. Should be good...

[cnelk]

Pre-rut can be fun too...

[buglmin]

Well, you see cnelk, guys believe that the bulls have to be bugling and rutting hard for them to be able to hear and kill an elk. We used to kill our biggest bulls the first weekend of the season in August, and yessir, they could come in screaming at us...

[Vanish]

Have elk hunted in CO the last two years, and so far the majority of rut activity has occurred AFTER the season in the area we've been hunting.

That doesn't make hunting earlier less productive, but damn if I wouldn't love to experience the run and gunning I keep seeing described on this forum. Hunting quiet elk is just not as much fun.