Southern CO Elk Hunt Review

[nolanjs55@gmail.com]

So this year is my 3rd year hunting (2nd real hunting year) and my first archery hunt.

I went down to southern colorado to a little spot i hunted 2nd rifle season last year with a buddy. We had 8 days planned and were very positive things would go our way. It was a successful hunt on many levels but we did not bag any elk, we got SOOOOOO close.


got up to the mtn friday before opening day, could get any scouting in as i had a 7hr drive from denver. Opening morning we had boots on the ground at 4am, and were sitting on a ridge at 7am. before we knew it a group of 3 cows and 2 spikes walked right in on us. Things were off to a good start. After another hour of sitting we started stalking game trails, fresh sign everywhere. The game trails led into another main junction with other trails aside a meadow. we decide to hunker down and rest up. The place smelled of elk everywhere. I fell asleep and woke up to 3 bulls right in on us. We couldn't get an arrow off before they spooked. Opening morning we had 8 elk in our sights. I was pumped and thought everything was finally coming together. we saw tons of elk. Our afternoon tapered off and i think i need to reevaluate my afternoon plans. Anyways more of the same the next day but then on the 3rd day i had my "chance." same strategy of walking game trails and sitting on ridges when while stalking a trail i heard my buddy call out elk. I had a nice 4x5 bull come in 35 yards from me. I was shaking but got off the shot. I was in that moment relieved and nervous, I knew i hit the bull but heard a funny sound. After 2 days of searching and 3 miles i was only able to recover my broken arrow. I think i might have hit the shoulder blade with my shot. Talk about a bummer and disappointment. Both in the fact that i hope i didn't wound or leave a dead animal unrecovered but also that i didn't have an elk to bring home.

We had 4 more days to hunt by now but we were both beginning to feel deflated. We were camped at 10,800ft and elk sign started to dry up Pretty sure we spooked the bulls off our side the mtn. We kept telling ourselves we had to hop the next ridge into the deeper nastier stuff. My legs dreaded it. BY the last day we finally made it in there. Smelled and spooked a lot of what we thought were bulls but never got another shot off. All in all i was bummed to come home empty handed again but learned a lot and spent 8 days with my best friend in the woods. We had numerous close encounters early on and for my first archery elk hunt i keep telling myself it was a success. Def will be thinking about that shot and what to do better next time.....

[nolanjs55@gmail.com]

all the elk we saw hovered btw 10k-11k...they were silent too. although we mostly saw bulls, probably should have gotten lower for cows. can't wait for the rut.

I work for a fly fishing company here in denver and used most of my days off on this hunt, i hope to get out for a few more days here in mid set or late sept. anyone got any recommendations on units to scout close to denver? somewhere could drive to after work and then hunt the next day. I can scout my own and read the maps etc. just need a pointer as to units. Been looking at unit 38 but the # of elk seem low and the success rates in toilets.

[Loweboy]

Sounds like a great time on the mountain! A lot like my last few years...elk all around and even a shot, but still an empty freezer. My buddy had the same experience a couple years back on a muley, we came to the conclusion that he hit the shoulder blade after trailing a very scattered blood trail with a few clots near the end of it. He even said the thump didn't sound right.

I'll be headed down that way this weekend, hopefully. Good to know the Bulls are running around, but I'm after a cow this year. Not sure of any OTC areas around Denver, I've hunted GMU 500 for the past couple seasons but I think it's a draw only.