Typical day in the field? Multiple species hunt?

[bald9eagle]

You are hunting DIY backcountry in the Colorado wilderness during archery season and the rut. What does your typical day consist of?

Do you spend midday resting or actively moving trying to find a herd? Once you find a herd how do you spend midday?

Second question is dealing with multiple species. Since I know I will be roaming frequently and the opportunity will exist to take either a bear, deer, or turkey do I just hope to cross paths or spend part of midday poking around, provided I feel up to it? I know that there are good bear numbers in the area I intend to hunt. My buddy and I have decided to start out with only one elk tag between us since the whole experience of butchering is daunting. He gets to shoot and I will be the caller. I want to get a bear tag but have even less of a clue how to hunt them. Do you guys buy tags for multiple species or simply target elk and wave hello to anything else you see?

[cohunter]

This past elk season in Colorado I had 3 bow-range encounters with elk, 2 with the same deer in the same spot 2 weeks apart, and NINE bears. I never saw a turkey. Probably not a typical elk:bear ratio, but I'd say you have a pretty decent shot. I wasn't hunting bear (only had an elk tag) so all those encounters occurred while I as targeting elk. Most happened as I was sitting an active wallow in the afternoon. A good acorn crop will draw the elk and bears pretty thick. If I were you, I'd carry a bear tag so you had something to look forward to. Murphy's law says you'll have good shots at a ton of elk and your partner a lot of bears, but I think the bear tag would be a great way to up the excitement level of your hunt.

[slim9300]

You will hunt hard and most likely the elk will be silent midday. If that's the case, I generally like to nap close enough to the elk that when they start back up, I can quickly move in. Say, 1/4 mile with the correct wind. Thermals should be headed up canyon and stay that way until nearly dark.

On the days the elk are bugling all day, I keep after them. You will find out real quick that sleep at night is kind of at a premium, and 1-2 hours of sleep midday keeps you sharp and helps with retaining mental toughness.

Don't hunt for anything other than elk unless you spot one glassing or run into them while hunting. Focus on elk and once you kill one, think about other options. I almost always see other stuff like bears, turkeys and deer when I'm not trying to. Just my .02


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[saddlesore]

I'm like Slim.I only hunt elk.Anything else is a diversion.

[njdoxie]

Are u prepared to stop elk hunting and start meat care, packing for the bear you might kill? For me, I focus strictly on elk, I don't want to deal with a deer or bear, elk is prio 1.

[Swede]

Let me start by admitting I don't hunt Colorado. Maybe someday, but not likely. I too have several tags with me unless somehow I have used one. I am like Slim and Saddlesore. I have passed by good bucks that would have taken me away from my elk hunt. I have had a bear right in front of me several times and just watched. If elk hunting is real slow and a buck gets too stupid, I will shoot him, and I will never pass on a cougar, but for 99% of the time I am totally focused on elk until one is hanging in a cooler.

[cohunter]

Like most of the other commenters, I focus on elk... in fact, I generally only have an elk tag. However, in your original response, you indicated that is was your first time hunting elk out west and that you'd be calling for your partner who is hunting. If I were in your shoes, I'd want a tag for SOMETHING! Is there primary reason for you not having an elk tag a budget thing? If so I totally understand! There's no way I can afford and out of state hunt. If you're wealthier than me, then I'd totally recommend getting the elk tag. You never know when you're calling where that bull might sneak in from. I suppose if you're hunting an limited entry unit, you're out of luck - in that case I'd get a bear tag if there are any leftover (likely).

[Lefty]

First times out west Hunt what the budget allows
I have a bear,deer,turkey,lion and wolf tag,.. all back at camp Last year I did carry my moose tag

I did go after a little buck last fall. We had pulled into camp Friday evening and this 18" mulie was hiding in the trees 100 yards from camp.
Twenty minutes in camp my wife said "go get him" I thought she was kidding,. I started heading down the trail for a short evening elk hunt, I got within 20 yards and spooked the little guy. I didnt think he was still there
I spent 10 minutes messing with him.
Ive sat at water tanks with chukers huns grouse, jack rabbits cotton tails, pygmies and never took a shot,..( ok I was waiting for 5 jackrabbits to line up )

Generally Im one animal at a time. When Im goose hunting no shots at ducks, or pigeons,..I do make an exception for fox , and coyotes, well maybe always an exception when a coyote shows up

However I would never fault anyone for chasing anything else on a hunt. I would chase after any lion or wolf If I knew they were there, shoot a bear in a tree
Some guys take every easy grouse.
OK a grouse story.
I went to northern Minnesota to hunt deer two days with my dad. I still dont know what kind of tree I came up on, but it was full of squirrels/ I didnt know Minnesota had squirrels that far north. My first shot I missed. I realized I shot high from the scoped .308. Next 6 shots each dropped a squirrel. Walking into camp a couple of Southern gents saw my brace of squirrels. They traded two cleaned grouse for those squirrels.
My dad thought it was a good trade too

[under H2O hunter]

Yes. I say carry as many tags as you can and never let an opportunity pass because nothing is a given and you may wish you would have if you don't end up taking the one thing you are really targeting... That being said its work to deal with multiple animals. Several things need to be taken into consideration. 1. How many people are with you? 2. Can you afford to lose a day or two to be taking care of an animal and get it dealt with before going back in for more? 3. Are you in top physical condition? Because dealing with several animals may wear you out so much that you won't be able to affectively hunt hard if you have spent energy dealing with other animals.

I personally carry multiple tags with me. I will have an Elk, deer, and Bear tag during archery season. I am fortunate though that I have the entire season to hunt so I am not limited to a week and I hunt with several people so if anyone of us gets an animal down we all stop hunting and start packing out meat and dealing with the down animal right away before any of us go back to hunting. I also process my own meat so I cut down on the cost to process. I usually only hunt a half day or take an entire day off after I have to pack a large amount of meat out or if I have to pack a long distance. This gives my body time to relax and I don't burn myself out.

Good luck and hope you fill all your tags.

[bald9eagle]

I think it would be foolish of two first time elk hunters to plan on taking two elk, much less try to dress and haul two out. We are going to push as hard as we can to get one elk. The idea is that I wouldn't want to pass up a once in a lifetime opportunity at a bear/muley if the chance came and I sure wouldn't want to take one illegally.

[Brendan]

I have a mule deer tag so I won't see any mule deer that would distract me from elk hunting