First hunt in Colorado

[Mikeydahunter09]

Hey everyone this is my first post been searching on here and lots of great information but wanted to reach out and ask some advice mostly on when to go

Little background on myself....big big archery hunter have hunted the northeast my entire life pa ny and nj. This year I'm dedicated to making a trip to Colorado for elk. My best friend and his father have been going to Colorado for many years with very good success and have always offered for me to tag along but school and work had always kept me at home when they go. This year I have the time to burn at work and I'm going!!

My best friend has taken several elk but never with the bow and that's his major goal now in life. For me I want to go out and I'll enjoy the experience regardless of filling a tag or not. But the question resides of archery or 2nd rifle season. Both pose different difficulties I know but what I am looking for is what do you recommend as a first time hunt? I'd be much happier filling a tag with the bow but will also be happy with the rifle.

Regardless bow or gun I'll enjoy the experience but going with experienced hunters who know the land and can find the elk would you bring the bow or rifle? They are 7/7 last 7 times with the rifles and 1/4 with the bows but always on elk during bow.

Maybe a silly question but the guys that have been hunting here would like to get some input to sway me one way or the other. Ultimate goal is to be packing out my own elk

 

[backcountry_hunter]

I'm probably a little unique in the sense that I'm not an "anything" purist. I love archery (and really enjoy traditional archery) but I also love rifle and muzzleloader. I guess my answer would really depend on what you're hunting and overall objectives....


If your SOLE goal is to be packing out an elk, statistics be damned look at your buddy's stats... It's blatantly obvious they're more successful with rifles. That said if you're hunting public land the last hunt I would want to go on in CO is a 2nd rifle any bull OTC tag..... It's just too much orange army for me. If you're hunting private then testing the waters with a firestick might not be the worst idea..... It's certainly less frustrating than archery hunting. I've known a few midwesterners that have came out archery hunting for 2 or 3 years, get frustrated and throw in the towel.... sometimes a little success with a rifle before diving right in to bow isn't the worst.


That said I really like rutting elk in September. It also opens up the door for other hunts I want to do in October. I've found when I'm rifle hunting in Oct that sucks up all my energy and resources and I neglect other animals like mule deer, whitetails, waterfowl and upland. In sept. you're really only interfering with pronghorn hunting or moose (if you're lucky enough to get that tag)

 

[BowhuntElk]

I love Archery!, I love archery elk hunting! It can be harder, warmer, really slow, tough...BUT I like to get to that under 50, under 30, and under 20 yard mark. The first good shot under 50 Im taking, but Ive been 6 yards from a bull archery hunting and that is the ultimate rush. I like to be in their circle, not far away. Follow that up with archery tags are still easier to get than gun season for many good areas, and you get there before the elk have been messed with by other hunters. It can be slow, you not gonna see big herds, your lucky if they are starting to bugle and chase cows at all sometimes. Though I have been in CO right when the GROUPS of bulls are starting to get vocal but are still together, now that's fun. Just my 2 cents. NOTE: I never shoot at an elk over 50 yards, and actually all 4 (in 12 years, so I'm above average in my hunt area) I have gotten were less than 20 yards. Unfortunately, I've also lost some, mostly in my early years when I pushed things a little much maybe, and with new hunters I have taken out west. An elk is hard to put down, and even harder to track if not great shot, they can go a LONG ways (1/2 - 1 mile pretty easy on a liver shot say, 100-200 yards on a double lung). Not always, but often enough. Good Luck!