Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 2016 was the worst elk season in colorado in last 12 years

That's cheatin' I say!

Yup!!! 😁

(But no high fence! Hell! No fence at all on west [mountain] side!).

I think Rafer Johnson the great decathalete said it best, " The road to success is all up hill". I'm not sure he was an elk hunter but his comment certainly applies when it comes to elk hunting.

8,500-9,500 ft is about the altitude at which we hunt. Saw about as many elk last fall as we usually do, but they weren't moving around much in the daytime. I played cat and mouse with a nice 6x6 in the aspen thickets, but couldn't get close enough for a clear shot.

When I was back up at the beginning of February, there were still quite a few elk on the ranch. Snow depth ranged from a foot or so at 8,000 ft up to just below the top wire on the fences at 9,500 ft.

I couldn't agree more about 2016. For us though, I think two things happened. Little background first. We've been hunting in elk in Colorado since 1996 and in the same spot for the last 5 years, last year being the 5th year. Hunted 2nd season the first year at this spot, and 1st season every year after that. Over those years weather has varied from 70 degrees to 15 degrees and 18" of snow.

2016 started off super warm, and then dropped 40 degrees and snowed. We started to see some elk and elk sign after the snow fell. Two issues though, first was the amount of hunters. In 2016 I saw more hunters opening day, and everyday thereafter, than I did in the previous 4 years combined. It was seriously like some secret got out or 5 new outfitters moved into the area. Crazy insane the amount of people considering it was a draw only season. We walked 56 miles over the season, including being 6 miles away from the nearest road at times and still ran into hunters. I'd rather get a tag every other year, than deal with all those people on a draw only hunt.

The other issue was the timing of first season. Seems like it was super late, even in line with 2nd seasons of previous years. All the elk tracks we saw were moving down in elevation. Unprecedented behavior from the previous four years.

We are giving it a shot again in 2017 and have fingers crossed 2016 was just an anomaly.

Hunted @ 7 - 8500' elevation. The area we like seems to get better as the season(s) go on. Hunting pressure pushes them in. But as warm as it was in 2nd season, not much was moving during the day time unless someone stumbled on them.

Of the 4 of us, two scored on decent 5x5's.

The last afternoon of the season, we had a small herd move through our camp area. No bulls other than a single spike and one tow-head spike calf though.

Wolves are already killing elk in Colorado.

Source? Thanks!

I'm confused. Isn't that the same acronym?

It was only the worst for those that didn't kill and elk

No source DOW says there are none but I have seen them in area 5 and 161.

I hunted 1st rifle, and in hunting that area for five years, I saw more hunters on day one than I'd seen in the previous 4 combined. Very few shots opening day verses what is typical. None after that. It was hot, full moon, and of course the elk went underground, or flew out on vacation.

Welcome to Oregon!

I enjoyed hunting elk in CO (compared to Oregon) for a couple reasons... first, to be ALSO hunting deer was awesome. Didn't fill my tag, but just the possibility... I've seen some nice muley bucks in Oregon while elk hunting. Second, being able to shoot any elk (except a spike).... I'd have tagged out ever year in Oregon under those rules. At least until the elk were all shot out.

4 point minimum in many CO areas.

Shoot on site all "it looked like a really big coyote". Southern Colorado where I go between Durango and Pagossa Springs. I go only 4th season. Scares the touron(tourist-moron) outa there as it may snow and they don't/can't chain up to get up in the elk. I would rather freeze and see no elk and no hunters than roast and only see hunters. And maybe I have jinxed everybody. Since I have loaded 180gr.Speer Grand Slams I haven't seen any elk. When I used 200gr A-Frames I got every time. I still have 60 or so left, so for the sake of the greater good, I will switch back this year. DaveO.

I'm in that club... only saw them on private land below, but nothing on public

I saw a couple hundred on private land less than 5 miles from our camp. But without access and the other hundred grazing the soccer fields in Crested Butte we didn't have any luck.

I think elk hunting in Colorado has gotten worse every year for 20 years. The division of wildlife grossly overestimates elk numbers to lure in nonresident hunters and their money. Not to mention, there are so many archery hunters anymore that I think they push the elk back into really remote places, and they don't come back until heavy snow flies. Everyone and their grandma hunts archery anymore. A month straight of molesting them pushes them into no man's land or private.

Private (trespass fees) does seem to be the way to go. Not "free", but if you don't see anything hunting public land then you wasted the tag fee and all the time/money spent hunting.

Unless you know of public land that holds elk. Elk are easily visible on private land in stream valleys because it's open. That doesn't necessarily mean there are none on the surrounding public lands. Every year I run into guys at the trailhead who tell me they've seen no elk on public land and heard no bugles. Then I hike in a ways and get serenaded by multiple bulls.