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Around our place at 8k elevation in NM there are LOTS of elk - almost all year - and we see them constantly. In summer when it is hotter and brighter, rarely do we see them during the day (except very early daylight when seeing some cows with young calves learning to graze). In such conditions, they begin to move on the edges of the day.


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You are looking in the wrong places, also, wrong time of year. I've seen herds of up to 600 elk in the third season in Hamilton.

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A lot of tourist high in the mountains now, many well above timberline, have changed elk habits. Private ranches with few people are where many elk now live year round. I work on a few of these ranches and see elk quite often. Places like public golf courses have seen elk become residents. If you know where to look elk can be seen quite low nowadays. A herd of 75 or so are hanging out near Salida city limits in a hay field. Unheard of when Colorado was a wilder place.

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Originally Posted by 257Bob
Saddlesore, I believe it, people everywhere. Never seen so many campers and ATVs in my life, must be the weather. CO Springs was a nice break, Grand Junction was a desert with heat to match.


There's your problem. ATV's are why we always hunted a wilderness area where only horses, mules and walk in were permitted off road. Elk don't like people and pressure and the proliferation of ATV's and the ease of easy access has driven elk in public areas into far more remote areas. We overheard some outfitters talking that someone had flown the area and told them that there were 10,000 elk in Soap Creek Canyon and the guys were frustrated that they couldn't get to them.


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I have some really bad news for you.

You actually vacationed in Oregon. I know it sucks, but did you at least stock up on the local weed strains while you were here?


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Have been seeing a steady decline in all big game numbers in the last decade or two. Elk seem to have declined excessively. Many of us old timers attribute the decline to the states issuance of seemingly endless cow elk licenses. When you kill a cow you are killing more than her but also her offspring and their offspring. One kinda secret place I would hunt was the very north west corner of the state in the Sand Wash area. Completely uninhabited. Every trip I would see at least 3 herds of wild horse, antelope in such great numbers that you didn't even count them, large herds of elk wintering there and plenty of deer. Last 2 day trip there, 2 antelope, 1 deer and one small herd of horses was all that was seen. Don't know the answer but I don't shoot females anymore.

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Originally Posted by antlers
Originally Posted by 257Bob
Antlers, do you think floating the river would be a feasible option for hunting?
No sir.

But from Stonewall east along highway 12, all the way to about halfway between Weston and Trinidad...everything south of that boundary...all the way to New Mexico, is where I’ve seen lots of elk out here.


99.9% of the river from the NF boundary (North Lake SWA) to Trinidad lake is private property. I have seen lots of elk between Stonewall and Weston in march and April many bulls still sporting antlers but I was not there this year. Many of the elk migrate into NM after April.


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Originally Posted by saddlesore
Always a lot of elk hanging out in Estes Park , right outside Rocky. I imagine a lot are hanging out in the timber to get out of the heat. If you are not out and about right at day break you won't see many. Some will be hanging out in what snow fields are left, up high to get away form the bugs.

Too many people hiking around Pike NF and they push the elk out. Some of that herd is up on the COS water shed property that you can't access.

All across Colorado though there are a lot more people recreating in the NF that push elk further back in.Trips into wilderness areas, you will meet hikers, backpackers and trail riders all the time. Can't get away from them. If not wilderness, you will be overrun with mountain bikers. Couple that with the fact that CPW way over estimates how many elk Colorado actually has and it is no wonder you didn't see elk.CPW probably has a better handle on the number of elk, but if they would put that number out,their license sales would go down and they are not about to let that happen. I think they are still publishing that 280,000 ,but I doubt if the actual numbers top 200,000 or even come close to it


Agree, PNF is a zoo this time of year, deer can be seen in some areas early am or very late pm. Some of the elk keep to the bottoms of a few very deep canyons.


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The numbers are incredible down there. I’ve seen elk comin’ over the ridge from south to north, west of Weston and south of Hwy. 12...and there were so many of em’ boiling outta there that it looked like fire ants comin’ out of a hole in the ground. Hundreds of em’.
I think the Bosque Del Oso State Wildlife Area down there would be prime hunting grounds for wapiti.


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Right now the bulls are in their bachelors groups and cows with calves have just re herded. Likely all on north slopes looking for some water and good grass.

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antlers

I've heard that the Bosque hunts best in 4th season but there are only 10 tags.


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I bet they’re coveted...!


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Originally Posted by smokepole
Originally Posted by rockinbbar

I doubt the elk just vanished statewide.

If by chance they did, then you can thank a wolf.


In Colorado? Do tell.

As others have said, it's been hot here for weeks now and you're not going to see them out and about during the day unless you're way up high.



https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevor...the-first-time-in-90-years/#7dd838c86f62
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A Pack Of Wolves Was Spotted In Colorado For The First Time In 90 Years

Trevor Nace

Jan 25, 2020,07:30am EST

It’s been 80 years since the last wolf was hunted and killed in Colorado, leaving the state, which was once abundant with wolves, without any.

Recently, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) confirmed that they saw a pack of 6 or more wolves in the northwest of Colorado. These wolves, which are roaming around Moffat County are the first pack that has called Colorado their home since the 1930s.

On January 19, CPW officials saw large wolf tracks circling an animal carcass in Moffat County and while they didn’t initially see the wolves they heard wolves howling in the area. Then, officials located the pack about two miles away from the animal carcass, identifying about six wolves in total.


I have personally killed wolves where they were not supposed to be before. Like a few hundred miles from where they should be. USFWS are a bunch of liars when it comes to their little pet projects.


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Originally Posted by rockinbbar
Originally Posted by smokepole
Originally Posted by rockinbbar

I doubt the elk just vanished statewide.

If by chance they did, then you can thank a wolf.


In Colorado? Do tell.

As others have said, it's been hot here for weeks now and you're not going to see them out and about during the day unless you're way up high.



https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevor...the-first-time-in-90-years/#7dd838c86f62
Quote

A Pack Of Wolves Was Spotted In Colorado For The First Time In 90 Years

Trevor Nace

Jan 25, 2020,07:30am EST

It’s been 80 years since the last wolf was hunted and killed in Colorado, leaving the state, which was once abundant with wolves, without any.

Recently, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) confirmed that they saw a pack of 6 or more wolves in the northwest of Colorado. These wolves, which are roaming around Moffat County are the first pack that has called Colorado their home since the 1930s.

On January 19, CPW officials saw large wolf tracks circling an animal carcass in Moffat County and while they didn’t initially see the wolves they heard wolves howling in the area. Then, officials located the pack about two miles away from the animal carcass, identifying about six wolves in total.


I have personally killed wolves where they were not supposed to be before. Like a few hundred miles from where they should be. USFWS are a bunch of liars when it comes to their little pet projects.


Yep, for sure.

Ive heard from some people that Col game folks are trying to significantly reduce the states elk numbers for many years. Dont know if its true but the numbers sure dropped in the NF north of Durango.

I saw 3 collared wolves 20 miles west of Jal a couple of times that I had been informed of. They took care of the 2 antelope herds and a few small groups of muleys that were in the area.

Last edited by jaguartx; 07/13/20.

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don't worry........

they saw you......


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Originally Posted by rockinbbar
USFWS are a bunch of liars when it comes to their little pet projects.


This.


You didn't use logic or reason to get into this opinion, I cannot use logic or reason to get you out of it.

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Shoulda played 18 holes in Estes.


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Originally Posted by antlers
Originally Posted by stuvwxyz
We are ass deep in tourists. The parking lot to climb the 14ers are overflowing. Had a job by the Quandry mountain trailhead. The parking lot was overfull. Then they parked up to 3 miles away along every wide spot in the road.
Yep. There’s a lotta people out here right now. That particular trailhead is very easy to get to, it’s right off Hwy. 9, and it’s just a few minutes outside of Breckinridge...so it’s quite popular.

Where are all the tourists from? I thought everyone in Colorado vacationed. hunted and fished in Wyoming.

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I moved to Colorado near 20 years ago. People bitched then that it was getting over run.

There are simply too many people.


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Originally Posted by shootbrownelk
Originally Posted by antlers
Originally Posted by stuvwxyz
We are ass deep in tourists. The parking lot to climb the 14ers are overflowing. Had a job by the Quandry mountain trailhead. The parking lot was overfull. Then they parked up to 3 miles away along every wide spot in the road.
Yep. There’s a lotta people out here right now. That particular trailhead is very easy to get to, it’s right off Hwy. 9, and it’s just a few minutes outside of Breckinridge...so it’s quite popular.
Where are all the tourists from? I thought everyone in Colorado vacationed, hunted and fished in Wyoming.
Lotta people from Texas come up here. New Mexico and Kansas too. But I see a bunch from Texas.


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