Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Colorado second season

Good luck to all the guys hunting CO second season!

We set camp yesterday and are in Gunnison at the moment about to get a few groceries for the week. Weather forecast is perfectly crappy for tomorrow - wind, rain, snow, might be a short day...... But the rest of the week looks good - cold clear sunny.

First time I've hunted this particular area but have hunted in 54 and 55 about 20 or so years ago. Be a good week for armed hiking! I'm hoping to see/read a few good hunting stories this coming week.

I’m helping a friend in 61 this week.

Headed to 15 tomorrow. Muley for me, everything for my (resident) partner.

Good luck to all. Mb

Good luck

Not going for the first time in 27 years if I remember correctly. We hunted 55 NE of Crested Butte all but 2 of those years. 2 of our group got tired of paying-non-res tag fees and I didn't get around to securing adequate lodging in time since the tents we have always used are staying in IA. My replacement/splurge was bear hunting in Minnesota this year.

Day 1 done. Started snowing about 1AM, snowed on /off all day until 10 or so inches collected. Then it really started snowing.

Turned out to be a good day. Saw 13 cows, no bulls. I saw 9 mule deer and a dandy buck. My buddy saw 5 elk and a big bull but couldn't get a shot. All told, an excellent day despite the crappy weather. We had times that we couldn't see 50 yards.

We had a real adventure after we hunted just getting to town. I'll spare the drama but we left camp at 515, hit the hotel at 945. The road was a bit of a 'challenge''.

sweet good luck

Good luck!
I got benched in 2020 due to health concerns, took bulls in ‘21 and ‘22, and benched again in 2023.
Maybe it’s time to hang it up, but I can’t see myself doing that!

Bill:

I'm taking my grandson into 54 during the 3rd season. Hope for one more snow event between now and then.

Good luck! Myself and a buddy were supposed to hunt the second half of the second combined season in Units 12/13 but the State of Colorado closed the season down to excessive winterkill!

I think you mean ‘shortened’ the season. CPW should have eliminated the seasons this year in the winterkill affected areas.

Good luck Bill!

Have hunted 56 for years.

They should have modified the season dates well before the tag application start. But then there’s that revenue thingy….

The State cancelled our season down (second half of second combined)!

?

You got your wish......

We got 20" of snow in 53. On Sat night we: ended up in a ditch, spent 5.5 hrs driving the 17 miles into town, came back to a collapsed canvas tent, and hunted the rest if the week post-holing in 16-20" snow. We left this AM and there is still 12-16" above 8500 feet with the bonus of a 2" crust.

The part that sucks is that we located elk. My buddy and I saw 18 on day 1 but couldn't justify going back there with that much snow. It would have taken me 3-4 days to get it out. I post-holed up there Weds and saw prob 40 fresh elk tracks. 2.5 air miles plain sucks in that much snow, especially with a crust. I'm not that tough.

Down around Gunnison, they got less snow and over toward Crawford, they had zero.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Thanks Brad! Have a chance to christen that 6.5 yet?

Hi Bill, sounds like you had a tough, but good hunt - 20" is a LOT of snow without skis or snowshoes, and there's not much worse than crusty snow!

I only hunted opening day, and haven't been back out since. We'll see - this is always a super busy time for my work, and this year is doubly so.