Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Tracking Colorado Elk Season?

This weekend starts the elk season in Colorado. For you guys lucky enough to start the season what sort of activity are you seeing? Any bugling or cow chasing seen/heard? Any wallows getting torn up? Trees being torn up?

Not asking to give up hunting spots, just how the rut is progressing.

Could break up the state into southern, central and northern. "Northern" being north of hwy. 70, "Central" south of hwy.70 to hwy.50, and "South" below hwy 50.

I'm in the central area. (Buena Vista) 2-3 weeks ago they were bugling pretty good. The last week they went silent. I don't start hunting until Sept 8th in ML season, but i'm scouting everyday.

I'm hoping it picks back up by the time my hunt starts.

Hey Mauser, I am waiting on my Western Powder breech plug for my Wolf. They recommended it with the BH 209. I liked the design.

In the North section I have witnessed in past years the elk bugling at the start of archery then going quiet again. It was very hot temps at night and day. They did not start up again until after muzzle loading season. Not sure why the early bugling gets started, but like you I hope they are crazy for muzzle season this year..

Last weekend we heard no bugling in area 201.

You'll like that breech plug. It even comes with a drill and holder to clean out the flash channel

The days are getting shorter, we all know that.

But this is going to sound completely whacked, maybe it is?

But it seems that heavy bugleing happens right after darker moon phases along with the shorter days.

Not on anything illegal, really!

Just a theory, mind you.
But when we have a full moon coming the end of this month, it won't appear as dark as to many bulls. Not as dark as the shorter days are making it, the full-moon will supplement what an elk takes in.
Or how they will respond to it.

Just a theory, but if there is anything to it.
The 3rd week of September should be real noisy!

Mid September, shorter days and a dark new-moon should trip a lot of bulls into full rut. Of there is anything to my theory ?

Some bulls will answer a bugle , or bugle early. Maybe their more mature, or quicker to rut?

I been paying attention to peak rut and the fall moon phases for awhile.
With as much success as failure. Last years peak was later then I guessed it would be.

Sticking my neck out, but would bet the peak of rut the last 1/3 of September.

For what it is worth?

I would bet one beer on it.

I'd prefer the middle of Sept.

That early bugling is usually locator bulges where bulls are starting to get vocal to see what other bulls are in the area. My experience is those early bugles are one-two notes,not a full three note with grunts/chuckles at the end. Sometimes even just one short whistles almost. They get that figured out and then go quiet until the rut really starts.
Once they know the sound of other bulls that are local,they can figure out pretty quick if it's a human.

I hope it's late again this year. I'm going in the First Rifle and last year, they were still going crazy in the First Rifle season.

These were with chuckles. They were also from 8000ft to 12,000ft.

My younger brother was fortunate enough to make it out into the woods this weekend around the Hot Sulphur Springs area (18/181). He had been out scouting the area several times. Despite it being so hot, and with so few animals moving before dark, he decided to set up over a well-used watering hole. On friday evening, he observed two bulls, both 5x5's, making their way to the watering hole.

So Saturday evening he returned to the watering hole, hoping the bulls would follow the same routine. Sure enough, two bulls, at about 715pm, this time a 5x5 and a small 5x6, were making there way to the watering hole. Where he had positioned himself, just was just off of the main trail leading to the water hole. As the bulls approached the hole, my brother went to full draw and set his sights on the lead bull (5x6). At 30yds, the bull stopped, and he let an arrow fly. Shot was just a touch high but the bull went down in sight! First elk with a bow. Pictures to come.

Aside from these few bulls, not many elk moving in the area and no bugles were heard. Hoping the temperatures drop between now and later part of the archery season when I can make it up there!

Way to go.

Congrats to your younger brother and Thanks for the info on the elk activity..

Hopefully everyone will keep updating this post and we all can watch the rut start and stop. It will be useful to know what areas are in full activity and maybe others are not, or just lacking elk numbers.

Talked to quite a few guys and saw a ton of elk. Saw some big cow herds with no bulls older than spikes with them, and the hunters were just calling each other in. So no real news so far on this end.

Talked to a friend that hunts the Northern section of Colorado and he hunted the weekend. Saw several elk, including a good bull but heard no bugling or elk talk at all. The bull was not with any cows and did not appear to be trying to collect any.

Come on cool weather, just give us some cold clear nights..