I have been out once before.  Hunted central part of  Arapaho National Forest we all filled are mule deer tags but no Elk.  We thought we would try the far west part of Arapaho this yr.   Any one else going?  Anyone know where the Elk are?

The elk are high right now, but due to weather that should be here Fri they should be moving down.  
So if you hunting the season that starts Sat 30-oct-04 look for the transition areas.  Arapaho National Forest  is a big place so just were are you going?   With the storm, i would look for hunting area around 8500 -- 9000 foot elevation.    Bob (Colorado Native)

I...
Hate...
You...


[muttering to self] Must contain jealousy better. [/muttering to self]

South West of Winter Park.  East of Meeker.  We are hunting the week starting Oct. 30.

Sawed-off

With the storm, i would look for hunting area around 8500 -- 9000 foot elevation. Bob

I appreciate the info.



How bad of storm of a storm is comming we will be using campers.

My advice would be not to miss.

Like I did this year.

How does one get a nonresident tag in CO (lottery)?  How much?

Over the counter in many areas.  Price depends on whether you want a bull or a cow.  Cost is about the same as an AR.

SRM

Price for Elk is$493 and you can buy it over the counter.  Some sections are a draw.  All out of state Mule deer tags are Draw for $$298.25.  I admit it is a little high, but Time away in the MTs Priceless.

Sawed-off

So far just long range forecast, Snow starting Fri -- Sun and then snow starting Wed --- Fri.  Winter Park is just showing snow showers so it should not be much.

However, I have shoveled 10" of partly cloudy!

Sounds like GMU 18 or 28  good luck.

Quoted: The elk are high right now, but due to weather that should be here Fri they should be moving down.   So if you hunting the season that starts Sat 30-oct-04 look for the transition areas.  Arapaho National Forest  is a big place so just were are you going?   With the storm, i would look for hunting area around 8500 -- 9000 foot elevation.    Bob (Colorado Native)

No offense, but I get tired of hearing people tell others that "the elk are high", or the weather is too hot, or too dry."  That is the biggest crock of sh............t.  It is true; there is a migration, and there are elk high that will go lower in the later part of the fall, but there are also elk low that stay low.  They are there, and always will be.  Weather?  I've shot elk in all types.  I prefer, hot dusty, and dry.  I hate wet weather hunting.  I've had just as good of luck, in fact better,  in dry weather as wet.

My evidence you ask...?  What the hell do I know?  Lots of years hunting elk in WY.  Hunting elk in Wilderness areas, only accessible on horseback or foot, and areas at only 7000ft, hunting on 4 wheelers, trucks, and foot.  Elk are there, you just have to be in the right place at the right time.  How you hunt puts you in that situation.

see link for pics
www.jobrelatedstuff.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=11&t=285993

If you get one, stuff your gun barrel in its pooper and post pics.

guns, I am banking on the same advice I have been providing.   I am also hunting this season just more west.  Yes we to have elk that stay low all year around, but that also means private land (big bucks to hunt).   Bob

by the way those are some nice elk pics

Quoted: guns, I am banking on the same advice I have been providing.   I am also hunting this season just more west.  Yes we to have elk that stay low all year around, but that also means private land (big bucks to hunt).   Bob by the way those are some nice elk pics

I guess I should put my money where my mouth is, and give my advice for hunting elk instead of nit picking.

This is probably very basic, and everyone knows this already, but here is how I have been successful.  Spot and stalk is my favorite, but that works best when no one else is around to blow your stalk.  I hate walking the timber, because I suck at it, but even this year it still worked out for me.  

:  If there are lots of people.....more the merrier!  Let people stir them up, look for elk to squirt out into the open.  If someone is pushing timber, find a nice place to sit and wait.  They will do all the hard work for you.  Even if you have to follow someone else pushing timber, elk will circle back and you might run into them.  Walk the timber look for sign, watch meadows and openings very closely.  Look for a small saddle or meadow that naturally funnels moving elk.  If you spook elk, find the nearest clearing, sit and wait.  Something is bound to walk out.

: If you are lucky enough to be the only person around.  Find a hill side, glass meadows until something walks out.  Spot and stalk.  Nothing moving?  Walk the timber slowly, if and when you spook something, find an opening, stop and wait.

It that doesn't work, light up the grill, crack a cold one, get ready for lunch, then shoot the elk that walks out right behind your cabin.  That seems to work well for my father-in-law.  He has done that twice now.

Almost hit a couple with my car on Monday.  

guns,

I could not agree with you more on your approach.  This is the exact way I hunt.  

I hunted last week (Oct. 16 - 24) in GMU 33, west end of the Flat Tops area. The high country here is 8500' - 9500'. There was warm dry weather the first weekend then cool (just above freezing) wet weather the rest of the time. Rain turning to snow.

We saw not one elk. We had four cow tags. We hunted high, low, inbetween. Didn't matter. We talked to other hunters and they were having a hard time finding elk. Seems like they just disappeared.

I'm thinking the first season chased them into backcountry hellholes or down onto private property. And it's been raining in town most of the week. It's bound to have snowed good up top.

If you are going elk hunting, buy a good pair of boots.  If you don't want to wear those boots out, buy a good set of optics.

SRM

Quoted: I hunted last week (Oct. 16 - 24) in GMU 33, west end of the Flat Tops area. The high country here is 8500' - 9500'. There was warm dry weather the first weekend then cool (just above freezing) wet weather the rest of the time. Rain turning to snow. We saw not one elk. We had four cow tags. We hunted high, low, inbetween. Didn't matter. We talked to other hunters and they were having a hard time finding elk. Seems like they just disappeared. I'm thinking the first season chased them into backcountry hellholes or down onto private property. And it's been raining in town most of the week. It's bound to have snowed good up top.

A friend of mine was in CO around that time for a two-week hunt, but he got fed up because they saw NOTHING. Nada. Zilch. Said he talked to a local place that prepared meat, and they did a booming business in the first season. However, the second season (that my friend hunted in) was almost a bust. So, after being skunked this year, my buddy's going to hunt the first season next year. (I'm going to miss those elk steaks and burgers this year. )

I was scouting last week at about 9000 feet and didnt see any Elk, even on private property.

About the Elk being high and low. We have Elk year around at our place at 9000 feet, but they are the smart locals. It is a lot easier hunting the big herds in migration because they don't know the area.

I am going after Thanksgiving in a special Cow hunt. I prefer hunting with a few inches of snow on the ground and a little falling snow.

Good luck, shoot all you want, Colorado will make more.