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Looking to link up for a CO OTC archery elk hunt

Congrats on the draw. Strange year here but the spring has been good for growth.
 
Well the results are in for the MO Elk draw and I am again unsuccessful (hopefully one day I'll get to hunt them in my home state). That being said I'm definitely heading to CO for an OTC archery hunt. Can I get a roll call on those still interested?

@JCLINE84
@swd
@TreeMunkie
@Sziggy2.0

Any of you fellers still want to hunt with a total stranger? Or have you come to your senses? :laughing:
 
I’m still willing to hunt with you @heretic. What are the dates you’re looking at this year? My biggest issue right now is that school starts back in August. Some of my professors are very understanding though so I might be able to sneak away.
 
JCLINE84 said:
I’m still willing to hunt with you @heretic. What are the dates you’re looking at this year? My biggest issue right now is that school starts back in August. Some of my professors are very understanding though so I might be able to sneak away.
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I'm fairly open! I get a boatload of vacation time and my current employer is scrambling to keep me so I pretty much have carte blanche of when I get to go. I was thinking of burning two weeks of vacation time, during which I can definitely overlap with everybody else's schedules. Worst case scenario if I don't get the job done I can probably get away with holeing up in a motel during the week and work remotely if I REALLY want to stay later in the season.

Last year I went between the 10th and 20th of September and the bulls were really starting to get vocal near the end of it, just about when the aspens were starting to turn color. I'm sure that event is highly situational and localized, so there's no telling when that magic hour will happen at different latitudes/in different units.

Looking at the lunar calendar we'll be seeing a full moon by the 19th, so even if the rut activity picks up it may just go nocturnal combined with all the OTC pressure. During second week of September is muzzle loader season, so we'd have to deal with that added pressure. It looks like this year there is a lot of tradeoffs: earlier in the season the bulls will probably be less vocal, later in the season the pressure will probably force them to be nocturnal and remote.

Once we have everyone interested chime in, I'm open to a group concensus. In my opinion I think we may have better luck later in the season if we go where the other hunters don't want to go.
 
I think I have a tight plan early September. Late September is much looser. Plan to be in CO the whole month working and hunting.
 
I am still interested. It is a question of timing. We need to pick some dates and locations. Dates being the most important.

We going to backpack in? Truck camp? Hotel? I am open to all three.
 
I was just getting ready to bump this thread myself. I wasn't sure what everyone else was doing so I have been planning on going solo if others could not make it. If we can set up a group effort that would be great. At this point I've spent so much on gear the OTC tag seems cheap. :oops: My two main questions are timing and (roughly) what areas you folks have been eyeing. Not specific units per say, but what general areas so I can focus in on those too.

I am flexible on dates and locations. My solo plan was to stay 2 weeks mid-September. I was going to backpack in and hunt 3-4 days, work from base camp a couple days and go back out for 3-4 days. But I am flexible on all of that.

I am doing a family vacation in CO in mid-August. I am hauling my 30ft travel trailer out for that and plan to leave it in storage there so that I don't have to tow it back and forth. I was going to set that up in a campground near where I decide to hunt and use it as a base camp. I am also trying to stay an extra week after the rest of my family heads home to give me time to scout. If that doesn't work I may come back the last week of August to scout.

Everyone is more than welcome to share the camper if that helps with cost/logistics. If we have a consensus on dates areas I may be able to have it set up before you get there.
 
Sounds like it’s just a matter of picking a date that works for @TreeMunkie and @heretic and the rest of us planning around those dates. The camper would be an awesome option for a base camp and shower to hike back to from a more remote base camo also. I’m good with camping but access to a camper close by makes things much easier. If there is any way possible for me to make I will definitely be there.
 
You all are making me jealous with this hunt. Let me know if you have any questions and make sure to check for fire closures. We had a few burning around the state. Not like last year but some spots closed.
 
Yeah that camper would be incredible! A solid basecamp can open up options for how we approach a unit. So far everyone that has pinged back is an affirmative, still waiting on @swd

I think we should exchange info and setup/schedule a Zoom call, from there we can hash out the details on timelines and units we want to hunt. I have access to onX and goHunt and can screen share that over zoom.
 
Be sure to take your saddles if for no other reason than hanging on a carcass for bear after the elk kill.
 
As much as I hate it, I am out for this season. Just put in a new heating/ac system yesterday. Can’t say it was a total surprise, but it definitely blew the savings account up.

Next season will have to be my time.

Good luck and keep us all posted!!!
 
Just send an email. He has been very good about replying.
 
This thread is making me jealous. I've only been out once, in 2004 in rifle season. I'm itching to get back out there with my recurve.
 
swd said:
As much as I hate it, I am out for this season. Just put in a new heating/ac system yesterday. Can’t say it was a total surprise, but it definitely blew the savings account up.

Next season will have to be my time.

Good luck and keep us all posted!!!
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Dang, sorry to hear it! Silver lining: you've got a team of saddle hunters scouting out where to go (or not to go lol) for next year
 
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You guys all have me extremely jealous this morning. I’ve never been and want to go badly.
 
I didn’t draw for Idaho this year. I told myself if I didn’t draw I would skip this year but there are only so many elk seasons lol. My wife even asked if I was able to go somewhere else. I am in Florida so obviously I am not against traveling to hunt. I was just familiar with Idaho since I was stationed there in the past and that is where I got hooked on elk. I am starting to look into Colorado now.
 
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