I wear a zip front, windproof Natural Gear fleece when it's cold. As soon as the sun comes out and if you move at all, you'll want to unzip it or take it off. The high Desert sun is hot, even when the temperature is in single digits.
No trampoline but one did jump into the pool. Apparently goats can climb the pool ladder to get in but don't climb out so well.
After reading through 150 pages of information, I decided to join this forum. I have always wanted to bow hunt Elk, but have never been able to do it since most of the family and friends I go with only rifle hunt. Would love to join this crew as early as 2016. That being said, I stumbled across this forum because I have been searching hunting options around the Leadville area. I got a last minute opportunity to vacation with my new wife in Leadville and it just so happened to be during 2nd rifle season. This will be my first time in the area and she has never elk hunted. Unit 45 and 45/471 are the closest OTC units to Leadville so I will be choosing one of the three to spend my time. I am just asking for any information or pointers. This would be great as I am not sure what I will be getting myself into and this seems like a friendly group willing to share some info. Feel free to PM me or to email me at [email protected] A little about myself. I am from IL (30 minutes east of St. Louis) and I have rifle hunted OTC Elk two other times (Pinedale, Wyoming and Rifle, Colorado). I am 31 and consider myself to be in good shape so hiking and hard work don't bother me. My passion is hunting and I am absolutely crazy about bow hunting in IL. Thanks in advance for any info and look forward to potentially hunting with everyone in the future.
Got my Western Hunter in the mail and a familiar muley caught my eye as I was flipping through the pages.
Just back from 9.5 days of searching for the wapiti. They were slow to get moving around in the area. I am done with opening week. The warm temps don't get them moving much and bugling action doesn't get going until around September 7th. Full moon, warm temps, daily rain, and high humidity. The cloud cover made the wind unpredictable most mornings and evenings. A couple days with 25+ wind gusts. Sunday night, some light dusting of snow above 13K. No Name potholes are deeper. Especially at the entrance, so slam on your brakes as you enter. During opening week, lots of hunters pulled up stakes early because the elk just weren't getting into the area much. Even deer sightings were way down. Over the weekend, a cold front came through and more fresh sign started to be found. I am skipping this weekend...muzzleloader opens on Saturday. Saturday can be good if you know where the ML push the elk. Back at it for closing week...the rut. Good luck everyone.
Well after much deliberation, I decided to hunt Unit 45. I will focus my time hunting the Holy Cross Wilderness area North of Homestake creek. I will drive from Leadville each morning and I will be taking daily walks into the wilderness. I figure I will walk in around 3 miles......and if I do not see anything, I will just turn around and start walking back towards the road. The wife said she may go with me one day, but for the most part, this will be a solo hunt. Is hunting activity/pressure the same no matter which days you hunt or is there more people during the weekends? I anticipate arriving Saturday and really be able to hunt Sunday - Friday. Let me know. Thanks!!
Thought that was last week? He and Greg (frogtosser) haven't updated anything. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I saw a lot of hunters no elk, I didn't hunt as much as I wanted too, I had some issues to take care of, (insert joke here). I did see a big ol mule deer I'm gonna go after next year though. I'm not sure how the Texas and Illinois guys did, I left before them and was lucky enough to break down in the middle of Nebraska and had to stay at the no tell motel while they overnighted the part for my truck, fun stuff. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Fellas, Work has me covered up still...should have some pics and more info soon... Short story, no elk...conditions were rough - very summer like. Although I did get to spend 45 minutes frozen still about 25 yards from a bedded 6x6 bull...so I can't complain...man I wish I had that moment back again to try something else! Aspens were gold, food was great...enjoyed seeing Will, Paul, Rex, Greg, and Waid/Steve and the TX boys...I really enjoy the campground scene. Greg - that sucks about your truck...at least we got to swap my front wheel bearings out in camp Good news is we left all the elk for 2016 elk camp!
It was the hottest and driest last week of September that I have seen in the 24 years I have lived in CO. Add in a super full moon which felt like headlights in my tent each night, I found the last week extremely odd for the rut. Opening week of daily rain was better than closing week for other hunters. Can't control the weather. A few mornings were in the 20's at camp, however, it quickly warmed up to 60s for the highs. Elk are built to survive harsh winters. If I had their coat, I would bed early on those hot days. Hope for a change in 2016. A strong El Nino, may have caused the warmer than normal September. 2016, may see an end to El Nino.
Damn guys, thats rough. Its a hard call eveytime i go, you just can't be sure where to look. I'm going to Unit 6 before I get to 45 next year. I'll still be at Elk Camp 2016, but after I've checked out of 8 days hunting Unit 6. Just hope the seasons happen at the right time next year!
I just got my mule deer back from the 2014 elk camp, too bad all the big ones are gone so there is no sense getting a tag for one. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
