smo

Food for thought. Myself and another farmer raised Cain for years for the adjoining land owners to quit taking small bucks and shoot more does. We finally got them to quit shooting the small bucks but would not take even 1 doe out, so my family would take as many does as possible. This year, after 10 plus years of managing, we finally get a monster buck in the area, and my cousin on whom I've hunted since I was a little boy, kicks me off. Reason for my rant. If the big buck wasn't there I would still be hunting. I've not been out worked or out smarted, just don't have the money to be able to draw the big bucks in. Bucks are where the does are and does are where the best food is.

After many years of a poor mans version of QDMA, here's what I've learned. First the bad. Be prepared for crazy, and I mean crazy jealousy. A former church member and I almost got into a fight at church. I'm not going into details, but this happened over a stupid deer. Get ready for major competition on hunting lands. For example as a kid growing up I had thousands of acres to hunt, now I'm down to 300 acres, which is a lot more than most have these days, but without QDMA I feel like I would still be in the thousands. If you don't have prime habitat, your just passing bucks to the rich, fat man. What I mean by that is, the rich man can afford to put out all the essential foods that a deer needs year round, therefore he will be drawing in all the monsters and you'll be left with the sub par bucks. The only way I feel like I could compete would be to own the nastiest, roughest land around, that will keep big bucks on the property. If the bucks are being harassed by coyotes and bear, the big bucks will move to an area of safety. The good. Well, the only good thing about a poor mans QDMA, is we have had many years of sub par bucks. The biggest buck we have taken is a 137" buck. Not what I've expected for as many years as we've been passing small bucks. When I was young to see a good 2 1/2 year old buck was phenomenal, but since we started passing small bucks, we see a good 2 1/2 year old quite often and have taken many. For the future my family and I have decided to tag out on the buck limit every year. We also used to take out as many does as possible. We will no longer do this in hopes that the fat, rich man will have to feed as many does as possible, and put pressure on his bank account. I hate that hunting has gone to this, but unfortunately this is where we are at. Happy hunting folks, and I hope we can get away from the craziness, and be happy neighbors once again.

I forgot one thing. Pray for snow.

Have you encounterd elk in the 12 yr period. I put in some boot leather till I find fresh sign and then camp out. Only been 1 time and it might have been beginners luck, but we we're into the elk every day of our short 3.5 day hunt, with a buddy missing a 6x6. We had to leave do to an injury. Although we killed no elk, I considered it a success by being into them every day. We found a place with a thicket on the north side with the elk feeding on the south side. Good luck

Did not draw on any of my unit choices. Guess I'll just take my PP and try again next year.

It also says I will be mailed. What does that mean? Could have I drawn with my 2nd thru 4th units?

Put in for elk muzzy and got 1 pref pt and 0 weighted pts. What does the weighted pref pt mean?

What's the back door method?

When will the results be posted?

Thanks for the advise. We had 6 hunters in camp and 3 saw nothing, so I feel fortunate to have seen elk.

My first Colorado elk hunt was a roller coaster ride. We hunted otc 2nd season in unit 551. First thing i noticed was my bleeding nose and how fat my nose felt in the high altitude, but I'm a fat tough country boy and just ignored that problem. I had gotten myself into pretty decent shape so the high altitude walking wasn't all that bad. First thing we noticed was how far back in the mtns the other hunters we're traveling, so we decided to hunt about 1.5 miles from camp. Bingo, we we're into elk the first day. My son and I spotted a decent 6x6 at 1000 plus yards, but my brother and my buddy was on the same ridge as the bull but couldn't see it. So I holler on the radio and start directing them to the bull. They ran as fast as they could quietly run, but the bull disappeared 5 min before they got there. No meat, but a good start. Day 2 my brother and buddy decide to go back to the same place and that a.m. see 4 cow elk. The same evening my buddy goes to pick up one of the other hunters in the vehicle and spots a cow, a spike, and the 6x6 pretty close to where we had been seeing the elk. He jumps out of the vehicle and finds a tree to rest his gun on and takes the shot @ 346 yds. We spent the rest of the evening looking for a hit, but finally find the bullet hole in a log. That night my buddy that shot at the elk starts complaining with his leg hurting badly ( he's 300 lbs., but athletic for a big boy and we think this is what gets him in trouble). We start picking on him thinking he's trying to cover up for the miss. Day 3 we wake up to 2" of snow and my hurting buddy being taken to Gunnison ER for his leg. We get a late start due to our hurting buddy. We notice that the other hunters are not hunting any more so we decide to go way back in the mtn. With the fresh snow we quickly find the fresh elk sign, but so does someone else that we didn't know was around. With the shot we decide to go further into the mtn. hoping the other guy will scare elk to us. No such luck. We sit till about 1 hr before dark and start coming out. We notice something out of place at about 1000 yds and sure enough it is a cow elk. When we get back to camp we learn our buddy has compartment syndrome ( you have 4 compartments in your calf muscle. 1 of the compartments takes on fluid because of over exhertion and if that compartment bursts it busts major blood vessels and you lose your leg or bleed to death) and the doctor told us that he was 2 hours from the fluid bursting his leg. We also learn that one of the other hunters had turned off the heat to the camper and frozen and burst the water lines ( I learned that lesson years ago, if you don't know what your doing don't screw with it). Also they are calling for 2 feet of snow ( which never happened. Think it was about 7") so we decide to hook up and move out. So I paid over $1500 to hunt for 3 days, but on the bright side we were in the elk every day. Just couldn't close the deal. Oh well maybe next year. And by the way we're not taking our big buddy.

When bow hunting, deer hear the string and will drop sometimes 12" or more. A guy that tells me he has never wounded a deer hasn't shot at very many. I hate when one is wounded but it happens. You don't cry or lay down and quit, you get back out there and get in the tree with confidence. Practice, practice, and practice some more, but it will happen sooner or later.

2003 Parker Ultra Lite 31. Not the fastest bow in the world, but I can shoot it the best of any bow I've ever had.

Didn't get to hunt this morning, but took my boy out bow hunting this evening. Got a double stand set up and while we were setting up saw a doe. A 4 pt. started chasing does making the time pass. Finally about 7 a doe came out giving my boy a 20 yd broadside shot. Unfortunately he hit her in the shoulder blade. We waited about 10 min. and decided to get down and look at the arrow. As we were letting the bow down a deer snorted and we looked out and 2 nice 8 pts. were headed our way. They snorted and were gone. We got down and checked the arrow and the arrow was broken off just behind where the broadhead screws in. Checked for blood and didn't find any. Hated he lost the deer, but still a good hunt with plenty of action.

Nice buck. I'd say 135+.

Hello all, i purchased an otc bull elk tag for my 13 yr old in unit 551 in colorado for the 2nd season (last week in oct.). Wondering if ya'll could point me in the right direction. This is our first trip elk hunting in colorado. Also he is in between a boy and a man, ( seems like his feet are growing an inch a week) so i dont want to spend alot of money (about $100) on boots when he'll out grow them by next year. Looking at the irish setter gunflint but dont know if he needs 200 gram or 1000 gram of thinsulate. Thanks for the info.

My son, brother, and i are planning on a colorado elk hunt in the 2 nd elk season, rifle (otc). Just wondering of any suggestions on where to go. So far its like getting blood out of a turnip getting help on where to go. Gonna hunt apx. 7 days and tent camping to save $$. So far ive come up with gmu 24 white river nat. For. Wondering how the access is to this unit and are atv's allowed. Thanks for any input.

Rage 2 blade. awsome broadhead.

Can't really tell, but in the last pic the buck to the left looks to be 4.5. One of the bucks looked to be 150". Shooter bucks where I live.

.270 thats it.

My brother moved to Colorado last year, and I guess my question is when I go elk hunting out there, what bullet style, grains, etc. should I use. I haven't practiced 400 yd shots, just 300 and feel real comfortable at that range. I don't reload, but have thought of getting into it. Just wondering what you all think.

Nice buck 3.5 and 120"-130".

After years of wanting a good scope, I finally bought a Leupold vx-3 4.5x14x50 boone and crocket. I hope I like the boone and crocket cross hair. Also wondering if a .270 is big enough to take elk @ 400 yds?

Great deer.

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