Archery hunting during colorado muzzleloader season

[Sawtooth Hunter]

I am hunting colorado OTC archery season this year. I realize it there will probably be alot of hunting preasure but I'm just going to have to accept that because the wolves have beat my area up in Idaho pretty bad and I am out of points for Wyoming so I thought I would give Colorado a try. The full moon is the 14th this year and my plan is to hunt from the 16th-28th. I have always perferred to hunt the back side of the full moon because the moon will be getting darker as the hunt progresses but thats just my opinion but that puts the ML season in the first week of my hunt. My question is what is it like hunting during the muzzleloader season and how bad does it negatively affect the rut I'm sure every area is different my plan A and Plan B units both give out around 400 tags if I'm reading the stats right

 

[cedahm]

I usually take the first weekend of ML off, but hunt the 2nd weekend. It's not tremendously different in my area during ML season except for the increased numbers of hunters. And by the second weekend, it's usually almost back to 'normal'.

In our little corner of CO, the rut is usually just kicking in then and I don't know that the ML guys make much difference in how it unfolds.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I saw 1 other muzzy hunter the entire season... just a crap ton of bow hunters.

 

[PeteTheBeat]

I hunted the muzzleloader season last year and never came in contact with another hunter with a muzzleloader but I did run into quite a few with bows in their hands.

 

[rideold]

I've always skipped the ML portion of bow season. I start the last day of ML and hunt until the end of bow. My theory is that the overlapping method of take just puts more people in the woods and the beginning of bow season seems lately to be too hot.

 

[Sawtooth Hunter]

Sounds like the muzzleloader season isn't the issue its bow hunters its all part of hunting in a otc area. I will hunt hard and enjoy hunting in some new country

 

[Mudranger1]

Sounds like the muzzleloader season isn't the issue its bow hunters its all part of hunting in a otc area. I will hunt hard and enjoy hunting in some new country

I will cocur with everyone. I'm not sure I have actually ran into someone hunting the backcountry with a muzzleloader yet myself now that I think about.

 

[WildWill]

I hunted the muzzleloader season last year and never came in contact with another hunter with a muzzleloader but I did run into quite a few with bows in their hands.

My exact experience I was the only guy with a muzzleloader. Did meet 1other guy at a gas station.

 

[Fishslap]

I muzzleloader hunted a unit a few years ago and I ran into two other guys muzzleloader hunting, several camps bow hunting, and two guys illegally bow hunting this archery draw unit with OTC tags.

 

[Ajax2744]

I've found in the units we hunt most muzzleloader hunters drive the roads so it's not too difficult to distance yourself in a relatively roadless area

 

[Flatrock]

Check the unit you're going to hunt and see how many muzzy tags they give out. That will at least give you an idea of how many will be in the unit. Also look at the muzzy cow tags given out. Chances are good though that those guys won't be venturing too far from the road. Could also check the numbers of muzzy deer tags given out but that probably wouldn't be much of a factor, depending on the type of habitat you're hunting.

 

[Slm864]

The unit I hunt in archery issues a lot of muzzy cow tags. By the 2nd day of muzzleloader the hunting pressure is pretty high and pushes the elk pretty deep. The muzzy hunters seem to stay closer to the roads so we still get into the elk by going into more rugged country. I’ve hunted after muzzleloader ended and only ran into a couple other bowhunters in 7 days. Bottom line is, the elk can be had but imo it takes a lot more hiking once the musket season starts up.

 

[Sawtooth Hunter]

My exact experience I was the only guy with a muzzleloader. Did meet 1other guy at a gas station.

Check the unit you're going to hunt and see how many muzzy tags they give out. That will at least give you an idea of how many will be in the unit. Also look at the muzzy cow tags given out. Chances are good though that those guys won't be venturing too far from the road. Could also check the numbers of muzzy deer tags given out but that probably wouldn't be much of a factor, depending on the type of habitat you're hunting.

Thanks I never thought to look into the amount of deer tags. I prefer to hunt the timber the blow down suck but it seems to hold elk.