CO second season?

[mellonhead]

We are getting ready to leave to hunt the second season in CO. I have a rookie question. We have only been elk hunting one other time and it was unseasonable warm weather. Now I see all this snow they are getting around our hunting area and gotta ask all the elk hunting veterans here for advise. What are some good snowy weather tactics for elk? Thanks.

Toby

 

[woodsman]

Chains for your truck and gaiters for you.

 

[elkaddict]

snow = elk magic

I agree chains and gaiters are mandatory:hump:, but having hunted many times in different snow conditions, you definitely have an advantage. I am no expert but I do pay attention to detail and here's my experience. Once a big storm kicks in the elk seem to lock up and disappear they don't like traveling in the timber anymore than I do and fill my neck with snow!. After wards is different. If it snows hard while you are there, the first sunny day after the snow stops, get ready because the elk should start moving to feed and will feed longer and may stay in the open longer to sun themselves. This is dependent on other factors like pressure and moon phase. One year they only moved in the dark until about 4 days after the storm, it's never consistent, but sooner or later they will be out in the day light to feed. Another year it was the first morning of clear sunny skies and they were herded up feeding into the late morning. If you arrive with >6 inches then you can expect elk to move down in elevation to feed and may return to high ground to bed or as the snow melts. Warm weather will kill the advantage so be ready to get after it once the snow stops.
The other main use of snow is tracking and patterning. If you get fresh powder and catch fresh tracks, follow them and try to get behind them if the wind allows. I have jumped elk just by cutting tracks even later in the mornings assuming they were bedded. Also, this give you an idea of where elk are moving from bed to feed and will allow you to ambush out of the beds. This requires following tracks for long distances back to their bed cover as they will travel miles to feed. This can be difficult in timber or wind conditions, but is worth the effort. Snow tracking for me is the biggest advantage in elk hunting, besides the wind. My 2 cents, good luck. We hunt 3rd season and my experience is all from 3rd season in CO for the last 5 years.