What Elk Season is Right for You?
Here in Colorado, the close of archery and muzzleloader season always signals a shift in the air. Hunters are packing away bows and muzzleloaders, and turning their focus toward rifle season. It is a natural transition that reminds us how no two elk seasons are alike, and how some properties seem to hunt better in one season than another.
Terrain, vegetation, water sources, and elevation all play a role in shaping the way a property hunts, and understanding how those factors change and effect elk movement across the calendar is the key. Whether you prefer the adrenaline of a close-range archery encounter, the color-drenched days of first rifle, or the crisp challenge of late-season hunts, matching the season to the right property is where success begins.
Archery & Muzzleloader Elk Season
Early in the fall, when the aspens are beginning to turn high in the alpine and the mornings still carry warmth, archery and muzzleloader hunters head to high elevations. These hunts often play out in dark timber, aspen groves, and stands of gamble oak where wallows provide irresistible gathering spots for bulls in the rut. Properties with abundant cover, varied terrain, and reliable water shine during this time of year, offering opportunities to get close when elk are most vocal.
The appeal of this season is obvious: archery and muzzleloader seasons occur during the peak rut, the weather is mild, and with fewer hunters in the woods, elk remain settled in their late-summer ranges rather than being pressured into harder-to-reach areas. Bears are very active prepping for winter, offering an alternative quarry for those with the right tags.
But early season hunts come with challenges. Out of state tags are not available over the counter for archery elk season, so planning is essential. Success also requires getting close, sometimes within bow range, which demands patience and stealth. Pursuing highly active elk with primative equipment requiring good calling, attention to environmental details and both physical and mental grit.
First Rifle Elk Season
First rifle season often retains many of the benefits of archery and muzzleloader, warmer weather, limited vouchers and depending on the year a strong rut. It does bring\ a shift to transitional elevations, where piñon, juniper, grassy benches, and mixed timber dominate the landscape. Wallows and water sources remain important, drawing elk as they begin to drift out of their summer patterns. Properties that sit in these mid-elevation transition zones often hunt best during this window, giving sportsmen the chance to intercept elk as they move from high basins down toward winter range.
Hunters who draw tags for this season enjoy several advantages. The weather tends to be transitional, fall colors at their peak, with cool mornings balanced by comfortable afternoons, and with no deer season overlap, pressure is reduced compared to later hunts. Temperatures swings and early season snow fall can greatly effect the elk’s range. It is still close enough to the rut that bulls remain responsive, and the vivid fall colors make it one of the most beautiful times to be in the field. Dry conditions are common, reducing the risk of mud, and bears are often still active.
However, this season requires some planning, as tags must be drawn. Elk may also hold to longer ranges, meaning hunters need to be prepared for shots across open country. While stealth is not as critical as in the archery season, the terrain can be challenging, with steep climbs still part of the hunt. Spots that hold quality animals will be aspen, dark timber and gamble oaks.
Second Rifle (Over-the-Counter Season)
As the season transitions into late October, hunters turn to the mid-elevation timber, where forage, shelter and water are all . Ranches with a mix of cover and open ground, especially those with dependable water, often excel during this season. Elk are on the move, and will start “herding up” in large mixed sex groups. Properties with multiple habitat types can provide the variety needed to hold animals longer under increasing hunting pressure.
The weather begins to cool, and frosty mornings often harden the ground, reducing mud and making for easier travel. With deer season open at the same time, hunters also have the chance to pursue alternative game. For many, it is the perfect balance between crisp hunting conditions and manageable cold.
The tradeoff is an increase in hunting pressure. With more hunters in the field, elk are often pushed around, making them harder to pattern as the rut will be all but over during second rifle occasional bugles can still be heard. The weather can also be unpredictable, with colder conditions becoming the norm and the first big snow becoming a real possibility every day a hunter is in the field.
Third Rifle Elk Season
By the time third rifle arrives, hunts shift to lower-elevation valley floors, where grassy irrigated pastures and piñon-juniper draws provide both food and cover. Ranches with good access, flatter terrain, and dependable winter range features hunt exceptionally well during this time of year, as elk herds bunch together and become more visible.
This season also coincides with prime mule deer hunting, making it especially appealing for hunters looking for variety. Many embrace the cold, crisp days as part of the experience, finding energy and focus in the cold frosty air.
Yet late-season hunting comes with its own set of challenges. Shorter days limit the hours you can spend in the field, and cold temperatures can test even the most seasoned hunters. Third rifle will have the most variability in weather potential, hunters can expect deep snow, and mud or even dust depending on the way the weather decides to turn on any given day. Fall colors will be mostly ended by this time making glassing somewhat easier. Mule deer hunters add extra pressure to the landscape, and by this stage of the year, bachelor herds of elk can occur with herds with mixed herds still occurring, making for a dynamic hunt. Like second rifle season, ranches with varied vegetation and elevation will hold elk best with terrain that ranges from from irrigated meadows to aspens and dark timber.
Fourth Rifle / Late Season
By the time fourth rifle season arrives, the mountains are settling firmly into winter. Snow is always a possibility, and daytime temperatures rarely rise above freezing. Elk are no longer scattered across high basins or mid-elevation timber. Instead, they concentrate in lowland fields, piñon-juniper forests, and stands of gamble oak, where grazing feed becomes the key resource as they prepare to endure the heavy snows of December through April.
This is the time of year when bachelor herds of bulls are most visible, roaming valley floors and river bottoms in search of forage. Properties with irrigated meadows, agricultural ground, or good low-elevation winter range hunt exceptionally well during fourth rifle, and it is no coincidence that many of the biggest bulls are harvested in this season.
The hunting pressure is noticeably lighter than in the earlier rifle seasons, creating a quieter, more deliberate experience. For those who don’t mind the cold and snow, it is one of the best times to glass large groups of elk at lower elevations and target mature bulls that have drifted out of the high country.
Find the Right Property, or properties for your preferred methods
Every elk season in Colorado offers a different rhythm and reward, and the property you hunt on often dictates how well you can take advantage of that season. The early hunts combine warmer weather and fewer hunters with the thrill of close-range encounters, but they require high-country ranches with dark timber and reliable wallows. Mid-season strikes a balance between weather, pressure, and terrain, making transitional elevations a smart bet. Late-season hunts provide easier access and the spectacle of bunched-up herds, and valley-floor ranches with irrigated meadows and cover often shine at this time of year.
At Eagle Land Brokerage, we know that the right property can help those hunting dreams life. We also understand that part of the truly wonderful experience of being a steward of the land is understanding it’s seasonal patterns of life that move across it and through it and being there as part of it at the most intimate levels.
With more than a billion dollars in closed transactions in Colorado, our expertise lies in matching sportsmen with ranches that fit their goals, whether that is a property with high-country timber, transitional benches, or valley-floor pastures.
