Successful last weekend of Archery season elk hunt.
The Thin Air and Screaming Bulls: Bowhunting Colorado
If you haven’t been at 10,000 feet when a bull decides to bugle 40 yards away in the dark timber, you haven’t really lived—or felt your heart try to exit your chest. I remember a ridge in North Park back in 2024 where the elk weren’t just vocal; they were aggressive. I’d spent four days chasing shadows until I finally just sat down near a wallow that smelled like a wet gym locker. I didn’t even use a bugle; just a lazy, pathetic-sounding cow mew. Within minutes, a satellite bull came in so fast I barely had time to range him. That’s the thing about Colorado archery: it’s a game of patience played out in a landscape that’s trying to wind you.
Heading into 2026, the game has shifted. If you’re a non-resident, the days of just “showing up” with an over-the-counter tag west of I-25 are over—it’s a draw-only world now for those units. You have to be smarter about the application process (don’t forget that April 7 deadline). But even with the new red tape, there is nothing like the 29-day September window. It’s a grind of shifting thermals, sore quads, and the smell of pine. Success out here isn’t just about the trophy; it’s about surviving the mountain and being there for that one second when the wind stays right and the bull turns broadside. It’s gritty, it’s exhausting, and it’s the only place I want to be when the aspens start to turn.
