COL elk hunters!!

[Dave44]

I am leaving for col next week for the 1st rifle season,
anybody there see any signs you can share, I imagine
they are rutting now, hopefully will have some snow, at least at the higher elevations...prob start out opening day around 10,000' and move higher if necessary.....
hunting in the silverthorne area---thanx in advance
Dave

p.s. can you legally carry a side-arm also for protection??
not to hunt with...like a .45? saw cat and bear tracks last year....just like to be prepared, thats all

 

[sumpnz]

CO is an open carry state, though in some places (mostly Denver and some of the liberal cities like Aspen) you can get arrested for "disturbing the peace" if someone sees the gun and gets frightened. Carry what you want, but either conceal (if you have a permit recognized by CO) or take it off if you'll be strolling through some cities. I might recommend you take a .44mag instead of the .45ACP. Gives a bit more insurance in case a bear attacks.

 

[Dave44]

my .44 has a scope and not easily carried except for the over the clothes holster i have for it..going to be on foot and want to keep the weight in check..carrying enough the way it is, my buddy that lives there thinks im nuts for wanting to carry a sidearm but i was surprised by a moose last yr and luckily he stayed put-75 yds away, approx 1200lbs, had my gun slung over my head as i was close to the truck and on some very rocky trails at the end of a really long day, just about dark.....got me thinking how to handle that better in the future

 

[H&Hhunter]

my .44 has a scope and not easily carried except for the over the clothes holster i have for it..going to be on foot and want to keep the weight in check..carrying enough the way it is, my buddy that lives there thinks im nuts for wanting to carry a sidearm but i was surprised by a moose last yr and luckily he stayed put-75 yds away, approx 1200lbs, had my gun slung over my head as i was close to the truck and on some very rocky trails at the end of a really long day, just about dark.....got me thinking how to handle that better in the future

Dave,

The elk are rutting hard right now. There is no snow in the mountains yet. the elk are still high. I just got back from a muzzle loader deer hunt near Aspen and all the elk were at or near tree line atltitude. (That doesn't mean there aren't any down lower that is just where I saw them.)

You can not leagely carry a side arm concealed in CO unless you have a concealed carry permit. Out in the open is just fine while hunting. Obviously in town you need to use discretion.

I have one question though. Why would you carry a scoped pistol as a defensive sidearm? Kind of seems to defeat the purpose to me. Just wondering.

 

[Dave44]

wasnt really planning on carrying my .44 because of the scope, and i dont want to take it off because it is sighted in for whitetail here in wis. got a .45, .38, 9mm, .22 for available sidearms. I f I carry it has to be open is what i'm gathering. the .44 would be ideal for bear, cats or whatever, but not really an option that i see...
My friend who lives near silverthorne is seeing a couple of large herds near his house (8500') but on private land, they are there every year, we will going across the valley from them, and higher. They arent stupid, thats for sure