Why 2019 Could Be A Banner Archery Elk Season In Colorado

By Adam Parr – 

I’m drawing a line in the sand and calling it how I see it right now. The 2019 Colorado elk archery season could be the best we’ve seen in a long time. Why, you ask? Let me explain my reasoning. 

There are a number of factors that go into my prediction of a banner elk hunting year for Colorado, some of which are statistically based, some are purely anecdotal, and some are based on what my gut is telling me, even though right now it’s saying I’m hungry. In all aspects of life, from the economy to wild places, everything comes and goes in humps and valleys much like a roller coaster. One year we are up, the next year we are down, and the circle of life continues the way it always has based on the simple principles of supply and demand. 

2018 Was A Down Year For Harvest

Backing it up to the Winter of 2017/2018, Colorado experienced one of the least precipitation snow years that it had seen in a very long time. With the high country barren in the Spring of 2018 due to lack of snow cover, the elk were already off to a bad start as green pastures quickly turned to brown. By the summer of 2018, the majority of the state was plagued by severe drought conditions and ravaged by wildfires, so when archery elk season rolled around in late August, much of the habitat and food sources were simply burned, dried up, and spit out. Because of this weather-related trend, it caused a shift in patterns related to food and water in order for elk to survive tough conditions. This meant that areas of the high country where elk were normally found in abundance, looked like ghost towns and deserted areas without an animal to be seen for miles. Did the elk just drop off the face of the Earth and disappear into the abyss? No, they simply moved to greener pastures, which were mostly concentrated around private irrigated farmland. 

Due to this shift, the 2018 elk harvest estimates published by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife were down quite significantly as compared to the 2017 harvest results the year prior. Not every unit declined, some remained the same but the three units I spent the majority of time hunting in last year showed a harvest rate that was down a combined 32% on average during archery season. That’s a pretty damn significant drop when you consider the average success rates for bowhunting elk hovers around 10%. I have a feeling there will be a higher number of timber horses running around the mountains this fall for all of us to put an arrow through, which means more opportunities and chances to join the 10% club. 

Above Average 2019 Winter Snow Precipitation

Just like the other side of a teeter-totter, the weather did a 180 from the winter prior where barren peaks were now covered to the top of the trees in snow. Why is this significant? Even at the beginning of July 2019, there is snow in those high alpine meadows above 10,000 feet, which means the elk have yet to devour all of the fresh grasses that will be soon be emerging from the ground. During this time last year, the grass in the high country was burnt to a crisp and by mid-July, all of the elk had vacated their usual stomping grounds. 

In addition to providing a more prolonged summer green-up of protein packed grasses, the well above average snowpack guarantees that there will be plenty of runoff to fill up every mountain stream and water hole in the high country. Elk need a ton of water to sustain healthy growth and this year they have plenty of it. 

Rain, Rain, Don’t Go Away

Coinciding with a heavy winter that has left the high country covered in fluffy white powder still to this day, good amounts of rainfall have us off to a much better start than we were in 2018. By this time the year prior, fire season was in full swing with millions of acres of BLM and National Forest being burned the ground, but with destruction comes rejuvenation and growth. Every single burn area from last summer is now getting pummeled with rain, which means they will be prime food and habitat for elk this Fall and in the coming years. 

Green grasses in the high country will be plentiful and my fingers are crossed that consistent precipitation will continue throughout the remainder of the summer. The entire mountain west needs it and so does the wildlife.

Bonus Antler Growth and Healthy Fawns

As a byproduct of more precipitation and an abundance of food, antler growth and calf development will benefit. At the beginning of May, I was seeing bulls sporting big branch antlers and healthy muscle composition, which leads me to believe growth is off to a great start. I’ve also been seeing calves that look large and healthy for this time period, which will benefit future generations of elk for overall health and reproduction. I know most of us aren’t in it for the trophy experience, but who doesn’t like big bulls with big antlers? In my opinion, it’s icing on the cake!

Mother Nature DGAF

Let’s be honest for one-second here; Mother Nature doesn’t listen to anyone and she makes her own rules. Western Colorado might not receive another drop of rain for the remainder of the year (I hope I didn’t jinx it) and we could once again be presented with a dry hot summer. You just never really know, but how things stand currently, we are off to a wonderful start and the stars are aligning to be a great year for archery elk hunting in Colorado. 

With this in mind, hopefully, you have a bit of extra motivation during your preparation for elk season. Keep shooting that bow, keep breaking in your gear, and stay consistent with your workouts so you won’t miss a single day on the mountain this fall. Hold on tight and buckle your seat belts because it’s about to get crazy. Until then I’ll ask, is it September yet?