A single place for multiple species

[PARidges]

Been following this site for a while and just joined recently because I really didn't have anything to ask or add. So here is my question. For the area I researched, an Archery Antelope tag is easy to get, Muley and WT take mininal points, and who knows what the future holds on points for Archery Elk. I am looking at archery only. As an Easterner, only able to get out one week a year, I am thinking it will up my chances if I spend the same season and timeframe in the same area no matter what the species is. I know Antelope, Elk and Mule Deer generally don't live in the same places. But I could burn a morning from the goats and go glass. What are the cons to this strategy? I already came up with my list of pros. But haven't really came up with any cons. So for a first time hunting in the West, I have to be missing something that I did not come up with a con. Thanks for any insight.

 

[AggieHunter]

The fact that they don't normally live in the same area is probably your main con as you would have to choose each day what your main focus might be. That being said I saw elk, mule deer, and a stud antelope all in the same section of national Forrest.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Generally indecision will mean you spend more time driving between suitable habitat types to glass/hunt than actually glassing/hunting. It’s big country in a lot of places. If you want to maximize your hunting time, pick one.

 

[Dsnow9]

It all depends on your priorities and research. Also wether or not the season line up. I could have killed an amazing deer buck last year a hundred yards from where I shot my antelope. I think the important thing is to focus on one species so you can put the time in and get an animal. My worry trying to do multiple species, especially with a bow is you would come home with nothing. If it’s more about the experience than the meat, go for it. If you want meat and the money for tags isn’t an issue, buy the tags and focus on one species, if you tag out early or get lucky and have another species walk by that is great. Just figure out your priorities and expectations before making a decision.

 

[3855WIN]

It cost more money to purchase tags for multiple species.

 

[PARidges]

I may have not have written my plan clearly. I am not looking at doing multiple species in one hunt. There is no way in hell I am good enough to even consider that. I am Looking at staying in the same region or district for everything I want to hunt. If I am lucky enough to tag out, then I can scout and glass for the next year's hunt. Or be close enough to pick up and move in very short order. Instead of bouncing around to wherever I can get a tag, just learn a single area.

 

[LCH]

There are lots of places where you can hunt all of those species within an hour or so drive in any direction. You'd be hard pressed to find one gmu sized area though that had good public land hunting for all species though.

 

[Pucky Freak]

But I could burn a morning from the goats and go glass. What are the cons to this strategy?

Archery success depends in large part on mental focus, and sticking to a plan. I’d rather take a break midday and pace myself rather than expend energy on a whole different endeavor. When I divide my focus I can’t put a hunt together very well. I’m sure other people are more flexible/capable when it comes to this but not me. When focusing on one species I’ll make an OnX entry of things I notice that pertain to another game species when I stumble across them, but that’s about it.

 

[mevertsen]

Several years ago, I put my dad and I on for party cow elk tags and deer tags. We had four tags and 8 days or so.

Too much, imo.

I like to hunt and enjoy myself and take a break if needed.

Now my applications focus on extending our big game hunting from August first (cow elk and antelpe archery opener) to January 1/5 (desert bighorn and late cow elk seasons)

I try to plan it as much as possible to not have more than 2 tags at any given time if my daughter and I were to draw anything overlapping.

This kind of occurred this year as she has a youth deer hunt. Archery starts August 10, and rifle ends November 2. I have an antelppe tag August 22 to Sept 7. There is a bit of overlap, but her season is long enough that it will no be an issue.

We had an overlap last year with my archery deer tag, her youth tag, her doe antelope tag, and her bighorn ewe tag. The deer rifle and bighorn opened the same day in units 100 miles apart. She managed to fill her deer and ewe tags 3 days apart from each other. The antelope was a month earlier.

You might find a "center" where you can be in reasonable distance of all species, and apply expecting only to draw one, maybe two tags at once. Over the years you will become more familiar with the areas and can narrow down your applications from there. I have my apps down to a science now and have very few places I am interested in hunting big game.

Edit. I saw your next reply. Regarding only wanting a tag at once, and I just repeated that. Sorry about that.