Apparently every unit everywhere sucks

[Deleted member 16014]

FWIW, critters don't know that hunting forums have picked up steam for the last 15 years or so. They keep having fawns/calves/cubs and occupying habitat. I've learned plenty from forums over the years, but darn near nothing when it comes to how to actually find animals. Consistent success on public land with general tags takes work, and thank God.

 

[3forks]

I've begun to wonder whether I should provide honest answers when CPW calls for their hunter survey.

I can appreciate that CPW needs accurate information to manage their herds and tag allocation; but why would I want to want to help the masses find out that that my unit is a good one?

Obviously, one false survey result wouldn't make much difference overall. However, if a lot of hunters that were successful started replying falsely in an effort to battle increased competition and point creep - I could see that influencing survey numbers.

 

[SPDSpappy]

I've been hunting elk on public land since '98 (Im a resident of WI) and all of my research is done online, on the phone, or looking at maps. IMHO elk hunting is really not that difficult if you develop a process for evaluating whats most important to you on a particular hunt and stick to it. Don't put too much stock in online opinions and don't psych yourself out of something as great as public land elk hunting! I have 8 pts in WY and my brother has 10, we picked WY this year to draw our elk tag (we have pts in every state that allows for every species we can build for) after spending a few years looking at options and considering what we want out of this hunt. We narrowed down our focus to 2 units and obtained lists from two organizations we subscribe to and starting calling people that have hunted the units we are looking at drawing. I've also talked to biologists in both areas as well. Some guys have said worst hunt they've ever been on and they wouldn't go back. After asking why and digging a little deeper there were reasons within their control that could have lead to a much different result. Several others, that clearly did a lot of homework and were prepared for what the hunt was going to be had great hunts and harvested great bulls. The success rates for elk hunting throughout the west are roughly 20%. Im of the opinion its the same 80% not filling their tags and the same 20% that do (give or take some for luck). A positive attitude and the willingness to hunt hard will determine which group you fall into. My brothers along with myself and my father have hunted a particular unit in northern NM 4 times and our success rate is 75% (im personally 4/4 on bulls, 2 rifle, 2 archery) The unit has an average success rate of less than 25%...

I enjoy doing the research and planning for a new area while trying to stay in that 20%. I even enrolled in the elk101 class just recently...even though I feel like a seasoned elk hunter there's always something more to learn and improve on!


my advice is to go to youtube and watch "land of the free" and see what how great of a time can be had on OTC hunts in multiple states. Those guys on that series did a great job showing the ups and downs of hunting public land OTC areas! Their overall positive attitude is infectious!!

adubs

Great advice, thank you!

 

[cpoplayer]

Pick a spot and go hunting. I guarantee you will learn more in one trip than you will learn in a lifetime sitting at a keyboard. Stay positive and remember that hunting is about making memories and having adventures whether or not you harvest an animal.

 

[JeremyA]

Pick a spot and go hunting. I guarantee you will learn more in one trip than you will learn in a lifetime sitting at a keyboard. Stay positive and remember that hunting is about making memories and having adventures whether or not you harvest an animal.

I agree totally! I look at every year in the mountains as an adventure. If I fill my tags it’s a bonus.

I took a first time elk hunter this year and we ate tag soup. He ended our hunt with thank you for showing me how hard it is to hunt elk and showing me some beautiful country. He is hooked for life now. Good people and doing up your best. Enjoy the moment. Dollar signs does not equal tags filled. Memories are worth way more.

 

[SwampLander]

I've begun to wonder whether I should provide honest answers when CPW calls for their hunter survey.

I can appreciate that CPW needs accurate information to manage their herds and tag allocation; but why would I want to want to help the masses find out that that my unit is a good one?

Obviously, one false survey result wouldn't make much difference overall. However, if a lot of hunters that were successful started replying falsely in an effort to battle increased competition and point creep - I could see that influencing survey numbers.

I had to sleep on this because its so upsetting. I am actually a state biologist, just not out west. One thing that just drives us crazy, disappoints us, and makes our job so hard when managing public land (which I do), is when people are not being honest with reporting. You as a hunter will get mad when we make management decisions and wonder why we did something like put out less tags, shorten season, change weapon type, ect. but when all we have to go on is how many people hunted and how many animals they killed. Well if more people are going in and killing (reporting) fewer animals we have to make a change in general. I dont know what to say to encourage people to be honest, but I sure helps up out a lot. The better data we have the better we can make informed decisions on a local scale especially.

 

[JohnCushman]

I've begun to wonder whether I should provide honest answers when CPW calls for their hunter survey.

I can appreciate that CPW needs accurate information to manage their herds and tag allocation; but why would I want to want to help the masses find out that that my unit is a good one?

Obviously, one false survey result wouldn't make much difference overall. However, if a lot of hunters that were successful started replying falsely in an effort to battle increased competition and point creep - I could see that influencing survey numbers.

What a d-bag

 

[520 Road Sow]

Wow, just wow. Lace them boots up and keep pounding the terrain theirs lots of units that "just suck" maybe its because you haven't found the magical ridge yet. I have hunted numerous areas where I couldn't buy a elk sighting then low and behold I just happend to keep going and what do you know, their they are! Some of the most successful hunters I know that always seem to be the one that punches a tag hunt some of the biggest pumpkin patches I can think of. Yet they keep their spirits up and keep grinding. I'm sure you've done some research and what not, but the best research comes from boots on the ground and figuring it out yourself. Now this isn't elk hunting but, I know some guys that hunt the UL Sheep units in MT and some of them have gone years without even seeing a sheep, not a ram, a sheep. Yet year after year they keep coming back with a smile on their face for more because they cant get enough of it. But, those units must "suck" right, because they haven't seen one damn thing. My point is that it is what you make it. Now get on back out there and have a great time Pauly Boy and may 2018 bring you a bull of your dreams!

 

[Deleted member 22670]

I've begun to wonder whether I should provide honest answers when CPW calls for their hunter survey.

I can appreciate that CPW needs accurate information to manage their herds and tag allocation; but why would I want to want to help the masses find out that that my unit is a good one?

Obviously, one false survey result wouldn't make much difference overall. However, if a lot of hunters that were successful started replying falsely in an effort to battle increased competition and point creep - I could see that influencing survey numbers.

Don't do that....

 

[Hunting Wife]

I've begun to wonder whether I should provide honest answers when CPW calls for their hunter survey.

I can appreciate that CPW needs accurate information to manage their herds and tag allocation; but why would I want to want to help the masses find out that that my unit is a good one?

Obviously, one false survey result wouldn't make much difference overall. However, if a lot of hunters that were successful started replying falsely in an effort to battle increased competition and point creep - I could see that influencing survey numbers.

Garbage in, garbage out. If you want your state to do their best with management of YOUR herds (not theirs), you damn well better give them honest answers.

It amazes me how many people would cut off their nose to spite their face. Sometimes I wonder why we even bother.

 

[Walkathon]

I'm a fan of mandatory harvest reporting. It's the only way to know what was actually harvested.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I'm a fan of mandatory harvest reporting. It's the only way to know what was actually harvested.

Nevada has mandatory reporting but that doesn't mean people will be honest on their hunter surveys.

 

[520 Road Sow]

I had to sleep on this because its so upsetting. I am actually a state biologist, just not out west. One thing that just drives us crazy, disappoints us, and makes our job so hard when managing public land (which I do), is when people are not being honest with reporting. You as a hunter will get mad when we make management decisions and wonder why we did something like put out less tags, shorten season, change weapon type, ect. but when all we have to go on is how many people hunted and how many animals they killed. Well if more people are going in and killing (reporting) fewer animals we have to make a change in general. I dont know what to say to encourage people to be honest, but I sure helps up out a lot. The better data we have the better we can make informed decisions on a local scale especially.

Wait a minute your a state biologist and your the one that started this thread.

 

[SPDSpappy]

What a d-bag

Agreed! One of the reasons I love hunting is because of the community feels like family (see my write up under when I introduced myself). It's unfortunate to see when people act like that. I've witnessed another example lately where a buddy told me about a river (spanning miles and miles) having ducks on it. I told another buddy and it ended up getting back to the original person who said something and the group of hunters are now upset with me for saying anything. What can one do w/ information saying a someone killed a load of ducks on X river???

 

[SwampLander]

Wait a minute your a state biologist and your the one that started this thread.

Yea I work back east in whitetail country. Totally different game here, most people here do not hunt public land, because there is very little. To be honest I can count on both hands haw many days I have hunted public land here. I hunted somewhat public land in Cali, but it was a Military base and success was pretty easy because not just anyone could hunt there. I have never set foot in any of these states much less the actual unit. I know the ecology and biology of the animals, but that does not say anything about access. I have to go through the same process as everyone else.

 

[genesis273]

Do you mind me asking what state you're a biologist in? I will agree that the public land here is nothing remotely like the public land in western states. But, if you can find consistent success hunting eastern states public land, you won't have any problems out west as long as you put the time and right attitude into your hunt, but that can be applied to anything in life!

 

[el unit]

I've begun to wonder whether I should provide honest answers when CPW calls for their hunter survey.

I can appreciate that CPW needs accurate information to manage their herds and tag allocation; but why would I want to want to help the masses find out that that my unit is a good one?

Obviously, one false survey result wouldn't make much difference overall. However, if a lot of hunters that were successful started replying falsely in an effort to battle increased competition and point creep - I could see that influencing survey numbers.

Really?

 

[520 Road Sow]

John- I appreciate what you do as a biologist, I'm sure it's not a easy task. My little tidbit for ya is stay positive, have fun, wear your boots out and sooner then later you'll be sharing a picture with us of your first successful elk hunt. Good luck this season!

 

[tjones]

Most folks put too much stock in what got killed. Harvest data can be important but more important for planning season structure and permit/tag numbers is what is left on the ground post season. This is why post season survey flights are so important.

 

[buckbull]

Wait a minute your a state biologist and your the one that started this thread.

LOL, we are all biologists of the bar stool type.