Elk/deer combo

[Flatrock]

For those of you who have hunted with both a mule deer and elk tag in your pocket, I'm just curious, how did it go? I haven't hunted any western states yet but am thinking of applying in MT for the combo tag, or else waiting about 2 more years to get a couple more points in WY and try and get a deer and elk tag in the same area.

Does it work at all to hunt primarily for elk and if you run into a nice mule deer then you can go after it? Or do big bulls and big bucks tend to live in different areas? My guess is that it has a lot to do with the area and time of year? Maybe the best thing is to try and set aside 10 days or so and focus on one animal and then assuming you fill your tag, go after the other one?

Another idea ive thought of for WY would be to draw an antelope tag, plan 3 days or so of hunting for that, and then hunt specifically for either an elk or deer. Since id be driving quite a ways to hunt, it'd be nice if I could hunt 2 animals.

If anyone has some past experience or suggestions for me, please let me know.

 

[fowladdict]

If elk season was open when I shot my buck last year I could have tagged a nice 6x6 bull 5 minutes before I shot my buck. They were bedded down in the same drainage about 100 yards apart.

 

[mdunc8]

You can definitely find them hanging out in similar areas.

 

[6speed]

I usually use the first 5 days of deer season to scout for elk. I often see both in the same general area. Unless I draw a late tag I have both in my pocket in October.

 

[----]

Just in my experiences in MT, it`s going to be hard to find a general area with good elk and mule deer. There`s lots of areas that have both, but it`s going to be limited entry for one or both species.

You`d have a lot better chance of finding an area that has elk and whitetail with a general season, in MT.

 

[putm2sleep]

Check with the MT boys, and regs. I hunt different seasons myself, and so your idea of dropping a goat, which is a blast!!!, and then heading up and targeting an elk or deer would be very rewarding and doable! Deer and elk same places? Sometimes, so hunting primarily for, and then running into another species works well too. You could run into a bear, or a wolf? It is hunting. The way draw systems work anymore with number of people applying vs number of tags available, good luck b/c it sucks, and may not be realistic to draw an elk and deer for the area you want the year you want.

 

[Ultrahunter]

Though most of the time I am hunting one or the other, I have a few times killed both on the same trip.

Here's a pic of one good hunt from a couple years ago.

 

[----]

I`ve got a whitetail/mountain goat combo all lined out. These are in the same canyon, different times of the year-

 

[belly-deep]

I killed an elk and a decent mule deer on the same day once, but as a general rule you can't expect to find good hunting for both in the same spot at the same time.

Most places that have good elk hunting have tough--but not impossible--mule deer hunting and vice versa. You mentioned "big" bucks and "big" bulls in the same area? That makes it even harder. Most of the places that offer that are on a draw for one of the species.

You could draw a cow tag and go to the breaks and come back with a 22-24" muley and a cow. That wouldn't surprise anyone. But if you're looking for a place where you can go and hunt for a 6x6 bull and a 170"+ mule deer, you're not going to find that hunt without luck.

It seems as though everytime I'm out with both tags in my pocket, I have a good plan to hunt one species and end up getting in a situation where I see an animal of the other species and have to choose between ending my original hunt plan or leaving the sighted animal where it is. I much prefer to split my hunting up and concentrate on a single species. I think you hunt better that way.

 

[2rocky]

+1 for belly deep's post.
well said

 

[BOWUNTR]

I did an elk and mule deer combo in Colorado in 2007. I packed in to two separate areas to hunt them. Muley first and them the elk. I never saw an elk when I was hunting deer and vice versa. Ed F

 

[noharleyyet]

I was lucky enough to connect on both species season before last. Having said that (especially the lucky part) I fully agree with belly deep.

 

[Flatrock]

Thanks guys for the input. I appreciate it. I know that shooting a trophy buck and trophy bull in the same area probably isnt going to happen but I'm glad to hear that sometimes a guy will run into a nice buck when chasing elk and vice versa.

Please keep your suggestions coming!

 

[Sytes]

I agree with Belly Deep on the idea of staying on target with the focus of the hunt... If the area is for bulls... stay on target... I see this as the actions for guru hunters here and their monsters they share...

Though myself -
Easier said than done for a joe hunter of my caliber... haha! I am in it for the meat though certainly will not pass up on the rack. If I am hunting my area for elk (I dig antlerless tags) and see a decent / nice buck - It is dropping.
I came across a few does this last year while hunting elk... on a recent elk track I heavily debated whether to pop the doe... I Didn't, though it was more due to the distance to get a doe out than the thought of staying focused on the elk...

Each person has their priorities - I believe it boils down to the goal and it boils down to the following...

Meat/Small rack.......Focused/Average rack........Dedicated/Trophys.
..Opportunist...................Desired.............................Hardcore
...Both YES...............Depends MAYBE...........Pass - unless TROPHY.

Haha! a poor man flow chart...

 

[idnative1948]

I agree with Belly Deep on the idea of staying on target with the focus of the hunt... If the area is for bulls... stay on target... I see this as the actions for guru hunters here and their monsters they share...

Though myself -
Easier said than done for a joe hunter of my caliber... haha! I am in it for the meat though certainly will not pass up on the rack. If I am hunting my area for elk (I dig antlerless tags) and see a decent / nice buck - It is dropping.
I came across a few does this last year while hunting elk... on a recent elk track I heavily debated whether to pop the doe... I Didn't, though it was more due to the distance to get a doe out than the thought of staying focused on the elk...

Each person has their priorities - I believe it boils down to the goal and it boils down to the following...

Meat/Small rack.......Focused/Average rack........Dedicated/Trophys.
..Opportunist...................Desired.............................Hardcore
...Both YES...............Depends MAYBE...........Pass - unless TROPHY.

Haha! a poor man flow chart...

Very well put! Being meat hunters we alway put for the second controlled hunt in our area where doe overlaps cow and general deer opens. Luckily somebody doesn't draw doe and buys a buck tag. More often that not, you know what happens. Then it's time for elk and you see deer and have to decide what to do when when you know the elk are still bedded. Never a year when somebody doesn't get an itchy finger because they think they are going to end up with tag soup. Some times it works out some times it doesn't.