Elk plan for now and the future

[TrickyTross]

Feel free to critique or offer any insight,

I was just going to share what me and my buddies elk plans are for at least the next 3 years. 2020 will be our 3rd year in Idaho for OTC Archery. Our gameplan is to get back out there this year (buying tags early to beat that July 1st hike) and possibly next year. We hunted in 2018 the middle 2 weeks of September, 2019 the first week and this year we will be headed out after the 15th. We are gonna try and hunt either ID or CO every year.
Been buying points in Wyoming and I have 3, one buddy has 2, and the other 2 have 0. Was thinking about continuing to buy for 2 more seasons, maybe 3 and then "party up" with my other buddy and apply for a tag in Wyoming. Not to the point of what units or anything like that, the is more of a "mid-range" plan with hopes to hunt WY ever 3-4 years with at least 2 of us.
For the long range, I would like to build for some awesome states like Utah or Arizona, but need to get the budget to that point. Hopefully start the process in the next 2 seasons.

Wild cards every year for us are KY and will be adding PA this year. Next year gonna start rolling the dice in New Mexico. If we draw any of these, they take the precedent over our annual ID trip.

Not really sure what I am hoping to get from this. Figured id like to hear from a few of you on what you all do, or would recommend. Archery is the preferred method.

 

[Slm864]

Your plan sounds pretty much identical to mine except I primarily go OTC in Colorado each year I don’t draw. As far as Pennsylvania goes, that would be an awesome tag but you might be waiting a lifetime to draw it especially if you are looking at archery only now that the points are weapon/season specific. I believe they only issued 5 bull and 10 cow archery tags this year out of the entire quota of 142. It is a lottery though so you always have the slim chance and that’s better than none at all.

 

[Bullshot]

A million variations on the theme but probably the same as many people do. Annual "safety", a better draw hunt every few years, and a lottery ticket in the pocket just 'cause. I'd probably reconsider the AZ in favor of MT unless you are going to plan to do some other types of hunting in between the 20 years it might take to draw....the price to accumulate points is steep and odds say don't bother for most units, at least that's my impression.

 

[TrickyTross]

A million variations on the theme but probably the same as many people do. Annual "safety", a better draw hunt every few years, and a lottery ticket in the pocket just 'cause. I'd probably reconsider the AZ in favor of MT unless you are going to plan to do some other types of hunting in between the 20 years it might take to draw....the price to accumulate points is steep and odds say don't bother for most units, at least that's my impression.

Yea, we are leaving to go hunt Mule Deer on Sunday in AZ. If we think that is something that will happen every year, we might as well throw our name in the hat and/or build up points. Randy and Corey just talked about elk in AZ on their latest Elk Talk Podcast. Some good stuff on there for sure

 

[SteelWool]

Sounds like a good plan.

 

[Jape]

Feel free to critique or offer any insight,

I was just going to share what me and my buddies elk plans are for at least the next 3 years. 2020 will be our 3rd year in Idaho for OTC Archery. Our gameplan is to get back out there this year (buying tags early to beat that July 1st hike) and possibly next year. We hunted in 2018 the middle 2 weeks of September, 2019 the first week and this year we will be headed out after the 15th. We are gonna try and hunt either ID or CO every year.
Been buying points in Wyoming and I have 3, one buddy has 2, and the other 2 have 0. Was thinking about continuing to buy for 2 more seasons, maybe 3 and then "party up" with my other buddy and apply for a tag in Wyoming. Not to the point of what units or anything like that, the is more of a "mid-range" plan with hopes to hunt WY ever 3-4 years with at least 2 of us.
For the long range, I would like to build for some awesome states like Utah or Arizona, but need to get the budget to that point. Hopefully start the process in the next 2 seasons.

Wild cards every year for us are KY and will be adding PA this year. Next year gonna start rolling the dice in New Mexico. If we draw any of these, they take the precedent over our annual ID trip.

Not really sure what I am hoping to get from this. Figured id like to hear from a few of you on what you all do, or would recommend. Archery is the preferred method.

Looks like you are well on your way. Keep at it and good luck the next couple years.