What should I do

[esracerx]

Never been anywhere beside New Mexico. This year I bowed out of our group to let someone else in. I figured Id call and go on a Bear tag. As last resort they put in for the last Any sporting arm AKA rifle season. Thats what they got. October 22-26. Most likely the Bear quota will be filled. Do I spend the time and money just to go on a hike? I can find Landowner cow tags for that unit that time for 800. The rifle thing doesnt really do it for me.

I know a few states have OTC hunts. But I've always heard those OTC hunts are overhunted and almost a waste of time. I know the way the system works in New Mexico, know the units..at least which ones are good. I know nothing on units in other states. Im pretty open to any state, Just don't know much about any of them.

 

[noharleyyet]

I take it you're a resident?

 

[hank4elk]

Apply & hunt alone.
The group thing doesn't do it for me.

 

[old man]

Wyo. should have left over cow tags for 1/2 price and for units that allow archery and riffle on the same tag.WYO. also has one of the better success rates for elk.

 

[old man]

Join the insider, they will give you all the info you need for any western state you want.

 

[esracerx]

Sorry about that. I'm a non resident. The application deadline has passed and the draw was last week. So I'm contemplating going alone somewhere. Just dont know where.

 

[esracerx]

Join the insider, they will give you all the info you need for any western state you want.

I'll definitely look into that. I had not heard of it before. Is it worth the price of admission?

 

[hank4elk]

NM LO list is online,you could start calling before new list comes out officially next mo.& before others get to them. You could wind up with a better tag.
Where are you from? Other states have leftovers at times.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Sorry about that. I'm a non resident. The application deadline has passed and the draw was last week. So I'm contemplating going alone somewhere. Just dont know where.

If I'm reading right, you want to archery hunt?

You could buy a Montana surplus elk tag and go hunt about any mountain range in the SW part of the state and find elk. Or, you could buy an Idaho OTC tag and hunt.

Doing your homework is good, but I think folks are really starting to overthink elk hunting. Take 10 days off and go get lost somewhere.

 

[hank4elk]

Any weapon season is just that,ANY weapon.
If you want a real challenge ,bow hunt post rut bulls.
There could still be some APRE-6 tags .

 

[LCH]

I'd start planning a CO, MT, or ID hunt if you're dead-set on elk. Could probably even find someone to go with you if that's important.

 

[esracerx]

Hank, I was under the impression that once the draw happens thats it... I would prefer to archery hunt. Not just because of the rut, but I just don't like hunting with a rifle or muzzleloader. I had heard through my taxidermist that Idaho has been pretty well decimated by wolves. FWIW, Im from the far north suburbs of Chicago. Im a good ways from any elk...Although there's a town somewhat close by called Elk Grove, that has about a herd of 20 elk or so the forest preserve brought in. Some genius thought it was ok to hunt them. It was not.

"Doing your homework is good, but I think folks are really starting to overthink elk hunting. Take 10 days off and go get lost somewhere."

Paralysis by analysis...definitely suffering from that.

 

[jtm307]

Don't overlook Wyoming. We have a lot of general areas you can bow hunt in September along with the leftover cows mentioned by 'old man'. With most tags, you can bow hunt the area in September as long as it doesn't have a special archery tag.

 

[esracerx]

Don't overlook Wyoming. We have a lot of general areas you can bow hunt in September along with the leftover cows mentioned by 'old man'. With most tags, you can bow hunt the area in September as long as it doesn't have a special archery tag.

So with "general area" You can shoot bulls as well? Apologies for sounding like an amateur. I don't know how different states work their systems.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Hank, I was under the impression that once the draw happens thats it... I would prefer to archery hunt. Not just because of the rut, but I just don't like hunting with a rifle or muzzleloader. I had heard through my taxidermist that Idaho has been pretty well decimated by wolves. FWIW, Im from the far north suburbs of Chicago. Im a good ways from any elk...Although there's a town somewhat close by called Elk Grove, that has about a herd of 20 elk or so the forest preserve brought in. Some genius thought it was ok to hunt them. It was not.

"Doing your homework is good, but I think folks are really starting to overthink elk hunting. Take 10 days off and go get lost somewhere."

Paralysis by analysis...definitely suffering from that.

Your taxidermist is full of shit.

I don't know if you've subscribed to Extreme Elk magazine, but a pretty high percentage of articles were from Idaho and they didn't just have pictures of wolf crap.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

So with "general area" You can shoot bulls as well? Apologies for sounding like an amateur. I don't know how different states work their systems.

Wyoming draw is done for this year. Montana will have surplus tags available soon. Idaho is OTC. Don't know anything about Colorado except that they have a really good NFL team.

 

[basal_area]

Your taxidermist is correct. Don't even bother coming to Idaho. The grizzly bears and wolves have already eaten all of the deer and elk. Oh yeah, and don't even think about coming here to fly fish. Nothing but chubs and stunted rock bass.

Seriously, you could pretty much throw a dart at a map of Idaho, buy a tag for that unit and find elk. Some units are better than others, but 90% of them will have elk.

 

[jryoung]

Your taxidermist is full of shit.

I don't know if you've subscribed to Extreme Elk magazine, but a pretty high percentage of articles were from Idaho and they didn't just have pictures of wolf crap.

x2, when folks talk about how "decimated" Idaho is, they are often referring to the Lolo zone. Aside from the fact that elk numbers started to fall before the wolf reintroduction (not that wolves didn't help), I was able to find elk. I hunted the Lolo last year for moose, and found bulls on a summer trail came as well as while hunting in early September and in late October.

I'm not that good of a hunter so if I was to assume the majority of Idaho was in much better shape you should have no problem finding elk

 

[jtm307]

Oops, I forget that the NR draw is early.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Your taxidermist is correct. Don't even bother coming to Idaho. The grizzly bears and wolves have already eaten all of the deer and elk. Oh yeah, and don't even think about coming here to fly fish. Nothing but chubs and stunted rock bass.

Seriously, you could pretty much throw a dart at a map of Idaho, buy a tag for that unit and find elk. Some units are better than others, but 90% of them will have elk.

LOL, you're right. I had Idaho and Colorado mixed up.

And yes, the fishing there does suck.