My long term Elk plan

Guy5858

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Here is my long term Elk plan. I am 32 and live on the east coast. God willing, hope to make it out west hunting a few times in my life. Do you think this makes sense for short/medium/long term options? I am not tied to any state and do not have any points currently. I just want to maximize potential DIY public land options.

Short term (1-3 years)- Colorado OTC, perhaps Utah spike hunt, put in for NM lottery in case get lucky

Medium term (3-7 years)- Build elk points in Montana and/or Colorado (if do not use on short term hunt option)

Long term (10+ years)- Build points in Arizona for a true "bucket" list hunt

Questions...

1. Its probably smart to save less vigorous hunts for when I am older. With that in mind, would you change any of the states above?

2. Would you substitute any states for medium or long term options?

Thanks
 
I would add Wyoming to the list for a medium term, going to be cheaper then Colorado with the new license requirement. The way the elk general tag is going it might take upwards of three points to draw.
 
Yep, I would put Wyoming in there somewhere for a general tag or two, maybe cows.
 
The only change I'd really recommend is removing the Utah spike hunt. I'd hunt Colorado for sure over Utah spike hunting.
 
I am from PA, my first western trip was to WY for antelope and mule deer rifle. 6 of us went for the first trip and we tagged out in 5 days. Lets just say i've been hooked ever since. Elk is obviously the ultimate for us eastern guys but don't sell yourself short on some good mule deer hunts in between your points building. I did a hunt to central ID in the Frank Church. While it was a good time we saw one small lonely moose and that was it. Every time you go out you gain a little more knowledge and experience. This year I utilized my Arizona license I bought to get a point and flew into Phoenix for pretty cheap, rented a truck, booked an Airbnb, and hunted mule deer for 5 days. We saw some of the biggest bucks of my life and got a few stalk attempts. There's loads of knowledge to be gained out there. As for points, I buy points in WY every summer when they open that up, AZ, Utah, Montana, and Nevada. Then I put in for the NM tag just in case, secretly hoping I don't get it until I have a little more elk hunting knowledge under my belt so I can maximize my experience. Also don't write Idaho off either. It's a really long drive from the east (38 hours for me) but the country is beautiful and the tags are cheap. You could always fly in to Boise or ID falls and rent a pickup with the money you're saving from not hunting in some of these other states.
Good Luck!
 
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I don't necessarily care about hunting elk every year. I do care about hunting a couple species other than Indiana whitetails every year, be they elk, mule deer, coues, blacktail(s), javelina, pronghorn, maybe even moose and caribou down the road.

If I did want to hunt bull elk every year though, my plan would be similar to this:

-Apply every year in Arizona (not just for a point). I'd pick easier draw tags, not start building for a hunt that takes 15 points currently for 100% in the bonus pass.
-If unsuccessful in Arizona, apply in New Mexico and/or Montana. I'd probably pick NM. I've personally decided that MT doesn't offer me enough value for the $$ to accumulate bonus points, any hunting I do there will be general. YMMV.
-If unsuccessful in New Mexico, apply in Wyoming (not just for a point, but definitely buy one if unsuccessful).
-Apply for a point in Colorado each year until you can draw the hunt you want.
-If unsuccessful in Wyoming, pick a spot in Idaho or Colorado that is OTC or typically has leftover tags available, and go there the years you don't draw anything.

A plan like that will get you hunting bulls every year. If you apply for hunts with realistic draw odds, then occasionally you'll draw in AZ, NM, or WY. Colorado's low-tier hunts are fairly predictable on when you can draw, so sprinkle one of those in every 2/3/4 years. On most years, when you don't pull a draw tag, you can learn an OTC area in Colorado or Idaho pretty well and I would expect some success to come eventually.


I do use a system similar to above, but since I'm not exclusively after elk tags, some years I skip a state or just go the point only option. I also prefer to hunt a quality area with a cow tag than a more crowded area with a bull tag, which opens a lot more options.
 
I don't necessarily care about hunting elk every year. I do care about hunting a couple species other than Indiana whitetails every year, be they elk, mule deer, coues, blacktail(s), javelina, pronghorn, maybe even moose and caribou.

I also prefer to hunt a quality area with a cow tag than a more crowded area with a bull tag, which opens a lot more options.


There is a lot of solid advice here! Build points and hunt other species in the area you eventually want to bull hunt in. You can’t eat horns so when your ready to chase one for a mount you will be prepared!
 
Start NOW! Keep trying to draw the tags you can within a short term plan and the purely random draws
 
If you're trying to draw an archery elk permit in MT, I think your plan is solid. If you're looking for a rifle elk permit in MT you better make it your long term plan. Odds are bad to awful for NR rifle permits. I would add WY as others have stated.
 
I'd add Wyoming if you go with a general tag. I would not recommend building points in WY unless you are willing to wait 10 years or more for a tag in non grizzly country. Point creep is bad in WY for LE units and will get worse.
 
If you're trying to draw an archery elk permit in MT, I think your plan is solid. If you're looking for a rifle elk permit in MT you better make it your long term plan. Odds are bad to awful for NR rifle permits. I would add WY as others have stated.

You must be talking LE units because I’ve been rifle hunting in MT the last 4 years in a row.
 
Pretty high odds of getting a half price leftover cow tag in Wyoming. Drawing is in July. I get one almost every year as a NR when I don't draw the general tag.
 
You must be talking LE units because I’ve been rifle hunting in MT the last 4 years in a row.

Hence the word "permit"

A general license can be had every year or every other at worst. Don't know why he would have it as a mid term (3-7 year option) if he was talking a general license.
 
NM is not exactly a “short term” plan. It’s an every term plan. You could hunt it soon if you get lucky. Mid term on a third choice easier to draw hunt is likely to happen within a mid term time frame, and long term as you may eventually draw an excellent first choice hunt. You could even draw that hunt this year.

CO is not on my list at all except for OTC.
 
Are you opposed to simply applying for the nonresident Montana deer elk combo? It is very easy to draw and there is more area to hunt than you could ever cover in a lifetime.
 
IMO unless you are a very good hunter trying to jump around from state to state and unit to unit is going to be difficult and waste a lot of time learning the ropes at each new place you hunt. There is almost always a learning curve in a new area when you go in blind and after a few years of paying your dues in the same area you will be able to hunt like a local instead of a tourist.

If I was in your shoes I'd pick one or possibly 2 states to focus on. In Wyoming you can likely draw a bull, cow, deer, doe, antelope, doe, etc license in the same area nearly every year. Start building points for bucks/bulls while hunting does/cows/whitetail every year. After a few years you will be able to get a general elk license. Within 10 years you will have around 3 general elk tags along with numerous other buck deer and antelope tags as well as doe/cow tags.

Montana is another good option.
 

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