JoseCuervo
New member
Colorado is the correct answer.
First Elk Hunt 2013, which state?
- Thread starter blb078
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Dinkshooter
Well-known member
To what question?
putm2sleep
New member
Where is your elk Dink? Gives us the goods!
utah400elk
Well-known member
I am partial to Wyoming. The archery elk hunt is about as good as it gets. I have archery elk hunted in NM, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. I have seen more elk and bigger bulls in Wyoming (in the general units between CO, Utah and Wyoming). I see 350 class bulls in general hunts in Wyoming. If this is going to be a big push for elk I would limit myself to one animal. IMO, Colorado is a great state to build deer points in. The general units around Cheyenne and Laramie are well worth your time and the archery hunts are great.
To me it doesn't make sense to limit yourself to only one animal. I'm going for elk but if I happen to come across a mule deer while doing that then I'm going to be glad I have a tag. To me it's just limiting your options when you really don't have to, unless you don't want to pay the $350 for a mule deer tag which I don't mind paying.
Gerald Martin
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I live in Montana and have to say that if I were in your shoes I'd go to Colorado to start. Trust me, this won't be your only elk hunt and you can apply what you learn in one state to others as you gain confidence.
Forget about trophy quality for your first hunt. Shoot the first legal elk you can until you get confident, then focus on other states that are known to produce larger elk. For the most part, guys that are killing bigger bulls in OTC units are doing so after years of learning the unit and hunting parts that don't get as much pressure. I'd venture to guess they have less chances of killing any elk than if they'd hunt in more populated units, but they've learned to capitalize on the few chance they have in a season.
I'd also start building points in WY and when you have the points and the experience from hunting CO you have a really good chance at a quality bull.
If you are bow hunting, I'd focus on either deer or elk. Its hard to do both unless you just want to kill any elk or any deer.
Forget about trophy quality for your first hunt. Shoot the first legal elk you can until you get confident, then focus on other states that are known to produce larger elk. For the most part, guys that are killing bigger bulls in OTC units are doing so after years of learning the unit and hunting parts that don't get as much pressure. I'd venture to guess they have less chances of killing any elk than if they'd hunt in more populated units, but they've learned to capitalize on the few chance they have in a season.
I'd also start building points in WY and when you have the points and the experience from hunting CO you have a really good chance at a quality bull.
If you are bow hunting, I'd focus on either deer or elk. Its hard to do both unless you just want to kill any elk or any deer.
utah400elk
Well-known member
Like I said JMO. Most of the time I am elk hunting I don't run into deer and most of the time I am deer hunting I don't run into deer. I shoot an elk every year archery but I am sure that if you don't buy a deer tag you will see a monster. Have fun.
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You sound like a bitter CO resident mad because of all the non residents that go to CO. But to answer you question, it's because it's generally the easiest state to get tags for non residents, largest elk herd, and generally is a lot closer drive for people in the midwest/east.
Naw, I'm not bitter at all. Non-residents pay the bills here, and all of your points are true. It just cracks me up to see people make comments insinuating that you might want to get your feet wet in Colorado before going on a real elk hunt. I live here, and I'm pretty confident I could fill an OTC tag here every year if I wanted. That said, if I had to choose, I'd take a WY general tag over CO OTC any time. Heck, look at all the elk hunts Big Fin has filmed, in MT, WY, CO, NM and AZ. He has killed elk in every state except Colorado.
I truly hope you have a successful hunt here. And maybe if you're lucky, someday you can go on a real elk hunt in Montana or Idaho or......
Gerald Martin
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My rationale is based on large herd sizes in CO, plenteous public land, Montana's $912 elk combo license and the desire to not travel any further than he has to.
Oak, your point about a WY general tag is a good one. I didn't pursue that angle because I was under the impression it takes at least one point to get a general tag.
Oak, your point about a WY general tag is a good one. I didn't pursue that angle because I was under the impression it takes at least one point to get a general tag.
Oak nailed it IMO
Of all the elk hunts on OYOA TV, the is no kill shot in Colorado. Listen to what Big Fin says about crowds, private and ATV's when you see the Colorado episode re-run.
Montana might cost you about $330 more give or take a few dollars, but as my buddy who recently moved there likes to rub in,"When I go out elk hunting, I actually see elk most days now"
Of all the elk hunts on OYOA TV, the is no kill shot in Colorado. Listen to what Big Fin says about crowds, private and ATV's when you see the Colorado episode re-run.
Montana might cost you about $330 more give or take a few dollars, but as my buddy who recently moved there likes to rub in,"When I go out elk hunting, I actually see elk most days now"
Going to stick with CO for now. Plenty of elk taken in CO every year, and I'm doing archery so the crowds and ATVs shouldn't be as much of an issue. Although I will probably put in for WY to get a pref point. I just need to take a look at the site better, it's a lot more confusing to figure out than CO is, looks like diff units have diff dates you can hunt, etc. Also I like the idea of doing a combo elk/deer hunt which I've been told will be harder to get in WY w/o points, also if I remember the deer units are numbered differently than the elk units for the same general area in WY I thought which is a little confusing. I could also keep the option of going to WY for gun season later in the year if I get can get a tag. So it's not out of the question to do both states. Thankfully I have enough vacation time saved up to make that a possibility.
Devil Diver Down
Well-known member
Plenty of elk in CO for sure - at least I am told that there are. There's also a ton of elk habitat to spread them out and unlimited tags in OTC units guarantees enough people to push them hard. I bowhiked twice in CO and saw plenty of quads and crowds, but very few elk on public land. I certainly won't be back to those OTC units, though I do hope to hunt elk in CO again someday. I am building points for a non-OTC draw. I have my short term sights set on other states where I can draw (Montana had returned tags last year, IIRC) somewhat easily and hope to have a great hunt, with maybe not as many folks on hand to witness my every step. Also, I won't have to worry about shooting a 4+ point - for those of us who specialize in tiny bulls.
That said, there is no perfect spot. There will always be challenges, research needing to be done. It will be physically demanding. As someone already posted, once you hunt elk - you will want to do it all the time. I would start building non-res points in at least one state if I were you in addition to hunting CO next year. Have a great hunt and let us know how it works out.
That said, there is no perfect spot. There will always be challenges, research needing to be done. It will be physically demanding. As someone already posted, once you hunt elk - you will want to do it all the time. I would start building non-res points in at least one state if I were you in addition to hunting CO next year. Have a great hunt and let us know how it works out.
