Need help deciding what unit to hunt!

[SwampLander]

Hello, I am stuck between units. The biggest think that is hanging me up is that unit X has a recent large burn in it but the success rates are relatively low like 10% for the time of year I am going. Unit Y has no burn but has a much higher success rate 28% or so I believe is what it was for when I want to go. Both are large areas of wilderness designated land. I keep thinking that this year will be a boom year in the area with the large burn but I dont know. Would you risk only elk hunt of the year on the burn with historically low success rates? I just feel like knowing where that burn is and it being a mile or so from a trial head would help me in knowing where the elk should be where as the other area I dont have that area of relative certainty on where elk will be.

 

[Epfd217]

I know in the past, Randy has shared one of his go-to plan builders is to focus on recent burn areas. That being said, low harvest rates can mean a lot of different things. I would decide why the harvest rates are low in the first place. A burn may may for some awesome hunting, but if populations are low in that area or seasons don't exactly line up with movements, having a burn to hunt wont change things.

 

[CUElk]

can you re title this thread. a lot of the experts on this forum will probably just skip right over this one because the title sounds like another person just asking for easy info rather than doing research. I would call the biologist. there has to be a reason why the success is low. the elk population is probably low for a reason, maybe this is a wintering ground and the elk don't show up until late in the season. if the numbers are similar to the other unit I would pick the burn, but I doubt they are.

 

[406LIFE]

As EPFD said, reasons for success rates can vary greatly. I'd like to know hunting pressure each unit sees. I'd take the one with less, even with a lesser success rate. 1 Mile from a TH, isn't that far, it could invite more participation. Not knowing the area, you can do the research need to become familiar. As Jay said, call the biologist and the GW.

I assume you're trying to protect the identity of the units, understandably. But I don't think there is enough to really base a full decision on which unit to hunt from the above info.

 

[esracerx]

I'd be interested in the pressure as well. I know a lot of units with high success is achieved because guys with outfitters are going miles with horses. Places we just can't physically get to no matter how in shape we are. How recent is the burn?

 

[mixedbag]

Unless your going 1st season how hard hunted would that burn already be.Most guys will go a mile no problem.I'd feel better about hunting it if it was 2-3 miles in the wilderness.I'd be more interested in amount of public land,population numbers and success rates.A burn one mile in would not make a decision for me.There are ALOT of features on a top map that will take you right to some elk.Learn more features to look for then just burns