Getting ready to put in for the draw in NM. I got an elk tag last year by putting in for a low demand unit as my first, second, and third choices (all different hunts of course).
I had a great time hunting with some frustrations. Most importantly I learned a lot.
This year, my options are basically, try to get a tag in the unit I hunted last year, or try for a tag in a ‘better’ unit.
I think the most important thing is to hunt an area you know well. If I hunt the same area as last year, I’ll know it better than I know anywhere else, and it’s low enough demand I have a decent chance of drawing every year. Even though it’s a tough hunt, with a couple years of learning the unit eventually I’ll have a good chance of harvesting year after year.
Alternatively, I could try for areas with better numbers, and hope that it leads to more opportunities to harvest.
That would mean I can’t hunt the same unit every year, and jumping around the state seems like I’d be shooting myself in the foot. Draw odds get worse every year, so if I don’t put all three choices towards my low-demand unit, I’d risk not being able to go hunting at all, but it would also be fun to get to know some new country.
So, what would you do? Stick with a unit you have the chance to learn really well, or toss the dice on trying a few new units?
I had a great time hunting with some frustrations. Most importantly I learned a lot.
This year, my options are basically, try to get a tag in the unit I hunted last year, or try for a tag in a ‘better’ unit.
I think the most important thing is to hunt an area you know well. If I hunt the same area as last year, I’ll know it better than I know anywhere else, and it’s low enough demand I have a decent chance of drawing every year. Even though it’s a tough hunt, with a couple years of learning the unit eventually I’ll have a good chance of harvesting year after year.
Alternatively, I could try for areas with better numbers, and hope that it leads to more opportunities to harvest.
That would mean I can’t hunt the same unit every year, and jumping around the state seems like I’d be shooting myself in the foot. Draw odds get worse every year, so if I don’t put all three choices towards my low-demand unit, I’d risk not being able to go hunting at all, but it would also be fun to get to know some new country.
So, what would you do? Stick with a unit you have the chance to learn really well, or toss the dice on trying a few new units?
