Elk tag blues…

[Cplace]

Having a tough go this year with elk tags.
No luck on Dec 1st for Idaho, No luck in Wyoming draw, my “for sure draw” in Colorado even failed. Now, last chance is 2nd rifle Colorado. Can go 2nd rifle in the same zone I tried to draw for 1st rifle. I’ve never hunted Co. I’ve read the numbers and stats. My question: Is it worth going 2nd season with 2x the hunters? Also with the new dates this year, part of me thinks 2nd may be pretty good, aside from the hunter population. Man, elk hunting out of state is getting popular….

 

[Huntnnw]

there were plenty of ID tags available in units for weeks if you were willing to hunt them

 

[Cplace]

True, but pretty poor units. Price went way up, hard to pick a low success unit you’ve never been to. Besides, that was back in Dec. Way before the other draws.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

One thing I'd take into account is how many people will be back to work this year.

Last year people had a sudden burst of "oh s**t I need to learn to hunt and survive". And a lot more suddenly had the time to go.

My theory is less people will be messing around in the woods come hunting season than last year....
But otc Colorado is probably going to always be packed. The wild is becoming very much domesticated.

 

[sneaky]

Some turned in tags going on sale in the morning for ID for NR

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Cplace]

Thanks for the heads up, I’ll check tomorrow.

 

[5MilesBack]

hard to pick a low success unit you’ve never been to.

Low success units just means that they are filled with amateurs. Swoop on in, get it done, and be back home before most of those guys even figure out where the elk are.

 

[BDRam16]

Plenty of reduced fee cow tags left in WY in so so units. That’s our back up plan that turned into our main plan this year. Decided not to mess with the OTC CO nonsense and just try to fill the freezers.

 

[Grant K]

I wouldn't consider CO 2nd Rifle OTC all that bad of a tag, sure there are tons of people, most of them never really do much hunting, given the dates this year it shouldn't be too tough to find bulls in post-rut spots.

my opinion is that any elk hunting is better than no elk hunting, get what tags you can and make the most of them.

 

[Spike elk]

If no elk tag that wouldn't stop me from hunting. Get a cheap bear tag and head west.

 

[Cplace]

I like it, Grant.
Take the drive, make it happen.

 

[Clarkdale17]

Come on out to Colorado for a OTC tag! Seems like everyone else does. Sure beats not hunting.

 

[Huntnnw]

Low success units just means that they are filled with amateurs. Swoop on in, get it done, and be back home before most of those guys even figure out where the elk are.

no kidding. I do just fine in what are called crappy units

 

[apexbowhunter]

no kidding. I do just fine in what are called crappy units

Pick an area where the elk can put a couple good hills between them and any roads or trails. Hike a couple hours and start seeing elk. I hunt crappy units too sometimes.Works for me ...

 

[Slugz]

Some of my best hunts were in crappy units, terrible terrain and were supposed to be crowded. Just go hunt. Have 10-12 different plans/places in your back pocket and go do it. Even if those plans don't work you probably found another plan or place in the process to make it work.
Lastly hunt the whole tag. I'm blessed to have a job that allows me a lot of time in the woods and the most consistent thing year to year is people hunt for the first 2-4 days then there is a huge drop off of people in the woods. Good luck and have fun.

 

[roosiebull]

Low success units just means that they are filled with amateurs. Swoop on in, get it done, and be back home before most of those guys even figure out where the elk are.

there is a lot of truth to this.... if i was elk hunting out of state, i would be looking for lower success rate areas, because they will be less attractive to those basing their out of state hunts on e-scouting, which in theory means less people. my home unit hovers around 4% success rate, and i have had a lot of great hunting there, it's a good unit (relatively) but looks terrible on paper.... it's pretty crazy seeing the pressure, then looking at the stats and wondering what the heck all of those hunters are doing?

 

[5MilesBack]

I shot a 300+ bull a few years back in an OTC archery unit that has historically shown a 6% success rate. I also have a very high overall success rate in that unit and have seen multiple legal bulls every year I've been in there.

 

[cnelk]

There’s probably going to be some better tags available on the reissue list / leftover next week.
I’d try for one of them knowing you can always go otc if you’re SOL.

 

[Phaseolus]

Having a tough go this year with elk tags.
No luck on Dec 1st for Idaho, No luck in Wyoming draw, my “for sure draw” in Colorado even failed. Now, last chance is 2nd rifle Colorado. Can go 2nd rifle in the same zone I tried to draw for 1st rifle. I’ve never hunted Co. I’ve read the numbers and stats. My question: Is it worth going 2nd season with 2x the hunters? Also with the new dates this year, part of me thinks 2nd may be pretty good, aside from the hunter population. Man, elk hunting out of state is getting popular….

I hunted a “poor otc unit” in Colorado last 2nd season. Filled the otc bull tag and the b list cow tag. Of course I’ve been hunting this
“poor unit” for many years. If you don’t go your chances of filling a tag are remarkably low And your chances of learning how and where to hunt a unit are really poor too.

 

[Cplace]

All good stuff, thank you.
CO 2nd this year is later and basically 3rd season timing this year. Hard to guess weather, but in a zone that is mostly 10k and up, is this going to be too high by then? Will it be snowed in?