First time western big game..?

[MF11]

Well wildwilderness mentioned it above and it’s just what I’ve heard about them being sort of nocturnal

 

[MF11]

Why would you say this? I see black bears quite often in the fall, during daylight hours.

^

 

[Jason Snyder]

Well wildwilderness mentioned it above and it’s just what I’ve heard about them being sort of nocturnal

His experience differs from mine. They certainly can be nocturnal, depending on weather patterns, but I’ve watched them feed all day on an open hillside in the middle of October.

 

[Mw01313]

Do a little research and buy an Otc elk tag and hunt a unit that you will be able to draw a MD tag fairly easily. Use this year to work on all the other stuff that goes along with an out of state hunt. You will also be able to see what areas are crowded, actual points of access, and hopefully find some deer to hunt when you draw the tag. The down side to a spring trip would be missing out on all the great scouting and actually seeing the area in the time frame you would be hunting it later. If you kill a bull, that's just gravy.
My first public land, DIY elk hunt tuned into the trip I described above (not the original plan). I assumed that since I had been able to find and kill elk on my own on private, I would be able to do the same on public. Not even close. Did not see an elk that wasn't behind a fence for the whole season. But my buddy and I found a spot holding a few decent (to us) bucks. We drew tags for that unit a couple years later and had a great hunt. He killed a great (again to us) buck.
Hunting ground that you have already walked around on is one of the best advantages you can have.