How bad is it (pressure)? From a neophyte outsider.

[Leverwalker]

I am a total outsider and have no experience, so everything is virtual so far. From everything I'm gathering, even backcountry elk rifle season is dense with pressure. Is that accurate? Is it possible, really, anymore to "get away," if willing to put the work in, or is that just the sign of our time, and pressure is just a necessary part of the strategic plan anymore?

Again, don't know anything, so I'm sure I'm saying it wrong - but is there a season across archery-rifle-MZ that a hunter could anticipate being more alone?

 

[cmahoney]

Depends on your tag


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[sierracharlie338]

All depends on how far into the back county you are willing to go I suppose. For general western state hunts I think seeing people regularly is the new standard based off all the reports of this being the case. I have not been out west in a long time so I based that comment purely off second hand info, take it for what its worth.

 

[Maverick1]

Also depends on your perspective. When some encounter a couple other hunters they flip out; others view it as normal and keep hunting.

I’ve pulled up to a trailhead and had 34 vehicles parked there, but didn’t encounter anyone while in the field. I’ve also pulled up to another parking spot and ran into multiple other hunters while in the field. Which one was better/worse?

 

[Leverwalker]

Depends on your tag


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You mean, which area, and which season, right? Basically let's presume it's a public area known to be somewhat productive but not "prime" and it's not the "prime" rifle season. But decent on both counts. If you're willing to get in deep, can you hope to hunt without a ton of pressure, or, basically, is the world of the remote elk hunter basically a thing of the past?

 

[Leverwalker]

Also depends on your perspective. When some encounter a couple other hunters they flip out; others view it as normal and keep hunting.

I’ve pulled up to a trailhead and had 34 vehicles parked there, but didn’t encounter anyone while in the field. I’ve also pulled up to another parking spot and ran into multiple other hunters while in the field. Which one was better/worse?

OK, thanks. I guess for me it's not "flipping out," as much as an acknowledgement that the idea of the "lonely hunter, the wilds, elk in their natural state, and the fair chase" is over. If it is, I know, nothing to do but include that as part of the strategic outlook - maybe, use the pressure to our advantage. But I guess a certain sadness in recognizing the reality, if that is indeed the case.

I don't hunt S. Wisconsin and haven't in decades because I get sick, to be honest, of seeing orange every 20 feet. I know each one of them feels the same about me. So I go to the northwoods, for many reasons more, but definitely because at least for now, it is still possible to get in and away. Last times out, we were either entirely alone, or saw a nice old grandpa teaching his grandson, great to cross each other every morning pre-dawn going in. Just wondering if that's no longer possible out west.

 

[Will_m]

1. It’s bad.

2. There’s no secret spots and basically everybody is willing to go there.

 

[molliesmaster]

If all of you would just quit hunting and take up golf or something then we could finally solve this problem. Tell a friend.

 

[Leverwalker]

1. It’s bad.

2. There’s no secret spots and basically everybody is willing to go there.

Awesome. Interesting, too - deer herd has been hammered up here, but hunter no's are also on the decline.
Well, what molliesmaster said. I'll take up golf. Really. I promise. So you all can go ahead with golf, be right there.

 

[cmahoney]

You mean, which area, and which season, right? Basically let's presume it's a public area known to be somewhat productive but not "prime" and it's not the "prime" rifle season. But decent on both counts. If you're willing to get in deep, can you hope to hunt without a ton of pressure, or, basically, is the world of the remote elk hunter basically a thing of the past?

I think so.


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[Leverwalker]

I think so.


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Thanks.

 

[Will_m]

Look on the bright side, if we end up in WWIII and civilian use of GPS and all the mapping services that go with it gets shut down, it might open up some opportunities.

Lemonade out of lemons!

 

[Kurts86]

It’s all relative. If you have experience with eastern public land deer/turkeys it’s not as bad but the scale of the landscape and amount of ground you have to cover to find elk is bigger so seeing someone a mile a away might be an encroachment. More than one party in a basin with a fired up bugling bull can be pressure.

As far as backcountry hunting pressure it’s not bad but rather it’s pretty disheartening when you hike 5-7 miles deep and don’t have basin to yourself. You are so committed to a certain area any disruption is going to feel 10x worse than if you were 1/2 mile off a road in the front country.

There are also a lot of guys out there that may be around but aren’t really impacting your hunting because they don’t get to a glass point until 2 hours after daylight and miss all the elk you could see at first and last light.

 

[Dos Perros]

I don't hunt rifle, and most of the last few years have been truck camps/day hunts, but I haven't actually run into someone in the field since 2020. So 2021, 2022, and this year free of folks. I have seen people driving around and at trailheads, but that's it. They're out there for sure, but what are you going to do, stay home?

 

[Mcribs]

Everything is relative.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Was 5+ miles in the “back country” on a limited muzzy tag in Co this year, glassed up 8 other hunters from my vantage point in about 2 hours. If you get away it’s basically luck that no one is in the same drainage as you at the same time, buts it’s almost guaranteed that any spot or “honey hole” is a known quantity

 

[Leverwalker]

Thanks guys. Getting a better picture. Appreciate it.

 

[Swampcruiser]

It’s not as crowded as this site is with pissing and moaning Colorado guys constantly posting about otc crowds. I’ve filed my tag but I’m going back for second rifle with buds and wearing orange just to pass people off. It’s no where near as bad as it’s made out to be.

 

[Jbenson]

Here's the problems:

1. Colorado. Colorado sucks because they pass out tags like Halloween candy.

2. That is all. Stay out of Colorado.

 

[Cameron.25]

I rarely ever run into anyone in the backcountry. Im sure its bad in Colorado tho