Nebraska Box Elder Bull Tag

[D.Blake]

This is absolutely crazy. with a .57% chance, A close friend of mine was lucky enough to draw a Bull tag in the Box Elder unit in Nebraska. Does anybody have any leads or information about landowners who offer hunting access for a trespass fee? any information would help. Thank you!

 

[String&stick]

Game and parks office out of north platte should have some names for you!

 

[String&stick]

Oh and I hate your friend. . .

 

[NebraskaStickHunter]

Good luck and quite jealous

 

[jlivgren]

How many points did he have? My brother in law also drew.


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[silasbowhunter]

Congratulations!! Call the Curtis Fire Department and tell em you’re looking to pay a trespass fee. They can probably help you!

I drew a cow tag this year.. first year I’ve applied for any elk lol


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[NE Herd Bull]

Like many Nebraska hunters, I have been applying for a coveted elk tag since the first year they started offering them....1986? (I think I have never missed an application year, but my memory may be selective) All I have to show is a Hat Creek cow tag 20ish years ago. Quite frustrating, as I am familiar with the elk of the central part of the Box Elder Unit. Social media has hyped the Box Elder unit to the point that there is now a huge pool of applicants that grows by hundreds of applicants each year. As D.Blake points out, even with 35 years of applying and having max preference points, the odds of me ever being able to hunt these bulls is abysmal.

However, let me add that I am also appreciative of the system. Everyone who applies has a "chance". The fact that first time applicants like silasbowhunter have an opportunity to at least play the draw game. Congrats on that cow tag! As you probably know the cow tags for this unit, are historically tough to fill.

I hear rumors of landowner frustration with the size of the herd and resultant crop depredation. Contact the NE Game and Parks Office in North Platte and speak with the biologist. He should be a wealth of info. I assume that they would have contacts for landowners willing to discuss access opportunities. The landowners I have talked to have said that many people have contacted them already.

I second the thought of contacting the local volunteer fire departments. My understanding is that in lieu of a contribution to the VFD, sympathetic landowners are allowing access.

Best of luck to all you lucky hunters !

 

[silasbowhunter]

Like many Nebraska hunters, I have been applying for a coveted elk tag since the first year they started offering them....1986? (I think I have never missed an application year, but my memory may be selective) All I have to show is a Hat Creek cow tag 20ish years ago. Quite frustrating, as I am familiar with the elk of the central part of the Box Elder Unit. Social media has hyped the Box Elder unit to the point that there is now a huge pool of applicants that grows by hundreds of applicants each year. As D.Blake points out, even with 35 years of applying and having max preference points, the odds of me ever being able to hunt these bulls is abysmal.

However, let me add that I am also appreciative of the system. Everyone who applies has a "chance". The fact that first time applicants like silasbowhunter have an opportunity to at least play the draw game. Congrats on that cow tag! As you probably know the cow tags for this unit, are historically tough to fill.

I hear rumors of landowner frustration with the size of the herd and resultant crop depredation. Contact the NE Game and Parks Office in North Platte and speak with the biologist. He should be a wealth of info. I assume that they would have contacts for landowners willing to discuss access opportunities. The landowners I have talked to have said that many people have contacted them already.

I second the thought of contacting the local volunteer fire departments. My understanding is that in lieu of a contribution to the VFD, sympathetic landowners are allowing access.

Best of luck to all you lucky hunters !

While I’m fortunate and feel lucky. I wish they’d change the system.. maybe do like 10% are a lottery and the other 90% of tags are drawn from people with max points? Or something along those lines.. I know multiple people who have applied for 10+ years and a few who draw in year 1. Makes no sense


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[DWBMontana]

This is absolutely crazy. with a .57% chance, A close friend of mine was lucky enough to draw a Bull tag in the Box Elder unit in Nebraska. Does anybody have any leads or information about landowners who offer hunting access for a trespass fee? any information would help. Thank you!

Sent you a PM

 

[D.Blake]

I dont know if there is a perfect system for NE elk, but overall I like the current system. The fact that everybody has a chance makes it way more exciting.

People talk a lot about how the system seems flawed because "so many" people with 1 or 2 points draw every year - but if you look at the draw reports, there are always more tags awarded to higher point holders. I think we hear more talk about the 1 pointers drawing tags because everyone (including me) likes to gripe about it!

That being said - my buddy who drew the box elder tag drew it with 1. frickin. point. Just wait... it gets better.

We were talking when he applied and I distinctly remember him saying "I'll do Box Elder this year.. it has the worst odds so I wont draw." Why you might ask? He has a baby coming October 1st!!! Probably shoulda put in for the preference point - but with a once in a lifetime tag like this - its hard to sit out for a year!


Thank you everyone for the input, hopefully I will have some photos of giant cornfield Bulls ducking under center pivots to share!

 

[NE Herd Bull]

Agree that the system is not perfect, and that I may grumble about it, but it I see it as a good middle ground.
Nebraska draw system has been darn good to me, so I have no place complaining about it !

Feel free to PM me if you are needing additional help
(as a new member I think I need more posts before it is allowed. I will work on that).
I don't own a square inch of the dirt, but I can steer you in the right direction

 

[NebraskaFlatLander]

@D.Blake just curious how the hunt went and if you guys connected?

 

[D.Blake]

I will let @Wastinshells answer that question!

 

[Wastinshells]

Well to sum up my Nebraska Box Elder Elk pursuit….

124 phone calls

1 new .300 WSM Kimber montana rifle

1 new Swarovski z5 scope

3 sets of scope rings

5 rifle sight in sessions

90 practice rounds shot

6 G&P employees talked to

1 layoff

1 new job (with not as good vacation policy or paternity leave)

7 full days of boots-on-the-ground scouting

5 public properties scouted

15 landowners who gave permission

71 parcels owned by those landowners

26,400+ total private acres accessed

11 days hunting with 17 morning/evening sits (archery and rifle)

19ish tanks of gas

3 nights of motel stays during bad weather

2 nights slept in the truck, remaining in tent

30 doves shot

1 coyote shot

1 firstborn child (son) born during the middle of the rut

1 fiancé who let me return to hunting days later. (She was as excited for the tag as me)

87 miles walked (156,000 steps)

3 bulls seen during the daytime

1 bull seen in the dark

1 (multiple hunt) game of cat and mouse with this bull.

1 54 yard shot on a bull in the Box Elder canyons.

0 steps taken by the bull after the shot.

4 hours of caping, gutless method field dressing, deboning and packing.

2 freezers full of delicious elk meat

Lots of thank you cards sent.

1 awesome opportunity I’ll never forget.

Put in for your elk tags folks! You might just draw it with one point like I did ; ) And thank you to everyone in this thread for their help.


PS - DIY does not equate to cheap! Yikes.

 

[NE Herd Bull]

Outstandingly cool !
Congratulations on so many levels!

 

[elkguide]

AWESOME. What a great year for you!
Congratulations.

 

[Roy68]

Congrats to you!!

 

[NebraskaFlatLander]

Congratulations man! That animal and the story are both awesone

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Way to go, great bull. And dove too boot. Congratulations on the new born.

 

[Fallfreak]

Wow!! Great bull. Thanks for reporting back with the story.