Someone smarter than me

[Arrow870]

When I think about my first couple elk hunts I realize how completely uneducated we were. We were deer hunters. That did more harm than good. You have to learn what it is you need to learn. Hunting and a one thing but just learning tricks to make living in the mountains and hiking them is another. Again, I would highly suggest a summer camping trip. It’s a ton of fun.

I can’t start the imagine the many differences in deer/elk but like you said the only answer is to go find out and I love fly fishing and hiking so a summer camping trip sounds like fun!!

 

[BRTreedogs]

Hahahaha advice has been taken have been thinking about it since I was 18 figured it’s time to piss or get off the pot!

I know from experience.
I bought a starter house, was only gonna stay 2 yrs it was 8

Moved with a plan to stay 2-4 and go again. I’m sitting at 8 yrs again.

Just get loaded and get going.
It’s scary but doable. The older you get and the more rooted you get the harder it will be.
Just tear the bandaid off

 

[Arrow870]

Feel free to pm me, love talking to others that are passionate about elk. I'm not an expert by any means, but was in your shoes in '22. Now have 3 bulls in 3 states in 3 years so the research and hard work paid off.

I think I’ve got a few days before I can pm since I’m new but when the time comes I’d love to follow up with you!

 

[nphunter]

Arkansan here…avid whitetail hunter but have always loved the west and dreamed of elk hunting (like 90% of everyone) I’m young and have 0 experience and no matter how much you read and look up at the end of the day people smarter than me always have better answers…so with points and all the talk of “point creep” (I’m lost) if you could go back to the ripe age of 21 and start again how would you go about it…what states to try and hunt now to get experience …what states would you plan on a once and a lifetime hunt in many years to come (point wise)… how to find a mentor that would be willing to teach a young man the ways of old… and lastly how not to be the guy that everyone dreads to see in the woods…
(Have plans to move to MT in a year or two so no sense in the long term point plan there)

Thanks in advance, don’t flame me too hard

My condolences, Arrow870

You can get a bull tag in OR for 2025, apply for a decent unit and when you don't draw pick up a OTC bull tag and go hunt in one of the OTC units in NEO. We have great hunting and I doubt there will be any OTC tags in the near future. You don't need anything special to hunt elk and rifle hunting is way different than archery and requires a little better gear since it is typically in the snow.

Idaho will also have some returned tag sales later in the year but IMO most of the tags that will be available during those return sales are going to be similar quality to OR OTC and ID is way more rugged terrain. Elk hunting is pretty easy, you just need to learn to blow a bugle tube and cover ground, elk run in herds and are pretty easy to find at night during the rut if you're quiet and listen. You may be able to find a mentor on the forums, I've met plenty of guys on here and other forums who have ended up being hunting buddies. The biggest thing that is going to make a difference is going to be time in the field, if you plan on coming out plan on two full weeks at least, planning for a week (5 day of hunting) just isn't a lot of time when trying to find where the elk are and cover ground.

 

[LongWayAround]

By the sounds of it Colorado seems like the NYC of elk hunters…IYO would a cow/bull hunt in CO or cow in WY be better for a first…archery is always the go to but experience trumps everything starting out so would the experience of a gun hunt carry over in many of the same ways when it comes to transitioning to the first archery hunt? Hope that makes sense and appreciate the feedback!

Probably a better success rate in Wyoming.

You can get an either sex tag in Colorado for archery or rifle and give it a go. Success rates are generally low, but they're much better with a rifle.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

All too often preference points get equated to trophy quality animals. That the more preference points it takes to draw the bigger the animals antlers are going to be. Don't let this be your mindset. Preference points were not designed to equate to that. They were meant to allow you to accrue points when you were unable to hunt so that when your time allowed you would have an advantage at acquiring a tag.

I am a resident of Colorado and I have seen 340" bulls in 10pp+ units and I have seen 340" bulls in 1pp units DURING season. In the 10pp+ unit I saw 75 different bulls ranging from 30" spikes to 340" 6x6 in 7 days. In the 1pp unit I saw 15 different bulls ranging from 30" spikes to 340" 6x6 in 7 days. Have I killed a 340" bull? No not yet but I have seen them.

From my experience with preference points is that units that are 10pp+ to draw typically offer fewer tags, which usually means less pressure, resulting in a better overall hunt as you see more animals thus giving a higher chance of filling your tag. If you don't fill your 10pp+ tag it's likely due to you passing on animals for a bigger one and that opportunity not happening.



Something else to take into account is how much money you want to spend in applications fees and general hunting licenses to accrue points? Like I said I am a resident of Colorado and I also apply for AZ/UT and these are the fees associated with each as a NR per year. It typically takes several years if not decades of applying before you are successfully drawn for AZ or UT

• Arizona - you have to buy a hunting license that is valid for 365 days from date of purchase which costs $160 and then $15 application fee per species. Likely take you 10 years minimum to draw a basic unit. $160×10=$1,600+$150= $1,750 out of pocket. Once drawn it is $665 for any elk tag.

• Colorado - you have to buy a qualifying license which most NR buy the annual small game license which was $98.92 in 2024, plus a habitat stamp $12.15, and $10 app fee per species. Starting in 2028 you will have to pay to accrue points $30 NR per species. Once drawn it is $803.39 for any elk tag.

• Utah - you have to buy a hunting license $120 or $150 hunt/fish and $10 application fee per species. Once drawn it is $613 for general elk tag or $1,050 for limited entry



Like others have said you can hunt Colorado every year with OTC rifle in 2nd or 3rd season. Archery is no longer "OTC" for NR, you will have to apply for it during the draw but you should have a high chance of drawing this first year.

Can only gain experience by going. Colorado is still the easy button

 

[Elkhntr08]

Buy points in Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. Throw my hat in the ring in New Mexico.
You’ve already got a hunting license in Utah and Colorado, so a OTC elk tag is a solid backup plan.
Pretty much my playbook.

 

[Tmac]

Since you are mainly a bow hunter, there are many early elk seasons. It can be hot. Search the forum for some meat care ideas. Elk are large and take some planning to deal with, especially when it is warm. Between the heat, terrain, yellow jackets and occasional bear, it can be a party.

 

[cnelk]

Colorado is like the last lady at the bar at closing time.
Easily had but probably not the best choice

 

[jmez]

Colorado is like the last lady at the bar at closing time.
Easily had but probably not the best choice

I don't know. At that time of night, easily had and best choice are often one in the same.

Sent from my moto g power 5G - 2024 using Tapatalk

 

[Hoodie]

You can get a bull tag in OR for 2025, apply for a decent unit and when you don't draw pick up a OTC bull tag and go hunt in one of the OTC units in NEO. We have great hunting and I doubt there will be any OTC tags in the near future. You don't need anything special to hunt elk and rifle hunting is way different than archery and requires a little better gear since it is typically in the snow.

Idaho will also have some returned tag sales later in the year but IMO most of the tags that will be available during those return sales are going to be similar quality to OR OTC and ID is way more rugged terrain. Elk hunting is pretty easy, you just need to learn to blow a bugle tube and cover ground, elk run in herds and are pretty easy to find at night during the rut if you're quiet and listen. You may be able to find a mentor on the forums, I've met plenty of guys on here and other forums who have ended up being hunting buddies. The biggest thing that is going to make a difference is going to be time in the field, if you plan on coming out plan on two full weeks at least, planning for a week (5 day of hunting) just isn't a lot of time when trying to find where the elk are and cover ground.

Shhhhhhh.....We don't want people thinking Oregon's the new Colorado

 

[7RemMag]

Arkansan here…avid whitetail hunter but have always loved the west and dreamed of elk hunting (like 90% of everyone) I’m young and have 0 experience and no matter how much you read and look up at the end of the day people smarter than me always have better answers…so with points and all the talk of “point creep” (I’m lost) if you could go back to the ripe age of 21 and start again how would you go about it…what states to try and hunt now to get experience …what states would you plan on a once and a lifetime hunt in many years to come (point wise)… how to find a mentor that would be willing to teach a young man the ways of old… and lastly how not to be the guy that everyone dreads to see in the woods…
(Have plans to move to MT in a year or two so no sense in the long term point plan there)

Thanks in advance, don’t flame me too hard

My condolences, Arrow870

I’ve seen some advice given on this thread that is better than any technical advice I can give. I’ve lived in Wyoming for two and a half hunting seasons now and have yet to even come real close on elk. I’m lucky enough one of my best friends is a lifelong resident and avid hunter here in Wyoming, and I (and now my Dad/sister) have been able to piggyback off his experience. I can tell you that while elk hunting in and of itself is different, good woodsmanship is good woodsmanship and translates to any species no matter where you are or what species you are pursuing. Get out and hunt, and the rest will come in time. Especially if you’re already planning on moving to a state that has decent, consistent elk hunting.

Now I’m going to offer advice on the “moving” front. I did the same thing a few years back. I was 22 at the time. I grew up in somewhat of a depressed town in PA. I’ll be 25 in March and have not looked back. It was not easy, but if you’re dead set you’re going to make it work you will do just that. If you don’t plan on doing it immediately I might recommend saving some of the money you’d spend on acquiring points(not all) and just holding onto it for the move. A couple states you KNOW you would like to hunt some day might be fine, but it can get spendy, and I guarantee you that few hundred or few thousand bucks will serve you better in your wallet in a couple years than invested in an elk tag. And believe me, as an avid hunter from the time I was a young kid, it’s not an easy thing for me to tell you, let alone do.

 

[bmrfish]

1. Elk are where you find them
2. If they’re not where you are, go to where they’re at.
3. Don’t leave elk to find elk.
4. Run them down or run them off.


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[NickyD]

I’d be hesitant to start spending money on acquiring points for a long term point strategy for a few reasons.

1. States seem to be realizing the current systems aren’t working and are actively looking to change them. There’s almost a guarantee that any state you start applying for now will look completely different when you draw in 10+ years.
2. It’s easy to drop $1k on applications for preference points. That can get you a lot of quality gear you might not have. Of course you can get by with cheap gear, but good camping gear, boots, and a backpack will make the experience much more enjoyable.


If I were you, I’d be looking to get a tag ASAP in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. Try for Idaho next December. Focus on a 5 year plan rather than a 10-20 year plan. Very good odds you can get a tag this year.

Wyoming elk deadline is in the next few days. If you’re interested in a rifle tag I have some suggestions feel free to PM me.

Lastly, you asked how to not be “that guy” in the woods. Start practicing your elk calling now and everyday, even if your hunt isn’t for a few years. There are some great callers out there that have really in depth courses and strategies.

 

[Arrow870]

Colorado is like the last lady at the bar at closing time.
Easily had but probably not the best choice

This is it. Right here. Thank you.