Hey all,
My dad and I are lifelong whitetail and turkey hunters from the Southeast, and we’re looking to start a new tradition: a yearly DIY archery elk hunt out West. We're both bowhunters with public land experience, used to roughing it and putting in the miles. That said, we're total rookies when it comes to elk and western hunting strategy — so we're hoping to get pointed in the right direction for building a long-term game plan.
Our goal is twofold:
We know elk hunting is a different animal (literally and figuratively), so we’d appreciate advice on any of the following:
I know there’s no “easy button” in elk hunting, and we’re not looking for anyone’s honey hole — just hoping to set ourselves up for a good first experience and a smart 5–10 year trajectory. If you were starting over today with similar goals, what would your approach be?
Appreciate any advice, hard truths, or resources you can share. Thanks in advance — we’re excited to start this journey.
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TL;DR: Southeast father/son team looking to start an annual DIY archery elk hunt in 2026. Want to get started hunting OTC while also building points for long-term trophy hunts. Looking for advice on best states to focus on, where to build points, and how to maximize early experiences.
My dad and I are lifelong whitetail and turkey hunters from the Southeast, and we’re looking to start a new tradition: a yearly DIY archery elk hunt out West. We're both bowhunters with public land experience, used to roughing it and putting in the miles. That said, we're total rookies when it comes to elk and western hunting strategy — so we're hoping to get pointed in the right direction for building a long-term game plan.
Our goal is twofold:
- Get out there in 2026 and start learning elk hunting hands-on (OTC or easier-to-draw hunts),
- Start building preference points now so we can work toward higher-quality tags down the line.
We know elk hunting is a different animal (literally and figuratively), so we’d appreciate advice on any of the following:
1.
- Realistically looking for OTC or low-point units in 2026 to get our feet wet.
- Comfortably DIY, public land only, with archery gear.
- Open to any Western state with a decent shot at getting into elk and learning the ropes.
2.
- We’re willing to invest in long-term point strategies for future trophy hunts (5–15 years down the line).
- What states are “must-haves” for point creep planning?
- Any states where points are cheap/easy to accumulate now but pay off later?
3.
- OTC hunts where we’re likely to hear elk and get into them (success isn't everything at this stage).
- States/units where we won’t be overrun with pressure but can still learn through experience.
- Willing to work hard and go deep — not looking for road hunts.
4.
- What mistakes should we avoid?
- What gear commonly gets overlooked by Eastern hunters heading west?
- Physical prep — we’re in decent shape, but looking to be realistic.
I know there’s no “easy button” in elk hunting, and we’re not looking for anyone’s honey hole — just hoping to set ourselves up for a good first experience and a smart 5–10 year trajectory. If you were starting over today with similar goals, what would your approach be?
Appreciate any advice, hard truths, or resources you can share. Thanks in advance — we’re excited to start this journey.
—
TL;DR: Southeast father/son team looking to start an annual DIY archery elk hunt in 2026. Want to get started hunting OTC while also building points for long-term trophy hunts. Looking for advice on best states to focus on, where to build points, and how to maximize early experiences.
