State advice needed

[robtattoo]

So, I'm putting in for Wyoming again for 2017, but I burned all my points this year & I know my chances of being drawn are slim to none.
Whatever happens, I'm still wanting to come west & chase elk again.....4th year, still haven't seen one.

Can anyone advise me on the best state to hunt OTC? I'm not looking for anyone's honey hole, just a state & hopefully some unit advice is all. I'd prefer rifle, but I do bowhunt. I'm far more concerned with actually killing an elk, any elk, than I am with a trophy bull. In this particular instance, I'm definitely looking for quantity over quality

 

[rgrmike]

I live in Colorado and I'm going to try and hunt Montana next year OTC. Colorado simply sells way to many OTC tags. Without fail I run into hunters every year and I've hunted a few different units and I WALK my ass off and hunt the whole season. My buddy has come in from out of state for the last 3 years and he's fed up. He's given up on Colorado.

 

[semperfidelis97]

If it were me I would take a hard look at any of the panhandle units in Idaho with an A tag in my pocket.

 

[Rentuh01]

I am interested to see what the general consensus here is. I am planning a CO archery hunt in September and I keep coming across these posts that are scaring me out of CO and into a neighboring state. I am not necessarily as worried about the elk being somewhat difficult to get into but more so the idea of bumping elbows with a bunch of other people as we all try and execute our plans. My other concern is dealing with grizzlies in neighboring states if I choose to rethink my plan.

 

[justinspicher]

I also live in Colorado. I saw six other hunters the whole month of September, but saw almost 100 elk. Rifle season was a different story, there were people everywhere all on quads.

I went to Montana in 2014 and 2015. I won't pay $1100 for an elk tag again.

 

[robtattoo]

If it were me I would take a hard look at any of the panhandle units in Idaho with an A tag in my pocket.

Is that an OTC option? Can I buy at anytime or do I have to wait for leftovers? How quickly do leftovers sell out?
Sorry for the silly questions, but it's really hard deciphering Idaho's regs!

 

[coop2424]

Is that an OTC option? Can I buy at anytime or do I have to wait for leftovers? How quickly do leftovers sell out?
Sorry for the silly questions, but it's really hard deciphering Idaho's regs!

It is otc and I think you can buy them now but not positive on that. Idaho sets a a limit for tags to non residents or residents 2nd tag comes from this same group. I don't think panhandle sold out this year and hasn't for a good amount of years. Could be wrong on that since I didn't look it up.. Some of the other units sell out though.

 

[blackdawg]

First, understand for the most part the western states game and fish departments survive on Non-resident tag fees. I have been to Colorado, Wyoming and Montana the last two seasons, if you are hunting general or OTC counters in any of these states without the ability to get way,,,way,,,,off the grid you will see plenty of hunters, lack of elk and if you do see a bull it is highly likely to be a raghorn. That's reality for the DIY Non-Resident hunter without the knowledge or equipment to get an edge over the tremendous competition for the resource. Everybody has a gps,google earth,atv, four wheel drive and has read a social media post on the hotspots. You could purchase some stock, hunt limited quota and wilderness (no wyoming wilderness hunts of course) and what ya see on T.V. might become a reality. Pick an area that has a large elk herd, pick a spot with lots of public land, find a camp site, get boots on the ground as much as possible and go back year after year until you learn it during the season you prefer to hunt is imho the only way to beat the poor odds for success being sold. Quit running around and get the boots on the ground, you will see and kill elk.

 

[westrnwild]

So i live in Colorado as do many others do..we do sell way to many tags and im not going to lie i dont care what you do your gonna find a lot of people not always hunters either. I was in a draw unit this year here in CO and saw just as many people as you'd expect to see in an OTC unit. And the hunting wasnt any better.. Some draw units have a lot of tags too...

I have grown up hunting in Wyoming and Montana, love them both but Colorado is home..However i will say the hunting as of late is better north and south of Colorado.. Can you find elk, of course.. I hunted Montana the last 4 years straight and get late season cow tags in Wyoming, been on elk every time and tagged a few. Both have been better then CO as of late...If anything i hope Colorado learns to limit some tags in the near future and kill a few OTC units, like half of them. Lots of leftover tags this year, so im sure people are catching on. However i still love to hunt close to home.

Id also look at New Mexico, its all draw, but the hunting is amazing especially if your willing to do some work. I try every year, granted i havent gotten a tag in 4 yrs.

I guess it all depends on you.. there are some great spots in all states just depends on what your looking for. For me backpack and distance day hunting seems to work the best but its tough on the body but good for the soul...just got to find those pockets that are hard to access and or are overlooked. I found some spots in Montana last year that arent exactly steep and deep but were nasty enough and they were loaded up with great bulls.. fun hunt to say the least...no trails though...wink wink

Also pay close attention to leftover tags in all the states out west, sometimes a gem can pop up. I have picked up a few that have been game changers

 

[robtattoo]

I appreciate all the input so far, thank you.

Truck camping, obviously, would be ideal but I'm happy living out of a pack for a week. I have no problem hunting from a base camp, or picking a different spot, night by night.
I'm not a fit guy. Mid-'40s, slightly overweight, not even close to athletic & I have arthritis in my ankle which severely limits side-hilling. However, I do have experience at altitude, I don't quit anything, ever & I'm not afraid to be tired & in pain. As long as I don't have to keep up with anyone, I'm fine going at my own pace for a long time. I know I'm not the ideal mountain hunter by a long shot, but I'm also very determined that my limitations don't outweigh my ambitions.
I'm more a fan of rolling hills than vertical dark timber (let's be honest; who isn't) & I enjoy spot & stalk far more than run & gun hunting.

After 3 years of elk chasing (Colorado Flat Tops once & Wyoming twice) in terrible condition; high temps, lots of hunters & pretty much no guide, I've yet to even see or hear an elk. I always seem to be a week early or a week late. I've always found a ton of sign, but it always seems to be a couple of weeks old. Right now I'd be happy getting a sight of a 3 legged, half blind cow. A spike or raghorn would get shoulder mounted!

I have considered a guided hunt but, if I'm completely honest, I don't really like hunting with strangers. I always feel like I'm slowing everyone down & I know how much elk guides detest unfit flatlanders. I don't want to piss someone off & I'd rather be happy not getting anything but enjoying the hunt, than getting a nice bull but feeling like people are waiting on my all the time. Hell, I get antsy if I'm holding up the checkout line at Wal-Mart!

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

I appreciate all the input so far, thank you.

Truck camping, obviously, would be ideal but I'm happy living out of a pack for a week. I have no problem hunting from a base camp, or picking a different spot, night by night.
I'm not a fit guy. Mid-'40s, slightly overweight, not even close to athletic & I have arthritis in my ankle which severely limits side-hilling. However, I do have experience at altitude, I don't quit anything, ever & I'm not afraid to be tired & in pain. As long as I don't have to keep up with anyone, I'm fine going at my own pace for a long time. I know I'm not the ideal mountain hunter by a long shot, but I'm also very determined that my limitations don't outweigh my ambitions.
I'm more a fan of rolling hills than vertical dark timber (let's be honest; who isn't) & I enjoy spot & stalk far more than run & gun hunting.

After 3 years of elk chasing (Colorado Flat Tops once & Wyoming twice) in terrible condition; high temps, lots of hunters & pretty much no guide, I've yet to even see or hear an elk. I always seem to be a week early or a week late. I've always found a ton of sign, but it always seems to be a couple of weeks old. Right now I'd be happy getting a sight of a 3 legged, half blind cow. A spike or raghorn would get shoulder mounted!

I have considered a guided hunt but, if I'm completely honest, I don't really like hunting with strangers. I always feel like I'm slowing everyone down & I know how much elk guides detest unfit flatlanders. I don't want to piss someone off & I'd rather be happy not getting anything but enjoying the hunt, than getting a nice bull but feeling like people are waiting on my all the time. Hell, I get antsy if I'm holding up the checkout line at Wal-Mart!

Have you considered a drop camp? Most reputable guides will put you in or close to prime elk habitat. They will transport you to a wall tent via horseback and will pack out your animal. Only issue is they usually put multiple people in a drop camp. So you wouldn't be by yourself.

 

[gauge]

If you are willing to spend money on a guide but don't like the idea of hunting with one, look into buying a landowner tag in a decent unit in New Mexico. Some units also have semi guided hunts I think.

 

[westrnwild]

robtattoo dont beat yourself up...the best elk hunters are the ones that take it slow and steady in my opinion. when i slow poke i seem to do better anyways, just saying...Its like have a bird dog that goes to fast and to far, all its gonna do is bust everything out of the field before you can get a shot..no bueno.

Also, as far as guides go..dont worry about what they think, they are getting paid to shut up and make sure you have a good hunt. I guided for a short stint along time ago and trust me there are way worse guys out there then you. I had guys on a mountain hunt wearing high rubber boots like they were chasing whitetails in the swamps down south...

Id take a hard look at multiple states and maybe start seeking out less likely spots. they do exist! The flat tops hold more hunters then elk it seems as of late. Not sure where you have been in Wyoming, but maybe look at some cow tags too.. Also, maybe look into big timber units, not always the most exciting hunts till things go down but if your willing to slow poke for extended periods it can be awesome. Also in nasty country save your legs use the glass...you can spot elk from the truck sometimes and make a gameplan beats bushwhacking up a 14r...just to find out there aint crap up there..

 

[Whip]

Hey Robbie! I was reading through most of this thread before I realized who was posting!

"If you are willing to spend money on a guide but don't like the idea of hunting with one, look into buying a landowner tag in a decent unit in New Mexico. Some units also have semi guided hunts I think."

If you really want to get into some elk and can pay the entry fee, this is some solid advice. Another option is private land trespass fee hunts. Hard to find, but worth every penny if seeing elk is your goal. Another good option is Utah cow/spike hunts. OTC, and some good hunting. Only drawback is if all you have is a cow/spike tag it almost guarantees a giant bull screaming in your face! Give me a call and I'll help any way I can.

 

[Hayguide]

There are many options for you to kill an Elk-without breaking the bank. But Elk hunting out of State is expensive no matter how you do it.
Not evening seeing a 3 legged Cow is bad!
Drop camp Option- go into an area in Colorado-that's limited on the first rifle-but offers an EE tag with 80-99% chance of drawing a tag with zero points- there are a half dozen of these areas.
The bow season ends on Sept 25- First Rifle is always around the Oct 15 or so.. That gives the areas 3 weeks of rest for the most part.
Get a drop camp- the outfitter will tell you spots that past hunters have killed elk within a mile or two of camp.
Don't bust the elk out walking aimlessly- let the hunters who are hiking up to your area chase a herd to you.
Hunt an area with a resident herd- not a migration area dependent on weather. This is how I hunt Colorado.
I'm from Wisconsin- I have done 6 solo drop camps and killed 5 bulls including a 280 6-5 this past fall and a 320 6-6 in 2010--this is the truth.
On each hunt I had an EE tag- 1st season. I passed on Cows and shot all bulls, (1) 4-4, (2) 5-5 (1) 5-6 and (1) 6-6 the outfitter I had this year had 3 camps including mine 1st season. We were all spaced about 3 miles apart- my camp was the closest to a road and the top- I was 1.5 miles in at 10,300 ft. The other two camps saw zero elk! they had 3 hunters in one and 4 hunters in the other. The hunters all complained that they will not come back! The outfitter said there were fresh tracks in the parks and creeks within 300 yards of both camps. I had the same thing at mine. I saw 13 elk in 3 days including 3 bulls. I stayed out of the dark timber and hunted the wind and watched the parks at Daylight getting into a glassing look out 1 hour before sunrise- they left camp at daylight and most likely walked in the open parks- bumped the elk out of there area and maybe into mine. I Love Colorado, but when Im back to town and on my way out- I hear the same stuff that's on this thread. No elk!
I budget 3500 a year to elk hunt on my drop camp. 2000 for the camp- 200 in tips, 600 for the tag and 500 to get there and back. Its expensive, but cheaper than a guided and to tell you the truth- if I had a partner that was in shape- I could most likely do a spike in that same area fairly cheap. I would have to take an extra week from work off for that and cant- but it would result in the same amount of kills. Do some research, don't go to a trailhead 2nd or 3 rd season on public and expect a lot. I cant blame Colorado for selling 600 dollar tags to hunters- can you imagine the pressure if a non resident tag was $$100 Non Resident tags are funding there whole program! I have hunted NM- Grants Area on a landowner voucher- it was a 30,000 acre desert scrub brush spot- killed a 5-5-- terrain was not pretty. I would not go back- but its an option. That tag cost me $2000. There are better areas in NM-but more $$ and great mountains-but a tough draw. I will keep hunting Colorado. PM me- I will give you a few leads to follow. JIM here is my bull from 2016 and my big one from 2010View attachment 44576

 

[Hayguide]

2010 over the Counter Bull-Colorado 3 miles from a trail head 1st season day 1 EE tag zero points to drawView attachment 44587

 

[WRO]

If your interested the ranch I hunt on offers guided and non guided archery elk hunts in Oregon. I guarantee you will see a couple hundred elk in a week. I'd highly recommend hiring the right guide. You'll learn a ton. I learned more about mule deer hunting in 10 days of guided hunts than I had learned in roughly 80-90 days of chasing them previously. The guide isn't there to hunt, hes there to make sure you get an opportunity. I've been with a few different guides, make sure you do your homework and you should have a great trip.

 

[robtattoo]

If your interested the ranch I hunt on offers guided and non guided archery elk hunts in Oregon. I guarantee you will see a couple hundred elk in a week. I'd highly recommend hiring the right guide. You'll learn a ton. I learned more about mule deer hunting in 10 days of guided hunts than I had learned in roughly 80-90 days of chasing them previously. The guide isn't there to hunt, hes there to make sure you get an opportunity. I've been with a few different guides, make sure you do your homework and you should have a great trip.

I'd definitely be interested in the details, if you wouldn't mind PMing them to me, thank you!

 

[robtattoo]

Hey Robbie! I was reading through most of this thread before I realized who was posting!

"If you are willing to spend money on a guide but don't like the idea of hunting with one, look into buying a landowner tag in a decent unit in New Mexico. Some units also have semi guided hunts I think."

If you really want to get into some elk and can pay the entry fee, this is some solid advice. Another option is private land trespass fee hunts. Hard to find, but worth every penny if seeing elk is your goal. Another good option is Utah cow/spike hunts. OTC, and some good hunting. Only drawback is if all you have is a cow/spike tag it almost guarantees a giant bull screaming in your face! Give me a call and I'll help any way I can.

*Waves* Hi Joe!

Utah spike/cow in a limited entry bull unit looks very promising. I've spoken to Ethan & Bobby about Utah a couple of times, since they both went to the PBS hunt in the North Slope unit & they've both told me that they saw a lot of elk.
Just a cursory glance on Google is telling me that a landowner tag looks to be a great option, but a little spendy for 2017, if I want to do anything else (which I always do )
I need to do more research on drop camp outfitters in OTC States. It's honestly not something I'd considered.
I'm still pegging my hopes on another Wyoming tag so I can hunt with Vance again. That will always be my first option, but like I say, I'll be putting in with zero points this time. I drew last year with 2, so it's not completely out of the question, just a long shot.

 

[mfllood3800]

Absolutely go to Colorado