What do you consider a lot of tags for an elk unit?

[Teaman1]

I’ve done some otc elk hunts in Colorado and two in Idaho, but I’ve never drawn a tag.
When looking into different units across a few states, I see them called crowded or similar descriptions.

So it makes me wonder what people consider a lot of elk tags for a given unit.
When I see a unit with 250 to 400 total available tags (bull and cows combined), that doesn’t seem terrible compared to otc hunting and I think I’d be happy with a hunt like that.

Would you consider areas like this to be “crowded?”
I also understand unit size would really influence the perception of being crowded.

 

[Wheels]

I hunted a unit in AZ with 700 tags, only ran into people a couple times during the hunt.

 

[Teaman1]

I’ll add that I didn’t think my 2 otc hunts in Idaho were the least bit crowded.

 

[Chris in TN]

The most basic thing I'd look at is this:

-How many acres of public land in the unit
-How many total tags (bull and cow)

From that you can figure an acres-per-tag number. Now ask yourself, for the season you want, how much of the land will have elk on it? If half of the public land in the unit is wide open BLM land, you won't likely see elk there in early rifle season. Or if it's 12,000' mountaintops you won't find elk there in 4th rifle (if there's much snow).

From there you can sort of start to spitball how many acres there'll be per hunter and get an idea of how crowded it'll look.

 

[MuleyFever]

I also understand unit size would really influence the perception of being crowded.

Then how can you quantify crowded without stating a unit size?

 

[Chris in TN]

I’ll add that I didn’t think my 2 otc hunts in Idaho were the least bit crowded.

Then I'd go back there.

 

[Teaman1]

Then how can you quantify crowded without stating a unit size?

Trying not to include unit numbers.
I haven’t hunted a draw tags, but will have a couple in the next few years.
I like to look online and see what I can find on these units and see people calling them crowded, but I’d hope they are a good bit better than otc units in Colorado.

Maybe I’m delusional, but I’m hoping they just seem crowded to certain people due to a lack of roads and more road hunters than not.

 

[Maverick1]

Depends.

Have had seasons where I’ve run into a LOT of other people. On many of these “premium unit” hunts, tag holders draw after many years of applying, and bring a posse of friends or family along to help in the hunt. Sometimes run into more people scouting for others than actual hunters. It’s wild.

Have had seasons in OTC units where I’ve seen very few people in 2 weeks.

If there are 2000 tags issued, you will encounter other people. If there are 25-50, it’s less likely. How’s that for an answer?!

 

[Teaman1]

Then I'd go back there.

I’ll be applying for it every year, skipped this year since I’m almost guaranteed to draw 1st rifle in Colorado.

 

[Chris in TN]

I’ll be applying for it every year, skipped this year since I’m almost guaranteed to draw 1st rifle in Colorado.

CO is beautiful during 1st rifle.

But boy is it crowded.

 

[Teaman1]

CO is beautiful during 1st rifle.

But boy is it crowded.

I hunted the unit 2nd rifle otc last year.
Think they estimated 900ish hunters, not counting deer hunters or cow tags.
2 point tag with no deer season over the same dates.
Hopefully it’s better haha

Edit: I’m not expecting giant elk, just want to hunt with a bit less competition.

 

[ckleeves]

It’s not a simple answer. If it’s wide open sage brush country and you can see a hunter or vehicle at 2+ miles it can feel crowded without high hunter density. If it’s dark timber you can have guys walking 100 yards from each other and not know it and nobody thinks it’s real crowded. Bottlenecked public access can make things feel crowded, if there are only a couple main access points and there are 20 trucks at each one it can feel real crowded. You can have a big unit but if its mostly private then the portions of public are more then likely gonna feel crowded. Animal dispersion in the unit is huge, if 10% of the unit is elk country then that 10% may feel crowded.

Weather plays into it, I have seen it numerous times where guys just don’t really give it much if any effort if the weather is garbage so there might be tags but they aren’t getting hunted. The next year in the same area with nice weather it’s packed.

How good the tag is plays a role, if guys waited 20 years for it then it’s probably getting hunted. Extra cow tag they picked up because it sounded good at the time? Might not leave the house for that one.

There are a ton of factors that go into it.

 

[Next Ridge]

I’d rather be crowded with good elk numbers, than alone with low elk numbers

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I’d rather be crowded with good elk numbers, than alone with low elk numbers

I’m looking for the opposite when I go out this year. I hate people. Of course, I don’t have to go out west to go elk hunting with low elk numbers and alone. I can stay right here in Virginia!

 

[Olympics777]

In the unit that I hunt it’s 75 percent public land and the elk are all spread out, so a lot of people can have tags and it’s not too crowded. But some units with less timber and less public can feel full with 200 tags. In other words, it’s a tough question to answer without knowing which unit is the one in question.

 

[Next Ridge]

I’m looking for the opposite when I go out this year. I hate people. Of course, I don’t have to go out west to go elk hunting with low elk numbers and alone. I can stay right here in Virginia!

If I want to be alone and away from people I can do that anytime. No reason to spend money to be alone.

 

[justinspicher]

All of the units that I live near are otc for rifle elk. There are a ton of folks everywhere during the otc season, 98% are NR. Millions of acres of national forest and everyone is within the same 1000 acres of each other. Most folks are always within a 15-20 minute walk from the road, so they can get back in their SxS and go look somewhere else to see nothing.