What is the attraction of elk hunting?

[ckleeves]

Kinda an odd question and it’s hard to put in writing exactly what I mean. I’m not talking about good quality tags, limited units anything like that.

I’m talking Colorado OTC, public land, success of 10% type hunts. How are people lining up by the thousands to pay 760.00 plus time off work, fuel, food, gear etc for this type of experience?

I guess I just don’t get it. There are far more challenging animals to hunt than raghorn bulls, IMO a big mature whitetail is far more challenging to kill.

From the woods with way to many hunters, non hunting outdoor rec, small, quiet bulls that don’t really even act like elk etc. Are people genuinely happy with this type of experience or is it just kinda a novelty that is something new to try?

 

[wapitibob]

Never hunted CO otc and never will. Only reason I hunt here in OR is because it’s cheap.

 

[Randle]

Yep i love it. I am in the camp any elk with a bow is a good elk. Except a calf i guess.
3 times the meat of a whitetail.
I am a fill the freezer hunter at heart.
I love the interaction with them.
Getting a bull fired up enough to commit is a great time wether it dies or not.
Its a rush that keeps me going back.

 

[D_Dubya]

It can be fun, it can be crowded, the bulls are small. Lots of elk, I think the 10% success rate is artificially low because there are a ton of guys there just to get away for a week, maybe hunt seriously for a day and drive around and hang with the boys for most of the trip. The scenery is pretty fantastic especially if you live your life a thousand miles from the mountains and hunting is the best excuse to have a mountain adventure. I hunted deer for all 9 days of 2nd rifle season in two different very popular OTC elk units (I had a buck tag in one unit, my son had a buck tag in the adjacent unit), I could have killed a bull 7 of 9 days I hunted; I didn’t buy a bull tag because my daughter had killed a bull in first rifle season and I figured the freezer was full enough. Bottom line, it’s popular because it’s available

 

[barehandlineman]

I love to hunt the frank church id rather kill a 310 bull there then a 400 on a ranch. Its hard hunt and not many people do it and thats why i do it.

 

[camelcluch]

It’s not fun. It sucks and you shouldn’t do it.

 

[barehandlineman]

I actually avoid colorado do to too many people

 

[trevvamos]

Because Joe Rogan said so…

 

[FlyAK]

I’ve found good success in my Colorado OTC hunts because I can consistently hunt one GMU multiple seasons year after year. My go to unit is typically <6% success, but I’m intimately familiar with it. I consistently walk past hunters every season packing up camp convinced there’s no elk for miles around, yet theres a harem less than 1/4 mile from them in a draw. I’m not waiting years building pref points to hunt a GMU I’ve never seen before, paying thousands for a guide to hopefully get me on a trophy bull. I’ve got bulls of all sizes there. Some come in silent, some come in hot and aggressive, bugling, chuckling, glunking. By the way, quiet elk actually ARE acting like elk. If I want to hunt at 12,000’ in the mountains among alpine lakes and rock, I can. If I want to hunt at 8,000’ in timber and rolling hills, I can do that too. Elk hunting includes a wide range of experiences. I happen to love hunting them across the spectrum.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Since about 1985 or '87, I've had virtually no interest in hunting anything in Colorado, anymore. I doubt that feeling will change.

 

[CMF]

From the woods with way to many hunters, non hunting outdoor rec, small, quiet bulls that don’t really even act like elk etc. Are people genuinely happy with this type of experience or is it just kinda a novelty that is something new to try? That hasn't been my experience.

It's a nice change of scenery from sitting in a treestand full of hardwoods/pine thickets.
The meat is excellent.
Whitetail don't bugle.
The weather on a Sep. CO mountain is usually nicer than warm and muggy Oct. bow season in MS.

 

[camelcluch]

/\/\/\ this is a lie. Weather in Colorado is horrible. The hippies are crazy and we all should go hunt Washington and Oregon.

 

[DawnPatrol]

^^^^
Wrong. Oregon is an elk-forsaken soggy wasteland overrun by people smoking legal blunts the size of your leg. I hear Wyoming is awesome.

 

[Sled]

I guess I just don’t get it. There are far more challenging animals to hunt than raghorn bulls, IMO a big mature whitetail is far more challenging to kill.

Different type of hunt entirely. If you had to ask, I'll just assume you've never done it. As someone who has done both, I'll take elk any day.

 

[Jtelarkin08]

None. It sucks. It’s hard. You should probably not apply


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[Indian Summer]

Simple: The mountains are calling and I must go…..

 

[dreamingbig]

Kinda an odd question and it’s hard to put in writing exactly what I mean. I’m not talking about good quality tags, limited units anything like that.

I’m talking Colorado OTC, public land, success of 10% type hunts. How are people lining up by the thousands to pay 760.00 plus time off work, fuel, food, gear etc for this type of experience?

I guess I just don’t get it. There are far more challenging animals to hunt than raghorn bulls, IMO a big mature whitetail is far more challenging to kill.

From the woods with way to many hunters, non hunting outdoor rec, small, quiet bulls that don’t really even act like elk etc. Are people genuinely happy with this type of experience or is it just kinda a novelty that is something new to try?

If you don’t know don’t go.

It isn’t a novelty to me but I started chasing elk with my dad over 30 years ago.


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[Next Ridge]

I hear that Vegas odds suck also, yet people line to spend the time and money there

 

[jdmaxwell]

No comparison between 2..
2 different types hunting..
I go every yr CO OTC..
We come home every year successful my wife or I..
Personally I can't stand sitting waiting on a deer..

 

[isocyanate]

Yes, if you like WT hunting, keep doing what you love.