When were "the good old days"?

[AaronMColeman]

This year I've seen a lot more posts regarding hunter pressure, full trail heads, cost of big game hunting, the calling fest that archery has turned into, and a lot less pictures of elk on the ground.

I'm a full on adult onset hunter. This is all I know.

So those who have hunted for a lot longer than I have, when were the "good old days" of elk hunting and what was it like? I thoroughly enjoy it as is, but I hear a lot about how much different elk hunting is today, and just out of curiosity wonder what it was like in the past?

 

[sasquatch]

Ask any real old timer

Most would say NOW

Quote from my great grandpa I’ll never forget

“Yea bread use to cost a nickel, problem was nobody had a nickel”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[EastMT]

It’s a moving target, every 20 years the good ole days were 20 years ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AaronMColeman]

It’s a moving target, every 20 years the good ole days were 20 years ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That was sorta what I was thinking after talking with all the old-timers!

I know we have a lot more and a lot healthier herds than in the 1960s. Or was it around Y2K, or in Y2K was it 1980?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

For me it is the mid 90s when we were kids sleeping on rocks in the backcountry with crappy gear and hand me down clothing.

Everyone’s good old days depends on when they were born and the memories they created.

 

[Customweld]

For me, it was 1994-1998. Prior to wolves getting a good foothold in the Idaho backcountry.

 

[ganngus]

Before OnX, GoHunt, and all of the wannabe Cameron Haynes/workout warriors inundated the backcountry every archery season?

 

[EastMT]

Early to Mid 90’s in Montana were amazing. Elk coming out of the park was an easy meat tag draw, deer all over the North fork, antelope tags were a sure thing for residents in 700. Dad drew the breaks elk tag in 3 years, drew the moose tag for eureka area in 5 years, it was a great time to hunt Montana. I’d say that was my favorite


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Travis Hobbs]

For elk, in the last century, it was the late 90’s to around 2008. In my opinion, that’s not really up for debate for the species as a whole looking through the lens of quality, ease of getting tags, huntjng dates, choice of weapon and big numbers of elk.

Much of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, even southern Idaho didn’t really have big numbers of elk pre 1990’s.

When I was a young kid, in the early 90’s you were a local legend of the fall if you killed a 300” bull. It just didn’t happen that often. Elk were rare to see in many places. Now days it’s one of the most common creatures on the landscape.

 

[Customweld]

For elk, in the last century, it was the late 90’s to around 2008. In my opinion, that’s not really up for debate for the species as a whole looking through the lens of quality, ease of getting tags, huntjng dates, choice of weapon and big numbers of elk.

Much of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, even southern Idaho didn’t really have big numbers of elk pre 1990’s.

When I was a young kid, in the early 90’s you were a local legend of the fall if you killed a 300” bull. It just didn’t happen that often. Elk were rare to see in many places. Now days it’s one of the most common creatures on the landscape.

There is a whole lot of truth to that. Elk were just not that plentiful when I was a youngster. It's funny about the 300" urban legend, but it is definitely true.

 

[Ridge Runner]

For me, it was 1994-1998. Prior to wolves getting a good foothold in the Idaho backcountry.

Absolutely, and the winter of 96 didn't help any. Decimated the elk herd on the Clearwater.

 

[EastMT]

Absolutely, and the winter of 96 didn't help any. Decimated the elk herd on the Clearwater.

That winter was no joke, 50” in one night north of the Flathead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[brsnow]

2015&2016, 2 elk in 90 minutes of hunting total for 2 seasons. my elk Per hour of hunting was never better...

 

[MallardSX2]

FOr me it was 2000-2005. You couldt still hunt OTC elk in Colorado without a million people being 5 miles off the road with North face jackets and sitka gear on.

 

[AaronMColeman]

FOr me it was 2000-2005. You couldt still hunt OTC elk in Colorado without a million people being 5 miles off the road with North face jackets and sitka gear on.

isn't that now too? Except North Face has lost popularity among hunters.

 

[Throwin Darts]

anytime before the advent of social media

 

[wildwilderness]

This year I've seen a lot more posts regarding hunter pressure, full trail heads, cost of big game hunting, the calling fest that archery has turned into, and a lot less pictures of elk on the ground.

I'm a full on adult onset hunter. This is all I know.

So those who have hunted for a lot longer than I have, when were the "good old days" of elk hunting and what was it like? I thoroughly enjoy it as is, but I hear a lot about how much different elk hunting is today, and just out of curiosity wonder what it was like in the past?

If you look at population numbers in Colorado the herd peaked in the early 2000's at around 320,000ish elk. Now they have cut the herd down to 275,000ish so thats almost a 50,000 cut in elk, plus more hunters.

 

[trophyhill]

The good ole days only exist in ones fantasies of yesterday

 

[Intheaspen]

Im 6 years into hunting and started doing everything on my own. To me hunting is what you make of it.

 

[jmez]

Depends on what generation you belong too.