What Area should I apply for?

rost495 · Oct 10, 2004

Ok, laugh first, but please give me your honest answers here.

I want a good elk for the wall. I want to do it myself(I'll accept being packed in if need be though). My wife wants to be in on this and as she's a triathlete I don't see a problem there.

Heres the deal. I'm in TX and far from Elk. I will be continuing to mess around in NM as time allows but I"m 40 already.

I want to start putting in for one of those once in a long time(lifetime?) quality area tags.

You guys know whats up and can save me tons of time researching. Which state, which area, is it accessable?

Open to all suggestions except USO!

THanks for your time, sorry its the middle of Elk season but I just decided I need to be starting on that kind of tag soon before my legs say no more.

PS I'd prefer it to be MZ or Rifle. I can accept bow as I'm a big bowhunter but it sure seems like bow can take up lots of time with close misses and I don't want my once in a lifetime chance to end like that( Can I say that and get away with it? I know its the experience and I totally enjoy that, but with this one I want to be pretty sure)

THanks, Jeff

DonV · Oct 10, 2004

First want to know a trophy area in a state simply look at the draw odds! Easy, the best areas will be obvious. Also bow odds are typically twice as good as rifle so you should be able to pull 2 bow tags for each rifle, just a thought. Plan on spending $300 to apply each year. Hit NV, UT, AZ, NM, WY and CO (for pnts). Give up license fee in AZ & NV to get points. I personally skip NV ($30 to apply, over $100 for a bonus point and) there are plenty of guys in NV who have over 12 points and bonus points are squared so they get 144 chances, and there are hundreds of apps per tag so IMO it is not worth the app fee.

NM has the best odds for good tags IMO.

OR simply save $3k and buy a good landowner tag in NM.

Good Luck, I have applied for about 100 tags now and have pulled 0, I buy landowner in NM and go there.

DonV

SNYPER · Oct 11, 2004

SINCE I'M A UTAHN I'D SAY PUT IN FOR UTAH.
I'M STILL PUTTING IN AND HAVEN'T DRAWN OUT.
SO WAIT TIL' I DRAW -K-
BUT IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY, I'D SAY BUY A LANDOWNER TAG
FROM A CWMU UNIT. I KNOW OF GUYS THAT DO THIS ANNUALLY
AND THEY SCORE SOME MONSTRER BULLS. THYE WON'T TELL ME WHAT THEY
PAY BUT I'M SURE IT IS A PRETTY PENNY.

SINCE I DON'T KNOW WHAT U CONSIDER A WALL HANGER.
I DON'T BELEIVE YOU HAVE TO GO TO A LIMITED ENTRY UNIT.
THERE ARE SOME BIG BULLS STILL LEFT ON GENERAL TAGS UNITS
IN UTAH, COLORADO, MONTANA, EVEN WYOMING.

ME AND MY BUDDIES HAVE TAKEN 4 BULLS THAT SCORE OVER 300"
IN NORTHERN UTAH IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. (ARCHERY)

BUT WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO - GOOD LUCK

SNYPER >>>>>>>>>>>>>>--------------------------->

rost495 · Oct 11, 2004

Thanks for the thoughts. Hoping for a 350 class bull basically. But anything that has the back forks really nice instead of just short crabs would make me happy I bet.

On this one I'm trying to avoid going for years into an open unit. hoping for a decent one. Want to pull a good tag for high odds.

I"ll take any info I can get. But I'm rural on a farm in TX and though we are all supposed to be oil barrons, I'm not. I'm hoping to spend 1000 bucks or less on a tag. Thats about all I can afford and though I could pay an outfitter I'd really like to do it myself with my wife along as the guide.

And since I don't know squat about the areas, then I'll have to hope I"m pointed in the right unit, get quads and aerial photos if the time comes and pray.

Thanks, Jeff

rutnbuck · Dec 29, 2004

ok I don't know about the other States But Utah all of the limited entry elk units have good bulls and any one of the can produce a 370 + - Bull . The better the genetics and harvest stats are the tougher to draw. I have hunted this state from one end to the other. I have an obsession studying the odds. Points and all. The best unit for drawing a tag and then killing a good bull say 330 and with some luck 350 would be three cornners unit. I put the odds kill rate and sucess rate bull age and all the data on a spread sheet that unit is the best. As far as best bulls well I am holding for a 375 plus and I havent drawn for 11 years??
Rut

Cowboy · Dec 30, 2004

Jeff,

I am going to be vague here, but if you can do this it will give you an opportunity at a good bull without gambling on a draw.

I am really only familiar with Wyoming elk hunting, but there are plenty of big bulls if you are willing to grunt for them, as it appears you are.

Pick any of the high country (timberline) units in the Wind River or Absaroka ranges out of Dubois, Meeteetse or Cody. These are mostly general hunt areas starting late Sept or Oct 1 and running most of October. You will be trying to find areas where the snow melted from last year only a month or two before hunting season. Big bulls are in the highest country that has feed, water and some kind of scrubby cover. Sometimes they fed right with the bighorns.

Figure out some way to get your outfit up to about 10,000 feet elevation. Drop camp, rental horses, whatever. Bear in mind that a lot, not all, of this country is wilderness and you will need to hire an outfitter if in wilderness. Some research via maps/photos can help you find high country areas not in the wilderness. Focus on areas away from roads as much as possible...minimum 2 or 3 miles, but the further the better.

Plan on spending the entire hunting season. You must not be rushed. Methodically work the area finding the vantage points for glassing feed areas early and late in the day. When you find elk, then post a stand in bedding areas during the day if you cant catch them in the meadows. Elk will move periodically in the cover. The better you learn the area and the more time you spend glassing, the better your chances of finding a good elk. You could reach your goal of 350.

This is very rugged hunting. You need to be resourceful, independant, physically fit, and mentally tough to keep it up day after day. Especially if you are going it without experienced help. I am very serious about this. Dont even try if you are not ready to pay with sweat, pain, and bouts of severe self-doubt without any promise of reward other than finding out what you are made of.

There isnt one in ten thousand flat land hunters that will put in what it takes to do this on their own. The equipment, knowledge and experience of an outfitter is what most who hunt this county pay for.

Good luck.

mtmuley · Dec 30, 2004

rost, Listen to cowboy. Wherever you end up going, his advice is solid. There are also areas in Montana that you may look at. Some are draws, some are not. Elk hunting on a do-it-yourself basis can be a #####. You are in the right place for help. mtmuley

Dub · Dec 30, 2004

If you find somewhere that you can have a good chance at a 350 bull for $1K year after year, then let me know too. Cowboy that was way too good of a description. It's snowing outside, and 9 months until hunting season. You're killing me. Good luck Jeff, and keep praying!

Dub

hunting1 · Jan 2, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Jan-03-05 AT 06:54AM (MST)[p]In NM unit 16A, 16C, 16D, 15 would be my choices. Not in any exact order, but that is my $.02. 34, 36 has some nice bulls as well.

In Az unit 10, 23, 7, 3 are good choices. I liked 6a myself. Alot don't feel there are good bulls, but I saw some monsters the one year I had a tag.