Went to KC, Wy for Deer on public land, No elk tag. Seen 7 bulls on public land. Deer hunting not that great. I think I'd rather waste the gas on Elk. Problem is I don't have a clue where to begin. Any suggestions on State or units. I live in Michigan and it would be a scout and hunt mission. I'd prefer to hunt where I don't have to keep running into private land. Or pay a small trespass fee ($1000 and under) for legit game & hunting access. Any bull would be fine. Any suggestions would help. Not looking for gps coordinates, Just general units, etc to apply for. Very frustrated after the Kaycee area deer hunt. Almost ended up with a trespass ticket. Thankfully the rancher was very reasonable and fair. Thanks for any help. Loved hunting the West.
DIY NON RESIDENT ELK ?? WHERE TO BEGIN? STATE AND UNIT SUGGESTIONS?
- Thread starter MITROLL
- Start date
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gilamonster8
Guest
N.mex is a great place with lost of public land and very nice bulls. tags are by draw unless you want to pay more to hunt priv. Az is good but tags are very hard to come by, draw only. Might lok into Wy. or Mont.or Some of the other northern states. If you bowhunt Or. you can buy over the counter Co. too for the next couple of years.
M
mbklmann
Guest
Oregon is OTC in most of the units. It has the second largest elk heard in the country. Lots of public land
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old_man_of_the_hills
Guest
SW MT, Wyoming, Idaho...if you can find one before the wolves do
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oregonmuley
Very Active Member
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Don't want to burst your bubble but Oregon would be my last choice - and I live and hunt here. We do have a pretty decent number of elk but many are on private - the good ones anyway. The public areas are not great - getting a spike is lucky. Don't get me wrong we have some OK bulls but not known for big bulls, unless you draw a unit like Weneha or Mt Emily but that takes 12-14 years. Our coast elk hunting is good if you like to hunt in a jungle - if you can hike in or have access to stock any of the NE units are OK - but you have to get way back in. Seems Colorado is the place to go - maybe?? Good luck though.
Outdoordan
Very Active Member
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I would start with Wyoming where you saw the elk? Unless you want to wait 7-12 years I would pass on AZ. NM does not have a bonus point program, I think that would be an excellent choice. Montana will probably take 2 years to draw. Colorado is a good choice, but has mostly small bulls in easy to draw areas. Idaho is very steep and rugged but has some beautiful country. Utah has great bulls but will take 7-12 years to draw. Never hunted Oregon, but I know it has some OTC areas. Have hunted elk in all of the others. I put in for virtually every states draws, this assures someone of a good hunt sometime down the road, good luck.
J
jamaro
Guest
get ahold of Tommy at www.gilawildernesshunting.com He will set you up.. Tell him Jason sent you
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www.thenewmexicosportsman.com
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www.thenewmexicosportsman.com
idabigbuck
Active Member
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- 134
There is a terrific article in last months Outdoor Life mag. about just what you are looking for. I think the guys are even from Michigan. Find the story it will give you a lot of helpful info.
Its fair chase, or its foul!
Its fair chase, or its foul!
completesportsman
Long Time Member
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- 3,508
We applied to MT as a party, the max is 5 per party application, for the big game combo. We all five bought the bonus point and we drew in 2006 & 2007. This is for general Bull Elk and Buck Deer tags, the deer can be used on either whiteys or muleys. The general tag allows you to hunt any general area in MT. There are millions of acres of public general tag ares to hunt. The bad part is the big game combo with the bonus point and application fees cost a non-resident $647. I was told that a non-res has a 52% chance of drawing the big game combo. I am not sure what the draw odds or prices are for the elk only combo. We really liked MT, saw lots of deer and elk and not nearly as many hunters as you will see in CO.
Thanks for all the replies again. We hunted on Gardner Mtn 1 time. Lots of hunters. We hunted off Barnum Rd. We hunted off Mesa Rd, We hunted off Mayoworth rd. and all pts in between.Also hunted ED Taylor refuge 1 day. What a pain to get to. Rough rds. Lots of hunters everywhere. I shot a small 3x3 also. Now my cousins are trying to get me to go back. I just don't see the quality there. Maybe I need to learn the area better or cut my losses and find a better area all together? Even a small 4x4 would have been better. Only seen 1 4x4. It was a learning experience. 1st time west for deer.
MIT
We hunted east boundary of Ed Taylor on the rough road. Camped by the old Indian Cave site. Saw lots of deer and even more hunters. Large 4x4's are on private land I guess. Talked to game and fish and they said they're working on a plan on management.
Ransom
We hunted east boundary of Ed Taylor on the rough road. Camped by the old Indian Cave site. Saw lots of deer and even more hunters. Large 4x4's are on private land I guess. Talked to game and fish and they said they're working on a plan on management.
Ransom
Broomer
Active Member
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Your best bet for a fun non-resident elk hunt is going to be Colorado. First: lots of public land and second: the biggest elk heard of any State...in excess of 280,000 head. You're going to have to apply but many units are first year draws and second year garantee draws. I've hunted the White River Natl Forest up around Craig and Meeker Colorado in the Flattops wilderness and there are tons of elk. During the Archery hunt is the best, less hunters and season is longer. Rifle hunting in these areas are a ZOO but agian it is big country and lots of elk. Not real big Bulls but lots of Bulls you're looking at a Ratio of 4:1 and honestly that is what you see. Fun, Fun, Fun Archery late in September. Good Luck
completesportsman
Long Time Member
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Anywhere in MT in region 3 is good, lots of elk, lots of public lands and you can really get lost and get away from the crowds if you are willing to walk. I read this year that elk numbers are double the target number FWP has set for the habitat in region 6, and deer are at a nuisnace level in region 6. The only bad part is most of region 6 is private land, region 6 sounds good if you can find a place to hunt.
I have hunted the White River Nat. Forest in CO in the flat tops wilderness where Broomer spoke of, he is right,tons of elk, and tons of hunters. I think every elk I saw was running so you better be able to shoot quick. This is awsome elk country, if you could get drawn for the 1st or 4th rifle hunts it would not be as crowded, or go during archery.
I saw some data recently that showed CO's elk herd at 300,000 head. MT's herd at 85,000.
Hope this helps.
I have hunted the White River Nat. Forest in CO in the flat tops wilderness where Broomer spoke of, he is right,tons of elk, and tons of hunters. I think every elk I saw was running so you better be able to shoot quick. This is awsome elk country, if you could get drawn for the 1st or 4th rifle hunts it would not be as crowded, or go during archery.
I saw some data recently that showed CO's elk herd at 300,000 head. MT's herd at 85,000.
Hope this helps.
S
SMELLYBUCK
Guest
I'd put my bet on Broomers suggestion.
Thanks again for the info. Us Easterners need all the help we can get. I won't need horses or guides for any of these areas mentioned in Montana or Colorado right? Is there road access into the major areas? I don't mind walking into these areas. I actually enjoyed the challenge on the hiking in I did in the Kaycee area. I realize the elk would be way more demanding though. Any bull would be nice since I've never killed an Elk. A big one would just be a bonus. Thanks again for all your replies on MM. Keep the replies coming. Maybee I can make this happen in a year or 2. MITROLL
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gil_wy
Guest
Look at area 19 in WY...They have an early and late season tag and the late season tag was a 100% draw this year for NR...Easier for NR to draw than it is res. Good public access with the Muddy Mt. HMA......
>Thanks again for the info. Us
>Easterners need all the help
>we can get. I won't
>need horses or guides for
>any of these areas mentioned
>in Montana or Colorado right?
> Is there road access
>into the major areas? I
>don't mind walking into these
>areas. I actually enjoyed the
>challenge on the hiking in
>I did in the Kaycee
>area. I realize the elk
>would be way more demanding
>though. Any bull would
>be nice since I've never
>killed an Elk. A big
>one would just be a
>bonus. Thanks again for all
>your replies on MM. Keep
>the replies coming. Maybee I
>can make this happen in
>a year or 2. MITROLL
>
Horses are a pain in the a$$!! just get a pack frame. In the last 3 years I have back-packed 6 elk out of the moutains, all were between 1.5 - 3.5 miles except for one which was a very short 400 yards. 2 people can make 2 trips and have an entire boned out elk off the mountain with no problem.
Mntman
"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
>Easterners need all the help
>we can get. I won't
>need horses or guides for
>any of these areas mentioned
>in Montana or Colorado right?
> Is there road access
>into the major areas? I
>don't mind walking into these
>areas. I actually enjoyed the
>challenge on the hiking in
>I did in the Kaycee
>area. I realize the elk
>would be way more demanding
>though. Any bull would
>be nice since I've never
>killed an Elk. A big
>one would just be a
>bonus. Thanks again for all
>your replies on MM. Keep
>the replies coming. Maybee I
>can make this happen in
>a year or 2. MITROLL
>
Horses are a pain in the a$$!! just get a pack frame. In the last 3 years I have back-packed 6 elk out of the moutains, all were between 1.5 - 3.5 miles except for one which was a very short 400 yards. 2 people can make 2 trips and have an entire boned out elk off the mountain with no problem.
Mntman
"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
O
old_man_of_the_hills
Guest
>and be
>in an Elk and Mule
>deer area at the same
>time.
That doesn't exist anymore in MT; there's special draw areas for muleys where you can have a good chance at an elk (the Bitterroot) and theres special draw areas for elk where you can shoot a muley (the Breaks) but you'll be hard pressed to find an area with decent population of both...and you'll wait around for tags for years if you try to draw one or the other. Concentrate on one big game animal at a time.
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This is my post
I've just pissed in my pants.......and nobody can do anything about it.
>in an Elk and Mule
>deer area at the same
>time.
That doesn't exist anymore in MT; there's special draw areas for muleys where you can have a good chance at an elk (the Bitterroot) and theres special draw areas for elk where you can shoot a muley (the Breaks) but you'll be hard pressed to find an area with decent population of both...and you'll wait around for tags for years if you try to draw one or the other. Concentrate on one big game animal at a time.
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This is my post
I've just pissed in my pants.......and nobody can do anything about it.
