Horns of a Dillema on 61

[Longshot349]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-21-14 AT 07:22PM (MST)[p]I think I got the PP's to draw a unit 61- 2 season Bull with 17 Non Res PP's...

I was wanting the Muzzy or the 1st season rifle, but it looks like I'm 3-5 years away for that.

Here's a couple questions for folk willing to help answer :

1. Please advise if I should hold out another 3-5 years for a 1st season or not ? How much drop off in the quality of hunting is the 2nd season? I guess it's also combined with deer season in that 2nd round too and what effect does that play into it?

2. Why are the drawing stats lumped together for 2nd, 3rd and 4th seasons? I cant discern any breakdown on odds for those last three seasons...

Anyway , time is getting short and a decision needs made. Hoping for some good advise.... Thanks guys

 

[adamwipp07]

If it where me I would hold out for muzzy or archery tag. The hunting gets much harder once rifle season roles around. Several people I talked to this year had hard time finding the elk in the first rifle season.

 

[oilcan]

Well your probably more then 5 years from Archery and you might as well forget about the muzzy tag unless you want to wait a decade or more . Sorry can't help on the rifle info.

 

[Feleno]

Don't really understand the mentality of waiting 20-25 years to hunt a unit where likely you will shoot a sub or near 300 bull when you could hunt many units you could have drawn several years ago that would give you that same chance. Burn them, burn them some where this year.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

There's more elk in 61 than you can shake a stick at. If you can't find one then maybe elk hunting is not your thing. Finding a 300+ will be a challenge, but it's realistic.

 

[Phantom Hunter]

I am sitting on 16 points trying to get back to 61 just because I love hunting the unit. I first hunted it years ago as a novice elk hunter and killed a small bull for my first elk. It took 2 NR points back then. I hunted it again when it took about 6-8 points and ate tag soup but my buddy took a nice bull. Have hunted it once for mulies as well. I will try to hunt it twice more as soon as I can draw an elk tag and an mulie tag. I am too old to keep chasing points for the muzzy or first season tag. Hopefully I can get even with the point creep and draw a 2nd season tag in a year or two. If it were not for drawing a tag in other states every two or three years I would have given up on 61 years ago.

 

[Longshot349]

Can somebody explain to me about the lumping of 2nd 3rd and 4th season stats?

For example , the recaps show 34 non res total tags for all three seasons... It then shows the Pref points the same, but the hunt codes are different..

So my question is , how can the draw odd be the same for all three seasons and why isn't it broken down separately ?

 

[sneakem]

All the tags from those 3 seasons are drawn from a set number of tags... season is optional but goes to highest point holders. they could be all second.. or third or fouth or a mix of the three, just depends on the season preference of the person drawing the tag.

http://fenderimages.com/

 

[oilcan]

Sneakem that's a great explanation I had never heard that.

 

[Longshot349]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-22-14 AT 08:08PM (MST)[p]>
>All the tags from those 3
>seasons are drawn from a
>set number of tags... season
>is optional but goes to
>highest point holders. they could
>be all second.. or third
>or fouth or a mix
>of the three, just depends
>on the season preference of
>the person drawing the tag.
>
>


Thanks, I do understand it now.

 

[Califelkslayer]

To answer the original question, I would hunt the 2nd season, no hesitation. It's 9 days long, the 1st is 5.

I've hunted the archery and it was the second best elk hunt I've ever been on, behind Nevada. I hope some day to be able to buy a landowner tag for that hunt again.

That said, the guy I had put in with for 13 years didn't want to do archery. When the 60/40 split went to 80/20 I decided to cash in on the archery tag. He drew 1st rifle a couple of years later. Missed a 370 type bull on the opener, passed on 5 300" bulls, was given the slip on a 340 type bull. Went back the last day to the (5 bulls around 300" area) and couldn't find one.

He regreted the short season. I hear the 1st rifle season pressure pushes some down into the junipers for the later seasons.

 

[Riggo]

I'd burn your points...I'm one of those guys that have been holding out for the tag and now wished I'd have just went years ago elsewhere. I've asked this same question to others and the most consistent answer is use them in 40 on a guided gig as the public is hard to navigate. as in muzzle or bow based on points needed. I think it takes quite a few less than what you have. Anyway, good luck on your choice. I truly hope I'm making a decent choice with mine as I have a few more than you.
Riggo