OTC Help and Advice Needed

oldmossback · Jun 2, 2014

Since my sons failed to draw any tags in the resident draw this year, We will be going over the counter this year. Looking at the stats and hunt recaps from last year We are looking at GMU 12 or 4 or 62. I have heard these units get hunted pretty hard, but They have some of the higher success rates.
Since I value your guys opinion and have met alot of great people on here. I thought I would ask what you guys think. Neither one of my sons have killed any elk before and we know nothing of any of these units. I will be doing my homework and scout as much as possible but wanted to get your opinion and maybe thought on any other unit. Thanks in advance

elks96 · Jun 2, 2014

I often and will stay say that the best option is to pick a unit that you will hunt on a regular basis. Regardless of which one you select know that your chance of success are low until you start to figure things out. I have hunted in both 4 and in unit 12. Both are good units and I am not sure which one I would select if I had to choose. It might depend a little on which season your looking at. 2nd or 3rd?

For an earlier hunt I could probably choose unit 12, just more country and more access to higher country, for a lter hunt both can be good, but I would tend towards 4. Access is a little easier in 4 but it seems harder to get away from the crowds. Getting away from the crowds is a little easier in 12.

Regardless I would focus on one unit and plan on hunting it for the same season every year you do not draw your desired tag. If you pick one of those 2 units, I am happy to help. Also I do not put much into the numbers in either unit. There is and have been tons of cow tags that increase rates, plus there are many big outfitters running private land that skew results etc.

oldmossback · Jun 2, 2014

Thanks Elks for the response. I was going to ask which would be a better season? 2nd or 3rd? I have never set foot in either unit. We are not looking for a trophy, Just a legal 1st bull.
We will be using a wall tent and hunt on foot. I will not be hunting, just taking the boys.

mntman · Jun 3, 2014

I agree with elks96! I can't help you on these two units but what ever one you pick, stick with it! Can't be consistently successful on elk if you are hunting a new unit every year. Learn one, by that I mean learn the elk and also learn the hunters. By knowing where other hunters normally go, their patterns, and especially where they don't go, is when you will really get good at hunting elk in OTC units.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

oldmossback · Jun 3, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Jun-03-14 AT 09:39PM (MST)[p]Thanks also mtnman . That's what we have done in unit 81 . We hunted it for years but all we figured out is where there was no people was because there was no elk either. . We didn't see a single bull in the last 3 years we hunted 81. So we are trying to find a better unit while building the boys points.

oldmossback · Jun 5, 2014

In your guys opinion would a 1st season tag in unit 12 be better than a 3rd season tag? The success rate is actually high in 3rd season than 1st, if you go by the stats

silverstem · Jun 7, 2014

Hey oldmossback! . wernt we in the same situation last year? we are this year also, we didn't draw anything except my wife drew a 1st season unit 49 bull tag... I don't think that we will be going back to unit 3 4th season . We were thinking about unit 4. Drop me a line and maby we can figure something out.