Here is my situation. My Dad and I have put in for Unit 24 for the past few years with max points. We haven't been lucky enough to draw. My Dad kind of got back into hunting later in life and is now in his 60s. He has killed a bunch of whitetails and turkeys in the past 10 years and we have gone on one antelope hunt together. He has had some health issues the last couple of years, although with a little extra working out he should be good for this hunt. We want to do an elk hunt together and he wants to go sooner rather than later. I think the health issues really have him thinking about time. So, we are planning to pay the extra money and enter the special drawing this time. This will be a first elk hunt for both of us.
I settled on 24 a few years ago because it looks like an area with good success rates, lots of bulls and it shouldn't be too physically demanding for him. Understand he can still hike and get around, but I plan to do the heavy lifting on packing a bull out, etc. We aren't really looking for trophies. He will probably shoot the first bull he sees. I plan to be a little more patient, based on what I find when scouting, but don't need a monster to be happy. We plan to come a little early and scout for 3 or 4 days and hunt for about a week. We live a long way from there, so that is our only option. I would like for both of us to have success, but I really, really want him to get a bull. Although I don't like to think this way, being realistic and knowing that he is slowing down physically, I am concerned this might be his only elk hunt. It is very likely to be his only one with a limited entry tag.
My question is, am I completely on the right track with 24? Most of my research is a couple of years old and I wanted to make sure there haven't been any major changes there before I put down the money for the special fee.
Thanks in advance for some advice!
I settled on 24 a few years ago because it looks like an area with good success rates, lots of bulls and it shouldn't be too physically demanding for him. Understand he can still hike and get around, but I plan to do the heavy lifting on packing a bull out, etc. We aren't really looking for trophies. He will probably shoot the first bull he sees. I plan to be a little more patient, based on what I find when scouting, but don't need a monster to be happy. We plan to come a little early and scout for 3 or 4 days and hunt for about a week. We live a long way from there, so that is our only option. I would like for both of us to have success, but I really, really want him to get a bull. Although I don't like to think this way, being realistic and knowing that he is slowing down physically, I am concerned this might be his only elk hunt. It is very likely to be his only one with a limited entry tag.
My question is, am I completely on the right track with 24? Most of my research is a couple of years old and I wanted to make sure there haven't been any major changes there before I put down the money for the special fee.
Thanks in advance for some advice!
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