7 Habits of Highly Successful Combo Hunters
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand
The key to a successful combo hunt is to understand what your goals are and the amount of time you have to devote to the hunt. You also have to balance that additional cost of the tag to the amount of effort you can give to hunting that extra animal. Sure, for some the extra tag fee is worth the chance to have it in your pocket just in case. For others, having that tag burning a hole in their pocket can be distracting, especially if it's at a high nonresident price point.
Remi took this antelope during the middle of the day after chasing elk.
It's good to understand what kind of hunter you are and plan to hunt accordingly. In the long run, you'll be more successful focusing in on one animal at a time, but may need to plan extra time if you intend on giving each tag a fair shake.
Habit 6: Synergize
Sometimes opportunities in the field just come together. If you have an opportunity at an animal you would be happy taking, take it while you can! You can't always just come back for it. I know that sounds like a typical guide thing to say in order to get you to shoot things sooner, but if you have an easy opportunity, take it while it's an easy opportunity. I don't know how many times I've hunted with someone or even been by myself and had an opportunity that I just wanted to take at a later time, thinking it would be easy, and never got the chance again.
The "habits" paid off, filling multiple tags during five days of hunting.
Hunting one animal during a single trip can be a chore, let alone two. By taking advantage of easy opportunities – or any opportunity when it presents itself - you increase your chance of filling both tags.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Hunting multiple species in one trip generally means you're always pressed for time. Once you harvest an animal, the next step eats into time you could be hunting. It's a weird way to look at it, but it's true.
We opted to pack this bull well into the night to optimize the amount of daylight hunting.
I've learned to maximize my hunt time by packing out in the times not best suited for hunting. Of course taking care of your downed animal is the most important task, but you can utilize that task to best work while you're hunting, especially if you have cold weather on your side. There have been hunts where I've opted to pack out during the night so I could be out hunting during the day. I've also filled my other tag by hunting on the way in and out while packing elk. Just because an animal is down doesn't mean the hunt has to stop as long as you're in control of the situation. You can still find creative ways to hunt while taking care of your downed animal.
State-by-state Options for a Good Combo Hunt
List of possible species to combine with your elk hunt on easy-to-obtain or OTC-type tags, by state and season choice (other options by state may be available with special draws. Always consult regulations for units and seasons.)
*Montana and Washington actually sell combo elk and deer tags where hunters receive the deer tag with their elk tag at a discounted rate.
**Many areas in Idaho allow you to take a mountain lion or bear instead of your deer with your deer tag.
The key to a successful combo hunt is to understand what your goals are and the amount of time you have to devote to the hunt. You also have to balance that additional cost of the tag to the amount of effort you can give to hunting that extra animal. Sure, for some the extra tag fee is worth the chance to have it in your pocket just in case. For others, having that tag burning a hole in their pocket can be distracting, especially if it's at a high nonresident price point.
Remi took this antelope during the middle of the day after chasing elk.
It's good to understand what kind of hunter you are and plan to hunt accordingly. In the long run, you'll be more successful focusing in on one animal at a time, but may need to plan extra time if you intend on giving each tag a fair shake.
Habit 6: Synergize
Sometimes opportunities in the field just come together. If you have an opportunity at an animal you would be happy taking, take it while you can! You can't always just come back for it. I know that sounds like a typical guide thing to say in order to get you to shoot things sooner, but if you have an easy opportunity, take it while it's an easy opportunity. I don't know how many times I've hunted with someone or even been by myself and had an opportunity that I just wanted to take at a later time, thinking it would be easy, and never got the chance again.
The "habits" paid off, filling multiple tags during five days of hunting.
Hunting one animal during a single trip can be a chore, let alone two. By taking advantage of easy opportunities – or any opportunity when it presents itself - you increase your chance of filling both tags.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Hunting multiple species in one trip generally means you're always pressed for time. Once you harvest an animal, the next step eats into time you could be hunting. It's a weird way to look at it, but it's true.
We opted to pack this bull well into the night to optimize the amount of daylight hunting.
I've learned to maximize my hunt time by packing out in the times not best suited for hunting. Of course taking care of your downed animal is the most important task, but you can utilize that task to best work while you're hunting, especially if you have cold weather on your side. There have been hunts where I've opted to pack out during the night so I could be out hunting during the day. I've also filled my other tag by hunting on the way in and out while packing elk. Just because an animal is down doesn't mean the hunt has to stop as long as you're in control of the situation. You can still find creative ways to hunt while taking care of your downed animal.
State-by-state Options for a Good Combo Hunt
List of possible species to combine with your elk hunt on easy-to-obtain or OTC-type tags, by state and season choice (other options by state may be available with special draws. Always consult regulations for units and seasons.)
*Montana and Washington actually sell combo elk and deer tags where hunters receive the deer tag with their elk tag at a discounted rate.
**Many areas in Idaho allow you to take a mountain lion or bear instead of your deer with your deer tag.
- Previous page: 7 Habits of Highly Successful Combo Hunters
