Colorado vs Wyoming

[bradthemarine]

Thanks for all the advice, this is great information. Right now I think I'm leaning toward Wyoming as the primary and Colorado OTC as a backup. I think I might be able to get a "better" tag and face less competition in the field. I'm doing what research I can into the units to see which offer Any Elk tags as well as General seasons. Once I get those listed I'll start the google earth scouting. I may buy a point this year to improve my draw chances down the road.

Thanks again.
-Brad

 

[CoachChris]

Right now I think I'm leaning toward Wyoming as the primary

Here in NW Wyoming if you're willing to put some miles and vert under your feet you can get away from the crowds. I don't know how much our Grizzlies are going to effect non-residents applying here? You do have to be ok with Grizzlies.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

I always love when people seem eager to jump on leftover tags. Mostly tags are leftover because the people who had them the year before do not want them again. If the hunt had been great the tags wouldn't be leftover. When you see a unit with 500 leftover tags do not be surprised when you and your 499 buddies show up to hunt the same drainage. I see this type of thing happen often, just don't want you to have a bad experience. I can't speak to WY. but put in for 1st or 4th season tags here in CO. You have a great chance of drawing your first year in a lot of units. Decide what units you want to hunt. Maybe the years you don't draw come during an over the counter season just for the experience. 1st season will have fewer hunters and the elk can be more calm and can still be bugling (at least until the first gunshot). 4th season, if there is snow, it is easier to predict where the elk are. When researching an area spend time on google earth looking at it, if you are seeing large areas of dead trees, this is beetle kill and is brutal to hunt in. The elk will also avoid as much of this as possible but they will not abandon the area completely. It is something to think about when you shoot an elk in it, you better take a chain saw or a helicopter.

Respectfully, I'd disagree with this leftover assessment. The quotas are set by way of the population in the area, among other things. These areas, I agree, can be very popular but are also big enough to support picking small pockets of excellent drainages and thick brush beds where elk absolutely are, even if the crowds are not seeing them. During last season, the cows were chirping each night after dark, less than 50 yards from our tent and yet, very few camps were scoring. Most of those were the "drivers" I described.

The last part of Caveman's post is accurate and cannot be overemphasized. It's easy to end up wandering for miles, into an area where, if you kill something you had better put time into thinking of how to get it out, well ahead of time.

 

[CONChunt]

You might want to consider New Mexico for a land owner tag hunt if a cow tag is acceptable. I use an outfitter that provides this service and I think it is very reasonable.

Which outfitter is this?

 

[Rick Richard]

Which outfitter is this?

Keith Williams, Arizona Pro Elk Hunts. He has guide Service in Arizona and New Mexico. Great folks and operation.