Elk tags

[dirtytough]

That mileage is easy then....my round trip was 3400 miles....
And is the animal going to hang before processing and then have to be shipped....and .79 a pound is a heck of a deal....hope you end up with your animal...not someone else's that wasnt taken care of properly in the field.....

Have you killed an elk 26Reload? I'm not trying to be an butt with the question either. I just know that when I kill an elk I have always had to cut them up. They are big animals. I have never been able to get one out whole. Which means the elk is deboned when I get it to the vehicle.

It will easily fit in a cooler or 2 depending on the size. You don't have to pay to let it hang, or pay to ship it, etc. It comes home in the cooler when the hunter does. Then you can either process it yourself or pay a butcher back home.

 

[26Reload]

For aging meat.....it has to hang a minimum of three days at slightly above freezing...hanging is to let the muscles break down and lactic acid to drain from the cells....
After skinning I wipe the entire animal with either white vinegar or Apple cider vinegar(which I use always now)....the vinegar helps cleanse the meat of contaminants that I may have missed while cleaning....
Wrapped in a meat bag and hang...the longer the better...if possible I will remove the bag and wipe again after three days....depending on timing and weather conditions I will let it hang at least 5 days..up to 7...but always checking on it and wiping it clean.....that is a chunk of meat to eat....
I am usually the one doing the work...sometimes someone helps with wrapping....
Sometimes it takes me three days to cut and wrap it by myself.....only have so much back to sit thru all that work.......

 

[werth338]

I have had elk aged multiple days and a day or two and the difference wasn't big. The biggest difference I could tell is the one that was skinned quickly was the better meat and was aged a shorter period. I wasn't happy with how the other elk was handled but that is a different issue all together.

 

[TG-5150]

And now back to the OP's thread....
If someone wants to locate a decent processor after they have chosen a hunting area that is a very simple Google issue at worst or they will have a way to prepare there own harvest. It's definitely a consideration to contend with. Seems were to draw and how to do it DYI is the theme here.
If it were me, I'd want to be out and settled a day or even two before opening day, camp may need to be relocated because of scouting results or a few other variables.

 

[dmj]

The first problem you are going to face, is that if you really like to hunt? One trip to hunt elk isn't going to be enough. It will get in your blood and you will want to go back. I hunt elk out of state every year. And please understand I'm not rich, all the bills need to be paid, my wife is extremely kind to me and if there's the money left I can have the tag. I picked an area that there seemed to be a decent chance of getting something that you could purchase a tag over the counter. I did make a trip to look around before my first hunt. Then I started hunting and putting in the miles, learning the country, basically scouting as I hunted. I consider any elk a trophy. I have had a lot of fun, have created a lot of memories. Just got my elk tag for 2019. Now if I can just get this new knee to quit hurting and start working. Good luck, be safe, have fun and do remember elk are tough and if you're lucky enough to get one on the ground, they are big.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I think I'll stick with cow elk and enjoy the meat.

 

[Makaira]

For 1 you don't need to bring a travel trailer. For another I do out of state hunts for less then $1k every year. Also it looks like the op is from Texas. Not sure where but he isn't that far from southern Colorado.

Here is a quick estimate.
Tags $700,
2400 miles/20 mpg*$3.00=$120 for fuel. (my f150 gets about 22mpg on a trip like that)
Food you have to buy anyway. But lets add an extra $20 a day. That's $200 for 10 days.

We are at $1020. Camping is free on NF and BLM. You have a $400 cushion for incidentals, a hotel room in the middle of the trip to shower, etc.

If you really want to hunt the west and you are on a budget you can make it happen.

PS I forgot about the processing cause I always do that part myself. Its probably cheaper to pay someone to do it time wise, but I know I'm getting my elk back that I took care of compared to who knows what.

Something seems wrong with your MPG =$120 in fuel.

 

[mtmuley]

And now back to the OP's thread....
If someone wants to locate a decent processor after they have chosen a hunting area that is a very simple Google issue at worst or they will have a way to prepare there own harvest. It's definitely a consideration to contend with. Seems were to draw and how to do it DYI is the theme here.
If it were me, I'd want to be out and settled a day or even two before opening day, camp may need to be relocated because of scouting results or a few other variables.

Bone it out, get good coolers and dry ice. Take it home. No need to wait for a processor, or to hang it for a week. mtmuley

 

[TG-5150]

Something seems wrong with your MPG =$120 in fuel.

$360 is more like it. And it's about $40.00 a day to hunt out of a vehicle or atv/utv if that's the best way to hunt in the area a person would draw for.

 

[dirtytough]

Something seems wrong with your MPG =$120 in fuel.

And that is why I shouldn't be interrupting social media with work lol. Good catch. Like posted above it should be $360.

 

[FIGJAM]

Its easy to do yourself. Also you can subscribe to something like HF, Epic, or GH for $100 a year. They all will post deadlines, point out trophy units, and help you get info on the unit if you draw.

Now the bad news. I don't know of a state that you can start applying in right now to build points and expect to draw a trophy tag in 5-10 years. Some states are preference, some are hybrid, and some are bonus. If you are looking to hunt a true trophy elk then your chances after 10 years of applying will still be below 1% I bet.

Here are the numbers for Wyoming. There are 87,969 non residents that have elk points in Wyoming. A quick google came up with 7,250 total bull tags per year for non res. That would take a little over 12 years to get through everyone right now. And most of those 7250 tags are general tags. It wouldn't be considered a trophy bull tag.
Number of Points, Nonresident Number of Sportspersons, Total Points
1, 25827, 25827
2, 16228, 32456
3, 10613, 31839
4, 7793, 31172
5, 5504, 27520
6, 4569, 27414
7, 3956, 27692
8, 3435, 27480
9, 2840, 25560
10, 2184, 21840
11, 1798, 19778
12, 1610, 19320
13, 1612, 20956
Total sportspersons, 87969
Total Points, 338854

Honestly your best bet would be to apply in Idaho and NM every year. Neither state has a point system yet. Everyone has the same odds every year. And save the rest of your money and buy a landowner voucher for an elk tag in a good unit.

I have double digit points in a lot of states and I don't plan on drawing a trophy unit anytime soon. There are just not enough tags to go around.

If I can help anymore just ask.

I don't think that's a true statement for idaho regarding non residents having the same draw odds as residents. I thought I read somewhere that for controlled hunts they will only alot up to a maximum of 10% of the tags for non residents.

General OTC hunts are different. Some have a quota, but they sell as many of those as non residents want to buy.

But if you are talking about the odds of a non resident drawing that 10% I guess you are right

 

[dirtytough]

I don't think that's a true statement for idaho regarding non residents having the same draw odds as residents. I thought I read somewhere that for controlled hunts they will only alot up to a maximum of 10% of the tags for non residents.

General OTC hunts are different. Some have a quota, but they sell as many of those as non residents want to buy.

But if you are talking about the odds of a non resident drawing that 10% I guess you are right

Sorry I should of said all non res have the exact same odds. Since most western states favor residents I didn't think I needed to clarify it more then I did. I get lazy when I'm using my phone keyboard.

 

[jheilman]

Did that first elk hunt with my dad back in 1987, bought some maps, put in for tags, then come October we loaded up 2 out of shape ranch geldings and went hunting in northern Idaho. We froze our butts off. Seen elk almost every day but didn't even fire a round the first 2 years, lost a few though. Then the 3rd year we killed 2 rag horns, yep I was an elk hunter and a packer. WRONG!!

Now today we leave ND with enough knowledge, equipment and pack animals to really get us in trouble. And that's after more than 20 diy horseback hunts under my belt. And well over half being successful. One thing I've learned over the years is everyone wants to go elk hunting but when it really comes down to it very few have what it takes. Last couple years its been just me and my son going, he's willing to work like that mainly because he knows no different. He is 21 and I'm 51 so he does get around a little better than the old man.

Buy the best equipment (mainly clothes) and go hunting!!!! Things aren't getting any cheaper and we aren't getting any younger. But get them legs and lungs burning on a daily basis a couple months before your hunt and you will have a much better time.

We've only killed 2 bulls in the 300's but each and every elk hunt I've been on has been a hunt of a lifetime. Best of luck to ya and be safe out there.