Elk next Christmas???

[wisconsinteacher]

After planning a very successful antelope hunt, I am starting to think about my next hunt out west. One hunt that is popping up is a late season cow hunt. I'm thinking between Christmas and New Year's due to time off of work. I'm guessing that a trespass fee will be included in a hunt like this due to the elk being on private lands. I did a little looking at WY tags and see that I can probably buy one after the draw is over. If you have any leads as to how to make this successful for next year, let me know. I'm not stuck on WY.

 

[dsnook]

My elk hunting buddy and I have been putting in for a cow hunt in the NW corner of Oregon for about 10 years. We draw about every three years. We are due again probably next year. We draw for hunts that are mostly public lands. We have never got skunked, but we also are happy splitting an elk. We usually take just one.

It is steep nasty country to hunt. Look up "devils cane/club" and figure that stuff is where the elk are gonna go down. It can be extremely wet, but surprisingly we have not had to pack out an elk in the rain up there. We have been snowed out before. And we have been ran out by wind storms.

There are very few hunts that are a slam dunk to draw, and if they are access or lack thereof is usually why.

I guess I would pick a mostly public land hunt, then keep applying and hunt WY until you draw.

D

 

[pre6422hornet]

New Mexico offers elk depredation hunts beginning in Feb-March. I realize that doesn't fit your timeframe though.

Last year they were offered all over the place on Craigslist. Usually they are Unit wide, but given to the landowners to sell. I talked to a gentlemen who says he gets them every year for Unit 53 ( northern NM). His price was $500 for the right to buy the tag, then you pay 500 and change for the tag itself.

These hunts are usually very high in success rate as the G&F dept wants the tags filled. My good friend is a G&F officer and they work these hunts and offer the best intel they have as to where the elk are.

 

[maverick2]

You might want to pull up Idaho's Fish and Game regs. There are a handful of units (63, 75, 77, and 78) in which the regular season extends thru Dec 31. All in Southeast Idaho, 63 is high mountain desert country north of Idaho Falls and good for cow elk using any weapon, and 75, 77, and 78 offers a bit more variety in the terrain (in the corner near the Utah and Wyoming borders) and good for cow elk using muzzle loader only.

edit to add -- could still do either of these THIS Christmas if you wanted....

 

[Elkman]

I did a little looking at WY tags and see that I can probably buy one after the draw is over. If you have any leads as to how to make this successful for next year, let me know. I'm not stuck on WY.

This year the majority of the leftover tags for the earlier hunts were sold out on the first day. Why don't you put in for the late season cow/calf hunt as a first choice, you can always buy preference points.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

If I were to apply for a late season zone, wouldn't I loose my 3 points that I have saved up for a future bull hunt??? Sorry for easy questions but I'm still tying to figure out the WY point system.

 

[preacher]

I see no downside to booking a late season cow hunt with an Outfitter, they are usually not that much ( less than $1200) then you get the transportation/help,etc. There are even some game ranches/farms that have affordable cow elk too. I personally like the late season cow hunts that involve hay fields, ha. Good luck to you Pard!

 

[PJGunner]

I've been doing late season cow elk hunts with Kiowa Hunting Services for the last 6 years. Did one in 2010, skipped 2011 and every year since and brought home meat every year. I'll be leaving for this hunt the 27th of December. Hunt is on Ted Turner's Vermejo Park ranch and there are lots of elk on that place. Something like 640,000 acres of private ground and hunters are limited to very few per section. Apparently each guide has his own "territory" and they're all good. I do a hunt with friends and it ran me this year, $1,200 for there hunt and not quite $400 for the license and tag. He's fully booked for this year and I'm trying to think if I want to go again next year. Hell! On course I do but at my age, (77) it may not be a good idea. Hunts are at 8,000 to 9,500 MSL and the air is might thin. Just ask me how I know. :lol: These hunts have had a 100 percent success rate AFAIK. I can only speak for me and my hunt partners and we're all batting 1,000.
Anyway here is some contact info.
Kiowa Hunting Services, Raton New Mexico.
Ph: (575) 445-9330
www.kiowahunting.com
Outfitters name is Tim Barraclough (pronounced Bearclaw)
If you call, tell him I said howdy.
Paul B.

 

[IdahoCTD]

First choice a really hard to draw bull tag and second choice a late season cow hunt. Then you wouldn't lose your points. If you put in for the cow hunt as a first choice you'd lose your points. I would put in for WY and if you don't draw cow on a ranch/tresspass hunt. The areas in Idaho that have general season late tags are pretty low odds. There are some drawing areas with odds in the 50-60% success rate though.

Here is 2014 General tag odds
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/hunt ... r=2014#elk

Here is 2014 Drawing odds
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/hunt ... r=2014#elk

 

[wisconsinteacher]

So with the WY draw you only loose the points if you draw on the first choice, but the points count in the second draw and are not lost????

3 points
1st choice Zone 7-no tag
2nd choice cow tag (going into draw with 3 points that will not be lost if successful)

 

[SJB358]

So with the WY draw you only loose the points if you draw on the first choice, but the points count in the second draw and are not lost????

3 points
1st choice Zone 7-no tag
2nd choice cow tag (going into draw with 3 points that will not be lost if successful)

In Wyoming I applied for the reduced price cow/calf and also have three points going into the draw. You don't use points and you can buy another point as well. Not a bad deal.