Well what now ?

[1100 Remington Man]

I had 8 preference points for Colorado Elk and I found out I was unsuccessful for the Elk Draw. I called Colorado they told me they had a additional 10,000 apply for a license this year.
Both Montana and Idaho are sold out of license this was not the case just couple years ago as license would go un sold. So Yes the economy is doing well as more people have money.
I hate the idea of going to Colorado for a across the counter for a Elk license as the success rate is so low with most areas around 15%.
Any ideas of anything Mule Deer or Elk or Bear to hunt this Fall ?

 

[Elkman]

Several states offer second chance drawings, for those areas that have not sold out, but I don't know the dates. Oregon also has general elk tags, (but I don't know if they have a quota) Utah may also offer some, but you would have to go on line or call them. Oregon has some great General Season units and the west side of the state offers Roosevelt Elk hunts, which many hunters never have chance to participate in.

 

[IdahoCTD]

Idaho is no where near sold out. The unit(s) you want to hunt might be but the non-resident quota isn't met. There are still 6400+ elk tags available out of 12,000+.

https://idfg.idaho.gov/tag/quotas-nonresident

They better not sell out before August 1st, I need a second elk tag. :mrgreen: :lol:

I hunt in a non quota area for my non-resident tag and it has only averaged about 13% success the last 3 years yet we went 3 for 3 in that unit last year and 1 for 3 the year before with one buddy missing a easy 150yd shot (his first elk hunt) and the other only got one day to hunt or it would of been at least 2 for 3. A lot of times stats don't tell the whole picture. It's rough terrain and not many people venture very far from the roads. We have to drop in crappy holes to kill elk and pack them up hill but we are very successful doing so. 3 of us killed 5 elk on 5 tags in 8 days of hunting last year and all but one were very crappy pack outs. The elk hunting is much better than the deer hunting in ID right now IMO. The deer got hammered a few years back and it will take a few more mild winters before the numbers and size of bucks gets good.

 

[1100 Remington Man]

I call Idaho and asked about hunting north of Salmon ID as I hunted there before and was told there sold out.
Idaho is very rough up there also. I am not familiar with any place else in Idaho.

 

[Europe]

try Arizona's over the counter, non permit tag ((this isn't a typo it is actually called a non permit )

I think a non res tag will cost you approx 700 dollars

I am not in the states at this time, but remember my son telling me about these tags

 

[IdahoCTD]

The Salmon zone, Sawtooth, and a couple others are sold out. If you click on the link I posted it has the status of all the tags. Like I said I kill elk every year in a non-quota area with my non-resident tag. That means until those 6400 tags are sold out I can buy a tag for that zone. I use to get non-res. tags for the Salmon zone too but they kept selling out earlier every year and a few years ago they were gone before August 1st (when residents can buy them). This year the Salmon tags sold out in April. I had never hunted the area I hunt now before a couple years ago. It took two days to find the elk and I had one dead the next day and my buddy missed his the same day. He actually had a chance at a spike the night before at 100yds and didn't want to shoot it. There are several other units with decent harvest odds that still have tags.

 

[Guy Miner]

15% success rate is pretty common for elk in the western states isn't it?

Guy

 

[IdahoCTD]

Idaho has many units in the mid to upper 20's Guy but they are the ones that sell out early because of that. I think on average your correct though. When you take those that never get off the roads out of those numbers the success rate for people that actually try to kill an elk is probably closer to 30%. 1 in 3 to 1 in 4 is pretty decent odds IMO. People with limited access to an area, ie non-residents, will have a harder time finding and identifying elk habitat but it's not impossible for a determined hunter. With Google Earth, YouTube, etc there is way more of an advantage to a person that is determined then ever before. Elk hunting, and most hunting, is about effort though. We kill elk because we hunt where most people don't want to hunt or don't know how to hunt.

 

[salmonchaser]

I think Oregon runs about 20% for many hunts, general tags kind of thing. The trophy tags in Mt. Emily and WallaWalla run about 80%. It's probably the country more then opportunity keeping it less then 100% on those tags.
We did draw Colorado. We are in a wilderness area and don't recall what the numbers were. I do recall they were lower then I expected.
I haven't learned if we drew Oregon yet that unit typically runs in the low 20s, but we usually go 3/5 on spikes.


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[Guy Miner]

This is one of those realities of western hunting that has to be considered. More than likely, a hunter will NOT be successful in any given year.

Those who are successful year after year have got something figured out...

I'm feeling pretty good about my success on mule deer, though I haven't ever taken a truly large/record-book buck. I generally get a buck, or a doe when I draw that tag. Am doing okay on black bear too. And real well on pronghorn. Elk? Not so much. I've only taken two, although those were the only two years I actually got serious about elk hunting.

Choose an area known to hold game. Get smart about how to hunt it. Be persistent. If you're back in camp, napping or goofing off, you're not hunting. Though there are the occasional very amusing stories of the guy in camp being the only fellow to actually take game! :grin:

You'll make it happen! Enthusiasm, planning, preparation, then carrying out your plan! Ooh Rah!

Now I'm all fired up about elk hunting.

Guy

 

[1100 Remington Man]

Yes Guy I like Mule Deer & Antelope as well and always 100% success rate. It is my Best Friends year to pick where and what we are hunting, we take turns in our group.
But I'm always up for something new. As far as getting off the road up north of Salmon I averaged 8-10 miles a day and I have to say 10 miles up there is a ass kicker. Mileage off Garmin GPS.
I got close to two Bulls up there inside 100 yards just never got a shot opportunity.
Bad part about Idaho was it is a very very long drive from Iowa, CO,WY,MT,SD are all easy drive.

 

[Songdog]

Colorado totally screwed a lot of folks, in the name of $$$.

I saw three brand new CPW trucks today, $70,000 Chevy Duramaxs.... they sold the residents out.

 

[OtterSix]

I agree with songdog. I drew my deer tag this year,(11 points). Ill keep my daughter in their system,but I'm coming out. I'm convinced the lack of leftover license in eastern Montana reflects this as well. The folks that have given up on Colorado,and the cash crop wildlife,are taking their business to other states. States that traditionally had some un-sold tags. I love being in elk camp up in unit 67. I love visiting Gunnison when we are in the area. I'm not playing the game anymore though.

Our elk tag has been a zero to one point draw. Made it easy to come out every other year or so. With the huge influx of applicants these days,I figure it's going up. Deer tags are ridiculous.

I remember when I was a kid. Yes,I can still remember that far back. A trip to Colorado hunting was a once in a lifetime trip. Unless you were well connected or well paid. A trip "Out west" was what we all dreamed about. Heck,not everyone had a truck suitable for the trip. Now everyone has the time,money,and the truck. Hitting one or more states a year. Never in my wildest dreams would I have bet on that happening. Crazy. Like they say. We made our bed,now we have to sleep in it.

 

[gbflyer]

I had 8 preference points for Colorado Elk and I found out I was unsuccessful for the Elk Draw. I called Colorado they told me they had a additional 10,000 apply for a license this year.
Both Montana and Idaho are sold out of license this was not the case just couple years ago as license would go un sold. So Yes the economy is doing well as more people have money.
I hate the idea of going to Colorado for a across the counter for a Elk license as the success rate is so low with most areas around 15%.
Any ideas of anything Mule Deer or Elk or Bear to hunt this Fall ?

Watch the leftover list as frequently as you can. If you’re flexible, some decent tags come up. Also, if you’re OK with an antlerless tag, that’s not a bad way to go. It’s still going hunting, odds at a kill are better, and the table fare is excellent.

 

[salmonchaser]

For years we, the shooting-hunting fraternity, have worried about recruitment. It seems like we are seeing that occurring.
Whether it's new people starting or older returning I don't know but it will have an impact.
Some anecdotal observations;
We are seeing an influx of younger guests along with wives and kids.
The ranch I guide pheasant hunts on has every weekend booked through the season, and we added leased land to accommodate an additional six to eight hunters.
The deer and elk tags were spoken for with 50% deposits before we'll know how many we get.
We see a lot of very inexperienced hunters, the good news is they are not competing with public land hunts and I yell at them about safety a lot. Hopefully they learn something.
My buddy had nine bear hunters this spring. They killed seven really good bears. One guy left after two days, it was more then he bargained for. The other refused to leave the tent in his underwear and shoot a true giant walking through camp.
The two failures were both described as middle aged very successful business owners.
A booming economy certainly is playing a roll, Phil says that there is a hunting "fad" emerging in young professionals. Says the demographics at the Safari Club conventions has really changed. He describes them as looking for good organic meat for winter, seeking assurances there are no hormones injected etc.
regardless these folks are competing for tags. That's frustrating.
Time for me to go take some of them fishing


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[1100 Remington Man]

Well here in Iowa I can get one any sex tag for muzzle loader and several doe tags, I'm thinking of going that route unless my Best Friend comes up with something. I'm thinking four tags as I like Deer meat my self.

 

[Elkman]

Just to give some here information about tag drawing out West, here is the data for three Oregon units that offer limited entry rifle for branched antlered bulls. These units are managed for mature bulls. The info is for 2017. Unit A, 57 tags available 4,613 applicants. Unit B, 40 tags, 3,484 applicants. Unit C, 2,108 applicants. These hunts occur during the last week of October, and only allow one non-resident hunter. The good news is it normally takes only 15-20 years to draw a tag, and you have to buy a hunting license to apply.

 

[hunter24605]

For years we, the shooting-hunting fraternity, have worried about recruitment. It seems like we are seeing that occurring.
Whether it's new people starting or older returning I don't know but it will have an impact.
Some anecdotal observations;
We are seeing an influx of younger guests along with wives and kids.
The ranch I guide pheasant hunts on has every weekend booked through the season, and we added leased land to accommodate an additional six to eight hunters.
The deer and elk tags were spoken for with 50% deposits before we'll know how many we get.
We see a lot of very inexperienced hunters, the good news is they are not competing with public land hunts and I yell at them about safety a lot. Hopefully they learn something.
My buddy had nine bear hunters this spring. They killed seven really good bears. One guy left after two days, it was more then he bargained for. The other refused to leave the tent in his underwear and shoot a true giant walking through camp.
The two failures were both described as middle aged very successful business owners.
A booming economy certainly is playing a roll, Phil says that there is a hunting "fad" emerging in young professionals. Says the demographics at the Safari Club conventions has really changed. He describes them as looking for good organic meat for winter, seeking assurances there are no hormones injected etc.
regardless these folks are competing for tags. That's frustrating.
Time for me to go take some of them fishing


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Fear not. Most of them will have to be out of the woods by 10:00 to make it to town for Mimosa's and mani-pedi's by noon and a beard waxing at 1:00