FirstFreedom
Moderator
Please help. I've gotten the bug badly to go elk hunt after hearing my buddy's story a few times about arrowing his big bull in an aspen grove in Colo., and now I'm serious about it and determined to go at the latest next fall, but possibly this year if I can swing it. But I have many, many unanswered questions - here are a few of the biggest ones, focused mainly on where & when to hunt:
1. (a) What state has the most number of tags available for being drawn during muzzleloader or rifle, as an out-of-stater, or I should say, highest tags-available number to applicant number ratio? (b) Are there any states where it's NOT a lottery; i.e. where it's just a matter of paying the fee to get the tag (however high that may be)?
2. Archery, Blackpowder, or Rifle hunt - which to try first? One buddy says Archery is better because tag is a sure thing, not a lottery (Colo.), and that they are bugling, so it's more fun, and you might call one in. Other buddy says no, they're not bugling in earnest until muzzleloader season, and so that's the best time (if you can get a tag). (a) But I assume that different states have different seasons - so which states' archery seasons most closely coincide with the rut/bugling, and what states' muzzleloader season most closely correlates to the rut/bugling? (a) Which states have which limitations on primitive/muzzleloader? - for example, I believe that in Colorado, no scopes/irons only, and no smokeless powder - any states prohibit inlines/209 guns? Which states are the most generous and most restrictive on the ML rules? (c) Is it in fact more fun to hunt during the rut? My buddy says rifle hunting them is just glassing and stalking, which sound like fun, but he says not nearly AS exciting. I'm leaning toward archery, so you might answer the questions below with Archery in mind a little more...
3. In what state(s) and what area(s) of that state/those states am I going to find a very high success rate for bulls, assuming I can GET a tag?
4. What about costs of tags? What are each states costs for archery/ML/rifle?
5. What about a composite result - which state should I start looking at first (chamber of commerce, wildlife department, etc.), that's likely to have the highest composite combination of (a) High success rate if you get a tag, (b) High chance of being drawn for a tag, and (c) Low cost of tag? WY, SD, ND, MT, ID, CO, UT, AZ, NM, what?
6. Any specific guide service you might recommend in any state? I want a free-range hunt, not a canned hunt; just an ordinary guide service with a high success rate and fairly low cost. Actually, I'd probably go guideless, just for financial reasons, but it wouldn't hurt to have some guide recommendations in case I can find one I can afford that will lead to a much higher chance of getting on some herds.
Anything else you can tell me? I want a big bull, but not concerned with making the record books, so no need to pay a premium for NM Indian Reservation tag, etc.
1. (a) What state has the most number of tags available for being drawn during muzzleloader or rifle, as an out-of-stater, or I should say, highest tags-available number to applicant number ratio? (b) Are there any states where it's NOT a lottery; i.e. where it's just a matter of paying the fee to get the tag (however high that may be)?
2. Archery, Blackpowder, or Rifle hunt - which to try first? One buddy says Archery is better because tag is a sure thing, not a lottery (Colo.), and that they are bugling, so it's more fun, and you might call one in. Other buddy says no, they're not bugling in earnest until muzzleloader season, and so that's the best time (if you can get a tag). (a) But I assume that different states have different seasons - so which states' archery seasons most closely coincide with the rut/bugling, and what states' muzzleloader season most closely correlates to the rut/bugling? (a) Which states have which limitations on primitive/muzzleloader? - for example, I believe that in Colorado, no scopes/irons only, and no smokeless powder - any states prohibit inlines/209 guns? Which states are the most generous and most restrictive on the ML rules? (c) Is it in fact more fun to hunt during the rut? My buddy says rifle hunting them is just glassing and stalking, which sound like fun, but he says not nearly AS exciting. I'm leaning toward archery, so you might answer the questions below with Archery in mind a little more...
3. In what state(s) and what area(s) of that state/those states am I going to find a very high success rate for bulls, assuming I can GET a tag?
4. What about costs of tags? What are each states costs for archery/ML/rifle?
5. What about a composite result - which state should I start looking at first (chamber of commerce, wildlife department, etc.), that's likely to have the highest composite combination of (a) High success rate if you get a tag, (b) High chance of being drawn for a tag, and (c) Low cost of tag? WY, SD, ND, MT, ID, CO, UT, AZ, NM, what?
6. Any specific guide service you might recommend in any state? I want a free-range hunt, not a canned hunt; just an ordinary guide service with a high success rate and fairly low cost. Actually, I'd probably go guideless, just for financial reasons, but it wouldn't hurt to have some guide recommendations in case I can find one I can afford that will lead to a much higher chance of getting on some herds.
Anything else you can tell me? I want a big bull, but not concerned with making the record books, so no need to pay a premium for NM Indian Reservation tag, etc.