DIY Elk Hunt

[Sigma]

I'd like to try a do-it-yourself elk hunt this year, Idaho or Wyoming. Just a meat hunt, perhaps with an OTC cow tag.

Any recommendations or experiences?

 

[Killzone]

My info to chopper complies, its over the counter tags either sex, in 80, 81 CO.

good luck! I want to go 1 st week archery. I looked at drop camps too. but this place serves up all ur food and bag lunches and scouts but noy guide.

oh sorry this is CO

 

[nwtfhunter]

Better stick to Wy, there are no Elk in Id............... LOL
I think that you will find better odds at OTC Cow Dep tags for Wy. If you would like, I can contact my friend and see what the details are if you dont already know.

 

[wyemjohnson]

There will be left over WY cow tags in unit 84/85 type 6, available Aug 15. This area is over objective. Give WY G&F a call.

 

[wmidbrook]

I have 3 things to say about DIY hunts----Do It Yourself....

That said, I think Wyo J is right. There are some excellent "left over" cow tags to be had in Wyo if your willing to spring the non-res price tag for a full priced cow tag.

 

[Sigma]

Thanks guys. I'm familiar with area 85. How about further south in Wyoming?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

I have 3 things to say about DIY hunts----Do It Yourself...[/b]

???

 

[bpnclark]

Unit 43 in CO is a great place for a DYI cow hunt.

 

[wyemjohnson]

Actually the WY type 6 tags are reduced price so only around $250 for a cow elk tag. Not too bad. The Fall Creek herd is 20% over objective. They counted over 5000 elk at the south Jackson feedgrounds last week.

 

[wmidbrook]

I was trying to sound funny but when I read it again it sounded a bit harsh....

You can buy a type 2 cow tag in most high demand bull units for around $500. Getting in on the type 6 cow tags (reduced price) is what is a whole lot more difficult. Even if the tags WyoJohnson's talking about (type 6) aren't available, you'd likely be able to get the type 2 tags (full price).

That said a solid DIY technique is to find the cow hunt units with highest success--say, the top 10 or 20--then look up draw odds. At least half of those tags will be available OTC after the draw and then pick an area with good public access in the type of country you want to hunt. Another thing that's really neat for someone who's interested in antlerless hunts in Wyo is that you can usually get tags for either deer or antelope depending on where you are hunting. For example, I shot a doe deer last year in addition to my bull. There are a lot of units with that type of opportunity if you start digging into a bit. But, it's hard to overlook an awesome cow hunt like the one Wyojohnson mentioned. Either way, you'll have a blast no doubt.

Bill

 

[Huntr Pat]

Why Wyoming? If you buy Colorado over the counter elk tag its either sex for Archery.

 

[barel74]

I've hunted 36 in Idaho a few times. Over the counter, saw quite a few cows every time, on diy hunts. Will be going back on a drop camp hunt this year in the White Clouds

 

[huntnfool13]

I think bpnclark is correct. You ought to look into Colorado if your strictly meat hunting. I've always bought a bull tag over the counter. But there hasn't been a year that I couldn't of killed a good size cow. I've dragged many a cow out for my buddy who usually draws a cow tag. April 1st is the deadline. Good luck.

 

[Sigma]

Thanks for feedback, guys. I'll look into Colorado as well, but I'm not into bowhunting yet.

wmidbrook,

Thanks. It's hard to gauge "good public access" without seeing or experiencing the area. I've been using Google Earth to check out unfamiliar terrain. One of my friends up in Wyoming reports that last year he got his elk out alone on a mountain bike in area 104....

Anyway, since last years trip to Wyoming eating beef no longer excites me....

 

[wmidbrook]

It's pretty straight forward. The units with astericks have tough public access. I always follow up with a call into at least 2 Wyoming Game & Fish (or any F& G agency) personnel to validate that the stats reflect reality on public lands. I'd call and inquire about the top three choices. Bugle magazine always features various regions...over the years you can get an idea from it, bbs'ers like JHO, & other industry rags & shows on what some interesting units might be.

 

[wmidbrook]

Barel, that sounds like a good hunt. I know some others that hunt up that way in the pioneer unit and they seem to enjoy it...I might head up that way as a plan b if I don't draw any tags this year.

 

[barel74]

It's a descent area. We hunt just ouside of Stanley. Probably not going to see many (if any) monsters, but there's definitley some respectable game. Make sure you get a deer tag, my buddy killed a nice 4pt a few years back, and you can tag a bear or a lion with your deer tag, not that you can bring the lion back to CA, but....

 

[bpnclark]

If you consider CO, unit 43 is great place. My brother and I went because the area got a huge write up in Hunt’n Fool a few years ago. He bought a Bull tag and I bought a Cow tag. It was our first time hunting the area and I was surprised how much good public land was open to hunt. Almost all of it was Foot or Horse access only (which we prefer). Every year I want to go back but something else always comes up. My brother didn’t get a bull but I got a nice tasty cow.

There are a ton of places to hunt in CO. I recommend staying close to the White River National Forest. Good luck.

 

[Sigma]

Thanks Guys,

That's the kind of feedback I was looking for.

bpnclark,

Sounds pretty good! I'll check into Colorado. I like foot or horse access only, keeps it from gettin' too crowded.

Any of you guys hauled out one alone without a horse? If so, how did you do it? Draggin' really takes it out of ya.....and I'm not considering goats.

 

[huntnfool13]

Hey Sigma I can't speak for bpnclark but I was talking about rifle season. Cows are drawing in most areas and bulls are over the counter in most areas on public property. I can tell you one things for sure, they had a very, very low kill ratio on elk in 2007, so my guess is that there are allot of elk for this year. I hear the wolf population is taking a toll on elk in Idaho.

 

[Sigma]

huntnfool13,

Yeah, I was thinking rifle. Just checked CO Game Management, they've got alot of CWD impacted areas, it seems. Decisions, decisions, I don't have much time before April 1.....