Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Best value for getting an Elk

Best value was my son's elk last year. $10 for the youth tag and $50 to $60 worth of gas. Nice big 5x5. I always wanted to live in the west and figured out a way to make it happen. My bighorn sheep cost me $150 back in 2000 before the price increase to $250.

Most guys spend more time sitting at a rifle bench than they do in working their lungs out before coming out here. Doesn't matter how your rifle is doing if you can't walk up a mountain at 11,000 feet. Not to mention packing those big boys out if you are successful.

Generally, just clipping one with the corner of your truck bumper at 25mph will bring down a nice cow or small bull without significant damage to the pickup--and the CDOW will usually let you keep the meat.......



Casey

For the past 20 years, I have killed all but one elk before 9:30 AM--precisely because I know where they live and where their gonna run to in order to hide.........and most of those elk have been on opening morning.



Casey

I'm going to get an over the counter tag and shoot the first elk I come across....hopefully. We are set, as stated for the 3rd rifle season - 1st week in November. I am counting down the days.

Let's hear more about this elevation thing! Where are the elk around the first part of November? What temperatures can we expect?

Cheers
HTB

HammerTimeBagley:

Don't shoot the first elk you see unless it's legal. Not all of them are legal to shoot.

Most over-the-counter tags are bull tags. You can't shoot a cow with an over-the-counter bull tag. Many of the units require at least four points on one side for a legal bull. Study the big game brochure to make sure you are hunting legally.

I think there are still a few units, in north-central CO where they issue over-the-counter cow tags but there's lots of private land there and you have to know how to get permission. There's also lots of BLM land in those units, so it's reasonably easy to hunt there.

Weather has a lot to do with where the elk will be in their annual migration. Last year, the weather was warm and dry in all of the major gun seasons and hunter success was dismal statewide. The elk stayed in the high lonesome and hunters couldn't get to them. I hunt the 3rd rifle season because I hope that the weather will have turned snowy by then to drive the elk out of the high country. In early November, you can expect temperatures anywhere from 70� to -10�, so be prepared to adapt to the situation.

Go back to my original post and read guideline #4.

KC

HTB-
I would definitely consider a cow tag. You have a lot to learn, if you have not been in this country before. If you consider this first trip a learning expedition, with the plan to come back again in a year or two, then a cow hunt would be be a good orientation opportunity. Particularly if you think that buying the $400 out of state bull tag--and then not filling it--will bother you. The cow tag is cheaper, and easier to fill. And the hills will be just as steep and the views just as breathtaking. (Or is the hills that are breathtaking?)

Left over cow tags will be posted on the DOW web site after the draw. Try to get one of them in a unit that has lots of public land.

http://wildlife.state.co.us/ShopDOW/AppsAndLicenses/

Like others have said, yes take the time and do a DIY.
My thought process was go where the elk are and where I can get a tag. That means Colorado. That also means NW colorado since that is the white river herd, the biggest. Pick a big track of public land, buy both tags so you can shoot almost any elk you see and go have fun. A buddy and myself did exactly that last year and tagged two bulls and a cow. It was both our first elk hunts. We should have had the last cow tag filled also, but I flubbed the shot and then the last day we had another opportunity, but thought they were on private and after studying the maps more from home, we realized they were on public. But we have frezzers full anyway.

The advice we were given was to take any legal animal. Having both tags in your posession means that 80-90% of the elk you see will be legal to shoot. Only spike and small bulls are off limits.

We have another trip planned this year and I am already running to stay in shape. better shape you are in, the better off you will be. Being in good shape for sure helped us get our critters.

Best Value....Live in elk country.

Thanks for all the info guys...yes, this is all very new to me (and exciting). I will definitely be looking into a cow tag - it seems that they won't be available until late July for the OTC bull or cow tags. Seems about right. One thing I do know is that I will be in shape for the trip. I'm still a young buck, and exercise regularly.

ORhunter - "live in elk country"... not an option - unfortunately! Gotta stay down South my friend.

HTB

Run stadium stairs, do wind sprints and walk with heavy ruck to build build both legs and VO2.

You are gonna love it. Hump up a ridge at 4am with a ruck and have the sweat run off your nose as your legs burn. Get to your spot before first light, put your snivvle gear on, load your weapon and watch the sunrise while you sip lemonlime gatoraide. You will feel alive.

Cheers!!!!!

Big +1 to this, we always bring a couple cases of gaterade to camp.

Hammer... Here is my take on this:

Like yourself, I also don't live in Elk Country. Not many running around here in Texas these days (unless you count the ones behind the high fences).

I did all kinds of reading and research. There is a TON of great information on this site, and you can even search back 2 years. I spent many rainy days doing that. I read a few books, contacted a few outfitters, and talked to Wildlife personnel in CO. After digging for as much info as possible (took about a year), I came to this conclusion:

I'm a family man. I have a wife, and someday - Lord willing - I will have kids. I enjoy my life in Texas. I enjoy the hunting Texas has to offer. Taking all of that into consideration, I know that in my lifetime, I will realistically have the chance to hunt Elk in CO (or other states) only a handfull of times - maybe 5 or 6 total.

Since I can only see myself making it a few times, I can't justify doing a DIY hunt and eating tag soup. I know I'm going to catch some hell for that because "its hunting, not shooting, and its more about the experience, etc etc..." What I'm saying is this: For the few times that I get to go hunt Big Game, I'm going to spend the extra money to hire a guide and give myself the chance of coming home successful.

DISCLAIMER: I know that guide services are NOT 100% 'get your bull'. I know that. But it would be hard to argue that for someone like myself that does not live in Elk Country, and does not have the time to scout an do all the things to be successful -- my greatest opportunity sits with an outfitter service. I mean, thats why they exist. To provide those that want the experiece, with the experience.

So thats my take. I know it won't sit pretty with many, but when you don't live in Elk country, and you have a busy family life at home, you gotta make some choices. Believe me - I would love to be like the guys here that have DYI Elk succuess. I read thier stories and dream. But I wouldn't trade my life for anything.

One of the few things the South Dakota Game Fish & Parks has done well at is managing the Black Hills Elk population. Not open to non-residents and a resident tag isn't easy to get either but you have very good odds of taking a very nice bull if your not afraid to get out and put a few miles on.

My first tag in '03 which was also my first elk hunt. Got up opening morning (no prior scouting on my end). Walked about a 1/2-1 mile in from the road and sat down next to a tree over looking a meadow as I had planned on doing some stalking to learn the land a little bit. Not five minutes later and barely light enough to see I looked up and had a 7x5 walking right towards me. 14 yards away and didn't take me but two seconds to decide to pull the trigger.

I've taken one other out of the park bull with my bow a few years after that and also was successful with a rifle cow tag.

Waiting on four more tags that sooner or later I'll get drawn for. Few more years before I can start applying for the out of park tag again.

Couple years ago my step-father drew his Custer State Park tag and (17 years). He hunted all week with a friend and they shot a small rag horn. I went out with him the following weekend and the second day out he took a very nice 6x6.



Doesn't do anyone out of state any good, but at least these hunts are cheap by most standards and you have a good chance of taking a very nice bull.

Colorado is the best state for DIY hunts,
granted the quality of the elk suffer from the unlimited tags.
These are all from DIY colorado public land hunts. And there is more than that.

I have hunted two areas in colorado without ever stepping foot there before and come out with elk. Did all my scouting on Yahoo and Google satalites and maps.

Best tactic for me for third season elk, find a large area of timber were elk will bed with few roads, then find aspen and grassy meadows coming below the timber on the south - southwest side. Elk will come from the timber at dusk into the aspen and meadows, then return at dawn. The key is to intercept them coming and going through this route. I have a harder time doing this in the evening (do to winds and elk seem to be more wary after all the days activity). but have got a few in the evening. Most of mine come in the morning, get to the edge of the timber and described aspens and meadows at least one hour before light and wait for the elk to make there way back up.



1. is where we set up camp.
2. is where elk bed during the day.
3. is where they cross to get to the valley and aspens below
4. is the aspens and grassy valley below
5. is where I sit to intercept them
So I get up at 4am and hike from spot 1 to spot 5 staying right on the edge of the timber. Usually a 45min to 90min hike.
Even though there were three roads in this area We ended up getting two bulls and a cow.

I have found elk in this pattern everywhere in the state. But they seem to be in this pattern more in later seasons, 3rd and 4th particulary in the early seasons I have not seen it so much.

It has worked well for me hope it is of help to you. Most of the elk below were hunted using this method in 3rd or 4th season.

Be prepared for any type of weather 70�to 80� and sunny or 10� to 20� and snow. In the high country you can get up to 3ft in a 24hr period. You don't have to be in great shape to hunt elk (don't get me wrong the better shape you are in the easier and more enjoyable) pretty much anyone in any shape can hunt elk, they just have to do it at there pace. may have to leave 2hrs early to hike slower. May take 2 days of packing out to get the animal out.






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The economy or my carreer has forced my to satrt planning DIY hunts. I am thinking of a muzzlleloader hunt in 2010. Good info here guys.