Keep in mind, Mother Nature may conspire against you. I’ve got two friends who drew 61 in the l last two years. One in first season, the other this year in 2nd season. They knew the unit fairly well but had the kind of weather Randy Newburgh had in his hunt video. They did not tag an elk in either of those seasons and they hunted hard every day. This year in second season they only had one chance at a good bull and a cow elk blew the whistle on them as they were closing for the shot. We can’t control what the weather will be like next year but I would look very hard at the moon phase. A full moon and warm weather is not a great combination since the elk can feed all night, return to sanctuary, and won’t bugle for very long in the early morning and hardly at all in the evening. (The bugling is assumed for a first season hunt and maybe a bit during 2nd). That’s why I would suggest applying for the early 1st rifle since you have a bunch of points especially since the new season dates for 1st rifle have been pushed back one week which is one week further from the rut. Bugling is really going to help you locate elk. It might be different at altitude in 76 since 61 is fairly low altitude but I have no experience in 76.
Last edited by BeanMan; 11/24/17.
