Hunting & Fishing Anyone go OTC Elk out west?

[WT1]

Anyone buy OTC Elk tags out west this year and have any success?

I've been looking at Colorado, the closest state to me here in Wisconsin for OTC rifle tags. I think second season rifle is the first season you can purchase OTC tags if you are from out of state.

Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions and anything to share?

TIA

 

[davsco]

i'm looking forward to my first elk hunt this fall, rifle! vs otc, why not just enter for the draw? from my little research seems there are units where nonresidents can draw in first rifle with no pref points.

 

[alpine44]

I lived in MT for two years and IMO non-resident big game tags are a gigantic rip-off.

Most out of state folks who pay thousands of dollars for their hunt will see more other hunters than they will see Elk due to the limited seasons and areas.

Most residents pay their 25 bucks and wait until the Elk migrate and then it's like shooting fish in a barrel. I was having coffee and doughnuts with a landowner to thank him for letting me fill my tags on his land when one of his church buddies stopped by to get a day permit. That guy was back in less than an hour with an Elk in his truck, shot by his teenage daughter.

Some call this hunting but I like to be out on my own for several days or weeks, learn about the land and the game and then use my wit and skills to make the kill.

I made a couple of friends who would join me on foot or horse back and we all filled our tags while avoiding the crowds. But you need to live in the area to make these connections, do your homework, keep the cost reasonable, and not just be one of the few lucky tourists who stumble upon an Elk two days after they flew in or -more likely-come home empty handed.

In other words, hunt where you live.

 

[kurt]

That is a whole load of fucking bullshit right there. There are huge tracts of public land and if a person is willing to put the work in you can get an elk. The hunt were you live doesnt work what if there are no mountains or elk. I know alot of people form montana and they go early and bow hunt the rut. They go up high and hunt with their rifles. I havnt hunted Col but my buddy has and killed an elk the last two years. Just going out there and packing in and living in the mountains is worth it even if you dont kill any thing. A combo elk and deer tag is a grand so the only people paying thousands for hunts are guided ones. Dont let people run you off it is a challenge and a addicting one once you do it you will be back and want to go every year.

 

[DetroitRearView]

^^^^

I get at least 2 a year, sometimes 3 if I find a bull better than my last one. I am an old guy, scout, pack in on foot and pack’em out on my back 100# a trip. Public land, mountains, rarely see other hunters, general tag or OTC. Hard work, but a hoot!

 

[WT1]

^^^^

I get at least 2 a year, sometimes 3 if I find a bull better than my last one. I am an old guy, scout, pack in on foot and pack’em out on my back 100# a trip. Public land, mountains, rarely see other hunters, general tag or OTC. Hard work, but a hoot!

View attachment 6872456View attachment 6872457View attachment 6872458

Very nice pictures. Sounds like a lot of fun.

What kind of pack do you use and how do you hole up, in a tent? On the ground? Hammock?

 

[WT1]

I lived in MT for two years and IMO non-resident big game tags are a gigantic rip-off.

Most out of state folks who pay thousands of dollars for their hunt will see more other hunters than they will see Elk due to the limited seasons and areas.

Most residents pay their 25 bucks and wait until the Elk migrate and then it's like shooting fish in a barrel. I was having coffee and doughnuts with a landowner to thank him for letting me fill my tags on his land when one of his church buddies stopped by to get a day permit. That guy was back in less than an hour with an Elk in his truck, shot by his teenage daughter.

Some call this hunting but I like to be out on my own for several days or weeks, learn about the land and the game and then use my wit and skills to make the kill.

I made a couple of friends who would join me on foot or horse back and we all filled our tags while avoiding the crowds. But you need to live in the area to make these connections, do your homework, keep the cost reasonable, and not just be one of the few lucky tourists who stumble upon an Elk two days after they flew in or -more likely-come home empty handed.

In other words, hunt where you live.

Yeah, I've been reading up on it and buying DVD's. Seems to me the best way is to scout in advance. I've also purchased some BLM maps of the areas I think I'd hunt and called the Colorado Dept of Fish and Game and spoken with a guy called a "Hunt Planner." He gave me some good pointers that I was able to verify when I purchased some books that talk about hunting elk in Colorado. So the hunt planner wasn't bs'ing me just to sell me a tag. He appeared to be trying to put me on a bull elk. The migration routes are pretty historical and the summer, winter, fall zones are all mapped out, so depending upon when you are there, you plan to hunt in the zone where the elk would historically be. Unless there is a freakish weather pattern, you should do ok. At least that's what I was able to get out of it. Still have to do some hiking, but that's fine with me.

 

[WT1]

That is a whole load of fucking bullshit right there. There are huge tracts of public land and if a person is willing to put the work in you can get an elk. The hunt were you live doesnt work what if there are no mountains or elk. I know alot of people form montana and they go early and bow hunt the rut. They go up high and hunt with their rifles. I havnt hunted Col but my buddy has and killed an elk the last two years. Just going out there and packing in and living in the mountains is worth it even if you dont kill any thing. A combo elk and deer tag is a grand so the only people paying thousands for hunts are guided ones. Dont let people run you off it is a challenge and a addicting one once you do it you will be back and want to go every year.

Montana would be nice. From what I can tell Colorado has more elk and is more interested in seeing their numbers adjusted annually, but that's a novice talking. I've driven through and hiked in both Montana and Colorado, but the only time I've seen elk was near Jasper in Alberta Canada when I pitched my tent beside the highway after getting lost trying to find lodgings and when I woke up in the morning and unzipped my tent I was surrounded by a huge herd of elk as they walked up the side of the mountain.

 

[DetroitRearView]

Very nice pictures. Sounds like a lot of fun.

What kind of pack do you use and how do you hole up, in a tent? On the ground? Hammock?

Small one man backpack tent. KUIU Pack with meat sacks. I bone out at site. The only bones I take out are “antlers”
I live on water that I find and trail mix.

 

[kurt]

I run a kifaru pack and seek out side floorless shelter with a small titanium wood stove. I dehydrate my meals and some mountain house. Lots of trail mix. Its taken a few years but dont pack for what ifs you will bring everything but need nothing i have made that mistake. Lots of good info on Rokslide.com it is a backcountry hunting forum.

 

[alpine44]

I run a kifaru pack and seek out side floorless shelter with a small titanium wood stove. I dehydrate my meals and some mountain house. Lots of trail mix. Its taken a few years but dont pack for what ifs you will bring everything but need nothing i have made that mistake. Lots of good info on Rokslide.com it is a backcountry hunting forum.

View attachment 6872689View attachment 6872688

I like that tent; have to check it out. With horses we took the traditional wall tents but they are too heavy to hump on foot. And the small hiking tents are just too miserable for more than a day or two in the winter.

I see that you are from SD. So you can drive to MT or CO, save another grand in travel cost, and take the meat home. That makes the whole equation more attractive. I loved hunting in MT. Just wanted to give a reality check for people who fly in from thousands of miles away with little time, no chance to scout, and unable to time their hunt depending on weather conditions.

How is hunting in the Blackhills? We drove through there when moving back East from MT and it looked like an interesting area.

 

[kurt]

We drive out as it lets us have plan a b c d and e as the mountains dictate. Hell that is part of the fun the good ol road trip with some good buddies. The tent is a seek out side cimaron. Hunting in the hills is good just hard to draw a tag takes 10-15 years for elk but you get to rifle hunt during the rut so getting one is not hard if you work at it. Decent deer hunting i will be hunting for turkeys out there this spring for the first time so that should be fun.

 

[alpine44]

We drive out as it lets us have plan a b c d and e as the mountains dictate. Hell that is part of the fun the good ol road trip with some good buddies. The tent is a seek out side cimaron. Hunting in the hills is good just hard to draw a tag takes 10-15 years for elk but you get to rifle hunt during the rut so getting one is not hard if you work at it. Decent deer hunting i will be hunting for turkeys out there this spring for the first time so that should be fun.

I just browsed the Seek Outside website and I am going to give them a call about the LBO. Looks like a very versatile option.

There had to be a catch with the Black Hills as it would be about half the distance for me than driving to MT. Where did you hunt in MT?

 

[DetroitRearView]

#1 what Kurt said; Rokslide good info and take what you know you need - not what you may need. I learned this the hard way over the years. So listening to experienced backcountry hunters like him and others is huge.

The country, the animals, helping your buddy get his first Elk and the peace is worth every step...

 

[paxamus]

This thread has me so amped up to go elk hunting out west- some buddies of mine from work are getting one together for this year

 

[mi223]

Detroitrearveiw.
How many days do you go out at a time? Living on water and trailmix. It sounds great and miserable all at the same time

 

[DetroitRearView]

How many days do you go out at a time? Living on water and trailmix. It sounds great and miserable all at the same time

This Fall 11 days before I got the bull I wanted. I am so focused on the hunt that food and water is simply the required fuel to what I love doing out there - the pursuit and apprehension of said quarry in rugged mountainous public terrain. Nothing quite like it for me.

 

[mi223]

This Fall 11 days before I got the bull I wanted. I am so focused on the hunt that food and water is simply the required fuel to what I love doing out there - the pursuit and apprehension of said quarry in rugged mountainous public terrain. Nothing quite like it for me.

View attachment 6873371

This Fall 11 days before I got the bull I wanted. I am so focused on the hunt that food and water is simply the required fuel to what I love doing out there - the pursuit and apprehension of said quarry in rugged mountainous public terrain. Nothing quite like it for me.

View attachment 6873371

Very cool. Curious as to how much trail mix you bring along and how many days you figure you can go when you leave your truck? Do you have a water filtering device?

Sorry for all the questions. Just cant wait to get back out west to hunt

 

[DetroitRearView]

I use the steriPEN uv adventerer when needed. I live on a quart bag of Tmix a day and take 7-10 with me. I always have extra mix and water in my truck if needed.

I normally hunt 2-5 miles in from the nearest vehicle access pt. Since I hunt on foot, I have found that 3 mile “buffer” to contain some really good animals. Most horse hunters go in 7 plus miles, most truck hunters, less than a mile.

I stay off horse trails. They are highways to the critters. I avoid people, explore the beauty of this land and eventually bump into my quarry and cool stuff like this, a 3 ton boulder that would have fallen down another 3000 ft to the bottom of the canyon but for this old tree. They bonded and the tree gave up some life and color in the process.

 

[mi223]

Great info. I am very impressed

 

[sled_mack]

Detroitrearview,
What is in your trailmix? The stuff you can buy is not all equal, but I’m guessing you might make your own?

Being from the east, I enjoy reading how some of you hunt out west.

 

[DetroitRearView]

I keep it simple: https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature-Trail-Mix,-4-lbs.product.100333032.html

I can’t make it for that $$, plus we wait until it is on sale buy 10 at a whack and freeze them.

 

[WeiserBucks]

The best advice I can give is just dive in , you may be successful and you may not . There's plenty of mistakes to be made and you'll make them .

That's when you'll decide to correct the mistakes and be a western DIY hunter every chance you get , or quit . Most people quit because they don't have the drive to overcome the difficulty .

 

[kurt]

I have hunted Idaho because of the OTC tags and the lack of grizzley bears. There are so many different meal lists out there and you have to pick what is right for you. I eat instant oat meal in the morning and trail mix or protein bars through the day and a mountain house or heathers choice for supper. I would not have enough energy just on trail mix but if you can do it saves lots of weight. the hot meal at night is some thing that mentally just helps me and the mental side is the hardest part. You can read alot but jumping in head first is the best way to do it

 

[supercorndogs]

I use the steriPEN uv adventerer when needed. I live on a quart bag of Tmix a day and take 7-10 with me. I always have extra mix and water in my truck if needed.

I normally hunt 2-5 miles in from the nearest vehicle access pt. Since I hunt on foot, I have found that 3 mile “buffer” to contain some really good animals. Most horse hunters go in 7 plus miles, most truck hunters, less than a mile.

I stay off horse trails. They are highways to the critters. I avoid people, explore the beauty of this land and eventually bump into my quarry and cool stuff like this, a 3 ton boulder that would have fallen down another 3000 ft to the bottom of the canyon but for this old tree. They bonded and the tree gave up some life and color in the process.
View attachment 6873383

Have you ever done any studying on spanish trail markers? They would do stuff like this to mark water, mining sights, camp sights, claims, and trails. They were all over this country for 200 years before the Louisiana purchase. It is some really fun history to look for. I have actually managed to find parts of a several trails. One has a spot marked by flint boulders the size of VW bugs stacked with big flat flint boulders in between them.

My avatar I believe is one also, the rock in the center was taken a couple hundred yards from the cliff face where all the lichen grows, up on top into the sun. Some of the rock was chiseled away down the right side and center making nose eye mouth, and the lichen was scraped away on the left side making another eye.

 

[DetroitRearView]

Have you ever done any studying on spanish trail markers? They would do stuff like this to mark water, mining sights, camp sights, claims, and trails. They were all over this country for 200 years before the Louisiana purchase. It is some really fun history to look for. I have actually managed to find parts of a several trails. One has a spot marked by flint boulders the size of VW bugs stacked with big flat flint boulders in between them.

My avatar I believe is one also, the rock in the center was taken a couple hundred yards from the cliff face where all the lichen grows, up on top into the sun. Some of the rock was chiseled away down the right side and center making nose eye mouth, and the lichen was scraped away on the left side making another eye.

No, have not done that...thanks for the incentive! I have tended towards finding old homesteads, caves, fossils, petrified wood and arrow heads.

I will have to look into that. I have read all the historical records that I could find on Hugh Glass, since it seems quite plausible that his bones are still lying somewhere just a few miles SW of my place. I keep looking - Ha!

My wife and I hike a lot out here. We found this perfect arrow head a mile from our home on Cedar Mountain (Native Americans called it “Spirit Mountain” lots of caves, fire rings etc up there.

Thanks

 

[DetroitRearView]

I have hunted Idaho because of the OTC tags and the lack of grizzley bears. There are so many different meal lists out there and you have to pick what is right for you. I eat instant oat meal in the morning and trail mix or protein bars through the day and a mountain house or heathers choice for supper. I would not have enough energy just on trail mix but if you can do it saves lots of weight. the hot meal at night is some thing that mentally just helps me and the mental side is the hardest part. You can read alot but jumping in head first is the best way to do it

Yeh, about those bears...it is an everyday issue here and wolves of course. I ran into this beast everyday this last Elk season.

 

[alpine44]

As far as food is concerned: Stores like Big Lots have freeze dried soups, chili, etc. for very reasonable prices. Weighs very little and together with Jerky can compete with the much pricier hiker's meals. I like to eat well when possible so I have a little physical and mental buffer if things go sideways.

 

[jrassy]

I am researching a West bound Elk hunt as well, lots of good information. I have wore out Rokslide.com
do you guys carry a spotting scope, tripod,and binoculars?

 

[WeiserBucks]

Depends on the difficulty of the area, I ALWAYS have my binoculars. If the terrain isn't brutal or I'm only going to be out for 2-3 days I bring the spotter and tripod . Good binoculars are a must in my opinion.

 

[davsco]

good question. this fall will be first elk hunt for me. testing vortex spotters - 11-33x50 and 20-60x85. holy cow is the 20-60 way larger and heavier. that said, think i will try to throw that and the pig tripod in my backpack for the 5 day hunt and day or two before scouting. and 8x binos. heaven forbid i actually get a bull and the glass will feel like i'm toting air i guess...

 

[WT1]

I've camped using lots of freeze dried food. As long as you have a water source, you're good. Trail mix is a good source of everything you need. Jack's Links make for a good meat source.

 

[DetroitRearView]

If you are not after a trophy bull, then you can leave your spotter - but only if you tripod an excellent binocular. If you glass systematically via tripod you will find elk if they are there.

I carry a swaro bino and their BTX spotter always, with the BTX I can spot elk at 10 miles or an antler tine at 1000 yards that I would have otherwise missed.

If you take the SLC 15x56’s - they can be a compromise for your only glass. Tripod is essential, in my opinion - my success rate has gone up exponentially in the last several years because I listened to my friend Jaret Owens (Alaska Guide Creations) regarding tripod bino glassing techniques.

Also, regarding food the reason I only take trail mix is that I hunt right in the middle of elk country and do not allow fires in my camp. No meat products because of the bears. I have enough trouble with them as it is. Even the extra trail mix I hang at least 10-15’ high in trees.

Deer and antelope may stick around if they are only alerted by one of their senses, perhaps verifying a twig broken by sight or smell...one sense alerted for elk and they are out of there. A whiff of smoke or strange movement you won’t see or hear them depart for safer country.

 

[WT1]

Also, regarding food the reason I only take trail mix is that I hunt right in the middle of elk country and do not allow fires in my camp. No meat products because of the bears. I have enough trouble with them as it is. Even the extra trail mix I hang at least 10-15’ high in trees.

Deer and antelope may stick around if they are only alerted by one of their senses, perhaps verifying a twig broken by sight or smell...one sense alerted for elk and they are out of there. A whiff of smoke or strange movement you won’t see or hear them depart for safer country.

That's interesting that you don't allow fires. Makes a lot of sense.