elk unit 31
- Thread starter norm73
- Start date
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
Historically Unit 31 is a great unit and great success. I have heard the quality has declined somewhat the past few years. Unit 30, 31 and 32 are all great archery units from what I've been told. Unit 32 was promoted by a big name hunting consultant in 2011 and the draw odds went to pot. The nice thing in those units, is you can bow hunt the last few days of September, then pick up your rifle on October 1, know where your bull is and go in and get em'.
If you applied in Unit 7 you would likely draw next year. The trophy class is fantastic. If archery is your goal it can be awesome, but you will have to do your homework, due to private land issues. But if you are willing to backpack in 2-3 miles, it can be amazing. Again, do your homework on access. What I have heard, is don't draw Unit 7 if you plan to hunt rifle on public land, because the bulls are on private land in no time once the shooting starts, and it can be tough with a rifle on public land.
If you applied in Unit 7 you would likely draw next year. The trophy class is fantastic. If archery is your goal it can be awesome, but you will have to do your homework, due to private land issues. But if you are willing to backpack in 2-3 miles, it can be amazing. Again, do your homework on access. What I have heard, is don't draw Unit 7 if you plan to hunt rifle on public land, because the bulls are on private land in no time once the shooting starts, and it can be tough with a rifle on public land.
I had an area 31 tag this year and the hunting was good but numbers are down to about wgf objective levels and suspect allot of elk stayed in colorado after the hard winter. I archery hunted this area 4 years ago and it was fantastic, these bulls do become call shy and the rut runs later than in the mnts. The area is easy to learn and it is 90% public land with the optons of mnt timber or dessert juniper. One bull killed in the area this year scored over 350 but mine in the same class eluded me, I passed on several bulls over 300. This tag gives a long archery season, a month long rifle season and then it turns to a cow tag for two weeks.