I am in the beginning stages of planning my first Elk hunt and am looking for advice. I have hunted in Texas all my life but have decided it is time to plan my dream hunt (within the next 3-6) years. I do not have any preference points right now but am planning on purchasing one each year. My question is which state would you recommend and which guide service (being I have no experience out West). I am looking for a pack in type Trophy bull hunt. I don't mind paying guide fees as I have never been Elk hunting. I am currently 41 years old and in good shape. I am looking for a rifle hunt and have no interest in bow hunting. I have looked into Wilderness hunts in Wyoming with Colby Gains. The trip will be for me and a buddy. We are looking into purchasing a point today for Wyoming since the deadline is the 31st. Is Wyoming the best choice for us or should we be looking at other states?
First Elk hunt. Which state?
- Thread starter ET8300
- Start date
Wyoming general tags at the moment can be had for less than that. 6 points isn't going to get you into the top tier units as of yet, but the pack in hunts can yield good results.
Lots of info on the forum. Can you do us all a favor and go post an introduction as well?
Lots of info on the forum. Can you do us all a favor and go post an introduction as well?
Get your point as it will only help in the future. As for planning a dream hunt lots of choices out there and questions, type of hunt, size of animal etc. To make that dream hunt the best hunt elk a couple of times with not near the preasure of a once in a life hunt.
JimP
Administrator
Fist off what are you considering a "trophy" Is it any bull that you manage to bag or is it one that scores well into the 300"-400".
Just a bull elk is a great trophy to most.
Odds are if you have never hunted elk you are in for a learning curve. I know a lot of bow hunters that have never drawn a bow back on a bull and they have hunted elk a lot. If you don't have the time to get to know elk and elk country you are going to have to go with a outfitter and even then it isn't like it is on TV. Most archery hunters go home empty handed even with a guide.
So I would figure at a minimum you are at least 6 years out to draw a tag, unless you look at Idaho or possibly Montana but I would go with Idaho and a outfitter if you are looking at it in the next couple of years.
Just a bull elk is a great trophy to most.
Odds are if you have never hunted elk you are in for a learning curve. I know a lot of bow hunters that have never drawn a bow back on a bull and they have hunted elk a lot. If you don't have the time to get to know elk and elk country you are going to have to go with a outfitter and even then it isn't like it is on TV. Most archery hunters go home empty handed even with a guide.
So I would figure at a minimum you are at least 6 years out to draw a tag, unless you look at Idaho or possibly Montana but I would go with Idaho and a outfitter if you are looking at it in the next couple of years.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
You could hunt New Mexico with an outfitter, most can get landowner tags if you don't draw. But you better have a good bank account!
You can build your points and hunt OTC in Idaho to get some experience elk hunting.
Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, Idaho all have good draw units you can build points in.
Good luck.
Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, Idaho all have good draw units you can build points in.
Good luck.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Yup, plenty of points, app, and of course big bull discussion here.
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Fink
Veteran member
With no points now, 3-6 points in any state isn't going to get you anything but a general tag (maybe) in WY, and a tag in a low demand CO unit. I'd work on finding an outfitter you liked in NM, CO or NV, and locking in a landowner permit when you're ready to hunt.
RICMIC
Veteran member
Buy whatever points you can NOW, and stay on top of it each year. I just returned from my 3rd trip with a WY outfitter and took my 3rd 6x6 bull. Now that doesn't mean it was easy by any means, as it was a horseback, public land, wilderness area hunt in a GENERAL area. At present, it will take 2 pts. to draw that tag, and I would expect it to be 3 pts. in 3 years. You can't get a point in a year that you draw, so you have to do the math and plan ahead. Most of the "good" outfitters are booked a couple years in advance, so start your research as you are building your points.
Of the 18 guys (including me) that I recruited in those camps since 2011, we have taken 11 elk, of which there was one 7x7, and 4 6x6's. Three of those 6x6's were mine, and likely because I was the only guy in good enough shape and confident enough for the long shot. The first two were stalked from miles away and shot at 60 yds., but my most recent bull was 550 yds. The guy who took the 7x7 took my advice to heart and really worked to get in shape and practice his shooting, and got his bull at 375 yards.
The research, preparation, and these discussions are a big part of the fun. Happy hunting, good luck, and welcome to the forum.
Of the 18 guys (including me) that I recruited in those camps since 2011, we have taken 11 elk, of which there was one 7x7, and 4 6x6's. Three of those 6x6's were mine, and likely because I was the only guy in good enough shape and confident enough for the long shot. The first two were stalked from miles away and shot at 60 yds., but my most recent bull was 550 yds. The guy who took the 7x7 took my advice to heart and really worked to get in shape and practice his shooting, and got his bull at 375 yards.
The research, preparation, and these discussions are a big part of the fun. Happy hunting, good luck, and welcome to the forum.
jvonbank
Member
Getting a few points in WY to go on a general hunt with an outfitter in a wilderness area would be a good place to start. Starting with no bonus points, I would also consider applying in NM because they don't have a point system and if you are going with an outfitter they allocate more of the NR tags to them. As a plus, the drive from TX to NM will be better! I am sure you could find a very good outfitted hunt in MT on private land in a general unit too. Any of those hunts could provide a good chance at a 300" bull which would be a very nice elk. If $ isn't a big object and you're willing to spend upwards of 8-10k, you could get landowner tags and private access in many places with a better chance at mid 300" elk. Otherwise, build points everywhere you can and be prepared to wait 10+ years to draw a really good limited entry tag. Someone has to draw them and if you wait long enough it could be you!
Good luck,
Jared
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Good luck,
Jared
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JEandAsGuide
Active Member
A lot of good advice already. You are doing the right thing by getting ready now for a hunt in the future. The WY general wilderness hunt would be good and a chance at a solid bull if you're going to spend the money to go guided. I want to do this hunt a few years after I burn my points. Buy your points and stay on top of them. Until then apply in NM and maybe do one or two OTC hunts in CO or ID. Even though you may go guided, having some experience will make a huge difference. You could even do an antelope or deer hunt while you build points. If you're anything like me, the first trip won't be your last.
BrettKoenecke
Member
- Jun 28, 2013
- 137
- 5
I'd suggest points in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Its not a huge investment and will give flexibility in the future. As you start to plan, you'll find opportunities which arise and you'll be glad you did.
BrettKoenecke
Member
- Jun 28, 2013
- 137
- 5
Go online, get in their system and pay 10-20-50 bucks, whatever it is. They'll keep track of you and your points and they'll rack up. Keep buying them and when you find a hunt you like in that state, you pull the trigger on your points and hopefully pull the trigger on your critter.
JimP
Administrator
There really is no reason to go for a preference point in Colorado if you want to hunt elk. The vast majority of units are over the counter or rifle and there are a lot of them over the counter for either sex elk.
But if you want to start playing the PP game you need to submit a application during the application period with the full amount of the tag that you are looking at, even if all you want is just a PP. Then if you want to receive a PP your refund will be less a $25 point fee and the $3 application fee. I believe that the point fee is correct but I could be wrong.
Also since Colorado is a PP state for elk and deer you will need at least the minimum number of points to draw a tag in your chosen unit. So it the statistics page shows that you need 10 PP to draw a tag you are going to need 10 points. No one under that number of points will draw a tag.
so it is only possible to get one point per year?
hell,I doubt I will live long enough to ever get a tag.guess I will stick to idaho and luck of the draw
JimP
Administrator
It is getting that way in all the states that require points to draw, good old point creep.
It took me 17 years to draw my unit 61 muzzle loader elk tag, that year 15 was the cut off point and I know of some that didn't draw with 15 points.
I had 15 points for my late season deer tag in unit 44, that year the cut off was 12.
I'll never see either one of those hunts again in my lifetime.