Hunt Each Year as Nonres? Rethinking draws

[JimP]

When I gave up drinking every night I couldn't believe the money that I had in my pockets, But then I found another vice to spend it all on.

I have to admit that Colorado can get quite expensive while you learn a new area and perhaps go home empty handed the first couple of years.

 

[hunter25]

I don't drink and haven't had a car payment for 10 years now. I drive old stuff and learn to fix basic things.
That's how I afford to do what I do

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[Alabama]

I don't drink and haven't had a car payment for 10 years now. I drive old stuff and learn to fix basic things.
That's how I afford to do what I do

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I got you beat on that one: no truck payment for 14 years. She getting old though, I was nervous on my trip West this year for the 1st time. I might be making payments again soon!

 

[Prerylyon]

Definitely will be spending some time looking into options in CO.

I've heard horror stories about overcrowded OTC units; but I might as well experience it 1st hand and see for myself.
Also possible to draw something potentially worthwhile for 1st rifle with zero pts in CO.

Utah spike and Idaho aren't off the table either for me; but the extra fuel burn to get there gives a nod to giving CO some priority in my research.

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[Prerylyon]

Did a quick check on mileage from my house in Iowa to the following cities:

1. Challis, ID: 1,425
2. Manti, UT: 1,280
3. Meeker, CO: 1,028
4. Casper, WY: 895

Focusing just on the gas cost of feeding my Tundra solo (hopefully someone will join me and we can share gas costs!), using $3/gal cost (yeah its cheaper now, but...) I come up the following gas cost 'adders' for me for ID, UT, CO over what I would spend driving to WY:

1. ID: $160
2. UT: $116
3. CO: $40

Granted, those states are big, so there are places in CO that could be as far as the two points I selected in UT and ID, but anyhow. Also, this doesn't take into account wear on my truck and the extra time spent traveling.

I guess I've already said it: I need to devote some time learning a little more about Colorado. I think 1st rifle probably interests me the most; try to find a tag I can draw in a sensible area with no pts; next, if that falls thru, keep OTC rifle 2 as my backup.

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[RICMIC]

You may want to consider changing your mindset. If you have a limited unit picked out, and you don't draw (but expect to eventually), and don't want to fight the crowds in a OTC unit, then...….buy a small game tag and hunt for whatever that tag allows. You can scout your chosen unit (or even the whole state), and you can still hunt elk, you just can't shoot any. On a 13 day trip to CO a couple years ago, I could have had a blast with all the grouse that I saw stumping around in the mountains.

 

[JimP]

With Colorado's new draw requirement that you purchase a license to put in for the draw you will now have that small game license to come out and do some exploring if you put in for Colorado.

 

[Prerylyon]

You may want to consider changing your mindset. If you have a limited unit picked out, and you don't draw (but expect to eventually), and don't want to fight the crowds in a OTC unit, then...?.buy a small game tag and hunt for whatever that tag allows. You can scout your chosen unit (or even the whole state), and you can still hunt elk, you just can't shoot any. On a 13 day trip to CO a couple years ago, I could have had a blast with all the grouse that I saw stumping around in the mountains.

'RICMIC,

That's not a bad deal at all; really. [emoji106]

Granted, I no longer have a bird dog, but; I've seen plenty of ruffed and blue grouse while camping/hiking the Medicine Bow and Bighorn Nat Forests in WY; would be fun to still hunt them. I'm sure the Routt and White River Nat Forests would be very similar. Not only that, I love to fish for trout. I like it. Plan "B" could be a DIY elk scouting "cast&blast" with the Ruger 20 ga and 7' glass 3wt, in a elk unit of interest.

I also have a .54 cal muzzy that deserves more use; a cow muzzy tag in CO has also started to take root as an option to consider. Its an inline with iron sights that can use 209 or musket caps externally, so I am pretty sure with loose powder and big conical or patched round ball I'd be legal in CO.

Regards,

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[RICMIC]

Preylyon; I've hunted the Routte N.F. north of Hayden, and saw both blue and mt. grouse. On my last outing there in 2016, I didn't have an elk or deer tag, but only a small game tag. I was the horse packer for some friends who were muzzy elk hunting. I didn't shoot anything then as I seemed to always be on horseback when I came across grouse. Purely as a small game hunt, I would go before the elk season starts, but as a scouting trip you should go during the time that you would do the elk hunt as the herds are greatly affected by hunter activity.

 

[JimP]

Just as a FYI out there but Colorado's bird and rabbit seasons starts around the first weekend of September during the archery hunt and runs through November.

 

[Slugz]

Mountain dog says.
" Plenty of these big blue chickens to go around. Shoot em in archery, muzzle or first rifle season" " After the first snow flys even easier to find em"

 

[tim]

if money is as tight as you state, maybe look at every other year.
I also know lots of guys who works side jobs every now and then to pick up extra cash for hunting.

 

[mallardsx2]

I just cut back on the beer and ammo to save for my hunting trips..

Who am I kidding?...lol

 

[Prerylyon]

I can swing the cost of a CO cow tag. Raising a large family doesn't leave much fat to skim off the top, though. That being said, there's always ways to be thrifty; not necessarily cheap, and still live well.

For example, I took a few of my kids camping, fishing and sightseeing in WY this summer; while also scouting a little for fall. The cost of that trip-gas-food-etc was not far off from what a nonresident bull tag costs in WY; but I would not trade that time with my young children for another tag. At the same time, after taking a trip like that, there is simply that much less cash left. Simple economics. lol

Really for me, the fun is spending time outdoors. I made a mistake in going out west to hunt in 2014 and am now addicted. [emoji7]

We'll see if we draw a cow tag in WY. If not, I'll be applying for a cow tag somewhere in the Routt or White River NF in CO. At least this year the WY draw is still earlier. And, if I draw nothing, maybe go a cast and blast in the high country; then, go for a doe antelope on the way home.

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[Timr245]

Not sure where you put in for that cow tag, but you’re welcome to ride and camp with me in my camp at no cost and you’re on my way. Assuming I myself draw a tag ha.

 

[Prerylyon]

Not sure where you put in for that cow tag, but you?re welcome to ride and camp with me in my camp at no cost and you?re on my way. Assuming I myself draw a tag ha.

Tim,

We'll keep in touch - its a small world and we're wise to be open to making new friendships with like minded hunters. If nothing else, I can carry a lot of stuff in to camp for ya. lol

I pretty much have my WY app ready. For CO, I'm most interested in muzzy or 1st rifle in a unit in the Routt or White River. If another buddy draws and I don't, I would be up for sharing gas costs; I would fish, hunt small game, scout and basically be the camp b*t*h while the other hunted elk. [emoji23]

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[Bonecollector]

Prerylyon
Hey, I could use a pack mule/camp hand this fall!

 

[swampokie]

Could possibly apply both wyoming and Colorado. If you draw wyoming you could turn the colorado tag back in.
Just a thought anyway.
I live in colorado and have taken about a dozen elk, but they're just not my passion. I carry a tag just in case while I'm deer hunting.

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Some years when state deadlines don't line up this is what I do. Put in for an easy to draw tag in Colorado and u can always turn it back in.

 

[tx2019]

When I gave up drinking every night I couldn't believe the money that I had in my pockets, But then I found another vice to spend it all on.

I have to admit that Colorado can get quite expensive while you learn a new area and perhaps go home empty handed the first couple of years.

Haha, trading one vice for another! It's amazing the money you can save by making some minor behavioral changes though!