Sitka Gear
Hunt Elk Every Year
Elk
Contributors to this thread:
Big Fin 16-Mar-17
Charlie Rehor 16-Mar-17
Scar Finga 16-Mar-17
midwest 16-Mar-17
Z Barebow 16-Mar-17
elk yinzer 16-Mar-17
baz777 17-Mar-17
BULELK1 17-Mar-17
ElkNut1 17-Mar-17
MathewsMan 17-Mar-17
LesWelch 17-Mar-17
Mule Power 20-Mar-17
AZBUGLER 20-Mar-17
georgemcg 20-Mar-17
midwest 21-Mar-17
midwest 21-Mar-17
midwest 21-Mar-17
midwest 21-Mar-17
LINK 21-Mar-17
Z Barebow 21-Mar-17
Bowfreak 21-Mar-17
CurveBow 21-Mar-17
Franzen 21-Mar-17
LINK 21-Mar-17
TD 21-Mar-17
midwest 21-Mar-17
AZBUGLER 21-Mar-17
TD 21-Mar-17
Rickm 21-Mar-17
donnybowhunter 30-Apr-17
SteveB 30-Apr-17
Aspen Ghost 30-Apr-17
ahunter55 02-May-17
From: Big Fin
16-Mar-17

Big Fin's embedded Photo
Hunt Elk Every Year!
Big Fin's embedded Photo
Hunt Elk Every Year!

Big Fin's Link
Very often people I encounter express that elk hunting is not possible, often due to tag costs or tags no being available.

There are hurdles to public land elk hunting, but access to tags is not one of them. In an effort to show how elk tags actually are available, we did this YouTube video that explains a long-term strategy to acquire higher demand elk tags and in the process hunt elk every year.

With Wyoming, Montana, and Arizona elk deadlines behind us, and New Mexico deadline next week, I hope this video helps some who might think they cannot hunt elk due to lack of tags or opportunity.

Thanks for watching.

16-Mar-17
Perfect! Thanks as always!

From: Scar Finga
16-Mar-17
Randy, As always sir, You Are The Man!

God Bless,

Scar.

From: midwest
16-Mar-17
Excellent!

From: Z Barebow
16-Mar-17
Who doesn't want to hunt elk every year! Great plan, which I closely follow.

From: elk yinzer
16-Mar-17
Randy, tags are easy. Next video please try to convince my wife I need to hunt elk every year.

From: baz777
17-Mar-17
Dang it ...now your ruining elk hunting just like hunting in eastern MT ...JK

Keep it up....love what your doing!!

From: BULELK1
17-Mar-17
I like it

Good luck, Robb

From: ElkNut1
17-Mar-17
I already do, OTC every year! (grin) Thank goodness for OTC tags! All folks who want to elk hunt should cut their teeth on OTC elk hunts first before drawing a coveted tag assuming they are all slam dunks! (grin)

Outside of that Randy shares good info!

ElkNut1

From: MathewsMan
17-Mar-17
I'm excited for years I do not hunt elk- as it means I drew something that takes priority over the usual every year hunt for Mule Deer, Elk and Bears

From: LesWelch
17-Mar-17
If you guys don't listen to Randy's podcast, check it out. Hunt Talk Radio is the name. I listened to the podcast about this same subject awhile back.

From: Mule Power
20-Mar-17
Being able to hunt elk every year is all in the mindset. You can if you want to. Colorado, Idaho, Montana and several others have guaranteed or OTC licenses. If you aren't hunting elk you quite simply just don't see it as a priority.

Long time no talk Randy how have you been?

From: AZBUGLER
20-Mar-17
Great video. It's true. But the cost gets me. I don't have $1,000 to float around on hunting every year. Too many kids!

From: georgemcg
20-Mar-17

From: midwest
21-Mar-17
AZBUGLER, Nothing wrong with being a responsible parent....good for you!

From: midwest
21-Mar-17

From: midwest
21-Mar-17

From: midwest
21-Mar-17
wow...sorry about the TBM

From: LINK
21-Mar-17
AZBugler I certainly understand where you comming from. I have 3 kids and one modest income. You only lose the 1000$ dollars if you draw if you don't you lose roughly 300$ in applying for NM, WY, AZ. If you leave out AZ you lose half that. Then if you don't draw you have 700$ for an otc tag or to save back for your application fund for the next year. 700$ for 180# of elk meat is a better price than you get at the supermarket for beef, of course tag soup is pricey.

From: Z Barebow
21-Mar-17
AZBUGLER. I feel your pain. As a husband and father, if you don't consider your family in the decision making process (Days away from family, expenses, etc) your priorities are messed up IMHO. My kids are now older so it isn't as crucial as it was when mom had to shuttle kids to school, sports etc.

As far as funding, I learned long ago I needed to establish a separate account for hunting/ extra circular activities. I fund it outside of my regular job. (I donate plasma and I have a part time consulting business) This approach allows me to pay for my external "hobbies" without tapping into family budget. If I didn't set up a separate account, I can guarantee the family would "absorb" those funds!

From: Bowfreak
21-Mar-17
midwest,

I was wondering if your PC took a hamblaster?

From: CurveBow
21-Mar-17
With a Simmons Land Shark! :) LOL

>>>>-------->

From: Franzen
21-Mar-17
"700$ for 180# of elk meat is a better price than you get at the supermarket for beef, of course tag soup is pricey. "

And, if you do your bookwork right, transportation and other costs only add up to what you would have spent for a week or two at home anyway! ;^)

From: LINK
21-Mar-17
Franzen, I don't know why but my wife doesn't buy it. I'm glad she loves hormone free wild game meat. ;)

From: TD
21-Mar-17
What about us irresponsible ones?????

we need tags too......

From: midwest
21-Mar-17
TD, I said nothing wrong with being a responsible parent...I didn't say I was one. lol

From: AZBUGLER
21-Mar-17
Lol. It is CLEARLY not economical to hunt elk. You won't find many crazier than I am about elk and elk hunting. That being said my situation is different than most. I have 7 kids which require a larger house, multiple vehicles and LOTS of money! They all shoot bows too! So I've got about $500 a year to spend on tags if I'm lucky. This is for my kids and I to share. There are obviously other expenses such as arrows, sites, range fees, backpacks, GPS, gear in general, and the worst of the worst FUEL! I spend a lot of time on the field with the family and just by myself. Even though it's within my home state, I probably still devote 4-5K in just hunting related fuel each year. All told, we probably spend more than I want to admit on hunting, but it's for the whole family and spaced out over several months. Coming up with a big chunk of money like a grand to play around with just isn't likely no matter how much I'd like to. Instead, I do like many here in AZ do and hunt with friends, family members, acquaintances, and even total strangers just so I can get the chance to spend time on the field during elk season!

From: TD
21-Mar-17
It's expensive, no doubt..... believe me, I know..... any and every tag I get is gonna be a NR tag..... and travel..... ouch. But I DO have paid vacation..... well, I mean, I have to pay somebody to fill in while I'm on vacation......

Like many if not most things in life...... all it takes is some time and money...... they say you can't take it with you..... but you can be buried in your favorite mountain boots and an elk call in your pocket...... =D

I have neither time nor money. But now and then I find it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.....I think it was the famous Civil War Hero General Nike who said... "just do it..."

"just a gigolo, and everywhere I go....."

From: Rickm
21-Mar-17
Well done again Randy.

Hunted elk for 14 of the last 15 years. Took one year off to kill a moose. Family comes first and with 2 in travel sports it is a juggle. Other than hockey which helps me stay in shape I don't do anything else for myself but hunt. I average less than $2500 a year on hunting. Don't go out much, dress kinda poorly according to my wife. Pretty much work and spend on the family, both time and money.

It can be done.

30-Apr-17
thanks Randy

From: SteveB
30-Apr-17
Living in the east, I've never hunted elk because it's economical!

From: Aspen Ghost
30-Apr-17
AZBUGLER, once those kids are potty trained they need to get a job to pay their own way. With 7 of them working, maybe you can retire and hunt full time.

From: ahunter55
02-May-17

ahunter55's embedded Photo
ahunter55's embedded Photo
I no longer bowhunt Elk but I must say, I sure did plenty of it when I was younger AND a Non-Resident (no draws back then) tag was $25. I managed every year from 1964 through 90. A few of those years I managed 2 trips. I must say, they were some of my greatest adventures & if it were not for "shot" knees, I would still be in those Mountains come Sept.. Do not pass up ANY chance to make an Elk trip. You will not be sorry but you might be tired when you head home.. This guy was shot with a recurve & my son in the pic is now 43 years old.

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