Multiple Tags in same year
Elk
Contributors to this thread:
This will be my first year hunting elk in 2 different states first being Colorado and second being New Mexico. At first when I discovered I drew New Mexico I was going to cancel my Colorado trip for economic reasons being away from work family etc. I began to think I am not going to be able to go much longer with health and age creeping up. Just curious how many of bowsiters do multiple hunts in same year. How do you manage costs etc.
I've done multable Turkey hunts but mostly diy and I cut cost that way and by sleeping in the truck instead of hotels. Most of my hunting opportunities are close to home. I get 40 days to chase turkeys and 120 days to chase deer. This year I am adding 10 days elk hunting and will probably subtract 20 days deer hunting to help with the cost. I will work those 20 days on a sideline job.
I pretty much save up vacation time and skimp and save $ all year for hunting season. I also do a lot of honey-dos for months prior to hunting season. In regard to costs..TBH pretty much hit the nail on the head. I camp out, eat cheap, and do anything I can to cut costs. If you are going to be traveling around in the hunting unit an ATV takes a lot less gas than a 4 WD truck. If you can make up for the $ spent by saving it somewhere else that always helps.
With that said I always try to avoid applying for tags where seasons in different states overlap. It's sometimes hard to know until tags are drawn. One nice thing about Colo is you can usually figure out how many pref pts it takes to draw tags...so can plan ahead not to apply elsewhere.
Now that you have both tags....have a great time in both! I would likely take it easy so you don't burn yourself out too early into your hunts!
I have had tags in more than one state many times. Most I hunted out of the same camp. I hunted the Idaho Montana Border. The season were running at the same time. The only real cost was my tag price for a Nr Idaho tag. I did it for 13 years taking bulls in both states. One year I did Alberta & Montana killed bulls in both places. Hunted with Friends in Alberta so I did not have to pay a guide. One year I had 3 tags Nevada, Az & Montana I was already in Nevada so it did not cost that much to get to Az from there. I ended up killing 3 P&Y bulls in 6 days of hunting. So if your in NM or Co You have already paid to get out here So its do able with out breaking the bank. I have two tags myself this year Az and Montana. and will hunt in Montana the opening weekend then head to Az. When I'm done in az I will head back to Montana to finish my hunt if I need to. Montana has a 6 week bow season. So I have plenty of time. Another thing that helps is all my Elk hunts have been DIY I have never paid a guide to hunt Elk.
I have two tags for the first time as well. I'm hunting WY leftover with my dad for 11 days, then heading to Idaho OTC right after that hunt to hunt with my brother and a friend for 9 more days.
None of the 3 of them have killed an elk yet, so I have my work cut out for me.
As far as managing costs, it's all DIY so the costs really aren't that high. The gas out and back in the Lezbaru won't even hit $500. I've got about 2 grand into tags for my dad and I and his flight home. My friend and brother are covering their own expenses. I had to eat anyways, so that's not much of a consideration.
One way to cut costs is to drive a high gas-mileage vehicle. I've done solo weekend pig hunts out of my Honda Civic in Nor Cal. If you don't need 4 wheel drive to get to where you're going, consider a commuter car. You could save yourself a couple hundred bucks.
I'm doing a hunt in Nov and another in Jan out of state too. Both hunts combined will only be another $1300ish with travel, expenses, and tags accounted for. The limiting cost is really time off when you hunt DIY. I work a month on, month off now, so even 4 hunts doesn't seem like much anymore, even though I only had one out-of-state tag last year.
I'd encourage everyone to work towards getting more time off - trust me, you'll be glad you did. Easy to say, I know, but we only get so long to do this.
I pretty much draw 2-3 tags in 2-3 states 2-3 species year in --year out.
This year 2 Wyo elk tags, Az. late date bull tag and my Mont. #482 --Sheep/Ewe tag.
That isn't counting my ressy muley and elk tag.
After so many years it just seems normal now.
Good luck, Robb
I am hunting elk in Oregon, Idaho, and colorado all this year if this go as planned but the colorado will be a rifle tag. I had a moose hunt planned to but that got canceled. How I manage my time and cost is first I'm single and no kids "My choice" second I don't every take a day off work until Sept I don't care if I'm dying sick I go to work so I have plenty of time come fall. As far as money I work a schedule at work so I get alot of free time and I spend most of that time trying to make extra money above my job to spend on my addition "Hunitng"
Aaron
Mine are all DIY hunts to when they can be!!
Aaron