Big Fin's Link
Colorado, Montana, and Idaho are your best bets. We talk about those three states in this video, along with landowner voucher options for those willing to pay the cost. I hunt CO and MT every year. When I do OTC rifle hunts, I prefer CO. When I am wanting an archery hunt, I prefer MT.
At the 2:54 mark I explain why I think the best OTC/Left-over archery elk tag in the west is the Montana general elk tag. The older bulls that are in low country and off limits during rifle season are up in the higher ground during much of September, making them available to archers. That, along with very long seasons, lots of public land where elk numbers are high, and some good age class make MT hard to beat as a left-over archery elk tag.
Right now, there are over 1,000 MT elk tags still available. Even more ID tags. And if you hunt the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons in CO, there is no tag cap on those units.
My point in posting this is not directed at those who are schooled up on these western states as a result of being a resident of CO/MT/ID, or those who have been playing the limited-entry application game for decades. Rather, I hope to give encouragement for those who might not be aware that they can hunt elk every year. Whether you hunt with a bow or a rifle, there are elk tags still available for you. And some hunts/places will have a quality of elk that will impress you.
Good luck to all of you.
I take the view that my membership of the BHA is an investment to ensure that when my chance comes to hunt with my bow in the US, there will be public land for me to hunt on
ElkNut1
And yes, I struck out in the draws this year and I am making plans to hunt one of the states you mentioned. (For the first time!)
Keep up the good fight Randy!
But I think you should address some of the downside of this issue.
It's probably a long drive. It can be cold at night. There's a lot of walking. They could get poked by a stick.
Their partner probably snores. And smells bad after a few days of Mountain House and Alpine Aire. And hums in an annoying fashion when breaking down an animal.
And if they're successful, meat is heavy. They'll probably get tired.
And still, they won't want to leave. When they get home, they'll keep thinking about everything. They'll think about going back all the time.
So, before you continue promoting the dissatisfaction of people's lives and negatively impacting the economy of this nation by distracting its labor force, you might consider the big picture and endorse golf.
Maybe support some live hunts from Connecticut.
;>D
In consideration of the damage our promotion of these opportunities may have, we are filming a 12-step recovery program for those among us dealing with issues related to bugling elk. It starts something like this...
First episode, you must acknowledge you have a preoccupation with elk hunting. On a paper, write down the last time you dreamed of bugling elk. No need to reference the date, just the time, as we know it was sometime today.
Second episode, you must tell your spouse of this condition and be completely honest as to the degree of affliction. He/she will be instructed to exempt you from certain duties that will bring forth symptoms of this condition. Examples being; mowing the lawn, shopping, walking the dog, or most anything other than fletching arrows, practicing your bugling, and refining your shooting form. Under no condition should golf or tennis be used as therapy; the known side-effects result in vulgar language.
Third episode, you must notify your employer of this condition. We are asking Congress to model legislation similar to the Family Leave Act, whereby all elk hunters afflicted with this condition will be excused from employment for the month of September and will be allowed to return to their previous position at full pay/benefits in early October. Additionally, merit raises are to be granted for any employee who fills an elk tag during their period of leave. Given this is a medical condition, we are also asking Congress to consider treatments for this condition to qualify as deductible medical expenses, such as bows, arrows, tag, licenses, taxidermy, game processing, etc.
Fourth episode, how to inform your children that they have the misfortune of a genetic predisposition whereby once they reach hunting age, they might drive down the highway for eighty miles and not remember a single mile marker, yet they will have listened to three audio books on elk calling strategies while pointing to passengers the ridges above where they have found elk rubs in the past two years. Best to notify them as teens, as this will be a very important condition with impacts to future relationships.
Fifth episode, to inform all affected parties that moving a further distance from the source of this ailment only serves to worsen the condition. Spouses at times are under the misguided, though well-intended, understanding that taking the elk hunter further from the elk will lessen the symptoms. Clinical tests have scientifically shown that moving further from elk will have the opposite effect.
Sixth episode, how to explain to your physician that this is one of those "soft tissue" ailments that is hard to diagnose. Suppression of your dreams of bugling elk with the expectation for you to not practice your diaphragm call while driving to work results in a form of cognitive dissonance that can bring with it many other problems, both physical and emotional problems.
Seventh through twelfth episodes are being scripted in the coming weeks.
If you have kids, you get to bask in your wife's loving gaze while you and the kids mimic an elk herd with various cow calls, diaphragm calls and a bugle. For an hour or so.
My wife gets so emotional when I'm demonstrating my abilities to engage and bond with our kids, encouraging their creativity, triggering their imaginations, banging elk sheds on the wall accidentally...well, sometimes she has to lie down on the bed and pull a pillow over her head.
So, elk hunting isn't all pine needles in your boxers. Your wife will give you "the look" more frequently. You know, with the squinty eyes, kind of like Clint Eastwood?
I'm tellin' ya...I'm pretty sure she's undressing me with her eyes at that point.
Thx Bill
Might as well add psychiatrist to #6.
OB, what really will bring tears to your wife is pine needles in the foreskin.
I would highly recommend ; Bad Example.
And no matter what, remember, as an old guy told me once..."If you're going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance."
Sorry for knocking your thread off on a tangent Randy.
Go watch some of Randy's videos, guys. There's a good one where they decide to spike out without a tent or tarp or bags or food. They sleep with pine boughs piled on top of each other and I'm thinking that there was some consideration of "hamster pile" or maybe even "spooning."
Idaho non-resident fees are...
Hunting License - $154.75 Elk Tag - $416.75 If you want to add a deer tag, that is $301.75
Montana elk fees are....
Elk Combo Tag - $846 (includes all fees, plus fishing, upland bird, and your elk tag) You can add a deer tag to that by paying $150 more.
Good luck.
