Post draw blues.......
Elk
Are any of the rest of you guys experiencing post draw blues after striking out? I was really certain I had the Colorado tag in the bag, had planned the hunt, etc... Been walking around with my lip poked out since finding out the bad news. I just don't have the energy right now to research and plan an OTC hunt.
I need a little motivation, some pick me up, maybe a good kick in the butt! Help me out here guys!
get out there and find an otc area and hunt. its fun to find new productive ground.
I'd wager to guess if you gathered the energy to find a new OTC unit and hunted it a few years...you'd have better than average success. In the end you'd be glad you did it.
If you're still set on drawing a limited entry tag, there are still states that have applications open for their limited-entry elk units. It ain't over yet!
Yep, go hunt, have an adventure. In my new area most of my best spots were discovered while the season was going on, based upon where others were/were not hunting. Last year I hiked into a promising little spot others were driving by and almost killed a 360-class bull. I could hear vehicles on the road below me while I was working in for a shot. Too many trees to shoot, but the point is...
Lots of resources out there to help you get started - the CO CPW interactive mapping system (free), DIY Hunting Maps, StartMyHunt maps, Google Earth. Disregard the CPW published success rates because there are so many variables which render them basically useless. All the OTC units have elk, all have big bulls. So go hunt and have fun.
Man, don't be bummed. Take the opportunity to go hunt. You were gonna go hunt if you drew the tag right?
Change your mindset and refocus.
Just go to youtube, watch a few OTC elk videos, and then try to tell yourself that it's better to stay home.
And, more importantly, go hunt, use the time to learn elk a little better. Your following fall hunts will always benefit if you hunt hard the previous year.
I feel the pain with you dblecreek. struck out back to back with NM and CO.
So many opportunities to hunt elk yet. I wouldn't waste a season no way, no how.
You don't necessarily have to hunt OTC. Not all of the draws are out yet and there's two draws that have yet to even reach the app deadline *hint hint*
I'm with "midwest" 100% , get out & hunt! Grab an OTC tag in the states offering them & get out there. We put in for two draws a year & rarely ever pull a tag. The flip side is we still elk hunt every year on OTC Public Land hunts. If you're not too picky you will have opportunities at many legal elk if you're willing to hunt reasonably hard!
Definitely get your feet wet & get out there so you can have a lot of the rust shaken off so when you do draw a elk tag you'll have even more confidence than you do now & a better hand hold on what makes them tick! (grin)
ElkNut1
Double Creek...I know the you're bummed but there are 13 weeks until CO's archery elk season starts; enough time to find several new OTC areas! And, if you are in an area and it isn't working out, you can find elk...there are pockets in every OTC area where you CAN be successful. What is success? Chasing elk, having fun and getting an opportunity!
I have found a great way to stop post draw blues after striking out, apply for hunts. Just feed the addiction with more draws :)
Thanks everyone, I appreciate the moral support! I will definitely go somewhere.. either a landowner tag, left over or OTC... I'm just really disappointed I didn't draw. Had really high odds, but it wasn't in the cards this year.
Go find a pig hunt somewhere, stalk up close, and nail a fat one. Cheapest guided hunt there is, and will help you get over the disappointment.. I've learned to expect nothing and always have a backup hunt planned, which is where I (almost) always end up hunting.
Refund checks for unsuccessful hunts take a lot of sting out of failure for me. Go shopping with the money and buy yourself a nice OTC tag. I bet there are lots of hunters who don't put in for LE tags because they are perfectly content with their OTC units.
After 20 years of applying in 10 states, this year is shaping up to be my third in a row with no tags. I have several hunts I had targeted that only have one or two nonresident tags so it didn't take much to bump me. Oh well the last two I had major health conditions that would have prevented me from going anyway. But I'm healed now so a buddy and I are planning Montana leftover elk if I fail in NV & OR draws.
I regret ever getting in the point games 20 years ago as what was once a good thing has turned into big business, politics and point cheapening. An industry influenced by wealthy line cutters, outfitter welfare, bounty hunters, and burgeoning ground floor youth with money who states now chase by throwing invested sportsmen under the bus in a heartbeat for. I wish I'd just gotten points in a few states and burned those every 3 years or just done OTC. Not worth it.
The other thing I have learned over the years is so many of the so-called trophy units are over rated. Many, many times the difference between a 2 point unit & an 8 point is virtually nothing. So the value of some points is very minimal. Generally the points from zero to 1, or 1 to 2, have the best bang for your buck. After that it can be a crap shoot.
You have gotten some great advice D-C...
Would there happen to be any leftover deer tags in your Colo elk draw unit?
Maybe pick one of them up and go hunt your elk unit with a deer tag to get to know the unit better for next years elk hunt--------->
Keep your chin up man.
Good luck, Robb
Take full advantage of he opportunity this provides you to clean the garage and pump out the septic tank this fall. Everything happens for a reason and those chores just may be your reason.
I believe there is no such thing as a bad hunt, any OTC hunt is better than sitting home pouting and wishing you would of went. Grab a cup of coffee, or six pack, or whatever your beverage of choice is, and sit down, start planning your hunt! You won't regret being out there in September.
I believe there is no such thing as a bad hunt, any OTC hunt is better than sitting home pouting and wishing you would of went. Grab a cup of coffee, or six pack, or whatever your beverage of choice is, and sit down, start planning your hunt! You won't regret being out there in September.
I used to fall into the same trap.
Between getting older and acquiring more vacation time, life is too short to not go elk hunting out west.
This drive not only fuels my elk hunting fire, this outlook provides motivation for me to stay in shape year around. Only working out when you have a tag in hand every few years is a tough roller coaster to ride. Even tougher/impossible as you age.
My odds weren't great and I struck out in 4 states. I will be going OTC/leftover this fall also. Too much elk country to hunt and too little time.
Big game combo tags still left in Montana
No offense but you let a simple Colorado Elk draw dictate how you feel about planning other hunts? Interesting the differences in people I guess. Sure every year I apply for NM, WY, etc. Never seem to draw the Primo tags but I still have a blast preparing planning, and executing other hunts. I guess it just depends how bad you want something or what it means to you.
