Your #1 consideration in choosing a hunt
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: Chasin Bugles
15-Feb-19
What is the single most important factor in deciding what hunt you apply for or in choosing an OTC hunt? I know this is a simplistic question but if you narrowed it down to just one thing, what would it be?
From: Shug
15-Feb-19
Can I afford it
From: Brotsky
15-Feb-19
Ability to draw the tag, amount of public land, hunter density, population estimates, and success rates. In that order.
From: standswittaknife
15-Feb-19
Hunter Density
From: cnelk
15-Feb-19
Who's going with
From: OFFHNTN
15-Feb-19
1.) Can I draw the tag. 2.) Can I afford it. 3.) Hunting pressure. 4.) Success rate. 5.) Can I go DIY or have to be guided.
From: Ron Niziolek
15-Feb-19
For me, what are the season dates.
From: APauls
15-Feb-19
Projected amount of fun.
From: JusPassin
15-Feb-19
Only if the gas for my vehicle is the highest cost of the hunt.
From: Dutchd
15-Feb-19
Is this going to be a great time.
From: Stoneman
15-Feb-19
Am I physically and mentally prepared.
From: IdyllwildArcher
15-Feb-19
The quality of the hunt: as measured in trophy potential, number of animals, pressure, and scenery, in contrast to the difficulty of obtaining the tag. Every tag has a ratio of quality:ease/difficulty of drawing and so I'm constantly seeking the best ratio that's out there, which, IMO, is often times not the very best tag a state has to offer and infrequently is an OTC tag and some states have almost universally poor ratios so sometimes you have to take what you can get or abandon the idea of hunting that specie in that state.
The second thing I look at is the ratio of how much it's going to cost me to have a chance (ie: apply for X amount of years and purchase the tag) against my actual chance of drawing. In a few cases, you're better off putting in for the state's conservation raffle tags or other state's conservation raffles for the same specie than you are applying in the actual draw if you're getting into the points race on/after 2010.
From: TD
15-Feb-19
Can I talk Coach into givin' me the magic card.......
From: Rob Nye
15-Feb-19
Good answer APauls. Last hunt away from home was a January longbow hunt for coastal deer on Texada island B.C. several years ago. Pretty sure Saskatchewan fawns are bigger than a full growed deer there but had a blast. I missed a gimme shot on a deer I snuck up on in the rain in a stand of gigantic cedars and my buddy killed a delicious young buck with his recurve. I loved every minute of it and hope to get back there.
From: Trial153
15-Feb-19
location
From: elmer@laptop
15-Feb-19
2 things, whether I can afford it and who I might go with!
From: Franklin
15-Feb-19
What animal I want to hunt...
From: Bowboy
15-Feb-19
Season dates and what area.
From: Ziek
15-Feb-19
Not sure I understand the question, especially when looking at the responses. The first thing I look at is what species I want to hunt. Some hunts I would classify as special, and others as common. If it's only elk, what might be important would be different than, say, a bison hunt. I've killed a lot of elk, but never hunted bison. After that, the type of hunt would dictate what is next in importance. All hunts are fun, but some are more utilitarian (filling the freezer) and some are real adventures.
From: Dale06
15-Feb-19
Percentage of hunters the past two years that have taken a shot at the target animal.
From: elk yinzer
15-Feb-19
To keep it short, what APauls said.
From: 'Ike' (Phone)
15-Feb-19
Animal!
From: BTM
15-Feb-19
If a hunting show video crew will be in the same camp! :)
From: Treeline
15-Feb-19
Time.
For elk, deer, antelope, bear etc I can hunt them after work and on weekends.
For some of the tough draws or guided hunts, can I afford to take off the time to do it?
Have had to quit a few jobs to be able to hunt a special tags...
And a few girlfriends.
From: Whip
15-Feb-19
Who I might go with is the first and most important.
From: Mnhunter1980
15-Feb-19
Access to public land.
From: kentuckbowhnter
15-Feb-19
are there enough un-pressured trophy class animals accessible to hunt.
From: Buffalo1
15-Feb-19
(1) age factor and the immediate availability to hunt a desired animal (2) physical ability to hunt the desired species (3) proper equipment setup to hunt the desired species
From: tkjwonta
16-Feb-19
This might sound completely stupid, but I always ask myself, "If that's the only hunt that I get to go on for the year, would I be satisfied?" If yes, then apply. If no, then I probably have a better use for my time/effort.
And it's not that there are a bunch of hunts that I'm totally uninterested in, just some that I wouldn't sacrifice the rest of my season for.
From: sisabdulax
16-Feb-19
How time do I have to spend, and what are the kids hunting!
From: elkmo
16-Feb-19
# of tags
From: BULELK1
16-Feb-19
Experience/knowledge of the unit and/or the opportunity to go scouting to get to know more about the unit and the species Before the hunt starts.
Good luck, Robb
From: Owl
16-Feb-19
It boils down to company, location and time required. To echo what Pat said, I don't take trips that do not come with a 4 star endorsement on quality of the experience. But, I know so many Bowsiters, I don't even have to try getting a qualified outfitter.
From: Crusader dad
16-Feb-19
Scenery. Wherever I go must be beautiful.
From: Genesis
16-Feb-19
Will the outfitter call me the week after
From: Missouribreaks
16-Feb-19
Costs, including potential lost wages and used vacation time away from family.
From: Birddog
16-Feb-19
I don’t want to SEE anybody ! I don’t want to HEAR anybody !
Do I have a problem ?
From: Forest bows
16-Feb-19
I'm pretty spontaneous about most of the hunts I book. what really does it for me is if the outfitter guarantees me a shot opportunity with archery equipment. shows confidence in the outfitter and I will hunt with somebody like that any day.
From: elkmo
16-Feb-19
"I don’t want to SEE anybody ! I don’t want to HEAR anybody ! Do I have a problem ?"
AMEN!!
From: Bou'bound
16-Feb-19
The ones that guarantee me an opportunity are the ones I worry about
From: caribou77
16-Feb-19
Adventure. If I can drive there it tends to be much less fun anymore.
From: Ambush
16-Feb-19
Have I ever hunted the species before. I always like a new animal, area and experience. It might be "ordinary" to many others, but unique for me.
From: Treeline
16-Feb-19
Yes Elkmo, you have a problem! One I share.
From: Inshart
16-Feb-19
"choosing an OTC hunt" ---- for me it's attempting to get away from other hunters and will I get into elk in this area?
From: newfi1946moose
16-Feb-19
Quality of the outfitter. 11 Black bear w/the same QC outfitter...6 in the 350 range...1 a spring monster.
From: grape
17-Feb-19
Two things: 1. Pat's " a recommendation from someone I absolutely trust". 2. Adam's " Projected amount of fun"
From: ELKMAN
17-Feb-19
Who will be able to go with me, and our ability to not have to deal with other hunters.
From: Birddog
17-Feb-19
ELKMO, Sent you a PM
From: PECO
17-Feb-19
#1 is Fun factor. "Can I afford it" is not an option. I'm not working extra or giving up my daily pleasures to go elsewhere to hunt. "Trophy" not an option either. I don't need more possessions (mounts) I need to fill the freezer. I like to hunt local, if I happen upon a wall hanger great I'll take the shot.
From: badbull
17-Feb-19
Which of my two sons (or both) would be a good fit for this hunt based on my ongoing research and our ability to draw a tag or tags would be my first consideration. I think that there is a lot of sound advice to follow in the above posts.
From: elkmtngear
17-Feb-19
Elk Density vs hunting pressure
