How do you decide on a unit?
General Topic
As I slowly start to accumulate points and play the point game, I'm starting to get to where I can actually draw some tags. So far, I've only played the OTC/leftover game (at least successfully), so my research has basically been just finding lands that I can hunt and hopefully get away from other hunters. I live in New England, so boots on the ground scouting units isn't really practical for me. I'm curious if anyone would share some of what they use/focus on to find units?
Some things strike me as odd and I can't seem to figure it out. For example, tonight I found a 10+ point unit for WY Deer with a 6% success rate last year. Whereas plenty of other units are 60-70+% success with significantly less points (not general tags). I'm sure it's an anomaly and I understand the quality likely varies and some people were probably being really picky while others were shooting at anything - but how do you sift through that? I realize WY is combined rifle/bow success rates (at least what I've found so far). If anyone knows bow only success rates, I'd love to know about so I can check it out.
But not only that - just in general. Currently I focus on public lands that are available. But how do you decide to pull the trigger on a say 5 pt unit vs holding out for the 8, 9, or 10 point unit?
With point creep it will be a long time to draw a 10+ unit I’m pretty old so I go for general and hunt more often.
I waited 22 years for the elk unit I drew this year. Based on my 2 scouting trips so far, the hunt is going to be well worth the wait. I'd do it all over again.
My advice is to concentrate on finding decent OTC hunting, while piling up those points. If you aren't so old that you fart dust, eventually you will draw the hunt of your dreams, and you won't have any regrets.
Matt
Read, read, and then read some more. Then find people who've hunted units you've narrowed it down to and see what they saw. Then call wardens and biologists in the months that they're the least busy. For wardens, I've had good luck in February and March. For biologists, it's hit or miss because they have duties that ebb and flow with the season, so if they don't return your call, wait 3 months and try again. Call outfitters - every once in a while, you'll find one that will give you good info, but again, you need to call them in February when their duties are the lightest. Try to be personable. Don't just say, "I'm Joe Blow and I wanna know everything you know about XX unit so I can kill a huge animal." Engage them and try to get them talking about something that's of great interest to them in the area, or really anything. Once you've broken the barrier of someone who just think's you're a random guy, they'll give more honest information.
Best info I've gotten has been from hunters I trust (meaning hunters who kill stuff) from Bowsite and the P&Y Club. But you need to narrow things down.
Daily reading of Bowsite over years will give you an informal database in your head of people who've hunted individual units or areas.
If you're looking for a high chance of success at any sized animal, the G&F success odds will be a great indicator. If you are looking for great quality animals, Pope and Young record books (will show counties) or Google to see if that state has a bowhunting records program. Sometimes these are more specific to units than are the P&Y records, but both can be great resources if you're looking for an exceptional animal. Combine that info with success rates for the state and that will get you a few areas to research more by speaking with hunters that have been successful there.
Where can a person find success rates on public vs private land? If a unit has a 20% success rate, and the land is 50% public and 50% private, I doubt the success rate is split 10% public and 10% private.
When you are getting close to being able to draw a unit you may be interested in, see if there is a cow or spike tag available you can draw without burning your points. You'll be able to learn the unit and see for sure if it's the one you want to burn your points on.
Peco, I get what you're saying about the success rate not being equal on public vs. private land but if the success rate was 10% on public and 10% on private it would not add up to 20% success rate, it would just be 10% across the board...
PECO, great point. In the OTC elk unit I grew up hunting but left because of crowding, the private land elk success is very high, and the public land success is very low. But blended together it gives an unrealistic perspective on the true public land opportunity.
Not to throw another wrench in the discussion but if a state does not have mandatory harvest reporting then success rates are a guess. Sure, the math nerds at G&F have models but they probably are similar to the recent covid infection rate models and are still a guess.
Thanks guys! Appreciate the input. Wasn't sure if there was anything else that might prove valuable.
I always look at public lands for the reason PECO suggested. That and in general, I'd rather lower odds but more room to hunt vs higher odds but competing with everyone else as well.
RJ, Idyll nailed it on sources other than online stuff. Some of the tag services/hunt info subscription services will give good info but others suck. If it's national forest, I contact the forest service employees as well. Not just for hunt info but also for access, road condition and prescribed burning data. And as mentioned earlier, Bowsiters are the best especially if you've drawn a OIL tag or very hard to draw tag.
Haha Scoot!
I utilize state statistics and trustworthy online sources to narrow down possible units, and then do a deeper dive on Google earth, topo maps to see if the unit fits the terrain I prefer to hunt and whether I can develop a feasible plan for success. That usually only leaves one or two units to pick from.
Record books, G&F Harvest info, talk with biologist, hunter references. Get area info on CWD & EDH diseases, if applicable.
Lot of work, but the efforts can be rewarding.
I'm similar to tkj. Here's more details. Realize what the points are buying you cause most units don't have it all, but rather a variety of these characteristics. Trophy quality vs access (wilderness nonresident limitations) vs terrain vs success rates vs grizzly-free country vs low pressure vs bull:cow ratio vs total elk population vs etc. Rank these in your personal order. The more positive attributes a unit has, the more points it costs, so it's important to realize what you're "buying". Some units are all they're cracked up to be, some are not. I like good bull: cow ratio with respectable trophy quality and lowest pressure and difficult terrain with modest success rates. That gives me a decent chance at 300" bulls with way less than maximum points. Encounters are what I go for, eventually you can turn up a stud even in an average unit, but they're hard to kill when they are holed up deep and run with 20+ cows. But if you're looking at 10+ point units, previous tag holders and game wardens are generally very good assets. Good luck
I'm getting too old to pick and learn new units. I figure I have a better chance on ground I already know...even if some would consider it a "sub-par" unit.
