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School me on OTC elk hunting

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    School me on OTC elk hunting

    I'm interested in doing a elk hunt next year either in Colorado or New Mecico. I know nothing about public land hunting for elk. How do you get your info on hunting different units and locations? Where to you apply or buy tags, online?? how did you guys start doing these hunts? Did you tag along with someone for the first time? Any help and information is appreciated. Thanks

    #2
    Search the forum. We have several threads running right now on it, and multiple others from days gone by.
    Start with the game and fish website for whatever state you're interested in.

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      #3
      You can't hunt New Mexico without drawing a tag or buying a landowner tag. Gohunt.com has some great info, rokslide has some good info, and our own Elk Thread has lots of good stuff. The hunt is easy enough to do, the being alone in the woods and finding animals is another mess all in itself. You're opening up a giant rabbit hole that has consumed my life since the first time i set foot in the mountains. Good luck

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        #4
        Originally posted by jaker_cc View Post
        You can't hunt New Mexico without drawing a tag or buying a landowner tag. Gohunt.com has some great info, rokslide has some good info, and our own Elk Thread has lots of good stuff. The hunt is easy enough to do, the being alone in the woods and finding animals is another mess all in itself. You're opening up a giant rabbit hole that has consumed my life since the first time i set foot in the mountains. Good luck
        This... I can’t stop thinking about going again since I got back this year. If you want to mess around and read a bunch of stuff about how states draw systems work and odds for different states, try gohunt’s 30 day free trial. It is gohunt.com/elktalk

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          #5
          For starters, have you ever hunted public land at all? For anything? Texas doesn't have a lot of public land, but I will say, after having been on my first OTC public land CO elk hunt, I am grateful for the few years I did hunt public land here before I got on a lease. It helped me appreciate/understand the basic challenges/logistics that come with public land hunting.

          Getting on elk... well... that is a completely different challenge.

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            #6
            These guys already said it. It can be a very addictive.

            I always have liked the idea of starting with a cow hunt. It can be done cheaper, it gets you in the mountains with elk, they are much easier than bulls and a nice young cow is just dang tasty.

            If you want to just jump in with a bull tag I would probably hire a guide and put in for the draws. Think of it as attending a semester of classes. If you pay attention and your guide is good you can really close a whole lot of ground on your elk hunting learning.


            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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              #7
              Just got back from my first Colorado public land hunt .
              #1-10 get your but in shape and then train some more ,
              Everything up there is bigger/farther then it looks

              #11 get the best gear you can afford
              # 12 don’t let the hunt consume you, I kinda did and I missed out on just taking the country in and enjoying myself
              #13 make a plan a stick to it ..

              Have fun .
              .

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                #8
                I dont mean to hi jack, but might help us both kinda question.

                I have access to private land that backs up to public Gila National Forest. Can the NM land owner give me tags without me drawing? Or do I have to draw regardless?

                He sends me pics of huge Elk in his yard. It's in NM unit 16 B.

                I tried looking on line and it was confusing to me lol

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by Spearchunker View Post
                  I dont mean to hi jack, but might help us both kinda question.



                  I have access to private land that backs up to public Gila National Forest. Can the NM land owner give me tags without me drawing? Or do I have to draw regardless?



                  He sends me pics of huge Elk in his yard. It's in NM unit 16 B.



                  I tried looking on line and it was confusing to me lol


                  He can but only if he gives you two (one for me). I'm not positive but I think some of those tags might be ranch only tags instead of good for the whole unit. So do some research before diving in.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Spearchunker View Post
                    I dont mean to hi jack, but might help us both kinda question.



                    I have access to private land that backs up to public Gila National Forest. Can the NM land owner give me tags without me drawing? Or do I have to draw regardless?



                    He sends me pics of huge Elk in his yard. It's in NM unit 16 B.



                    I tried looking on line and it was confusing to me lol


                    A landowner with tags can give you the tag(s). You would be on the hook for the license and if its a unit wide tag you would be required to add 9 dollars for stamps.


                    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                      #11
                      OTC unite on CO will be crowded. We saw almost nothing but TX plates. Be prepared to hike and get away from folks. One spot we were told about we pulled up and 7 other 4 wheelers were parked. Getting in good shape is #1. I had been slacking and had a chest cold. Kicked my rear end big time and we didn’t hike a lot. Rokslide is a good forum for info. Fish and game dept has a lot of info too.


                      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by SwampRabbit View Post
                        For starters, have you ever hunted public land at all? For anything? Texas doesn't have a lot of public land, but I will say, after having been on my first OTC public land CO elk hunt, I am grateful for the few years I did hunt public land here before I got on a lease. It helped me appreciate/understand the basic challenges/logistics that come with public land hunting.

                        Getting on elk... well... that is a completely different challenge.


                        I have never hunted public land.


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by ladrones View Post
                          These guys already said it. It can be a very addictive.

                          I always have liked the idea of starting with a cow hunt. It can be done cheaper, it gets you in the mountains with elk, they are much easier than bulls and a nice young cow is just dang tasty.

                          If you want to just jump in with a bull tag I would probably hire a guide and put in for the draws. Think of it as attending a semester of classes. If you pay attention and your guide is good you can really close a whole lot of ground on your elk hunting learning.


                          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


                          I would be completely happy just getting a cow. Of course a big bull would be great but for my first time there would be nothing wrong with a cow.


                          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Looks like I got a lot of homework and research to to.

                            How does everyone camp on public land? Are y’all setting up camp with a tent where y’all are hunting or traveling back and forth to a hotel?


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                            Comment


                              #15
                              No offense, but if you want to be spoon fed public land hunting is probably not going to be a success for you.

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