OTC unit Archery elk in Colorado ?

[175gr7.62]

OTC unit Archery elk in Colorado ?

OP, save your money and go on a guided hunt on private land or wait to draw in a good unit. You can go camping here in Texas and you don’t have to drive 18hrs or buy a CO non-resident license. You can walk 10 miles a day at a state park here in TX for a whole lot less money with about the same chance of seeing an elk.

A Colorado OTC DIY elk hunt is like going to the strip club to get to booty. Yes, there are folks that have done it and scored, but the odds are only slightly better than hitting the lotto.


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[sasqy]

I’m not one to give up !
I will prevail, I have been 4 years and have had a chance every year except 1 to shoot an elk. Got greedy one year, got screwed by landowner another year, and didn’t want to shoot a cow 2 years ago and then there was no chance last time.
I feel my odds are pretty good actually.
I hunt harder than most just hit a drought in my area and realize it’s time to move to another unit. They over harvested unit 75 and the lack of rain and abundance of fires is the main reason I’m moving units.
I can pull snapper from the strip club if I try hard enough.
Never give up hope.

[LWC]

If you are pulling wool from the shake joint. OTC elk should be a piece of cake.

[Arrowsmith]

OP, save your money and go on a guided hunt on private land or wait to draw in a good unit. You can go camping here in Texas and you don’t have to drive 18hrs or buy a CO non-resident license. You can walk 10 miles a day at a state park here in TX for a whole lot less money with about the same chance of seeing an elk.

A Colorado OTC DIY elk hunt is like going to the strip club to get to booty. Yes, there are folks that have done it and scored, but the odds are only slightly better than hitting the lotto.


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Great advice and description.

Most.....not all.....but about 90% of all DYI OTC Elk hunts become expensive camping trips.

Most hunters see a lot of sign, most hunters have "encounters", but very few close the deal.

Most hunters come back with a lot of pictures of scenery, elk tracks, elk poop and rubbed trees.

The ticket is a guided hunt on private ground and even that is not a sure deal.

[jds247]

I may be different but I'd rather hunt otc than go guided. I hunted a unit 2 years ago that was otc. The guide put up his tent 100 yards from our camp. We talked to his hunters several times. I killed a cow and had 5 bulls close enough to kill but I had already used my tag. The guided hunters didn't see an animal. I still hunt elk just like I do for whitetail. I have a blast doing it. If you just want to take a gun and shoot an elk there are plenty of high fence places in Texas that sell them. Preparing and hunting is the best part to me.

[Grulla]

We went last year in a southern unit . There we truck/trailers galor , everyone of them had horses . I was a little disappointed when I saw all the people but my brother said “ it don’t matter their not going where we are “ we were on elk 4 out of 6 days just couldn’t close the deal . OTC is hard for sure but you can see just as many elk as everyone else if you work .

[justletmein]

We went last year in a southern unit . There we truck/trailers galor , everyone of them had horses . I was a little disappointed when I saw all the people but my brother said “ it don’t matter their not going where we are “ we were on elk 4 out of 6 days just couldn’t close the deal . OTC is hard for sure but you can see just as many elk as everyone else if you work .

One thing for sure with the horses, you know where they can and can't go and most of them are going to be miles away.

[PlanoDano]

Just like deer hunting everyone hunts their own hunt. If your goal is only to harvest an animal for a nice mount then by all means hire a guide and hunt private. While some hunters value harvesting a trophy under a feeder on a high fence ranch, Another hunter may place a higher value on a doe harvested on public land. I value the whole experience, navigating for days off trail, camping, reading land, animal and weather. Something positive happens to my psyche after a few days of walking, making and breaking camp while seeing no other humans. I will be in the mountains under the guise of scouting in August even if I do not hunt elk this fall.

[txtrophy85]

A Colorado OTC DIY elk hunt is like going to the strip club to get to booty. Yes, there are folks that have done it and scored, but the odds are only slightly better than hitting the lotto.


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Odds in the unit we hunt hover about 25%. So in our group of 4 normally one of us gets a bull. One year we got 3. One year we all struck out.

I would say your odds are going to fall in that 25% range if you hunt hard and know where/how to hunt.


I wish less people would hunt OTC it has gotten insanely crowded over the past 5 years

[Allpublic]

I have hunted otc in Colorado for 12 days at a time, the last two years. First year in a wilderness area on foot and last year in a unit i could take the 4wheeler. Both years i have struggled to find elk, and put in more miles than i thought i could handle. And people are everywhere. That being said, i seen elk and was with in bow range both years, but with no shot opportunity. I love the pursuit, and personally its the challenge im after, but it is expensive school, and hard hunting, frustrating, and at times feels impossible. Im doing it again this year anyway.

[JTeLarkin08]

Odds in the unit we hunt hover about 25%. So in our group of 4 normally one of us gets a bull. One year we got 3. One year we all struck out.

I would say your odds are going to fall in that 25% range if you hunt hard and know where/how to hunt.


I wish less people would hunt OTC it has gotten insanely crowded over the past 5 years

OTC in general runs 10% success.. VERY few units run higher than that.. Most Draw units dont run 25% lol.. But keep that unit a secret if it does

[Jamesl]

Im gonna try. Im gonna tell her I’m meeting someone there. Which technically will be the truth. I’m sure I’ll see other people.

OTC, you will meet more people than you will care to. You will never be alone. lol

[Texans42]

OP, save your money and go on a guided hunt on private land or wait to draw in a good unit. You can go camping here in Texas and you don’t have to drive 18hrs or buy a CO non-resident license. You can walk 10 miles a day at a state park here in TX for a whole lot less money with about the same chance of seeing an elk.

A Colorado OTC DIY elk hunt is like going to the strip club to get to booty. Yes, there are folks that have done it and scored, but the odds are only slightly better than hitting the lotto.


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I'm sure glad I wasn't raised with this mind set.

[Traildust]

I'm sure glad I wasn't raised with this mind set.

No doubt, terrible advice.

[sasqy]

I like to hunt !
I’ve been on a $7k guided hunt and came up empty handed.
Most guides don’t care if you kill or not, they still get paid.
I’ve seen more elk and had more opportunities on public land on my own than Private with a guide.
I will be fine out there and appreciate the good advice from some and don’t care for all the discouragement from others. Seems like lots of people think otc or public is hopeless. I totally disagree and feel the smallest legal bull would be a true trophy if a man works for it.
My first girlfriend was fat and ugly but I was sure glad to have one.
I can hunt on my own for less than 1k each year and it’s worth every dime just to get away.
I’d rather earn my animal the hard way. That’s what hunting is about.