Favorite Elk State

[Swede]

Of the States that you have hunted elk in, which is your favorite? Why? I think the residents of elk States are apt to name their own, and that is ok.

I prefer Oregon. It has its draw-backs, but it also has great variety. I don't think there is a State that can compare with the long seasons we have, and where you can hunt such variety with an OTC tag.
We can hunt Roosevelt elk, and Rockies. We can hunt desert, rain forest, and about everything in between.

[Old school]

It would be hard for me to pick a favorite as I love exploring new territory and appreciate the variety within each state and between them as well. I’ve only hunted Colorado, Idaho and Montana and appreciate different things about each state. It is nice “only” to have to drive 12 hours to Colorado vs 24 for my spots in Idaho or Montana. That drive on I-80 is best done at night - all 11 hours of it from Lincoln to the Granger WY exit

If I had to pick one - give me Colorado simply for proximity.

-Mitch

[saddlesore]

I have hunted CO,( resident now for 40+ years) NM and Alberta. I moved from NM because I could not hunt elk every year there.It's all draw and no points.Anywhere has to be better than Coloarado now days .If I could afford it,I would hunt another state

[Elkduds]

CO for me. I get to keep my job, hunt 20+ days/year, have 2 licenses for under $100, scout a bunch, hunt desert canyons/above timberline and everything in between, enjoy RFW meat hunts in December, select from many OTC options, and have a basic understanding of where to go after 55 years in the state. But I'm biased, as I never hunted elk elsewhere.

[Deanmac]

Only hunted Colorado, the last three years, ML (DIY), 1st gun (Drop camp) , 2nd gun( DIY) two different units. I would have to say I preferred the ML season. I heard a bunch of bugles and saw some elk. If I went again during MLI would know better how to hunt. My least favorite would have to be the drop camp.

[Deanmac]

CO for me. I get to keep my job, hunt 20+ days/year, have 2 licenses for under $100, scout a bunch, hunt desert canyons/above timberline and everything in between, enjoy RFW meat hunts in December, select from many OTC options, and have a basic understanding of where to go after 55 years in the state. But I'm biased, as I never hunted elk elsewhere.

Got it figured out, sure wish I did not have to drive 26 hours.

[Roosiebull]

I have only hunted one state, so my obvious pick is oregon. I cannot say I would give up my otc roosie season to hunt elk anywhere else, as they say "ignorance is bliss"

[Swede]

I have only hunted one state, so my obvious pick is oregon. I cannot say I would give up my otc roosie season to hunt elk anywhere else, as they say "ignorance is bliss"

As I have read your posts and watched your success, it has occurred to me that you will be one of, or the foremost authority on hunting Roosevelt elk. Period. It does not matter if that is an objective or not. Hang in there. If you get an opportunity to go somewhere else, do it after you anchor your Roosiebull.

[Sticknstringer]

I have only hunted colorado. In a dry low elevation with not many elk in September. I can't say it was horrible as we had 1 opportunity but I'm excited for wyoming this year.

[Roosiebull]

I have only hunted one state, so my obvious pick is oregon. I cannot say I would give up my otc roosie season to hunt elk anywhere else, as they say "ignorance is bliss"

As I have read your posts and watched your success, it has occurred to me that you will be one of, or the foremost authority on hunting Roosevelt elk. Period. It does not matter if that is an objective or not. Hang in there. If you get an opportunity to go somewhere else, do it after you anchor your Roosiebull.

I just hunt a lot of days, and with all of the exposure I do get, it's always a matter of time I run into a dumb one I don't think I have the authority to be the authority on anything

I did get invited to Arizona to chase bulls today, I have to sit and think on the logistics, but not matter what, I will be spending AT LEAST the first week chasing roosies. would be fun to branch out, but not at the expense of chasing bulls in the tall ferns and mature timber

[Indian Summer]

Wyoming for me. Somehow I manage to find bulls almost every day. Probably because of the openess there where I hunt. That and the fact that the elk spend plenty of time out in the open. That’s hard to beat. It can be like tv show hunting. Lol Plus that semi open country makes for some incredible scenery which is a bonus while I’m hunting. Wyoming really is an incredibly gorgeous state.

[Indian Summer]

Oops... stayed in the open too long!

[stringunner]

I have hunted Wyoming 3 years, area 7 all three times. That was 10 years ago. By far that was my favorite 3 years of hunting. I have only hunted Oregon since and for many years prior to that stint in Wyoming. I like Oregon enough to stay now on a regular basis but that is mostly because it’s too expensive to hunt out of state regularly. I also get more hunting time by staying in Oregon, all the days scouting and days in the field during season are of more importance than a once a year 7 day trip to another state. I do plan to go back to Wyoming probably one more time and then will likely stay put in Oregon until all the kids are raised and the money and time are more than they are now.

[82ndreddevil]

New Mexico for me. Some may not like that we don’t have OTC or preference points but we do have overall good harvests and some really good bulls. Since 2010 there have only been 2 years I didn’t get to hunt. That’s really not bad at all.

[Lefty]

Ive bought tags in Washington, Utah Idaho and Montana. But my preference would be the opposite order for generally DYI public.
But oh would I love to hunt some of the CWMU units in Utah, I sure would if I had the cash for such hunts. Or some of the special tags in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
But then if I had the cash I would hunt Russia for their giant elk. Alaska or northern Canadian Providences maybe too.

[Lefty]

,.. Wyoming really is an incredibly gorgeous state.

About 10 %
80% of the ugliest stuff most people have seen

[Elkhntr08]

The one I’m hunting in at the time.

[Indian Summer]

,.. Wyoming really is an incredibly gorgeous state.

About 10 %
80% of the ugliest stuff most people have seen

Hey... 80% and 10% only makes 90. What’s the other 10???

75/25 is probably true of Montana. Other than a few isolated mountain ranges once you get about to hours from the Idaho border it’s a dry flat desert where the wind and sand slice of the bases of sagebrush to make tumbleweeds. But even though Wyoming has it’s share of that type of country I’d say the numbers are more like 60/40. You're never too far from some hills. The route between Sheridan and the Bighorns west to Jackson via the Wind River range as well as the route north of that through Cody is nice all the way. The picture of the house against the red rimrock is from the Wind River route.

Now thinking from an elk hunting standpoint when doing research Colorado is a different story. It has wall to wall elk habitat. I’ve heard so many people say Colorado has more elk than any other state. They forget to factor the elk density which is the important thing along with bull to cow ratios. Those are actually the same or less. Much less in many areas. I’ve heard lots of stories about elkless elk hunts but I can’t imagine that in Wyoming or Montana. When you get there right away you get this feeling that you’re heading in the right direction!

[Indian Summer]

Entering from the east side just past Sturgis South Dakota..... the not so nice neck of the woods.

[Old school]

Joe - the SW side on I-80 is very painful as well, unless you like to count antelope. From about 2 hrs east of Rock Springs all the way to Idaho - ughhh. Now there was some pretty country and rough looking mountains east of Laramie if I remember right though. Hopefully I'll be elk hunting Wyoming in 2019 or 2020. Will have 3 points after this year.

--Mitch

[saddlesore]

You know ,Colorado is no slouch to elk country scenery and about 1/2 the state is like this.

[Indian Summer]

Absolutely! Lots of high elevations in Colorado. One question lots of my clients have asked is what are the elevations where you’re sending me. They are often gun shy after hunting at 10-12 thousand feet in Colorado and never getting acclimated all week.

[saddlesore]

I shot quite a few elk in that timber below those rock spires,about 9500 feet.I shot a lot more between 8 and 9000feet though.Too many hunters go too high.

[Indian Summer]

Yes they do. I’ve never shot an elk above 8500 feet.

[Tigger]

Most of my elk have been shot pretty high (above 8500 feet).

I have hunted WY in 2 different areas, CO in 2 different areas, MT in 2 different areas, and ID in 1 area. Favorite would be WY and MT. Hard to pick between the 2. The edge would go to WY at this point due to less predators I guess (which can be good or bad depending how you look at it and how you define predator). CO would be next and ID would come in last. Didn't like the terrain or prevalence of elk in ID.

[Roosiebull]

Yes they do. I’ve never shot an elk above 8500 feet.

I don't think I have killed an elk above 200ft

[elkstalker]

I've only hunted Montana and Idaho, I love the elk country in both states, but I liked the way Idaho managed their game better (especially the draw hunts). The way Idaho makes you choose your zone and weapon makes for fewer hunters in a given unit. The area I hunt in MT receives lots of attention from out of staters and locals, so it can be pretty crowded, but, I can't complain too much when I can be into elk 45 minutes from my back door!