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Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

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Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 07 31, 2020 •  [Post 1]

You guys have heard me ask why so many people, especially first timers, choose to hunt Colorado for elk. I have a bald spot from scratching my head trying to figure out why a hunter would Google “shortest drive” or “easiest license system” instead of “best damn place to punch my tag!”

The most common piece of information that I hear is “Colorado has the most elk”. My reply to that is always “that’s because the state has by far the most elk habitat. There are elk everywhere from east to west and north to south. But it’s not about overall numbers. It’s about elk densities. How many of them there are per square mile. The other important factor also has to do with densities... how many hunters there are per square mile. But really if you think about it you can skip all that and get right to the only important statistic and that is the success rate.

I found these charts online this morning and they really sum it all up. Have a look and think about where you might spend your time and money hoping to fill the freezer and hang a set of antlers on the wall. The place where you might make memories with friends that include dead bulls instead of quality time together.... without elk.

This first chart is the overall number of elk hunters. Colorado has about 220,000. Montana has roughly half that. And Wyoming has a little more than half the number of hunters as Montana.
A9AF7C48-4EF8-4BDF-925F-05C2B7094A3C.png


This next chart lists the total number of bulls killed in each state.
3E9D18AF-B865-46B0-A45D-24B961E12856.png


This chart is the actual success rate of elk hunters. All of the sudden the picture is getting clearer.
86194187-9985-44E3-BFCF-D8CB4C02165D.png


At this point Montana is looking like a little better of a prospect than Colorado. If the age class of bulls was listed Montana would look even better. Wyoming has a rate at least double of the other two. But this last chart sheds light on another very important factor. How many days it took successful hunters to contribute to the success rates. Since Montana comes in at about 40 days my conclusion is that many of the hunters who punch their tags are residents. Non res hunters don’t normally have that long to hunt. Looking then at Wyoming and Colorado it takes 50% longer to kill an elk in Co than it does in Wy. 18 days compared to 27. So in conclusion a higher, more than double, success rate in substantially less, 2/3 the amount of time.
1D3DB1E2-8907-4511-91F3-25589503D198.png



The license systems in both Montana and Wyoming aren’t that difficult to understand. The best way to learn is ask someone who knows about them. If you have any questions let me know. If you need a place to hunt and call home there I can help with that too. Check out the DIY page on my website and see what you think. Getting started in the right place is key.

Right now the best thing you can do is go buy a point. They’re on sale now, Good luck!
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 07 31, 2020 •  [Post 2]

Excellent information Joe. For those of you who may not know, Joe Ferraro is the owner/operator of Headin' West Hunting Consulting, a former outfitting business owner, and has been a member and business sponsor on WapitiTalk.com for many years. His knowledge about elk and elk hunting is second to none.

http://www.headinwest.net/index.html
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby saddlesore » 07 31, 2020 •  [Post 3]

Couple of things: figures do not compare apples to apples.

95% of the elk in Colorado are in 50% of the state west of the continental divide.So extrapolate those numbers by half the area when comparing to any states . How much of that in each state is public accessible land by percentage

Any wilderness area requires a guide in Wyoming. That always chilled me .I know you can hunt in a non-wilderness area,but for a state to have a regulation like that pisses me off. As long as you are not hunting in Wyoming,you can go into any wilderness area without a guide. What is the break down of in acres of Wilderness and non-wilderness in Wyoming.

Total number of hunters has to be broken down into bulls and cows. Not all of those 220,000 in Colorado hunt bulls

Total bull elk killed and success rate in Colorado is for all means of take combined I believe. Archery, muzzle loader, and center fire rifle. Those figures need to be compared to other states. Also strictly OTC for each state has to be compared . Draw areas all have significant better success rates.

With Colorado now requiring the Qualifying License before a person can put in for a draw that other states already have, might significantly push hunters to other states.

Which state have OTC licenses and what percentage are they off the total tags sold.

Finally what is the total cost of both resident, and nonresident elk tags for each a hunter can fire a shot. Application fees, Habitat stamps,qualifying licenses,license fee it self, preference point cost.

I am not bragging on Colorado. In fact, I advise hunters to go to other states. You cannot believe Colorado's herd count numbers and with the current liberal governor,and his appointees to the Colorado Parks &Wildlife Commission,they have no interest of hunting in Colorado.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 07 31, 2020 •  [Post 4]

I’ll add this: I have friends killing bulls in Colorado. But they certainly paid their dues and work hard to get to where they hunt. But they are doing well there.

My own statistic: 90% of my clients who purchase hunt plans have hunted Colorado for 2-6 years before contacting me. They are frustrated with the number of other hunters and the difficulty in finding elk. They’ve had little to no success and are more than ready to relocate. I’ve sold hunt plans to Colorado residents! I know quite a few Colorado residents that are traveling to Wyoming and Montana to hunt. I honestly don’t know anyone from those states going to Colorado to hunt. With some of the units there going to a draw the otc units will see even more pressure. Add wolves to that and who knows what will happen in the next few years. One thing I do know is that we saw about 6 bulls and 3 hunters in the first 2 days last year. After that about 20 bulls and zero hunters. We went 2 for 2. I’m not too big on charts or surveys but based on that we have decided to give Wyoming another try this year. ;)
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby saddlesore » 07 31, 2020 •  [Post 5]

Most of those 2-6 year hunters were paying their dues. Unless you have someone to mentor you or put X's on a map, the first few years are lean.

Do you think those 90% of the 2-6 year hunters would have done any better in WY or another state if they went strictly on their own like the did in Colorado? I bet the outcome would have been the same. I have helped a few guys from this forum and other forums and they all got into elk. I have also met more than a few hunters wondering around the woods on their first, second, or third elk hunt who hadn't a clue . Sure a few will fill their tag, but most just go on a camping trip to hike around the woods with a rifle or bow. Heck, the guy I hunt with seriously doesn't want to kill and elk ,but he loves to go. I don't need to kill another elk in my life, but I love to go too.We are part of that 80% that don't kill elk now, but we sure got'er done up until a few years ago.

Not knocking your business Joe, I think any first time or later elk hunter should use your service or an reputable outfitter.

No one should believe any statistics put out by any state wildlife department. Especially Colorado's.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Lefty » 07 31, 2020 •  [Post 6]

Where I use to archery hunt success rate was high25-30% and all 6x6 plus. But one interesting statistic was hunt days , which was over 13 days per hunter.
And many were OOS
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Pop-r » 08 02, 2020 •  [Post 7]

Good points Joe. Very good points as well saddlesore.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby >>>---WW----> » 08 02, 2020 •  [Post 8]

Statistics don't kill elk ! GOOD and sometimes lucky elk hunters do.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 08 02, 2020 •  [Post 9]

saddlesore wrote:Most of those 2-6 year hunters were paying their dues. Unless you have someone to mentor you or put X's on a map, the first few years are lean.

Do you think those 90% of the 2-6 year hunters would have done any better in WY or another state if they went strictly on their own like the did in Colorado? I bet the outcome would have been the same.


Omg Vince the outcome would definitely not be the same. There’s no way you could hunt Wyoming that long without killing multiple bulls. The outcome would be completely different. Not only would they kill elk but their experiences would teach them a lot more about elk and elk hunting. And of course one obvious difference is that they would have a place to call home instead of abandoning ship and starting over. I’ve hunted Washington, Idaho, and Montana for elk and you see where I’ve settled in. I’m not saying that Ray Charles could kill a bull in Wyoming.... but maybe! :lol:
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Wyo67 » 08 03, 2020 •  [Post 10]

Get in WY while you can. With the way preference point creep is going, it won't be long before it will take 4-5 points to draw a non-resident general tag in the regular draw.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby saddlesore » 08 03, 2020 •  [Post 11]

Wyo67 wrote:Get in WY while you can. With the way preference point creep is going, it won't be long before it will take 4-5 points to draw a non-resident general tag in the regular draw.


And that is why more people hunt Colorado.You can hunt ever year. I am too old to build points.I never know if this year is my last year to be physically able to hunt
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Swede » 08 03, 2020 •  [Post 12]

Stats can be interesting and useful.
I am back from my recent scouting trip hunting in Oregon. I have a few small areas I will be hanging the three tree stands I intend to take. None of those stands cover an area one acre in size. Obviously, though I hunt in Oregon I do not hunt Oregon. I hunt an extremely small portion of it. I wonder how much better off I would be going to hunt in another State I am unfamiliar with, and can't scout effectively? I would rather hunt one elk on a million acres, if I can learn his haunts, than hunt a 50% State I know nothing about.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 08 04, 2020 •  [Post 13]

The big factor is way less hunters Swede. I’d rather hunt a herd of 50 with nobody else around than a herd of 500 with competition.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Swede » 08 04, 2020 •  [Post 14]

I am not sure what bothers some about competition if you know what you are dealing with. I have never hunted where there is not a significant hunter population. You learn to deal with it or stay home. Even with fishing you go where the fish are, which means you are going to have competition.
So far I have been able to go hunting every year which really helps to learn an area and the animals that inhabit the place.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby saddlesore » 08 04, 2020 •  [Post 15]

Same here Swede. I have not missed an elk season for at least 40 years.Darn few years that I didn't fill my tag, although I have been hunting two different seasons each year for about ten years.
I do hunt wilderness areas and that thins the population out quite a bit
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 08 04, 2020 •  [Post 16]

I’ll be glad to answer that question Swede. Since you said you’ve never hunted where there wasn’t a “significant hunter population” then you have nothing to compare to. But I’ve hunted both scenarios and I can give you a few good reasons why I prefer little to no competition. But first I’ll say that a little common sense will tell you that any kind of hunting is going to be at least somewhat better where guys aren’t putting pressure on game. For starters it means there’s less killing so more animals... and more opportunities. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Pressured elk live differently. They don’t spend much time out in the open during daylight. They are more call shy. Hunting nocturnal animals of any species just plain sucks. You pray for an opportunity in that very first and last half hour of light each day. Instead imagine elk out feeding until 9:30 and returning to feed by 3. Sometimes earlier depending on weather. Compared to ones that lay low in thick timber until they know it’s safe it’s night and day. So to sum that up I can get 5 hours of quality hunting for relaxed elk each day. It’s just plain fun and easy to stay confident.

But just as important is the whole state of mind a hunter has. In areas where you know there’s competition if you hear a bull bugle the first thing that goes through your mind is to wonder who else heard it. The next thought is that you better hurry up and make something happen before someone else beats you to it. That’s a terrible way to have to think. It causes you to rush things, force things when the wind isn’t right, and just simply make bad decisions. When I see bulls I sit and listen and watch. I get to know them a little. Ponder if things are right and if it’s truly the right time and place to have a shot opportunity OR... if I’m better served to observe and plan the perfect hunt for that evening or the next day. If it’s morning I might let them walk away and go over there when I know it’s safe planning my route along the way and finding the exact spot I want to be at that evening or the next morning. Time is on my side and that’s a beautiful thing. It’s just me and the elk and there’s nothing better than knowing that as long as I make the right decisions it will all come together and I’ll kill a bull.

I remember one hunt in Montana. I spotted some elk including a nice big bull not long after leaving the truck. There were other hunters everywhere! The elk were on the other side of a creek drainage with a gated road leading right to below where they were. I’d killed elk in the exact spot before and knew it well. Well enough to know that some competitors knew it too. So I got over there as fast as I could. The hill leading up to them was steep and a wide open burn. Not a good direction to come from. When I got below them on the road I ran into two other hunters. It seemed like they knew what was going on but weren’t saying much. In reality that was just my imagination... the way a guy thinks when hunting pressured spots. As soon as they were out of sight I flew around the bend and up the hill all the while thinking oh Lord those dummies are going to cut up through the burn and blow them out! I got up there and stopped briefly knowing I was close.... if they were still there. That’s another crappy way to have to think. I really felt like the clock was ticking and I had to make something happen before the worst thing happened. So still slightly winded I pushed forward. Within 50 yards the herd jumped up and started thundering out of there. I saw Mr Big’s rack moving through the widely spaced trees. No chance of an ethical shot though. I walked up to the crest of the hill. Down below I saw those hunters on the road rounding a far bend in the road. It turns out they had no clue those elk were there. It was all in my mind. The mind of a hunter who felt pressure knowing that his hunt could be blown by actions of someone other than himself. Hunting like that isn’t nearly as fun as it’s damn sure not as productive.

So being a hunter who is calm and in the zone hunting elk that don’t have a worry in the world compared to that is a no brainer. The second rut is full of bugles. It’s awesome. Last year I had a 4 by 5 bull stand there at 80 yards while I broke down my bull. He would feed a little then look at me for a bit. He was there long enough for me to peel the hide down from the spine and get both back straps out. When he left he just walked away without panicking. If I had another hunter with me there would have been 2 dead bulls. That kind of thing just doesn’t happen where elk are worried about keeping their quarters attached. Have your ever dreamed of what it must have been like when Jim Bridger or Theodore Roosevelt hunted elk back in the day? Back before camo and gadgets. Back when elk went about their business as usual and a guy could choose not to shoot if it wasn’t what he was looking for knowing there’s always tomorrow. I can tell you it’s heaven on earth. It’s real hunting the way it was meant to be with people and civilization being the last thing on your mind... or the elk’s mind.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Swede » 08 05, 2020 •  [Post 17]

Joe, I understand and agree with most of what you are writing. I have never hunted unpressured elk like Jim Bridger did. That is mostly why I went to tree stand elk hunting. Tree stands have been very productive in pressured Oregon open units. That is also why I sometimes argue with Elknut's quacking about calling, as though it is The Great Elk Getter. I have read and listened to much of his stuff and it does not work well in pressured hunt areas. Tree stands get-er-done.
My son and I came into camp where we passed a punter skinning a nice bull on his meat pole. I stopped and congratulated him. I never asked about how or where he got it. I did not care, but he proceeded to tell me he called it in and killed it in the "canyon". I knew better because I saw the direction he went when he left camp that morning. He went to the large flat down a dead end road. There are stock watering ponds there and places to hang a tree stand. That is where he got his elk and how he did it. There is no way for an individual hunter to get an elk out of the canyon whole. There was not even patches where the hair was rubbed off from dragging. Ge drove right up to it. The point is most of the elk harvested where I hunt are taken from tree stands, but still, for whatever reason, hunters want to say they are calling them in.
Another thing about tree stand hunting is that I can hunt in State very effectively. At age 73 my days for "running and gunning are are limited. I can go, but I am not what I used to be. From a stand I can hunt easily as long as there is shooting light. I always leave optimistic, but never cocky. When all is said and done, it is hunting.
Best wishes on your Jim Bridger hunt. Show us the pictures when you get back.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 08 05, 2020 •  [Post 18]

Your elk hunting is like my Pa deer hunting. In places like that we are best served by parking it in the most likely spots. But I can tell you Swede that I’m no athlete. I hunt slow but sure. I might gun but I don’t run. I might not be up a tree but I spend lots of time sitting in one place or another. My main efforts are getting where I want to be in the morning and getting an elk out. My spike camp has eliminated my morning effort. I guarantee you could hunt from there and you could do it on the ground or in a tree. I hope to have some pictures to share this year but when we’re talking about elk and Mother Nature there are never any guarantees. I’m sure I’ll pass a couple up early on which might lead to a shortage of photographs!
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Swede » 08 06, 2020 •  [Post 19]

Joe, I think the way you are hunting is smart and effective. I am confident I could keep up the routine you describe. Just don't put me with some 22 year old that thinks the elk are over the next ridge, and the next ridge, and the next. I do not have to hunt from a tree, but I want to be there for the long haul if needed. :D
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 08 06, 2020 •  [Post 20]

Time moves slow in the hills. If a hunter is living at city speed he won’t see half of what he could if he learns to slow down to the same speed as what’s going on around him. Once I get where I’m going I’m in no hurry at all to be anywhere else. I might mosey around a little for fun, for a quick peek at this or that and to get some blood flowing. Lots of times I end up right back in the same place or nearby. If I decide to relocate I give myself plenty of time. I take my time getting there and when I do I park it again. I’ve sat in soots from dark to dark without ever moving. If I do that I might build a fire to lift my spirit a bit.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Billy Goat » 08 07, 2020 •  [Post 21]

Joe, I finally did the math in my spreadsheet.

our group has an average harvest of 23%, and 29 days/harvest since we started back in ~2008. - All hunts in Colorado.

2021 is WY for us.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 08 07, 2020 •  [Post 22]

So just under 1 out of 4 in a month of hunting. Most people get a max of 10-12 days of hunting so I wonder what all the success rates would be for that many days. My personal rates are based on 2 week hunts with 4 days of driving so 12 days of hunting.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby saddlesore » 08 07, 2020 •  [Post 23]

Pretty hard to figure because some times I shoot them on the first day,sometimes the last day and sometimes in between, in a 9 day season with a day driving on each end and sometimes I shoot two in one season.

Usually though my success rate runs about 90-95% for each season
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 08 07, 2020 •  [Post 24]

With statistics you don’t note if you were on a 9 or 12 day hunt. Only how many days it took you to kill an elk. As far as % of success I have my own. So if I killed 9 bulls in 10 years it would be 90%. Then I look at overall camp success. Last year we went 2 bulls for 2 hunters so 100%.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Fridaythe13th » 08 07, 2020 •  [Post 25]

Joe how many preferences points for a nonresident does it take to hunt elk on average. How many zones are there with very few to no grizzly. For me I hate points systems and I'm scared of griz.
We have a local group that hunt Wyoming after last year I think there hanging it up on average they would run into 2 or 3 grizzly a day. They did get 2 nice bulls but he said his hair on the back of his neck was standing up he was so nervous when taking care of a down bull. And they tied the horses up outside and slept in the horse trailer just to be safe. Not sure if that's my cup of tea.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Lefty » 08 07, 2020 •  [Post 26]

Swede wrote:I am not sure what bothers some about competition if you know what you are dealing with. I have never hunted where there is not a significant hunter population. You learn to deal with it or stay home. .

I dont mind competition but it sometimes it brings out the worst in me. It really agitates me when others are rude and mess up my hunts. I reported on the three clowns that literally ran into Andrew when we had a bull 60 yards in front and coming to him. Or the guys that were trying to rally the single huge bull with over 50 cows and calves. that I was minutes from drawing on


My goose hunting examples. I had permission on the wheat field on the west side of my property. My first years living here that fild 350 geese were killed each year. The field to the north of me 700-900 geese a year.
Lots of easy geese(Colorado elk?) I would much rather have fewer birds and close encounters with geese and hunted 1/2 hour away and worked the birds the way I wanted to than kill a 5 minute limit.
I hunt elk the same way.
I could be hunting elk 20 minutes from my house now. But for me there are just too many hunters.
Most hunters are ethical . but things happen. Goose hunting; a landing flock 80 yards out an another group begins shooting into a flock a mile away. Elk hunting hunters come to your calling while working a real bull
If I blow a hunt that's on me. but accident or purposely I get frustrated when other goof it up.

Now maybe unlike some guys my focus may not be to just kill an elk.
I like being in the woods and being in the blind.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 08 07, 2020 •  [Post 27]

Friday... you’ll hear people predict that it could one day take 4/5 points to drawing a tag in the “regular” drawing. Right now it takes 3 and I think that’ll hold true for awhile. The “special” drawing takes 2 points to pull a tag.

Those General licenses are goin 50 areas (units). Many of them are grizzlie free. Lots! I’ve never seen one. Mainly just stay away from the northwest corner of the state.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Swede » 08 08, 2020 •  [Post 28]

Lefty, I went to school, went in the military, had a career, etc. Occasionally I had to deal with rude people. I go to church faithfully and was teaching right up until the pandemic. Even there occasionally I find a rude person. In none of these did I quit or grumble because someone was occasionally impolite. If you ever get to the place where everyone, including Swede, is perfectly nice you have died and gone to heaven.
Also, I find people most often respond in kind. Sure there are a few exceptions, but they are rare. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and they usually will.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby saddlesore » 08 08, 2020 •  [Post 29]

Camp success doesn't mean much because you have different hunters that hunt differently or maybe hunt for different reason.

I feel cheated if I kill an elk opening day and then need to get it home before the meat spoils.The guy I hunt with hasn't killed an elk for several years and he regards each of his hunts as complete successes..

I am not overly happy about the current conditions in Colorado, but I won't give a nickle to Wyoming as long as s they have the restriction on the books that you must have a guide to hunt wilderness areas. It shows the outfitters/guides have too much lobbying power there and the state backs them up.
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Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Indian Summer » 08 09, 2020 •  [Post 30]

Camp success does shed some light on the quality of hunting in the area. None of the guys I hunt with have nearly the experience or the knowledge of the area that I do. Last year my partner killed his first bull ever. Two years before that one killed his first bull and the other killed his first since his last one 20 years before that. In a unit with a success rate in the teens if we can have that good of a rate with hunters of all skill levels it tells me that we are in a good area. It also tells me that the majority of other hunters just aren’t working as long and hard as we are. We get up and going early every day and nobody comes back to camp early.
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Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro

Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby saddlesore » 08 09, 2020 •  [Post 31]

I think it is more of having someone to show them the tricks.Obviously there has to be elk in the area, but it doesn't mean there has to be elk behind every tree.I n my hunting career I have probably taken at least dozen people out on their first hunts. Most of them got their elk. Those that didn't (2-3) had shot opportunities, but blew it.

One fellow in NM had been in a car accident involving a train. His hips were all pinned together and he wore a colostomy bag.
I built a special seat on top of a saw buck and loaded him up.Opening morning he killed his elk. It was a spike bull but a big trophy to him.The one and only time he ever went elk hunting. The remainder were in Colorado with all these throngs of hunters. Obviously not great areas. Two were members of this forum where I either told them to go or went with them with out a license and showed them where to hunt.

Outfitters use that camp success statistic to make people think they are doing great.
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saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Swede » 08 09, 2020 •  [Post 32]

My camp always has better success than the published average success for the unit and from what I can see, we do better than those hunting around us. I don't think that in of itself says much about the unit. I would not go so far as to say it speaks solely of the skill of the hunters. It speaks of a combination of things including hunting style, patience, perseverance, and some about knowledge/skill.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby saddlesore » 08 09, 2020 •  [Post 33]

Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement Swede.By the time we get to our age, we have worked all that bad judgement out. :lol:
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saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: Interesting Elk Hunting Statistics

Postby Tigger » 08 11, 2020 •  [Post 34]

There is experience and there is luck. On any one hunt, give me luck. But in the long haul, experience and dedication will vastly outperform luck. and if you have one of those rare years where you combine experience, dedication, and luck, you are likely to shoot one heckuva big bull!
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Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
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Location: Minnesota