Getting a tag

[huntfishtrap247]

I'm new to elk hunting and the whole system of getting tags and such for these western big game species. If I wanted to hunt next fall (18 months out) for a bull (not a trophy, just a legal Bull and not a cow) with a gun or bow, it doesn't matter to me, how would I go about doing this? Is colorado the only state that offers OTC tags? What about montana or wyoming? Any help is appreciated, as trying to figure this out is more than overwhelming. Thank you in advance.

[Wyo67]

Welcome to the forumn 247... You will most likely be able to hunt for a bull in Wyoming during 2015 with a General license if you buy a preference point ($50) between July 1 and September 30. This year, applicants who had one preference point had a 66.67% chance of drawing a tag. Point creep is always an issue and that number may go up or down. If you have any questions about preference points, limited quota and general licenses in Wyoming, let me know. - Mike

[Indian Summer]

Yep Wyo67 is right on. If you stick around here I'll give a reminder when the points period rolls around in July.

Montana has guaranteed tags. You could buy one right now if you wanted and pretty much all summer long too.

Idaho also has OTC elk licenses. Elknut has been keeping it a secret!

Welcome aboard HFT247! Pleased to meet you.

[Swede]

Welcome to the forum huntfishtrap247. Oregon also has over the counter elk tags, and I believe much of Washington is open too. For a person that would be satisfied with either a bull or a cow, I believe Oregon is a good choice as it has a lot of elk, but because only a few units are draw only for bow, you always have a decent opportunity for good hunting. If you want to avoid high pressure areas, you will need to look at the hunting statistics and research out areas with a very low road density.

[Screaming_btf]

Utah has some OTC units

[Indian Summer]

Utah has some OTC units

For branch antlered bulls?