Limited Time - Limited Choices

[Skynard]

I have posted about this conundrum before - My job closely follows university and college work schedules. So, I have ample free time in the summer, a week long Thanksgiving break the last week of November, a month long Christmas break from Dec - mid Jan, and a spring break in April (Turkey hunting time).

This means not much elk hunting opportunity. September is busy with school starting. Not much fall hunting trips besides the Thanksgiving break. I am from Louisiana and have went to Arizona OTC Deer for 2 years and would like to have a mule with a rifle. What are my options this year?

- Colorado 4th season (0 points)
- Montana General deer (0 points)
- AZ Couse or Mule December rifle (1 point)
- How late is Wyoming season? (2 deer points)
- Wyoming antelope (4 points) IDK if I could take off in October.

Again, I have a limited window for western hunting of November 19-November 30, Mid Dec - Mid Jan, Spring, Summer. I can only take one trip.

What is your advice with limited time and limited choices?

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

I’d go for Montana. You could hunt the last week of rifle season. Likely the best week to get a mule deer.

 

[Skynard]

I’d go for Montana. You could hunt the last week of rifle season. Likely the best week to get a mule deer.

For Montana, do you hunt the east side of west in the mountains

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

For Montana, do you hunt the east side of west in the mountains

I hunt the western and southwestern part of the state because that’s where I live and I focus on elk over deer. If you are strictly interested in deer I would focus more east.

 

[nrpate05]

Probably Montana for mule deer. From all the eastern Montana deer videos I see, there is a mature four point behind pretty much every bush. There are some Colorado 4th rifle elk hunts that you can get with 0 points and even leftover.

 

[marshman]

I’d go for Montana. You could hunt the last week of rifle season. Likely the best week to get a mule deer.

Yep, spot on.

 

[Happy Myles]

I have posted about this conundrum before - My job closely follows university and college work schedules. So, I have ample free time in the summer, a week long Thanksgiving break the last week of November, a month long Christmas break from Dec - mid Jan, and a spring break in April (Turkey hunting time).

This means not much elk hunting opportunity. September is busy with school starting. Not much fall hunting trips besides the Thanksgiving break. I am from Louisiana and have went to Arizona OTC Deer for 2 years and would like to have a mule with a rifle. What are my options this year?

- Colorado 4th season (0 points)
- Montana General deer (0 points)
- AZ Couse or Mule December rifle (1 point)
- How late is Wyoming season? (2 deer points)
- Wyoming antelope (4 points) IDK if I could take off in October.

Again, I have a limited window for western hunting of November 19-November 30, Mid Dec - Mid Jan, Spring, Summer. I can only take one trip.

What is your advice with limited time and limited choices?

 

[Bluffgruff]

This is your year if you want to hunt elk in Colorado 4th season (dozens of units available) , but for deer, Montana is your best bet.

 

[Skynard]

Thanks guys, as always, I don't contribute to this thread enough.

 

[Skynard]

This is your year if you want to hunt elk in Colorado 4th season (dozens of units available) , but for deer, Montana is your best bet.

I've always assumed that 4th season is too far too gone for good elk hunting. Can it be relatively productive?

 

[Cornell Cowboy]

I have the same issue. I live in WY and find my elk/deer hunting time severely curtailed by my University schedule. I've also been looking into AZ coues for the same reason. Wyoming deer seasons are terrible (and short), so I think you'll have a tough time with that. You might think about late season elk, as that can definitely run over Christmas break time. I think you could make an antelope hunt though, just because you don't need a lot of time. I brought in a friend/colleague a few years back to give a seminar in my department; we went after antelope on Saturday. We both tagged out, butchered them on Sunday afternoon and he flew out Sunday evening.

You might also look into AK caribou/wolf, as you can hunt in early August. I've also been down to TX to take my son on a deer hunt on New Years Day. I would do both again in a heartbeat (waiting to draw the TX tag and waiting for my boys to get older so that they can come on the caribou hunt with me). Also, don't overlook spring bear, as most of the season falls after classes are finished.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I've always assumed that 4th season is too far too gone for good elk hunting. Can it be relatively productive?

It certainly can be if you are willing to actually hunt instead of sit in or near camp or your truck. It's often miserably cold, and the snow can be deep, but the elk are there.

 

[8andcounting]

Probably Montana for mule deer. From all the eastern Montana deer videos I see, there is a mature four point behind pretty much every bush. There are some Colorado 4th rifle elk hunts that you can get with 0 points and even leftover.

Your fricking joking right ....? I hope you are .......

 

[8andcounting]

The Montana residents that are frequently on this sight , who know eastern Montana well , are about to tell you how wrong you are just FYI . Decent 4 point behind every tree , been a while since I’ve read something so ridiculous

 

[Bluffgruff]

The Montana residents that are frequently on this sight , who know eastern Montana well , are about to tell you how wrong you are just FYI . Decent 4 point behind every tree , been a while since I’ve read something so ridiculous

I hear region 7 has a 98% 4pt or better harvest rate

 

[nrpate05]

The Montana residents that are frequently on this sight , who know eastern Montana well , are about to tell you how wrong you are just FYI . Decent 4 point behind every tree , been a while since I’ve read something so ridiculous

They are about to tell me how wrong my Youtube experience has been?

 

[8andcounting]

They are about to tell me how wrong my Youtube experience has been?

Ok dude . Yup there’s nice 4 points everywhere better go get one ....

 

[8andcounting]

I hear region 7 has a 98% 4pt or better harvest rate

Hey if a 18” wide 1.5-2.5 yr old with milk on his lips is your thing , go for it

 

[nrpate05]

Ok dude . Yup there’s nice 4 points everywhere better go get one ....

I think I will.

 

[PablitoPescador]

I live in Montana and hunt mulies in eastern Montana every year and I can confirm that your YouTube experience does not paint an accurate picture of reality. You have to pick through a ton of dinks and ANY buck over 3.5 years old is one you better shoot because you will regret it later. Montana general season is an opportunity hunt and if you’re expecting maturity or 4 points behind every bush, you’re going to be disappointed