Anyone recommend a state/unit for low country elk? Been wanting to take my dad on an elk hunt but he would not be able to do a high country hunt. The only states/units I know of are 5-10+year wait to get drawn. I would prefer to do this w/in the next 2-3 years. A bull tag would be nice, but would take cow tags if we had to. Doesn't has to be a trophy unit just looking for something we can both draw and doesn't require my dad going to 8k+ in elevation then climbing up/down another 1k+ while hunting.
Low Country Elk??
- Thread starter blb078
- Start date
2rocky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2010
- Messages
- 5,147
What is the highest elevation that is workable?
8K is the Max, or is that just an example?
There are late season cow hunts that are "truck hunts" across the west. Think Private land depredation type tags. but like Chama NM is at 7000 ft plus. Eastern Oregon is 4000 ft plus, the Front Range of Colorado is 5K range.
here is a map by elevation
8K is the Max, or is that just an example?
There are late season cow hunts that are "truck hunts" across the west. Think Private land depredation type tags. but like Chama NM is at 7000 ft plus. Eastern Oregon is 4000 ft plus, the Front Range of Colorado is 5K range.
here is a map by elevation
AH_14
Member
Trying to post more instead of just reading posts so here goes...
I have an 83 year old grandpa that still loves to chase elk. He doesn't breath very well and hasn't for sometime and I am always thinking of ways to make it easier on him.
He used to do well on the Gardiner (Montana) late hunts as well as the cow season on Turners Flying D Ranch (both south-west montana). Both hunts are gone now!
*2 areas I would look in Montana would be southeastern montana first (700 units) and then maybe the 400 units in central montana. Bull tags will be tough to come by in these areas. Maybe worth putting in for though. Access may be limited although there is large pieces of public land that do have elk.
I am not an expert in this area by any means. I have hunted the 700 units before and we lucked into elk while chasing mule deer. 400 units are not easy walking although they are not 8000 plus feet in elevation.
*Cow elk hunting in Montana will greatly increase your chances of drawing, gaining private land access, and ultimately harvesting an elk.
*Another idea I would consider in Montana would be calling Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and asking about our game damage hunts. These hunts are usually done on easily accessible private land that has more elk than the landowner desires. Not sure about all the specifics about these hunts but worth checking into. These hunts I believe are always antlerless hunts.
I really wanted to get the ball rolling on this post as I consider this idea of an "EASIER" elk as being extremely important to many people.
I'm 29 and I know I want to hunt elk somewhere when I'm 83 like my grandpa!
I have an 83 year old grandpa that still loves to chase elk. He doesn't breath very well and hasn't for sometime and I am always thinking of ways to make it easier on him.
He used to do well on the Gardiner (Montana) late hunts as well as the cow season on Turners Flying D Ranch (both south-west montana). Both hunts are gone now!
*2 areas I would look in Montana would be southeastern montana first (700 units) and then maybe the 400 units in central montana. Bull tags will be tough to come by in these areas. Maybe worth putting in for though. Access may be limited although there is large pieces of public land that do have elk.
I am not an expert in this area by any means. I have hunted the 700 units before and we lucked into elk while chasing mule deer. 400 units are not easy walking although they are not 8000 plus feet in elevation.
*Cow elk hunting in Montana will greatly increase your chances of drawing, gaining private land access, and ultimately harvesting an elk.
*Another idea I would consider in Montana would be calling Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and asking about our game damage hunts. These hunts are usually done on easily accessible private land that has more elk than the landowner desires. Not sure about all the specifics about these hunts but worth checking into. These hunts I believe are always antlerless hunts.
I really wanted to get the ball rolling on this post as I consider this idea of an "EASIER" elk as being extremely important to many people.
I'm 29 and I know I want to hunt elk somewhere when I'm 83 like my grandpa!
Honestly I'm not sure what his max elevation would be. I think he could do a little higher up if it didn't involve a lot of up/down walking although that's not very easy to find. I've looked into OR, mainly western OR but that's a 30+ hour drive which we can do but if we can find something in CO, WY, NM, MT that'd be great mainly cause it'd allow for an extra 2 days of hunting instead of me having to drive back to work, he's retired so there's no work issue for him. If I had to put a number on it I'd say 6-7k would be his max but that's really just a guess.
sticksender
New member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2013
- Messages
- 11
Colorado Eastern Plains has unlimited OTC licenses and a 5-month long season. You'll probably have to go with an outfitter though, it's mostly private land.
I thought about that but I prefer to do it DIY public land. Also thought about trying to find a cheap landowner voucher in NM in the lower elevation areas, if cheap ones even exist.
webejmn
New member
I am with AH_14. Lot of MT 400 districts are mtns but a guy don't need to kill himself to find elk. Most of the areas we hunt in the Little Belts are 5 or 6 k in elv. Plus the FWP is already saying they have surplus NR general tags that will be for sale.
There are probably no nonresident any or bull tags left but after July 1st drawing there should be several cow/calf tags left. One of the guys I hunt with was 89 last year with limited mobility and still was able to get his cow. There are a few areas that offer fairly Open County and can be accessed by a 4x4 truck or suv. Some offer very liberal time frames and Wyoming’s access program is more liberal on the cow tags on private land.
http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/HUNTING-1000045.aspx
Look at the public access info
.
http://wgfd.wyo.gov/web2011/HUNTING-1000045.aspx
Look at the public access info
.
Not worried about this year, trying to do this next year. What are some of the areas in WY that are eaay to draw for this type of hunt with 0 or 1 pt. The only area I know off the top of my head is unit 100 which is a long wait, any other areas I've looked at seem to have a lot of private ground.
pointingdogsrule
Well-known member
"I have heard" that cow tags for area #7 in Wyoming are usually leftover and the cow hunt is very doable in the later season. Just what I heard. Maybe some of the Wymoing guys can chime in on this one.
Good luck to all
the dog
Good luck to all
the dog
Last edited:
ida homer
Well-known member
You are short changing yourself by not looking at Idaho.
100% random draw and there are some late hunts that would suit your needs. You wouldn't need points, an outfitter, a million bucks to hunt or any of that garbage either.
100% random draw and there are some late hunts that would suit your needs. You wouldn't need points, an outfitter, a million bucks to hunt or any of that garbage either.
Yea, after reading some of the previous posts I've started looking into it a little more. It's at least closer than western OR. I never really thought much about it at first because I figured ID was mostly high country. Can you recommend some areas? Preferably w/o grizz and wolves.
kenwparker
Member
What about...http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/elkfaq08.asp
kenwparker
Member
A total of 33,675 individuals applied at least once for last year’s lottery (2012 hunt). Many opted to apply for 2 tag types, for a total number of 59,672 applications. No more than 10% of the total number of tags issued can go to non-residents. The odds of getting drawn for each tag type were:
Bull Firearm 1 in 151, 1 in 702
Cow Firearm 1 in 30, 1 in 98
Bull Archery 1 in 79, 1 in 558
Cow Archery 1 in 13, 1 in 67
Residents Non-residentsBull Firearm 1 in 151, 1 in 702
Cow Firearm 1 in 30, 1 in 98
Bull Archery 1 in 79, 1 in 558
Cow Archery 1 in 13, 1 in 67
If you don't mind paying a $1000-$1500 trespass fee there are lots of options in western Colorado. Some will include a cabin and access to private or restricted public lands. The state park in southwrst colorado offers a modest chance for a smaller bull, and the drawing is not until early july. Some areas you can drive near elk and wait until they pass through. Get him out this year, life is short.
For you MT residents what is a average chance for a resident to draw a 400 series bull tag?
For you MT residents what is a average chance for a resident to draw a 400 series bull tag?
unit 100 Wyoming...
You'd need max points for a bull tag, but 1 point for a cow tag. You can but a pref. point this summer for next years draw.
Wide open sage country, tons of elk..I took a couple of handicapped hunters there some years back.
The biologist called it the 600 pound antelope hunt...
Fun hunt, you'll see tons of white horned bulls.
Sage to 10 feet tall, sand dunes and flat country. No big mountains here. You can drive and locate the elk, and spot and stalk from there, much like an antelope hunt.
Howdy
You'd need max points for a bull tag, but 1 point for a cow tag. You can but a pref. point this summer for next years draw.
Wide open sage country, tons of elk..I took a couple of handicapped hunters there some years back.
The biologist called it the 600 pound antelope hunt...
Fun hunt, you'll see tons of white horned bulls.
Sage to 10 feet tall, sand dunes and flat country. No big mountains here. You can drive and locate the elk, and spot and stalk from there, much like an antelope hunt.
Howdy
