Elk hunting tags?

I know there are a few guys on here that Elk hunt out West.
I have a million questions but thought I would ask the 2 biggest ones in my mind first.

Is there any state that offers an OTC tag for bulls?
I really don’t want to get any older and wait out the points lottery.

Along the same lines, are there are outfitters who get a limited number of bull tags for their clients without having to going through the permit/lottery drawings?
If there is, I would guess they have a hefty price tag to go along with it.

True OTC tags I’m only aware of is Colorado archery elk , which is borderline a poop show unless you are A lucky or B have horses to go 15 miles deep . There might be a 4th rifle tag from an outfitter OTC but I’m not sure . I went OTC archery a few years ago and hunted 6 days with seeing one elk .

There are a few tags that you can draw with 1 or zero points but you better hurry because the application time for some states is very soon approaching . Montana general elk tag you can get with 1 point I believe but it’s 1000 bones .

Most outfitters are in spots where the tags are not desirable to out of state diy hunters because there is no public land . So they are usually easily available with little to no points , but last I knew you weren’t doing one for under 5 grand. If you are wanting to go guided start contacting a few and figuring out what it takes to get a tag .

Unfortunately most decent tags out west for elk or Muley are not easily obtainable as they were 20 years ago . Smart phones with gps apps like Onyx literally changed the game and made it way more possible !

If you’re like me and have a glutton for punishment and want an expensive habit , apps like Gohunt insider will help you narrow your choices along with OnyX for mapping . Both those are 100 dollars subscriptions … Forums like hunttalk are helpful as well but don’t expect anyone to tell you where to go to find critters . My most successful hunt I’ve done I printed out all the harvest odds , highlighted units with high harvest ; then correlated those units with how easy it was to draw . Start crossing off the units that are hard to draw . Interested in what others have to say . Good luck !!!

Sorry some of that sounds doom and gloom – but both these critters came from 1 point draws all DIY in 2016 and 2018 . So it is possible!!!

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I believe utah still offers otc archery tags for non residents.

Colorado does have a 2nd & 3rd season over the counter rifle tag you can pickup, check the 2023 big game guide page 40. Will give you an idea of units and then you can go from there for looking into guides. Depending on how much punishment you want to take you can go easy with a do all guide who takes care of everything or just a drop camp guide that brings you in and out of camps.

I’ve hunted Colorado archery elk twice on OTC tags (which are unlimited so you can just pick up when you get out there) and Montana once on a general tag that I drew on zero points in 2020 (which I do not think is likely in 2024).

New Mexico is a state that has no point system so it is a true lottery but residents take precedence and it is an expensive gamble. I have never applied.

I’ve yet to shoot an elk, but if I had advice to give for OTC I’d say get away from roads. Anywhere that people can get into with their trucks/campers and side by sides gets pretty inundated.

Hunting and hiking on your feet and trying to call elk is a blast. I can’t wait to go again.

If going through an outfitter, expect to pay. That said, you can at least not have to wait for a draw but many fill up a head of time.
Visiting with a guide two weeks ago he was booked on bulls for 24 already.
Maybe make many calls and get on several waiting lists.
Canada is different, may be able to get otc but some places have to use a guide.

Colorado. Do a heck of a lot of homework. Some get lucky, many don’t. I’ve spent many years with boots on the ground to find the little honey holes I go to.

Idaho has over the counter tags but maybe a zone or two.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I’m too old to be doing this as a DIY.
No time to put in that footwork or anything else.
Basically would like to shoot an Elk for myself and nephew who will be going with.
He’s got a lot more time than I do if he decides to pursue the cheaper probably more rewarding experience.

I’m going to have to pay the piper and have no problem doing that as a 1 time thing.
I’ll make some calls to the guides and yep, I’m not riding a horse 15 miles up and down the mountains.
I’ll look for a little more comfortable style and willing to pay for it.

Actually, it looks like Canada may be a better option for us from the little bit I’ve looked. For a “small fee”, ok…big fat fee I could probably get what I’m looking for.

If I was a young buck yet, I’d love to put in the work but at this point, my best option will be to pony up the cash.

Thanks again! If you can recommend a good outfitter for what I described, shoot me a PM!

isu22andy wrote:

Sorry some of that sounds doom and gloom – but both these critters came from 1 point draws all DIY in 2016 and 2018 . So it is possible!!!

Those are nice but the OP is specifically looking for an elk bull tag. Not antelope or mule deer.

New Mexico has land owner tags. The good units like 34 or 36 will go for $15,000 or more.
However there are plenty of units that can be had for a couple grand. Some can be had DIY and some can be had through an outfitter.

Colorado has land owner vouchers. However these will be in the better draw units and will be expensive.

Utah OTC areas are a very hard hunt. Very low elk densities.

Some of the Colorado 4th season tags can be very easy to draw. The key to 4th season is snow to push them out of the high country and into there migration areas.
If you want a DIY easy to hike spot PM me. I stumbled onto a honey hole spot while coyote hunting out there one year.

As for outfitters go. I can vouch for Eagle mountain in Colorado GMU 54. I haven’t hunted with him but I have hunted the areas his camps are in and spoke to him many times on the trail. His camps are on elk.
2nd and 3rd season bull rifle tags are OTC in that unit. He does drop camps and not fully guided though.

http://www.eaglemountainoutfitters.com/about-the-hunt.html