I've been hunting and BOW HUNTING whitetail since I was able to hold a 30 30 and I am quite accomplished but lately elk hunting has been peaking my interest and I find myself chomping at the bit for a good elk hunt. Just a little background I am from and currently live in Arkansas and drive time is a factor, I just moved back from TN and have not yet set my roots in good so I've been honestly considering moving to a state that either has good elk hunting or is a comfortable drive to good elk hunting (4-5 hours?). What I'm looking for is the top 3 or 4 states that people really enjoy elk hunting. This is also my first post on this site so if I'm doing it wrong don't hesitate to let me know. Thanks guys! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
First off..... glad that you joined here. Great site with lots of knowledgeable folks. Now the important stuff...... elk hunting. From Arkansas, Colorado is going to be your best shot with distance being a factor. Great elk hunting and lots of public land. Lots of areas so you will have to do lots of legwork to get organized as to where to go etc. Montana has good elk too but farther away. Wyoming has started into the points game so you will be limited there. Idaho has some good areas but were slow to address the wolf problems and the herds were just beginning to recover a little and this winter appears to have really hurt the elk and deer populations there and if that is true, they won't be a good option for several years. Utah, Nevada and Arizona all have good populations of elk but the draws there are making it very hard to get into a good elk population to hunt. New Mexico has some great elk but most areas are draw and that can be a long road. So As I started, I would look strongly at Colorado unless of course you are very lucky and can get drawn without a lot of points! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!! Be forewarned............... elk hunting is very addicting!!!!!
Welcome to the site. You mentioned that you are considering moving to a state that has good elk hunting. In that case, I would check the western states to see what they offer for resident hunters and how long you have to reside there to become a resident. In some states you can purchase a general tag and hunt any of the general areas. Some states allow outfitters to sell licenses so you can do a a guided hunt with one of them to see how you like it. My personal choices would be Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Colorado. Good luck.
Excellent reply by elk guide, 1 st post All he said is spot on. Colo has 250,000 elk , no other state has a elk population like that, few wolves as of now, and 80% of the units are "Over the counter" tags for elk. Deer is all Draw. Colo also has antelope, bear, moose, mtn goats, and bighorn sheep, all Draw tags using pref points. Some bear tags may be OTC tags with caps. 4-5 hour drive is Colo. HH
Most has been said. But as a flatlander... KY has a huntable population if you have an affinity to the east. PA and TN also have some elk hunting. NC has a growing population, but only predation hunts at present. WV is introducing or just reintroduced a herd. I'll stick to my plan of flying out to CO with 2 days of contingency if I get one and had to drive from CO to NC... Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
Welcome, I am also new to this site. I agree with most of what is said except for the info on Idaho, since I live there maybe I am bias, but as for the wolves they are in limited areas, and have not altered the numbers of elk in most areas, maybe relocated to different terrain, the Selway area has been hit hard by wolves but there are a lot of good areas to hunt. Idaho offers a lot of good opportunities for non resident hunters. They also have a great jr. mentored program for kids, License and tags are very cheap for youths, makes it affordable to bring your kids. With 65% of Idaho being public land there endless places to hunt. Don't over look Idaho, Great place to live and raise a family
Thanks for all the replies, I've been so busy with gathering info on western big game hunting I forgot to check the post. I am very excited about getting started but like most serious hunters I want to do it right and exhaust all options I can to be successful. So I decided to save the money and go on a couple of guided hunts for elk and mule deer. Then I'll have the experience and knowledge to make the best decision. As much as I love chasing whitetails at 26 the challenge of western game is just the thrill and challenge I've been looking for. Thanks for all the replies. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Welcome Welcome! My personal favorites are MT and WY, but I will start the Arizona point game next year!
I am from Arkansas as well. We have elk here but the herd is small. Only about 1000 animals. You can apply in the lottery draw for $5. But it takes along time, I have been doing it for nine years and have not drawn. OTC in Colorado is the closest and most affordable as a known resident. Be prepared to work hard the "mountains" in Arkansas are nothing compared to CO. Be prepared for a much more physical hunt. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
