A few months ago, Randy put together an awesome video detailing his strategy for hunting elk each year. He took a very doable budget of $1k and laid out the plans to chase the Wapiti. THANK YOU FOR THAT!
Let's loosely discuss how each of us approach multiple species each year and your long term plans.
ELK: As a UT resident, I'm blessed with the ability to hunt OTC archery elk each year. Sure, our quality and quantity on these OTC do not rival that of ID or CO but for $50 it's an easy choice to stay local. We also have ample opportunities for cow elk to help stock up on delicious meat!
I've been hunting MT the last 2 years with general tags.
I'm buying points in CO & WY with a hunting partner and my wife, respectively. I think we'll cash in those CO points in 4-7 years, and probably about the same for WY. I've stayed away from AZ so far because of the non-refundable license fee and the long wait time (similar to UT for NR). I may start trying the lotto in NM next year but we'll see about that.
For UT I'm holding out for a middle to upper tier LE archery hunt so I hope to get drawn in the next 5-8 years.
DEER: Every year general season UT archery tag. More obsessed with elk but I like the long season and having the ability to hunt the extended range during the rut.
Once I get drawn in LE elk here in UT I'll switch over to LE deer and try to draw a 6 pt tag so I can switch back to elk once my wait is over.
Points in CO & WY, going to cash in my CO points next year. WY in the next 5.
For WT, I've toyed with the idea of getting a few tags in MD (where my parents live) but the timing just hasn't worked out. My Dad is not a hunter, but he loves the meat. We have resident deer and I'd love the opportunity to harvest a few for him to enjoy considering they help themselves to his garden every year! I've also thought about putting my MT deer tag on a WT but mulies are just more fun to hunt to me.
LOPES: WY!! Every 3rd year draw a tag. Hunt antlerless in the mean time because I love the meat. Maybe draw an antlerless UT tag at some point but lopes in UT are just hard for me to wrap my head around being that I would have to give up a few years of either elk or deer to draw a buck tag.
MOOSE: Pray one day I'll draw one here in UT. 15 year plan. Bucket list to go kill a Yukon moose. 30 year plan.
BISON: Once I hit the lottery and draw my moose, I'll start applying for Bison here in UT. This is my 40 year plan.
SHEEP & MTN GOATS: No strategy for me. Figure when I have the time and money, I'll just buy a tag. Too far behind (and not lucky enough) to try to draw one.
CARIBOU: Father in law and I are planning on doing an archery trip up north in the next 3 years. May couple this with one of the other species while we're there but for now its caribou and fishing.
BEAR: Points for now in UT, eventually some north of the border but not really on my radar yet.
Sorry for the long winded opening, but figured I'd go first!
Let's loosely discuss how each of us approach multiple species each year and your long term plans.
ELK: As a UT resident, I'm blessed with the ability to hunt OTC archery elk each year. Sure, our quality and quantity on these OTC do not rival that of ID or CO but for $50 it's an easy choice to stay local. We also have ample opportunities for cow elk to help stock up on delicious meat!
I've been hunting MT the last 2 years with general tags.
I'm buying points in CO & WY with a hunting partner and my wife, respectively. I think we'll cash in those CO points in 4-7 years, and probably about the same for WY. I've stayed away from AZ so far because of the non-refundable license fee and the long wait time (similar to UT for NR). I may start trying the lotto in NM next year but we'll see about that.
For UT I'm holding out for a middle to upper tier LE archery hunt so I hope to get drawn in the next 5-8 years.
DEER: Every year general season UT archery tag. More obsessed with elk but I like the long season and having the ability to hunt the extended range during the rut.
Once I get drawn in LE elk here in UT I'll switch over to LE deer and try to draw a 6 pt tag so I can switch back to elk once my wait is over.
Points in CO & WY, going to cash in my CO points next year. WY in the next 5.
For WT, I've toyed with the idea of getting a few tags in MD (where my parents live) but the timing just hasn't worked out. My Dad is not a hunter, but he loves the meat. We have resident deer and I'd love the opportunity to harvest a few for him to enjoy considering they help themselves to his garden every year! I've also thought about putting my MT deer tag on a WT but mulies are just more fun to hunt to me.
LOPES: WY!! Every 3rd year draw a tag. Hunt antlerless in the mean time because I love the meat. Maybe draw an antlerless UT tag at some point but lopes in UT are just hard for me to wrap my head around being that I would have to give up a few years of either elk or deer to draw a buck tag.
MOOSE: Pray one day I'll draw one here in UT. 15 year plan. Bucket list to go kill a Yukon moose. 30 year plan.
BISON: Once I hit the lottery and draw my moose, I'll start applying for Bison here in UT. This is my 40 year plan.
SHEEP & MTN GOATS: No strategy for me. Figure when I have the time and money, I'll just buy a tag. Too far behind (and not lucky enough) to try to draw one.
CARIBOU: Father in law and I are planning on doing an archery trip up north in the next 3 years. May couple this with one of the other species while we're there but for now its caribou and fishing.
BEAR: Points for now in UT, eventually some north of the border but not really on my radar yet.
Sorry for the long winded opening, but figured I'd go first!
