CO Leftover September Limited Bear Tags

[lmeyer]

Me and a friend are planning on going OTC elk in September. It will be both of our first elk trips. From reading on here, my expectations are that it will be a camping/hiking trip and learning experience and will be pumped to just hear some bugles or see some elk. I'm starting to think about diversifying the tag holdings of the group by picking up a bear tag for maximum opportunity to bring some meat home. I am even considering just letting my friend get an elk tag and me try to pick up left over limited early rifle or archery bear tag with out buying an elk tag. Are there usually any leftovers?
I don't mind being opportunistic, focusing our hunt on elk tactics and elk habitat, and if we stumble on a bear , then lucky us!

Some one tell be if I'm being stupid or if this idea has any merit.

 

[Poser]

It’s going to large key depend on the elevation you are hunting. Bear tend to drop down to scrub oak elevations in September, so if you’re hunting elk at, say, 9,000-11,000 feet, your chances of seeing near are pretty low.

 

[lmeyer]

It’s going to large key depend on the elevation you are hunting. Bear tend to drop down to scrub oak elevations in September, so if you’re hunting elk at, say, 9,000-11,000 feet, your chances of seeing near are pretty low.

Thanks for the info. the elevations we are looking at for elk are starting at the trail head at 7000 and hunting our way up to 9 to 9500.

 

[Danimal]

2 years now on an OTC tag and haven't killed an elk yet but have been near elk both times. I haven't come across a bear yet, but have seen tracks and some bear sightings by groups we've met around the hunt area. I'd say it comes down to what your wallet can handle, but my quick recommendation is that you don't want to be doing too much on your first elk hunt. Focus on the one species and give it your all. If you stumble onto a bear you might have been able to get that would suck, but I think you'd be best to either bear hunt, or elk hunt, but not both.

 

[Fitzwho]

Leftover tags are probably going to be slim this year depending on the unit(s) you are planning to elk hunt. The only other way to get a tag is to have an elk tag and that allows you to buy a concurrent season tag.

As long as the tags are only $100, I would have one in my pocket, just be totally prepared to eat that tag.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

Left overs will be weird this year because it's the first year with the second draw structure. I'm hopeful to pick up a cow tag, but who knows.

 

[Michigander]

I wasn't able to get a bear tag last year when I went out for 2nd rifle elk due to technical difficulties. As things go in that situation I had a beauty of a chocolate stroll by at 90 yards the first day. Our group cut 3 or 4 different bear tracks that week in the fresh snow. It is always best to have too many tags than not enough.

 

[cnelk]

New this year is the ADD ON bear tag - see the Regs for specifics

There isnt any scrub oak where I hunt 9000-11000' and there are bear everywhere
They come running in to cow mews often

 

[Southforkguy]

Maybe snag an archery deer tag if there is any leftover. Good chance to see a buck depending on what area you will be in

 

[Scott74]

We’ve seen bear where we hunt last two years. Harvested 1. We hunt near Ouray CO.

 

[LongWayAround]

Many areas have an option to add an OTC bear archery tag this year. You don't need it to be a limited leftover.