First time OTC Elk.

[Allamakee1]

Hello, I’m looking at doing an OTC DIY/semi guided elk hunt in the next year or two. I am looking at either CO or ID. Can anyone give some good reasons to pick or not pick one of these states over the other.

I’m not at all interested in which has the best trophy potential, but rather the best odds. I know CO had the highest population numbers, but also the most hunters.

 

[lyle_destroys]

All those stats can be found with some time spent on Google. You already said it, Colorado has more elk but more hunters.
You have to decide what you're looking for. What terrain, what season, backcountry or truck camping.

 

[Allamakee1]

I forgot to mention I’m looking at archery. I have a place to stay in Dillon, CO and the initial plan was to do day trips from there. The more I read about that scenario though it seems like that is the most popular route to take and would then be the most crowded. That’s when I started looking at “least crowded places to elk hunt OTC” and that pointed to ID.

 

[Amos Moses]

I can only speak of CO, but anything OTC and accessed by day hunts will likely be somewhat crowded. Going into it with the right expectations knowing you’ll see other hunters will help. Still lots of fun and good opportunities.

 

[Allamakee1]

As this is my first attempt, I’ve also been thinking about just getting a cow tag and taking my first opportunity.

 

[Allamakee1]

Thanks for the replies, all these different western tag systems are super confusing.

 

[WI in the west]

Pretty sure CO OTC is an either sex tag unless you mean you want to get a cow tag in a draw unit to cut down on people

 

[Amos Moses]

You can go OTC either sex or antlerless in CO. Antlerless should be a B tag, so you can still pick up or draw a bull (A) tag for a later rifle season.

 

[Indian Summer]

Tip of the day: The letters OTC mean tougher hunting. Getting licenses in draw states isn’t that tough.

 

[cnelk]

I forgot to mention I’m looking at archery. I have a place to stay in Dillon, CO and the initial plan was to do day trips from there. The more I read about that scenario though it seems like that is the most popular route to take and would then be the most crowded. That’s when I started looking at “least crowded places to elk hunt OTC” and that pointed to ID.

If you decide on the Dillon area, there are OTC E/S archery units very close for day hunts - 37/371.

Those units also have archery OTC B List cow tags.

All this info can be found on pages 38 & 39 of Regs.

 

[cnelk]

Here’s a couple pics of that so called ‘OTC harder hunting’ area

 

[Allamakee1]

Thank you so much for the info. I have looked into those units but I appreciate pointing out the regs pages, I will look at that right now.

 

[Pocoloco]

Here’s a couple pics of that so called ‘OTC harder hunting’ area

View attachment 387651View attachment 387652

This guy is seriously overweight

 

[Lurch12]

Pretty sure CO OTC is an either sex tag unless you mean you want to get a cow tag in a draw unit to cut down on people

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[kylerdilley]

I’m doing my first Colorado OTC hunt this fall. Not gonna lie…this forum makes it sound like a losing proposition!! I understand it’s tougher hunting sometimes, but there’s also a lot of great hunts being had.

 

[Amos Moses]

I’m doing my first Colorado OTC hunt this fall. Not gonna lie…this forum makes it sound like a losing proposition!! I understand it’s tougher hunting sometimes, but there’s also a lot of great hunts being had.

Pick a unit and get out there this year. If it’s decent, stick to it for multiple years. The more time you spend in a unit, the more success you’ll have. There are elk everywhere in Colorado. Just have to figure them out.

 

[Allamakee1]

It does seem daunting the more you do read about it, but at some point you have to try it and stop waiting for things to be perfect.

 

[BDRam16]

That decision would be really easy if you aren’t one of the first 15,000 randomly allocated numbers in the ID waiting room on December 1st.

 

[Allamakee1]

I think I’m going to pick CO because it is closer for me and I have a place to stay. If I was doing ID I was planning on going the truck bed camping route.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

I think I’m going to pick CO because it is closer for me and I have a place to stay. If I was doing ID I was planning on going the truck bed camping route.

I think his point was that many ID tags were already allocated to NRs on Dec 1st