How Do You Decide on a Unit?

[yoopshoot]

Being a new elk hunter, this a question I’ve tangled with, so I’m curious how others have decided on a particular unit. Do you choose a unit based upon convenience ( ease of access/ geographical location nearest home )? Or look at factors such as game numbers and hunter pressure. For example, should I look at units that may have slightly less hunting pressure, but have fewer animals. Or is a better approach to look into areas with higher game numbers, but ultimately more hunting pressure? These are just a couple questions I’ve had, and I’m interested to hear how others have factored which units they are going to hunt. Thanks.


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[Poser]

Terrain and country that appeals to your aesthetics

 

[Sled]

if i were coming from michigan to hunt i'd want to pick what i can live with and without. if the top goal is harvest then look for high animal numbers and high hunter success. if you're after the experience then find an area with less pressure and learn it well. it may take a few years to harvest.

 

[Sled]

fwiw, i hunt a high pressure area that i know well. i've been fortunate enough to harvest every year but i live here and can put in the time. sometimes i just let the other hunters do the work for me (weekend hunts).

 

[Beendare]

Dartboard? ........Grin

If you are talking OTC or gen units, hunter pressure is the numero uno factor....thus its the factor to plan around....

FWIW, I've hunted probably 20 OTC units in multiple states....All had elk.

No super secret squirrel strategy...so don't be disappointed...... It was pretty much about lacing up my boots and finding them.....

_____

 

[Bradybunchdad]

OnX, google earth, scouting trips, biologist.

 

[ElkNut1]

Terrain (I want steep) & road scarceness, with those two I find elk with little issue. I could careless about hunter numbers or elk numbers. I hunt areas/elevations where the elk are living at present

ElkNut

 

[Indian Summer]

None of the above! Definitely not from information from the internet. Only one way for me and it’s solid. Networking. Word of mouth from trusted guys with actual experience in the area. This is especially important because it’s not just about picking a unit. It’s more about where in the unit to hunt, what’s going on there, and how to approach it. You can almost throw a dart at a map to pick a unit. They all have elk.

 

[Sturgeon]

I think the first thing I look at is land access(good amount of public land and not too many roads), Then I take those and look at hunter success, hunter numbers, and season dates. If there are a couple that look good then take a peak on google earth and see if you find terrain that look good to you. Also I will search the unit in google. If there is a ton of info popping up on it chances are there will be a lot of pressure which may correspond to the hunter numbers.

 

[2rocky]

Fasting and hallucinogenic mushrooms while in a sweat lodge with a medicine man. The vision tells me where to go..

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

Picking an OTC CO Unit

On Rokslide there are a ton of posts asking which OTC CO unit to go to. Being successful in an OTC CO unit takes hard work. Blood, sweat, and tears are spent finding places in OTC units that hold elk consistently. Nobody in their right mind will tell you what OTC unit number they hunt via the...

www.rokslide.com

I did a write up on this last year. Just my .02

 

[Harveli]

This year will be my first elk hunt I chose the Flat Tops Wilderness Area I just wanted something that offered dark timber and high elevation and foot traffic only
I know they will be a ton of people but I deal with that hunting public land all the time

 

[Indian Summer]

Dark timber! I guess if you hunt Colorado with all the pressure that’s where the elk will be. I prefer semi open. Get on a vantage point and spot elk at a distance. But I hunt Montana and Wyoming and elk there are out feeding 2 hours after sunup and 2 to 4 hours before dark depending on the weather. Maybe you should think more about picking a state instead of a unit. Pressured nocturnal elk are tough to hunt.

 

[yoopshoot]

Picking an OTC CO Unit

On Rokslide there are a ton of posts asking which OTC CO unit to go to. Being successful in an OTC CO unit takes hard work. Blood, sweat, and tears are spent finding places in OTC units that hold elk consistently. Nobody in their right mind will tell you what OTC unit number they hunt via the...

www.rokslide.com

I did a write up on this last year. Just my .02

Thank you. Great info!


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[shredder97]

Terrain and country that appeals to your aesthetics

Just narrow it down I guess. State, then area (mountain range, ect.), then unit.

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[CJohnson]

Terrain (I want steep) & road scarceness, with those two I find elk with little issue. I could careless about hunter numbers or elk numbers. I hunt areas/elevations where the elk are living at present

ElkNut

Just curious, do you look for steep terrain because you want a wide variety of options to hunt a different elevations, the elk just like steep stuff, or the steep stuff keeps other people out? Or, none of the above?

 

[Indian Summer]

I’d say he wants that to be able to work hard to go where other hunters don’t go. To put a barrier between himself and everyone else. Also if elk are pressured they’ll do the same thing so that’s where they’ll be.

 

[Swede]

I changed units three years ago. I went to a unit I knew from earlier experience and had some familiarity with. I scouted it for a week in the summer for a couple of years before I made the change. Unfortunately a new elk hunter from back east can' just do that.
I assume you have no one to go with that knows more than you do, so you are essentially a blank page when it comes to knowing a good area.
Here are some questions I have for you. Are you going to be hunting every year? If not then put in for a good draw unit and hunt when drawn. If you can afford to apply for multiple State draw units, you need to come up with a plan just for that.
Are you driving from home and back or can you fly to someplace and then rent a pickup/suv? If you are driving all the way, then you probably don't want to spend an extra day on the road each way, as it will shorten your hunting time. How do you want to hunt? If it is spot and stalk, you don't want to hunt dark timber. Personally I don't care about hunting dark anything and I am not into north facing slopes. I am hunting elk and not trees or scenery.
Ultimately a mediocre unit you know is better than a good one you have no experience with. You can shorten your learning curve by doing the things the Indian Summer wrote about in his two posts. I would decide on a State or two, then look over the success rates for different units. Pick two or three otc units with average or better success where private holding are limited and try to learn as much as you can about them.
One last thing and I will stop. I would rather know elk and their ways, than all about some hunting unit. Knowing elk will set you up to find them.

 

[fatlander]

Paralysis by analysis is a real thing. You’ll make yourself crazy trying to pick the perfect OTC/general unit. Honestly, just pick one with a good amount of public and pretty good access.

Pour over the map of that unit and pick places that look promising. Keep crossing them off the list until you find elk.


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[cnelk]

Units with undersubscribed cow tags is something to consider. That usually means the herd is over objective.