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Who is going out West this year?
- Thread starter E30Spec15
- Start date
Takes some guts to bite off an OTC, out of state elk hunt as your first real hunt. Hat's off to you. We expect a favorable report back!Buddy and I are doing an OTC Colorado Elk hunt. SO basically going to walk around for 6 days and see nothing30th Bday present to myself. First real hunt in general. Haven't even shot a deer yet...
I shot my first elk in 2023 (in the avatar) in NM at the age of 59, and got hooked. Have been putting in draws in multiple states, since. This year, I got drawn for a 4th rifle cow elk tag in Colorado, and then got drawn for a once-in-a-lifetime walk-in cow tag in Oklahoma, in the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, in early January.
The Colorado trip in mid-November will have a friendly assist... I've got a buddy out there that's gonna set me and one other hunter up with a cabin to stay in, drop me some OnX pins, and we'll be hunting about 160 acres of private that abut several thousand of national forest. If we get one on the ground, he'll come help us get it out, and to a processor.
The Oklahoma trip is a doozy. They open the gates to the refuge 1.5 hrs before sunrise, and you have to walk in, and have to be out 1.5 hours after sunset. The part of the refuge you can hunt is about 35,000 acres, and there's 13 access points to choose from. No advance access to scout, so just online scouting on OnX. Don't hike in any further than you want to carry one back out. No pack animals, no motorized assist... they will let you take a game cart in, though. This one is the one that's got me a little anxious.
The Colorado trip in mid-November will have a friendly assist... I've got a buddy out there that's gonna set me and one other hunter up with a cabin to stay in, drop me some OnX pins, and we'll be hunting about 160 acres of private that abut several thousand of national forest. If we get one on the ground, he'll come help us get it out, and to a processor.
The Oklahoma trip is a doozy. They open the gates to the refuge 1.5 hrs before sunrise, and you have to walk in, and have to be out 1.5 hours after sunset. The part of the refuge you can hunt is about 35,000 acres, and there's 13 access points to choose from. No advance access to scout, so just online scouting on OnX. Don't hike in any further than you want to carry one back out. No pack animals, no motorized assist... they will let you take a game cart in, though. This one is the one that's got me a little anxious.
We're gunna give it our best shot! We did hire a guide to scout for us the week before. He's going to drop us some pins and we'll go from there. Sounds like you have a few solid trips planned! Best of luck!
I'll be doing Texas Axis Deer early 2026
I was under the impression that there was zero over-the-counter tags at Walmart for Colorado this year? But maybe it’s just a leftover tab? Fill me in so that I have the correct information.Buddy and I are doing an OTC Colorado Elk hunt. SO basically going to walk around for 6 days and see nothing
There was actually quite a bit of left over tags for specific tags you had to be in que for. They do offer the OTC tags which all in is $980 also for specific units but those don't stop. You can buy one right now if you wanted. They are pretty munch unlimited OTC tags. If im not mistaken they sold around 370,00 otc tags last year but only about 15-20% actually get punched during the season.
Buddy of mine came up with a second place to hunt out rest, but that won't be until next year. 14,000 private acres in Colorado. Elk, deer, bear, mountain lion, etc. Won't cost a dime, we just have to shoot 'yotes while we're there.
Be sure to post picsBuddy and I are doing an OTC Colorado Elk hunt. SO basically going to walk around for 6 days and see nothing
