Never hunted Elk. I've hunted whitetails locally, aoudad in West Texas, bowhunted bear in Ontario,Ireland, South Africa 2X and Namibia. I have an app. in for reindeer in Iceland this year but won't know until March. But I come back to really wanting to hunt elk. I'm thinking that just paying up for a landowner tag in New Mexico might be the way to go vs. playing the waiting game of tags. But I am open to any and all ideas. Just kind of figured that paying up for a higher chance at a mature bull is a better idea than spending years slogging it out on public land.

Your thinking is sound I believe, if you’re looking to hunt sooner rather than later.

If you have the money.

Paying up front is faster and surer.

I've hunted NM for last 10 years and the only way to insure you're going to hunt is with a landowner tag. The best play is to get in the draw for where you want to hunt DIY or Outfitter and back it up with a landowner tag. Then if you draw, sell the landowner tag if you don't wait too late. Also, the landowners don't get the vouchers until after draw. By the way, not sure what you mean by a mature bull? NM defines it as a male Elk with at least one brow tine extending six inches or more or at least one forked antler with both branches six inches or more. As far as Public Land that is what I hunt with a Unit Wide tag and I've gotten a bull for the last eight years. Just saying...

By Mature bull I mean a representative 5x5. I have no doubt you can do well hunting public land, but I live in NC and don't have a lot of time to hunt nevermind scout.

If you have the money and not much time, you have answered the question. Guided hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by KevinNY:
Never hunted Elk. I've hunted whitetails locally, aoudad in West Texas, Ireland, South Africa 2X and Namibia. I have an app. in for reindeer in Iceland this year but won't know until March. But I come back to really wanting to hunt elk. I'm thinking that just paying up for a landowner tag in New Mexico might be the way to go vs. playing the waiting game of tags. But I am open to any and all ideas. Just kind of figured that paying up for a higher chance at a mature bull is a better idea than spending years slogging it out on public land.

I'm an Arizona resident, lifelong. I have one rag horn bull to show for my 40 years of playing the drawing game.

I drew a unit 10 archery bull (rut hunt) 10 years ago and was unsuccessful. that is likely the finest elk hunt in the world.

I am back in line now.

Go hire a guide.

Point Creep(the amount of Preference Points needed to draw and growing over the years) is real and horrible.
I gave up on many States some time ago.
A 5x5 vs say a 6x6 scoring say 320 or better opens your options and lowers your cost big time.
Lot of Colorado tags and places to hunt too for that kind of bull.
Your New Mexico idea is solid
Takes way too many damn points anymore in most areas to even bother

quote:

Originally posted by Kpoynter:
Point Creep(the amount of Preference Points needed to draw and growing over the years) is real and horrible.
I gave up on many States some time ago.
A 5x5 vs say a 6x6 scoring say 320 or better opens your options and lowers your cost big time.
Lot of Colorado tags and places to hunt too for that kind of bull.
Your New Mexico idea is solid
Takes way too many damn points anymore in most areas to even bother

Very true. If you know and understand the game, it can make a difference.

There are two programs that give you permanent bonus points, every year. I have both.

One is called "Ethically Hunting Arizona" its an online course that, when completed, you get a extra point, for every species, every year.

The other is a Species Loyalty point. That one is achieved by putting in for a species in the draw for 5 consecutive years.

I love to hunt Desert Mule Deer. My favorite area requires 2-3 BP's to draw, so I get to go nearly every year, every year if I'm lucky.

A decent Bull Elk archery tag say in unit 6A can be had with 6-7 BP's so waiting 4 years or so isn't terrible. 6A is loaded with 290-320 bulls. For those 400" slobs, units 9 and 10 are the units. But they are 12-14 BP draws and thats for residents.

I had 30 BP's last year and drew an Antelope tag. (finally)

you could probably just pay nuther 500$ and have the guy mail you the mounted head and save yourself all the effort.

Specifically to NM. The kind of good news is two things. NM doesn't have preference points so everyone in the draw is on even footing but still very low success percentage. 2. If you are drawn NM unlike some other states will look at your three choices for units before going to next applicant.

https://www.turnerranchoutfitt...rmejo-reserve-nm-usa


Go to Vermejo in Northern New Mexico, you will not be disappointed. There are numerous hunting videos on youtube about the place.

Best of luck on your hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
you could probably just pay nuther 500$ and have the guy mail you the mounted head and save yourself all the effort.

Was this an attempt at humor or an attempt at an insult?

quote:

Originally posted by RAR60:
Specifically to NM. The kind of good news is two things. NM doesn't have preference points so everyone in the draw is on even footing but still very low success percentage. 2. If you are drawn NM unlike some other states will look at your three choices for units before going to next applicant.

Arizona draw systems allows 5 choices. The first two are really the only two that matter. Once the first two run through the system, if unsuccessful, you enter the second round, after all applicants have gone through the first.

I never even put a third choice in, its fruitless and if you get drawn its for some very low percentage crap hunt.

I am actually putting in my applications for Elk and Antelope today. Tuesday is the deadline.

Just for fun, here's what I put in for;

Elk- September rut archery hunts, unit 9 and unit 10. Ridiculously poor odds of getting drawn with only 3 BP's. But as I said, probably the finest Elk hunts, anywhere in the world. Very high success rates on 385-410" bulls.

Antelope- also September, just before the Elk hunt. Units 5B and 6A Rifle. Again very low odds, but high success. I killed an Antelope in 2024 in 6A.

I will report back after the draw happens.

If you wanna hunt in MT ID or WY , you better spend ton of time for scouting different areas and nothing is guaranteed so the bottom line from this OP, book solid hunt with outfitter on private ground and you save money in long run and do good research on outfitters as well as many have pretty low success

quote:

Go to Vermejo in Northern New Mexico, you will not be disappointed.

Vermejo is certainly an elk haven and few places can top it -- or match it for expense. Be prepared to shell out more money than some new cars cost.

According to a fellow I know who used to guide there it may not be as well run these days as in the past -- but that may just be an old codger talking who doesn't like change. Who knows? They have plenty of elk and very few guests who can shoot come away empty-handed.

Alternatively, you can buy an OTC tag for many areas of Colorado, hire a dependable guide, and spend less money. But doing so involves lots of study and vetting to assure you're getting what you pay for.

Hire a guide.

I say this and exclusively hunt elk DIY. However, I live in Utah and the travel is not bad. We hunted Wyoming and Arizona last year for elk. However, I was really lucky to draw Arizona.

I would look at Landowner tags in New Mexico and in my home state of Utah.

They are not cheap but will continue to go up.

There is nothing like hunting elk. Do it while you can!

You’ve been given lots of good advice. Hire a guide in either New Mexico, Utah or possibly Colorado. There are plenty of good options but you need to do your homework.

I’ve hunted elk in every western state except Washington, often on my own. Now that I’m getting a little older and not too keen on packing a bull on my back any longer, I expect most of my future elk hunts will be guided. Besides, after investing many years building points in multiple states, I intend to make the most of each quality tag I draw. That means hiring a quality guide to make the most of the hunt.

KevinNY, take a hard look at New Mexico. Lots of landowner tags and most units can produce a 300” bull if you put in a good effort. If you need help finding a good guided hunt look to some of the booking agents here on AR or give me a PM and I’ll share some other ideas. Utah also has lots of private hunt opportunities with landowner tags.

I’ve got 27 elk points in Arizona and want to hunt unit 9 one more time, it’s Disneyland for elk hunters when September rolls around. I’ll do2 things to optimize my chance for a Giant bull. #1, hunt the entire season. #2 hire an excellent guide. It’ll probably be the last time I get to hunt 9.

pulling your chain some.

I'm not sure if you are planning on going Elk hunting,, or if your going to just shoot the one someone points out to you.

I have been a Do your self hunter my whole life.

When one could go to any state buy over the counter tags and go hunting it was a lot easier.

But even then I figured 3 to 5 years to learn a hunting area to be reasonably knowledgeful to be successful.

I have talked with a lot of Midwest elk hunters who who would go west every year.

They be successful 1 out of 3 to 5 years.

If one doesn't have that amount of time or good local connections.

Going on a guided hunt is ones only option.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
pulling your chain some.

I'm not sure if you are planning on going Elk hunting,, or if your going to just shoot the one someone points out to you.

And you just pulled chain on every African/international hunter out there

Last comment. If you are planning on going just one time depending on your physical condition I would pay up and do a traditional Elk Hunt. By that, I mean, it's horseback riding in several miles staying in wall tent, etc. I would also do 1x1 vs potentially sharing half your time with another hunter. A word of caution on hiring an Outfitter/Guide like everything else they are not all created equal. You want someone that is not taking you on a trail ride or a hike you want a hunt. To do that, a good Outfitter will be booked out a couple years. There are cancellations but it can also be a hunt they didn't sell. Parting words, It is a business. do your homework!

quote:

Originally posted by M.Shy:

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
pulling your chain some.

I'm not sure if you are planning on going Elk hunting,, or if your going to just shoot the one someone points out to you.

And you just pulled chain on every African/international hunter out there

All good advice here. My reality is being a 55 yr. old guy with a 15 yr. old son, a corporate job that takes good care of me and the family but constrains the amount of time off I can dedicate to hunting and living in North Carolina. I would love be in the position to spend summers hiking and scouting for elk, having resident status in elk country and have more than 20 days off a year to cover vacations that make everyone happy and time to race(my son races Legend cars). If I want to get to spend some time in elk camp with a reasonable chance at seeing animals, I need to pay to play.

Elk hunting is one of my passions.
My suggestion would be once you are 100% serious about booking a hunt and have your vacation time planned is to contact someone like WTA. WTA has lots of elk hunts on private land. It may take you and your son a year to get a preference point or to get in the que for one of the more popular outfitters/ranches. I would try to book the hunt during the rut. I would look at NM,WY,MT as first choices then CO, and UT. I too love Vermejo , it’s pricey but they spoil you. Even when using a hunting consultant I would definitely take some time and do my own vetting of the hunts they recommended.

Does not hurt to apply in draw and if you dont draw then buy landowner tag. The same outfitter should be able to do offer you a tag if you dont draw. Nm use to be a much easier draw then now. I bought My son a landowner tag 15 years ago paid 2500 now that same tag is 10,000 or more.

I’d really take a look at Utah with the CWMU program, you can rifle hunt in September. The bugling hunts to me are considerably more exciting than the later post rut hunts.