The Elk Thread

[Bill]

With 18 points in MT I STILL did not draw the tag I needed for the hunt I paid for. Another hunter drew the tag with only 6 points! Crazy. I did draw a general tag in MT, so I am going to chase rag horns rather than sit at home. Struck out in NM. Also still waiting for the CO draw results. My 19 points give me a 13% chance of drawing unit 76. Life is hard being an archery elk hunter. I figure Trump will have everything straightened out for us in a month-or-two.

You can shoot elk larger than raghorns with a general tag in Montana. I’m the unluckiest hunter here so don’t ask me what I’ve killed.

[Texans42]

Cant believe how many points it takes for 76. I cut my Elk hunting teeth in unit 76 before it was a draw. Then drew it a few times with less than 3 points. My how the times have changed.
Was hoping to draw one last time but not going to happen with only 13 points currently. I sure miss that Weminuche back country.

It’s not worth the points either

[jaker_cc]

There isn’t a unit in Colorado worth max points in my opinion. But everyone is chasing something

[TradAg02]

It will be interesting to see how the changes in CO actually affect hunting pressure and points over the next several years. I’m personally more concerned with their lack of forest management. Specifically as it relates to beetle kill and fire hazard. With the amount of fuel in much of the southern part of the state I concerned there will be an uncontrollable fire that burns too hot and destroys elk habitat for an extended period.

[justletmein]

It will be interesting to see how the changes in CO actually affect hunting pressure and points over the next several years.

Wife has 6 and I've got 5, planning to burn her's next year and mine in '27 so I'm sure there's lots of others thinking the same. I've no idea where, we've only ever hunted leftover and second choice in CO and I'm guessing creep will be high with others like us so maybe best to target 2-3 point units to be sure we draw. Plenty of time to figure it out though.

[AZ&F'sDaddy]

You can shoot elk larger than raghorns with a general tag in Montana. I’m the unluckiest hunter here so don’t ask me what I’ve killed.

I'll be in unit 445

[Texans42]

There isn’t a unit in Colorado worth max points in my opinion. But everyone is chasing something

Valid, just everyone thinks 76 is a giant factory, and it’s not even close. Better units with older age class bulls for less points. With that said 76 is an absolutely beautiful backcountry unit, and isn’t overly crowded

[jaker_cc]

Valid, just everyone thinks 76 is a giant factory, and it’s not even close. Better units with older age class bulls for less points. With that said 76 is an absolutely beautiful backcountry unit, and isn’t overly crowded

I agree. The isolation and not dealing with other hunters is a huge draw for 76. You can camp in there anytime you want. No need to spend that many points just to get in there though.

[James]

Cant believe how many points it takes for 76. I cut my Elk hunting teeth in unit 76 before it was a draw. Then drew it a few times with less than 3 points. My how the times have changed.
Was hoping to draw one last time but not going to happen with only 13 points currently. I sure miss that Weminuche back country.

I am at 11 or 12 points (I am not saving them for any Certain unit, my calendar is just always full with other hunts)

I was looking at options this year and in 2024 only 3 units in all of Colorado took in between 6-15 points. We are in complete no mans land. I only researched Archery, not sure rifle

[Bill]

I'll be in unit 445

I've never been there. Good luck!

[Bill]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. I just read a bill in the MT legislature to raise the non-res license fee from $15 to $100. If passed, it would increase in the 2026 season.

Of the $7.2 million collected over 5 years (I read there are 17,000 non-res licenses issued annually), $6.8 million will increase funding of the Block Management Access program, which pays landowners (ranchers) to allow hunting on their property. If you are not familiar with the MT BMA program, read up on it in the area you’re hunting. Besides supporting hunting, ranchers in the BMA do so because of elk and other animal damage to their fields and fences.

[jaker_cc]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. I just read a bill in the MT legislature to raise the non-res license fee from $15 to $100. If passed, it would increase in the 2026 season.

Of the $7.2 million collected over 5 years (I read there are 17,000 non-res licenses issued annually), $6.8 million will increase funding of the Block Management Access program, which pays landowners (ranchers) to allow hunting on their property. If you are not familiar with the MT BMA program, read up on it in the area you’re hunting. Besides supporting hunting, ranchers in the BMA do so because of elk and other animal damage to their fields and fences.

id gladly pay more to support block management. It’s when they increase fees and the public land hunter sees absolutely no benefit from it that I hate. This benefits landowners that allows public access, which benefits public land hunters.

[solocam_aggie]

id gladly pay more to support block management. It’s when they increase fees and the public land hunter sees absolutely no benefit from it that I hate. This benefits landowners that allows public access, which benefits public land hunters.

I agree!

[wytex]

The WG&F commission approved their recc. for this years hunting regs last week, the Governor should sign them as is.
They did make changes in at least 1 elk area, but I think they adjusted regs on 3-4 areas actually.

If you applied in area 7 check the regs and your app, they did not go with the proposed regs and reverted back to last years regs there.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/media/32323/download?inline

[Bill]

Around me, 3 ranches have pulled out of the BMA program.

Silver Star Ranch
Ruby Dell Ranch
Peterson Ranch

There’s 2 remaining in the immediate area.

Why?

One said hunters ignoring instructions of hours to contact the ranch and turning up at crazy hours to register or ask questions wasn’t worth it.

The second had rifle hunters decimate the elk herd shooting raghorns after the ranch manager told them to shoot bulls and cows and let the little ones grow up. You don’t mess with ranch managers.

The third is leasing the land to an outfitter.