JakeUSMC

I have been hunting deer with my youth size .243 since 2002. Awesome gun. Accurate. Cheap to shoot and not very much recoil. IMO if you have a muzzle brake on a rifle you should consider a smaller caliber.

Awesome read!

Thanks! i hope so. I have never hunted the unit before. I'm excited.

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Grew up in Wisconsin and hunted whitetail in the balsom swamps for 12 years before moving to Arizona. Great write up. I harvested a cow elk this fall with a Remington 1903A3 that was made in 1942 and carried through Europe during WWII.

That thing is huge! Congrats!

I realize this is an older thread. I have the 19a Cow Tag for the hunt starting tomorrow and I have never even been in the unit. The tag was donated to me through a non-profit organization for Disabled Veterans. Any help would be appreciated.

It has begun...

My dads lifelong dream is to harvest an elk. I got my first elk this year on a donated tag thanks to Hunts for Heroes. My family lives in Wisconsin and I live in Arizona. I've been separated from them for the past 7 years, since joining the Marine Corps and then meeting an Arizona girl. Got me to thinking, now that I am out west and I don't get to see my family often I would start a little tradition that will start in 2019 and hopefully carry on for generations. I grew up hunting whitetail and grouse in the northwoods of Wisconsin. It was a family tradition that has been around since the 1930's when my great grandpa bought land during the depression for dirt cheap and moved his family to northern Wisconsin from Chicago. Sadly it is slowly starting to come to an end. For the past 3 years only my younger brother and grandpa have been hunting, since the land doesn't produce big deer, my uncle and cousin hunt elsewhere, my dad isn't into it anymore, and my older brother is a yuppie. After tasting sweet sweet success in 2017, harvesting a 312" Bull with my bow I am absolutely elk crazed. I practice calls daily in my truck to and from work, I shoot my bow daily, and I read forums and watch videos like mad. I study maps and hike etc.....planning for the future. So let me get to the point. In 2019, I want to take my dad and my 2 brothers on an elk hunt. I am thinking OTC Colorado Archery, since I know the woods will be alive with bugles and rutting elk and I want this hunt to really reignite the love and passion my dad once had in hunting. I honestly believe he is no longer into deer camp anymore because his oldest son lost interest and cares more about his city life and I have been away with the Marine Corps. I want to take these guys on an amazing hunt they will never forget. My dad is already preparing so I know he is jacked. When I first told him of this idea he was over the moon with excitement. he's listening to podcasts, getting up at 4am to workout and really really getting into. Same with my younger brother. IDK what my older brother is doing...Anyways. I am looking for advice and ideas. Is an OTC CO archery elk hunt a good one? Should I do a wilderness/backpack hunt or have a base camp set up ? I am looking for any help planning. Ideas of where to go, what hunts to do, anything. I am game for any western state that offers OTC elk because I don't want them to have to deal with the draw odds etc...So any western state as long as it is OTC. Rifle hunting hasn't been ruled out either, but I figured chasing bulls in the rut would be more exhilarating. I know any hunt will beat anything they have ever done though...since whitetail hunting in WI consists of freezing your a** off in a tree stand for 10 hours a day waiting for a deer to walk by or a squirrel to scare you to death. Thanks in advance. Semper Fi

My fiancée and I both drew 20b javelin tags for the second year in a row. We donated our tags last year to the Arizona Elk Society Hunts for Heroes and both vets were successful! My fiancée thought she was going to have to donate her tag again this year because of work but it looks like we will be able to hunt. This is our first javelina hunt (rifle) and her first big game hunt. Any one willing to help us out? We plan on hunting Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Thanks BeardownAZ!

I need this info also

I am trying to be the most cost effective as I can. My goal is to get my pops and brothers out in the elk woods and have a good time.

I spoke with a few outfitters and Flat Tops Wilderness Guides told me the best bet would be 3rd rifle season. OTC Elk tags and 70-80% draw odds on a muley tag, making it a combo hunt.

Drop camp?

I have told my dad and older brother to decide whether they want to invest in archery equipment or not and if not then we can look at the 2nd and 3rd otc rifle seasons in Colorado. A mule deer hunt OTC rifle would also be a viable option (wrong thread I know!)

Thank you for all the info gents! I am open to other western states as well for this hunt, as long as they offer an OTC hunt. I also haven't ruled out a rifle hunt, especially since my dad isn't even a bow hunter but was planning on getting setup this year for it. I am open to any seasons and any western state. I was also thinking about the Utah general season tag, I think it carries over into archery if you don't get one.

I was looking at the San Juan National Forest. I am thinking now because of my dads age and my brothers inexperience with elk hunting and my relative newly gained experience elk hunting we will set up a base camp as far in as we can go, so we can come back to a fire and hot meal every night and sleep on cots LOL. I have a large Kodiak Kanvas cabin tent.

Thanks for your input sir. I will look into grand Mesa.

I gave up on Bass Pro and Cabelas years ago. Sportsmens is the way to go.

Feeding the family an array of elk dishes over xmas. I have mastered the beef brisket, but I am nervous about making an elk brisket....do I make it the same but cut cook time in half? Any recipes out there?

Ok so it sounds like elk brisket is very dfifferent

Last week Friday I was in the Prescott National forest and was charged by a large bearded javelina. Finally turned at 5-6 feet from me. I stood my ground and waved my hands at its eye level, yelling "hey". Pretty crazy. Just thought I would share. I have never seen one with a beard.....maybe it just had something hanging off its snout but it looked like a wizard.

I drew 20b general javi this year for the seond year in a row. Last year we donated our tags to hunts for heroes. I am also looking for advice. I've seen pigs on Castle Hot Springs rd at night by Pleasant but that's it.

that is a bad mofo! Congrats man! That thing is a stud!!!!!!!!!!!!!