NRH ag 10 said:

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Not a 2022 hunt, but a friend and I drew black bear on Prince of Wales island in AK for the spring of 2023! Pretty excited for the experience of going to AK and getting a chance to take a good example of the species.

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That's awesome! Congrats

NRH ag 10 said:

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Not a 2022 hunt, but a friend and I drew black bear on Prince of Wales island in AK for the spring of 2023! Pretty excited for the experience of going to AK and getting a chance to take a good example of the species.

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Nice!

Submitted Utah yesterday. Applied for sheep and bison; points for everything else this year.

I put in for New Mexico. Have a private land cow hunt spoken for as a back up.

I think I finally have my guiding schedule dialed in. Booked for first archery for mulies, hunting with friends first rifle for elk, 2nd, 3rd and 4th rifle elk, 5 bear hunts and a few antelopes. Im sure this will change once it gets closer to when deposit are fully due. I really just want to do mule deer this year though, I only got to hunt 4 days last year and just shot for meat.

Let us know how the bear hunting is. That's on my list for sure. OTC tag in your unit ? Havent looked into it yet.

The bears will be landowner tags Im sure. These are all repeat customers.

I suppose its time for me to, once again, play the "Where should I apply with my CO Deer points" game.

12 points. Rifle hunter. DIY. Partial to the longer 2nd and 3rd season. 4th just so short, even if it gets me closer to the rut.

Any input?

I know, I know. 12 points is no-mans-land.

Go OTC in 11, 22, 23 or 24 and save points. March 1 they open and you can get your name in the hat, but those have near 100% draw. Weather will decide on your success. Someone on here this past season was up on the flatp tops on guided trip and did well.

You can always do an OTC elk hunt and then throw on a bear hunt for 100 bucks in archery Elk season I believe. Archery season this year was miserable. 80 degrees every day and long hikes. I had 5 hunters, 3 killed and retireved. It was a seventh level of suck to haul them all off the mountains.

With the new season structure, 3rd has potential to be a great hunt. With the new season dates I feel like CO is putting a hurting on their deer herd and hunt quality will start to go down in the next few years.

I've hunted one unit that'd take 9pts for NR but I wasn't terribly impressed... honestly lotta good hunts for 3pts or less in CO for deer. And a some decent 2nd choice hunts too.

stdeb11 said:

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With the new season structure, 3rd has potential to be a great hunt. With the new season dates I feel like CO is putting a hurting on their deer herd and hunt quality will start to go down in the next few years.

I've hunted one unit that'd take 9pts for NR but I wasn't terribly impressed... honestly lotta good hunts for 3pts or less in CO for deer. And a some decent 2nd choice hunts too.

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As a landowner that gets vouchers and loves to hunt deer, I sell my 4th vouchers when I get them and use the 3rd. I've never seen a better buck on our place 4th, that wasn't here 3rd.

I mostly like 3rd bc of the length. As an out of state hunter, every day in the field is helpful. Every day is another chance at a weather change. The longer the better.

The hard part is picking the unit.

I know what type of terrain id like to hunt, so maybe I start there.

Give me some glassing space over nothing but deep timber. Some areas that transition from aspen to sage. Pref to road then hike access over steep horse/hike in.

Applying for NM rifle, I think I read that applying as a team ( son and I) lowers our odds? Would it be better to apply separate and just plan on being support if one of us is successful?

Just put in for Colorado archery as a 2nd choice. LFG!

That'll get your blood pumping.

Apply separately if your ok with only one tag. It's how my group does NM but we're applying for primo elk units and all agree we go even if we only have one tag.

I was tempted to apply for a high elevation muley hunt like Marky Mark in this picture but opted for points instead. I'll know if I hit the Desert Bighorn when a $2,200 charge hits my card.

Good luck everyone!

Finished applying in NM:

Elk, Pronghorn, Deer, Bighorn, Mule Deer, and Oryx. All Rifle or Muzzle. Wife has same.

Submitted for NM today, handy having a resident as a friend

Well, I'm behind as always. Any insight on draws that favor youth DIY hunts I should look into? Preference would be elk (bull or cow), but open to anything. Just want to hunt out west with my boys while I can and while they are still "youth". Looks like I've missed some dates already. I was planning on applying for NM but it looks like the "youth only" seasons do not apply to non-residents? So for NM, I would have to enter them as adult non-residents? Planning on applying for Wyoming Antelope as well.

In for NM elk and bighorn.

Deadline is Wednesday.

Need to get off my butt and get my applications for MT resident in. Waiting to hear back from a coworker on an antelope we're talking about putting in for, and also need a recommendation from him on a unit for elk. I'll be putting in for an elk B tag in my home unit (121) and also likely going to put in for moose down around Dillon.

Being new at elk hunting, I have so much apprehension about putting in for something and then having the likelihood that I'll be hunting solo.

In for NM Mule Deere and Elk hunts for unit 16. Been 3 years since I've gotten drawn, hopefully we'll get picked for one but if I read the draw odds correctly, I'm not holding my breath. It appears they have reduced the number of non resident tags over the past 2 or 3 years and given those to the outfitters instead. They are making it hard on us non residents to even have a shot unless you want to shell out thousands for an outfitter.

Pretty much daydreaming all the time about being drawn now. I've long said an elk hunt would be a good excuse for a new rifle.

I currently only have two "big game" rifles - a Remington 700 SPS in .243 WIN and a Mossberg 100 ATR in .308 WIN. Obviously under the right conditions and with the right ammo, either would "work". My co-worker shoots a .300 WIN MAG. I'm a little feller by most standards at 5'9" and 150lbs, so a .300 WIN MAG pretty much scares the begeezus out of me. I'm thinking .30-06 or a nicer .308 WIN.

That said, what's everyone else shooting bigger bodied game with?

Your 308 will work at right distance and load. I have an ATR in 270 that has taken 3 bulls and 2 cows. It's one of the cheapest guns in the safe but is top 3 favorites. As an elk guide, know your limits with that gun and spend the money on other gear for the hunt like a good pack, binos and boots.

I use my 270, 300 win mag and 6.5 creedmoor for western hunts. It just depends what terrain and animal I am after.

Got my NM application in yesterday at 4:59.

I shoot big game with a 7mm rem mag. Not as abusive as a 300win mag at the range, but better BCs than a .308. I dropped a Red Stagg in its tracks at 438 yards with it. Mine has a muzzle break, that will literally rattle the teeth of anyone standing close by, so I always hunt suppressed. I'm hunting black bear and (very unlikely) Elk in Wyoming this fall on horseback and do not think I will bring the added weight of a suppressor.

I will admit that if I use that Mossberg, I'll need to upgrade the glass. It's currently sporting a BSA scope.

But putting expensive glass on that gun just seems wrong; like putting fancy wheels and rubber on a Honda civic.

I use 30-06 on everything and always try to get inside 400 yards. I'm considering buying a medium bore for my grizzly hunt this year. But with ammo and rifle availability, I may just handload some 190 grain Hornady CX and keep the "ought six" going.