Nothing exemplifies hunting out west like a rutting bull elk. Careful planning and research can put lucky archery hunters in the right place at the right time.

Elk exemplify the soul of the American West like no other big game animal, the very essence of what it is to hunt the Rocky Mountains. Mule deer, pronghorn and mountain lion are decidedly “western” and coveted bowhunting quarry, but it’s elk that capture archers’ imaginations. No wonder. There’s the obvious aspect of size, elk wearing potentially the largest, “wow-factor” antlers of all. But there’s more to elk than size. They inhabit arguably the most stunning country, are often garrulous during traditional archery seasons and engage the archery hunter on a range of wood’s lore levels. As large as they are, as talkative as they sometimes prove, they still represent bowhunting’s ultimate challenge; an animal who sees as well as he hears, hears as well as he smells and is unpedictable in a land that is both vast and rugged.

The West in general, and elk more specifically provoke a decided intimidation dynamic for those well removed from the scene. Still, elk are highly available across endless expanses of wide-open public lands to archery hunters with ambition enough to jump right in. Now, “highly available” shouldn’t be mistaken with “easy,” but you can make your elk dream a reality this season.

Where To, How To
Elk hunting’s diversity is as varied as the country they live in. In its most basic terms modern elk hunting sifts down to quality verses quantity. Almost without exception, where trophy potential is proven and exceptional elk tags prove difficult to obtain, the biggest elk reside. In still other areas trophy potential isn’t as heralded, but average (even Pope & Young) bulls are superfluous.

Quality areas typically entail lottery drawings complete with application deadlines and long odds. This shouldn’t discourage participation in the process. Someone’s got to draw those tags, and there are normally incentives for diligence in the form of “bonus” or “preference” points for each unsuccessful drawing attempt.

The best trophy hunts are well known; Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, select Montana units, New Mexico, eastern Oregon, in that order (Nevada a state to be included first but for extremely limited non-resident tags). Unlimited, or at least easily obtainable tags are had in Colorado, Idaho, eastern Montana, a few New Mexico late-season, antler-restricted areas, western Oregon and Washington (the latter normally for Roosevelt elk).

If a quality hunting experience and succulent meat are primary ambitions, don’t discount easily obtainable cow-only tags.

Space doesn’t allow a full discussion of particulars. Visit on-line websites of any elk states you might have in mind and delve into details well before your intended foray. While there, seek draw odds for particular areas and hunter success rates for each. Not all limited-entry elk tags include steep odds, or high success rates. This helps you make some informed decisions; and better understand each state’s application process.

Desk-Jockey Scouting
Discovering an elk hunt matching your expectations and abilities is most important to getting started. For instance; a specific unit may show great draw odds but low hunter success. This low success might hinge on rough terrain requiring Superman physical abilities or low animal density. Another unit may harbor scads of elk but few trophy bulls. Determine what you expect from a hunt and proceed accordingly. If only trophy bulls will do, well, you’ll sit out more seasons than you hunt. If you’ll be thrilled by any bull, even an eating-fat cow, more options surface.

Conservation department biologists can be treasure troves of information, making phone calls to such folks a wise investment. They should be helpful in pointing out general areas with the type of hunting you’re interested in, as well as habitat types preferred by animals.