need to put a second season rifle bull down not pickey

[dying to kill]

im from western oklahoma been public land colorado last 2 years no luck, me and my wife are success full whitetail hunters, cant find a legal elk to save my life, leathal out to 700, and ideas anybody?

[Old Hunter]

Hire a guide.

[ivorytip]

yeah unless you have the time to scout or are willing to backpack in a guide is the way to go.

[dying to kill]

am willing to back pack in but with so many otc units were does a inexperienced elkie start?

[Old Hunter]

Maybe you could tell us what you've done so far to research the units? Then we'd know how to help better. There's a wealth of information on the DOW web site.

One thing you don't need to do is take 700yd shots.

[labman]

I am a fellow okie and I am fixing to embark on my first backcountry elk hunt this year with a bow. People on this site are wonderful and full of information, but they will not give you answers to such broad questions. I have done a ton of research on the area I am hunting and then came back to forum and asked specific questions. If you ask specific questions they will answer on forum or PM you with their invaluable knowledge. My best advice to you is pick a area do google earth scouting and come up with questions about specific aspects of your hunt you want answersed. Good luck and god bless!!

[adbowhunter]

Labman, Nice post!

We appreciate those that do everything they can to learn an area first and then start asking questions. I personally, understand the out - of - staters feeling having lived most my life in Cali (please forgive me for that) but now living in CO, I'd be happy to help someone that has helped them self first.

With technology today, its amazing what you can learn about an area or the data available for specific units.

Here are a couple of websites I use:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/...tatistics.aspx
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snotel/.../colorado.html
http://huntodds.monstermuleys.com/
www.huntinfool.com


Being a member of Eastman's you can also access the MRS which can help too

Good luck, Dying to Kill oh and Old Hunter is right, no need for 700 yard shots

[dying to kill]

appriciate the advice guys i guess i should do more research first one thing im confused on tho is to not take the long shots,may i ask why not? also thinking of going the route of paying a tresspass fee to go on private ground, any one with experience on that one?

[Old Hunter]

Have you killed an animal at 700yds?

[wapiti66]

There is a difference between hunting and killing, some may say that if you can only get within 700 yds. you are just killing, and that the hunt really hasn't began @ that distance. Lots of things can go wrong with a shot that far, especially in the mountains. Im not saying right or wrong, it's a matter of hunter perspective and hunter ethics. If you search the forum there have been numerous threads on this debate.