Looking to plan a low cost over the counter tag hunt for me and 3 family members.

Would like to hunt elk and or mule deer....with rifles. While we would like to hunt bulls, but we are open to cow elk.

Not looking for honey holes....just general information.

I am looking at Colorado’s hunting site and it will take some time to understand.

Please share anything you would like to have known before you went on your first hunting similar to the above.

NM is draw only unless you buy a LO voucher, CO or Idaho is your only OTC option left. Montana might have a few left over tags. CO just look at the seasons and unit and it will tell you what hunts are OTC. Normally second and third rifle seasons are OTC.

List B are cow only tags. Some A tag is either or. Good luck


Oh CO draws this coming week, but there is a left over draw also you can enter in next week.

Nebraska has OTC mule deer tags, not a lot of public land, but there is some access. Tags are around $240 or thereabouts.

South Dakota draw hasn’t happened, mule deer draw there is tough, but a whitetail tag in the Black Hills could probably be doable for a party with no points.

Colorado OTC elk (2nd and 3rd seasons) are your only option in Colorado. $660 tag.

Arizona has some Coues deer tags you could draw with no points in October/November. You have a little over a week to get applications in there. $160 license, $300 tag.

Wyoming deer draw is up Monday. Chance of getting tags there as well, just have to get on the ball and get your names in the hat.

The Colorado second rifle is likely the best public land option. 3rd rifle you stand a chance of elk already moving to private. I'm familiar with the units around the Craig area. Lots of hunters but also a higher density of elk. If they haven't been pushed to private and the snow cover is not significant, third rifle could still be successful. They'd be in the thick stuff possibly back in groups near food. Cows would be lower and possibly close to private.

It's my estimation that Colorado would be a better otc rifle and Idaho would be a better archery hunt.

The October/November coues hunts in Arizona are tough in the sense that they are hard to spot. The coues rut happens in late Dec and Jan. I would buy some deer points in AZ and build points towards a December rifle hunt. Minor license in AZ is $5. The AZ deer app deadline is 9 June. You have to buy a license to draw. I always recommend buying youth points in AZ because they're so cheap.

i love hunting coues with a bow in January. It's a cheap hunt and you can be hunting them in twelve hours from western Fort Worth.

Greatly appreciate the info.

Exploring options in Idaho and Colorado.

If you can spot a jackrabbit, you can spot a Coues. I’m pretty sure that’s where jackalopes came from.

You're somewhat late in getting started, but as others have mentioned, the CO 2nd draw deadline is July 7. That's probably your best bet, but it means that only the least desirable limited units would have tags available....or if you're lucky, someone that drew a tag turned it in for whatever reason and now their tag is available.

You need to figure out the area of the state that you want to hunt and pick a unit from there. I personally hunt 67 every year. I think 66, 67, 551 can produce some really nice opportunities on public land.

Has any one had any luck on unit 55 in Colorado? I have access to private land out there been kicking the idea around of putting in for elk, talked to one guy about moose once he mentioned them moving in just north of the Taylor. Not sure if the mule deer population is good in the area or even black bear.