Taking the risk!

[iccyman001]

Dan, Like others have said, there is a great advantage to learning more about the same area year after year. I believe Pete has been hunting his area for umpteen years and knows every nook and cranny as well as the elk travel cooridors, bedding spots, etc. So, maybe don\'t give up on it entirely - unless it is truly compromised by those that have taken advantage of your kindness and are exploiting the spot more that you would like.

Derek has a great idea as well for perhaps hunting in a CO over the counter unit. I hunt CO OTC every year as my pref points build, and I also like to explore different OTC areas and hopefully find other good spots to hunt. One thing I would recommend (if you can do it) is to scout the new area at least once if possible, as boots on the ground are different that a computer, maps and Google earth. This past archery season I had one weekend to hunt, and chose to try a new CO OTC area I had been looking at for a few years, but had never scouted. I only had a cow elk tag and 2 days to travel/hunt. I should have just went to my known honey hole location, but I wanted to try this new spot. The spot I wanted to pack into, I couldn\'t get to, because of the steepness of a mountain that backed up much closer to private land than I thought when looking at the maps, so I had to pitch camp in a spot I didn\'t care for too much. It turned out to be more of a scouting weekend, where I wish I just went to my old haunt to hunt for those 2 days.

I don\'t mean to put a damper on trying a new area, as I still have about 10 spots in CO OTC areas that I have marked in a notebook that I want to try out for hunting spots. I just want to try to get there before season starts to check them out. But, that is easier said than done. I have been putting in for WY elk, but just going off of maps and Google earth, which is all I can do right now. If I ever draw a WY tag, I will strive to try and make it up there to scout.

Roman, after Derek mentioned a CO OTC unit, I actually hit the ground running.
Im only 4 hours from the Colorado border and started looking into areas that might interest me. Then I started talking to some Colorado folk and picked out 6 OTC units that interest me. I know that\'s a lot of ground to cover, but I\'ve been hitting google earth and maps hard and trying to pick out a unit that looks like an area I want to check out. Once I pick one then I\'ll probably start scouting it this summer.

That way I am learning a new area and could still hunt my go to area in the future. Who knows, maybe I\'ll pick up a secret OTC spot in CO and then have my spots in NM still.


I don\'t think my area is truly compromised this year. Just tainted. I already know people will be in my spots or real close.
That is if they draw of course. The biggest thing that irked me is now the unit that used to be 30% draw probability will drop because of all these extra people putting in!

Oh well, I want to point out that I am not complaining. I like to find positive in situations no matter what the case.
I know that if I ever changed my mind and wanted to hunt my spot this year, then I could get out there and have a good chance at putting something down. If I go the route I am going and try somewhere new, I still win in so many ways!


2016 will be a good year.




Good luck drawing your WY tag. I still don\'t have enough points to get an area that I really want yet.