Quote Originally Posted by Irving View Post
How did you have two tags? I'm new to this.

Irving, if you apply for and draw a cow tag, you can purchase an "over the counter" or online bull tag as an "additional" license. DOW/CPW has allowed this for about 10 years since elk populations have been "over population objectives". I hope, now that populations are reduced, they don't remove this opportunity. I buy a second license because it's cheap insurance to fill the freezer. Invariably, if you only carry a cow tag you'll only see bull elk, and vice versa.



Quote Originally Posted by DHC View Post
Very nice!

That is the same GMU my son and I are heading next week. We filled our deer tags just a bit North of there this past week. Spoke to the DOW officer about elk success this year and he indicated it was pretty dismal for most hunters due to lack of weather. Hope the snow flies and/or we are able to scare some up as you did.

Nicely done.

Thanks. Success in the Flat Tops region (and probably most of elk country) is weather dependent in spurring migration. We did have some rain and snow which quieted the forest and made for good hunting, but the snow didn't last and I never found a fresh elk track in the snow. That told me that few elk were in the area. I saw 17 deer, two pair and the rest singles, but haven't drawn a deer license there in two years.

I camp near an outfitter I used to work for so they will pack my game. They had a decent first season but packed little in the second season. Three hunters I met had shot two elk and a deer, none of which were recovered. Pretty pathetic. When one shoots an animal, it dies, and it's your obligation to find and utilize it.

Congrats on the deer and best of luck to you in your elk hunt. An old outfitter friend described second season as the hunting season, third season as the killing season. Go get 'em!