Copyright © 2022 by Dan Allan
Part II: Where to Hunt?
Chapter 6: State Licenses, Tags and Lingo
Links to Important Hunting Information by State:
Colorado
- Official Rules, Season Info, Big Game Brochures – See Big Game Hunting Brochure (Scroll down to Hunting Brochures)
- Hunt Units – Interactive Hunting Atlas, or see Maps Library page or download KMZ file (For Google Earth)
- Big Game Season Dates and Fees – See here, Download Big Game Hunt Planner
- Buy OTC & Left Over Tags – OTC on sale July; Left over Tags Aug
- Harvest Reports & Draw Odds – Harvest reports & Draw Odds
- Top 20 OTC Hunt Units – total elk harvested and hunter success – read post & see tables here.
- Elk Plan – See Individual DAU Reports (See map first, match DAU with GMU – lots of good info in reports; dates vary 2004 – 2016)
- State Elk Map – View Interactive Hunting Atlas (Select game species and then elk options) or download KMZ file
- USFS, BLM, State Lands – View Interactive Hunting Atlas (Select land management and/or CPW Public Access)
- State Recreation Lands – See State Trust Lands Page or download Colorado Recreational Lands Brochure
- Colorado Wildlife Management Areas – Select and Filter by County, Hunting Species or GMU
- Walk in Access Properties (new for 2017) – see Walk in Access page or Download KMZ file
- Regional Hunting Guide Books – Choose by Region
- KMZ Maps Page – see All KMZ Maps
- Famous Elk Area – White River National Forest
Idaho
- Official Rules & Guides & Season Info – See here (Download all or part of newest Big Game Guide)
- Hunt Units –
- See Idaho Hunt Planner or
- Download Big Elk Zone/Unit Map or
- Download individual high definition maps and Download Elk Zone KML (for Google Earth – scroll down to elk)
- Top 20 OTC hunt units (Rifle or Archery)
- Season Dates – See Elk General Zone Seasons
- License, Permit, & Tag Costs – See Costs
- Buy OTC tags & Check Left Over Tags
- Previous Harvest Reports – See Harvest Reports
- Previous Draw Odds – See Draw Odds
- Elk Management Plan – Download PDF
- State Elk Map – In Elk General Zone Seasons Guide, Download Game Distribution Map (KML)
- USFS Map – Idaho Hunt Planner and in this PDF
- BLM Map – BLM lands included in same PDF above
- State Lands Map – See download options
- Idaho Wildlife Management Areas – View WMAs or Download PDF
- Idaho Access Yes Public Access Program – Access Yes
- Famous Elk Area – St. Joe National Forest
Montana
- Official Rules & Guides – See Deer, Elk, Antelope Regulations (scroll down for Seasons and for Licenses and Fees)
- Hunt Units – View Hunt Planner Map or Download KML
- Season Info – View Season Info (scroll down)
- License, Permit, & Tag Costs – See Tags & Cost (scroll down)
- Residents Buy OTC & Left Over Tags & Non-residents apply for Elk Combo Tags & Left Over Tags – Deadline April 1
- Previous Harvest Reports – See Harvests Reports
- Previous Draw Odds – See Drawing Odds
- Elk Management Plan – (New Plan in Process)
- State Elk Map – View Distribution Maps or Download elk distribution KML or shapefile
- BLM, USFS, State Lands Maps – Hunt Planner Map or download PDF maps here
- Montana Wildlife Management Areas – View Map of WMAs
- Public Access Program – Block Management Program
- Famous Elk Area – Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest & Lee Metcalf Wilderness
- Top 20 Elk Units by Harvest and Hunter Success
- Note – half of elk harvested in Montana are from Region 3.
Oregon
- Official Rules & Guides – See Big Game Regulations
- Hunt Units – See Map or Download KML
- Season Info –Choose Big Game Regulation Booklet
- License, Permit & Tag Costs – See Licenses & Costs
- Buy OTC & Left Over Tags – Buy Tags Online
- Previous Harvest Reports – Select Harvest Reports
- Previous Draw Odds – No Odds report, must compare Number of Applications to Number of Tags in Regulations
- Elk Plan/Distribution Map – Select & Download Elk Management Plan (2003) or Rocky Mtn/Roosevelt Elk objectives (2016)
- USFS, BLM & State Lands Maps – Scroll down to select area Map, then choose Unit Maps
- Oregon Wildlife Management Areas – View all WMAs
- Public Access Program – Access & Habitat Program
- Famous Elk Area – Siuslaw & Alsea Units in the Siuslaw National Forest (Roosevelt Elk)
Utah
- Official Rules – Choose Big Game Brochure to Download
- Hunt Units – Maps in Brochure (see my version here)
- Hunt Units info and Maps in Hunt Planner
- Season Info, Hunt Units, License, Permit, & Tag Costs – Select Big Game or Antlerless Guide Book
- License, Permit, & Tag Costs – See Costs
- Buy OTC & Left Over Tags – Available July
- Previous Harvest Reports – Select Year & Species for Limited Entry or in Big Game Report – Latest 2019 (PDF)
- Top 20 Units – Ranked by total elk harvested & hunter success
- Previous Draw Odds – Select Year & Species
- State Elk Plan – Download PDF (2015 -2022)
- Individual Elk Unit Plans – Choose Plan by Unit
- State Elk Map – See Figures 1 & 2 in Elk Plan (pp 23-24) (PDF)
- USFS, BLM & State Lands Maps – Select Land Ownership Map or See App (More Data Options) or download shape files
- Individual Forest Maps – download here
- County Maps – Select County for Detailed PDF maps (shows public land)
- Utah Wildlife Management Areas – See App (Selection Options) or PDF:
- Public Access Program – Walk-in Access Program, also in App (Selection Options)
- Most coveted limited entry units – San Juan, Monroe & the Book Cliffs.
- Official Rules & Guides – Select Regulation Pamphlet
- Hunt Units – Load Go Hunt Map & Select Units or choose elk areas here
- Coming Soon – Top 10 OTC hunt units for total elk harvested and by hunter success
- Season Info – Regulation Pamphlet
- License, Permit, & Tag Costs – See Costs
- Buy OTC & Left Over Tags –Buy Online
- Previous Harvest Reports – Select Year & Species
- Previous Draw Odds – No info
- Elk Plan – Select Game Management Plan
- State Elk Map – View JPG Map
- USFS, BLM & State Lands Map – Load Go Hunt Map & Set Base Map to Public/Tribal Lands
- Washington Wildlife Management Areas – Select WMA by Name, County or Region
- Public Access Program – Load Go Hunt Map & Select Private Land Hunting Access
- Famous Elk Area – Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness
- Official Rules & Guides –See Elk Hunting Seasons & Brochure
- Hunt Units – See elk Hunting Map
- Season Info, License, Permit, & Tag Costs – Select Species
- Residents Buy OTC & Left Over Tags – See Available Tags or Buy Online
- Non-residents for tags – Apply Online
- Previous Harvest Reports – Select Year, then Select Species
- Previous Draw Odds – Select Year
- Elk Plan – In Job Completion Reports
- State Elk Map – Some Range Maps in Job Completion Reports
- USFS Map – Select USFS Map to Download
- BLM Map – Select Field Office for Maps
- State Lands Map – View State Lands Map
- Wyoming Wildlife Management Areas – Select Sites to see Map
- Public Access Program – Access Yes Page and View Public Access Areas
- Famous Elk Area – Bridger-Teton & Shoshone National Forests – Big Horn Mountains
- Hunting Forecast – See latest elk hunting forecast by region
These are new resources for digital Maps of National Forest Lands
Download Topo Maps (pdf or Geo Tiff files)
Download Travel Management & Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Maps
This is a new section with updated with new Total Elk Harvest data.
Updated Jan 2022. Will update again after new data available.
This is a 3 year average for 2018 – 2020 (Note that Utah data is 2017 – 2019).
