I’ve hunted elk on public ground across the West for 25 years. I’ve made incredible memories, learned a lot, and punched more tags than I deserve. But I’ve also seen a lot change over that quarter century.
You’ve probably watched celebrity elk gurus who hunt private elk nirvana and show 300-plus-inch bulls screaming their guts out while charging into elk calls. Those hunters hold out for magnum-sized bulls that hang out in open meadows with snow-capped peaks in the background. This makes for incredible footage, but public land elk hunting in over-the-counter tag areas, or those that require less than four points to draw, isn’t like that.
I’m talking about Western locales that are real 10 percent areas. This means that statistically, if you picked a place and hunted it for a decade, you’d notch one tag.
The tough reality is that there are fewer OTC or easy-draw opportunities than there used to be, and increasing hunting pressure on these spots makes the hunting even harder.
Over the past five years, however, through experience and knowing specifically where to hunt elk, I’ve harvested nine public land bulls across multiple states. I’ve filled every elk tag in my pocket over that time on OTC, easy-to-draw, hard-to-draw, and private ground opportunities.
The good news is that you can, too. The bad news is that the learning curve can be as steep as the mountains. It will be a true test of your mettle. There will be moments when the hunt isn’t fun anymore, and you will want to wave the white flag and come down off the mountain. But if you find a way to keep hunting, you will earn your opportunity.
To make it just a little bit easier, here’s my quick guide on where to DIY hunt elk, and how to find bulls on public ground.
The Best DIY Elk Hunting States
Colorado
This is my home state, and when it comes to elk, it’s tough to beat. With an estimated population between 280,000 and 303,390, Colorado is home to America’s biggest elk population. However, it’s essential to note that Colorado is recognized as an opportunity elk state rather than a trophy elk state, especially in OTC or easy-to-draw areas.
A hunter, bow or rifle, could run into a 300-plus-inch bull in these locales. However, the goal should be any legal bull, which Colorado defines as a bull with four scorable points on one side or a brow tine longer than five inches. My advice: Kill the first legal bull that gives you an opportunity, and be happy.
Colorado recently changed its OTC tag structure. While OTC tags are available to non-residents for second and third rifle seasons, all non-resident archery permits are draw-only. If you missed the primary and secondary draws, don’t fret. Leftover licenses go on sale on August 5, 2025, and the Colorado Elk Leftover License List is viewable in late July. There will be leftover archery elk tags for bow, rifle, and muzzleloader.
When hunting public ground in the Centennial State, whether OTC, an easy-to-draw tag, or one purchased from the leftover list, focus on fringe areas. The state has a lot of elk, and elk are incredible travelers. Over the last three years, I’ve killed bull elk less than a mile from a trailhead or primary road system. Every bull has come from a location that borders prime elk habitat—the classic areas that every hunter pins on their maps during e-scouting sessions.
In Colorado it’s key to identify areas of National Forest, BLM, or other public ground that border prime elk habitat. Elk don’t need much to hang them up in an area for a few days. If they have sufficient cover to keep them hidden and that cover is close to food and water sources, they could be there (more on this in a moment).
Read Next: Colorado Is Switching Its Big-Game Draw. Here’s Why
Idaho
I think Idaho got its nickname (The Gem State) from a hunter who traveled to its steep, vertical mountains and found lots of bull elk willing to play the game. The problem: Idaho recently changed its OTC system. There was a time when non-residents could purchase multiple OTC tags before and during the season for almost all the state’s 96 elk management units. That time is over. While most zones still offer over-the-counter licenses, there is now a Caps system, which places a limited quota on the number of tags available in each unit.
Idaho OTC elk tags are available for sale every year, but that’s going to change. In 2024, the date to buy 2025 tags was in early to mid-December. I view Idaho’s press releases and articles weekly to stay up to date on license sale dates. Starting in 2026, Idaho will implement a draw-only system like Colorado’s. I’m glad. No more online waiting rooms, or hunters camped out at license vendors with a list of units and people they need to purchase tags for.
Looking ahead to 2026, I recommend reviewing Idaho’s Elk General Hunt Harvest Statistics. Examine units where hunters struggled to achieve success. Make a list of those units and then use your favorite online scouting app to start looking for areas within those units that have good-looking elk habitat. I like the extremely rugged, thick forests of northern Idaho. Don’t be scared by the low success rates, which hover just under 10 percent. There are millions of acres of public land and plenty of elk for those willing to work.
I recommend going during archery season when bulls are bugling. Use the buddy system. Pressured public land bulls and cows will rut in areas that look impossible to access. Steeper slopes that give way to deep-bellied canyons and drainages covered with timber are where you’ll find elk. Having a buddy who is willing to trek into these areas with you is key.
Montana
The Big Sky State is an elk mecca, and if you stay out of the state’s eastern half (which is prime elk ground but mostly private) you’ll find plenty of room to stretch your legs. Oh, and you may just run into the bull of a lifetime in Montana. Since Boone & Crockett started keeping records in 1887, over 300 Montana bulls have been entered. In 2014, a 444-inch (gross) bull was taken in a general unit on public ground.
Montana has more than 30 million acres of public land — much of it is elk country — and the state’s growing elk population is estimated at 175,000 animals. I recommend visiting Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Population and Distribution page when planning your hunt.
Non-resident General Season elk tags are not difficult to obtain, and General Season areas cover roughly 85 percent of the state. Bowhunters get approximately six weeks to hunt — longer than in most states — and if you don’t tag out with your bow, you can hunt with a rifle.
The state has some of the roughest, scariest (think grizzly bears) elk country in the West. Those willing to venture deep into Montana’s untapped wilderness can find great opportunities. But if you’re planning a hunt like this, make sure you are fully prepared for grizzly country.
Montana is a preference-point state, but three points give you a great chance to get a tag, and five points essentially guarantee one. So plan your Montana hunts ahead of time.
I’m old-school, and I still love paper topo maps, but 90 percent of my remote scouting time is spent using digital scouting tools. When considering which states to hunt, it’s worth researching in onX’s “Hunt Research Tool” which breaks down draw odds, harvest statistics, and other useful info.
Once you pick your state (or states), the fun part begins. It’s time to zero in on a hunting area. When looking at an area, I pull it up on my computer screen for digital scouting. Phones and tablets are great, but a big monitor really enhances what you can see.
Start your e-scouting by finding fringe areas. Again, these are those areas that border obviously prime elk habitat. I identify at least eight locations in the specific area that will immediately draw the attention of other hunters: long benches amidst terrain that isn’t super rugged, heavy north-facing slopes with feed and water nearby, and so on. If you look at a 2D and 3D aerial imaging of where you plan to hunt and an “elk” area jumps out at you, the locale will likely jump out at other hunters as well. So pin those areas to start with.
After pinning areas where you think hunters will be, start prospecting nearby terrain with pockets of timber — even small ones — or terrain with deep canyon cuts where elk can hide. As you focus on terrain and cover features, take note and pin the closest likely water and food sources. Water and cover trump food. Yes, elk are big, but these ungulates eat various grasses, twigs and bark, willow stems, and the pads and fruits on cactus. I’ve killed several bulls with cactus spines in their lips. If you find suitable cover with water nearby, it’s worth pinning the area and giving it a look, especially if you believe it’s a location pressured elk will move to. Be sure to download all of your finished maps so you can access them while offline.
Lots of folks write and talk about getting deep into the backcountry to find elk. That can work, but steep, thick cover will filter out other hunters just as effectively as distance will.
So I look for areas that require a right-out-of-the-truck incline of no less than 1,000 vertical feet with rugged country beyond that includes steep drainages and dense, dark timber. Many hunters will avoid these extremely steep and thick areas. If you can make that horrible climb, chances are good that you will get into elk once you reach the top.
More Tips for Finding Elk on Public Land
- Hunt the Hunters: Find where most hunters are concentrating. Next, review your digital hunt map app and pin areas that are between three and 30 miles from hunter concentrations. Scan for spots with sufficient timber to support elk, decent forage, and water. Elk push into weird spots. However, if they’re not getting pressured and have everything they need for survival, they will hang around.
- Water Wins: Though not as critical when snow begins to accumulate, elk and water go together like ice cream and cones. The second-largest member of the deer family, elk must drink at least once per day. They water more when it’s hot — typically in the evenings — and often consume four or more gallons per day. When I hunt elk — bow or rifle — I know where the water is. Bulls regularly wallow during the rut, spraying piss into shallow ponds to coat themselves in a lather of testosterone-rich mud that cows can smell from a long way. Bulls and cows also frequently hit the water to regulate their body temperature when it’s hot. Always know where the water is.
- Hunt the Hot Sign: Many hunters will walk by fresh elk sign that’s only 1/4-mile off the trailhead because they believe the sign they’re seeing is made by elk that are getting hunted or are passing through the area at night. This is a mistake. Regardless of where you find it, hunt where the elk sign is. If I find fresh tracks, greasy poop, or urine-stained beds that sting my nostrils, I go into hunt mode.
- Use Whitetail Tactics: Whitetail hunters who come West shouldn’t abandon their roots. Patience can kill elk. I’ve killed several bulls with a bow and rifle by observing where the elk bed and where they go to feed in the evenings. Get the wind and thermals right and set up a natural ground blind or treestand on the food source, or between food and bed. Sitting over active wallows from sunrise to sunset can also be an effective tactic. If possible and if legal, arrive a few days before your hunt and hang a trail camera on productive water sources. Pressured bulls don’t bugle as much during hunting hours as private ground elk do in YouTube videos. So while we all want to strike a bull and call him into range, it’s sometimes more effective to wait them out.
- Or, Get Overly Aggressive: There are also times when it’s necessary to be ultra-aggressive. If I hear bulls fighting or a bull raking a tree, I run to the noise. These noises are a gift. During the rut, testosterone levels increase, and bulls become more aggressive, seeking to release their aggression and mate. Take advantage of this.
- Don’t Chase: On the flipside, I don’t chase elk when I’m below them and they’re working up to their morning bed. Calling a bull back downhill is rare, especially if he already has cows. Plus, as the air warms, it will start moving uphill, bringing your scent with it, and you’ll get busted. If elk get above you in the morning, it’s best to let them bed, get parallel with them, move in close, and call to the bull in his bed. Most often, a bull bedded with cows won’t take lightly to an intruder wandering into his rut party. If you don’t want to get that aggressive, position yourself between the bedroom and the food. By the time elk start moving toward their evening food source, the air will be cool, and the thermals will move down the mountain.
Final Thoughts on Where to Hunt Elk
Elk hunting on public ground in the West is tough these days. Everything you read about increased hunting pressure can be true, depending on where you go. But it’s also true that the West is gorgeous, and there’s still plenty of opportunity for the DIY hunter. Do your digital scouting research. Build your legs and your lungs. Develop the mental toughness required for a DIY elk hunt. Then set some realistic expectations. It might take you several years before you kill a bull, but when you do it will surely be one of the greatest hunting moments of your life.
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