Many of my clients ask what are the best elk hunting states to hunt elk in. The answer to that question is very complicated so I prefer to break down each state for its pros and cons. What can be spoken of easier and in a broader sense is which state can I get a tag in for sure and plan, in advance, to hunt. The states you can’t do that in for sure because they have no landowner tag systems is Montana, Arizona, Wyoming and the eastern and midwestern states that now hold elk. I send very few of my clients on hunts there as people want to know they are putting a deposit down on a hunt that they will be going on. The states I do most of my business in because of guaranteed tags are Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Colorado.
Best Elk Hunting States:
Arizona
Arizona is a state that takes years and years to draw and when you do draw, the hunting will be very good. It’s just going to be a long wait with lots of time and money spent getting there. Buckle in and get your points.
Nevada
Nevada has some incredible elk and you can buy landowner permits. They are just crazy expensive. The tags take a very long time to draw but their preference point system is not bad so get your points and hang on.
Montana
Montana is a “hope you draw” state and that makes it tough to plan or book a hunt there. That said it’s fairly large draw odds but you must remember it’s a wolf impacted state. There are literally dead areas as a result of the wolves and hunting can be hit or miss or for a seasoned elk hunter ready to hunt in low density areas.
See also How To Smoke Wild Boar Meat There are many different opinions on how to properly smoke meat. This is what has worked in my experience, but there are certainly other successful methods. Experiment and have fun.Working muscles (shoulders, ribs and legs) benefit most from long slow cooking methods like smoking or braising.The basic issues to control when smoking meat are:1. Maintain a low cooking temperature2. Maximize moisture retention in the meat.Low Cooking TemperatureI keep my cooking temperature around 200°F - 225°F. The goal is to slowly raise the internal temperature of the meat to 180°F and then hold it there for about an hour. “Slow and low” is the mantra. Cooking time will be about 1.5 – 2 hours per pound of meat, but can vary based on thickness and whether or not it’s bone-in or bone-out.Many recipes will tell you to pull the meat when it reaches an internal temperature of 190°F or even 200°F. That advice works because it takes about an hour for a modest size piece of meat to increase from 180°F to 190°F. I would not recommend going much higher than that for very long because you begin to lose moisture in the form of steam.Lower cooking temperatures of 180°F - 200°F can be used to great success, but the cooking time will be much longer. Cooking at temperatures above 250°F is not recommended because the meat cooks too quickly causing increased moisture loss and does not allow ample time for the collagen to break down (it makes for dry, tough meat).Why 180°F internal temperature?Meat contains muscle fibers and connective tissue (collagen). It is the collagen that makes the working cuts “tough and chewy” when not properly cooked. Collagen does not break down into liquid gelatin until it reaches 180°F. You must break down that collagen by getting the internal temperature to at least 180°F and stay there for about 1 hour. Once you’ve broken down the collagen you will have fork tender meat.Moisture RetentionMoisture retention is especially important when smoking wild game meats because they are typically much leaner than other meats.Brining – Moisture can be added to the meat prior to cooking by brining it. Moisture will still cook out of your meat, but since you’re starting with more moisture the end result will be juicier. A basic brine recipe is 1 cup of table salt per 1 gallon of water. Subtle flavorings can be infused into the meat by including sugar (1/2 cup per 1 gallon of water), garlic cloves, onions, bay leaves, peppercorns, herbs, or just about anything else. However, the primary purpose of brining is to increase the moisture content of the meat prior to cooking. Stir the salt into the water until it dissolves. For large quantities it may be necessary to heat the water to make the salt dissolve. (If you do heat the brine it must be cooled off again prior to adding the meat.) Add the meat and allow it soak for several hours in the refrigerator. For shoulders and legs (2 - 6 lb pieces) soaking overnight is just right. When the soak is finished remove the meat from the brine, briefly rinse it under cold water and then pat dry. Add your rub/spices and you’re ready to cook.Injecting – Some inject their meat with liquid and spices prior to cooking. Like brining, this increases the moisture content prior to cooking so there will be more moisture left in the meat when it is finished.Basting – Basting is done by periodically coating the meat with liquid to add moisture and flavor as it cooks. Just about any liquid will do as long as it is low in sugar. Sugar burns quickly so only add glazes and BBQ sauces (which are loaded with sugar) during the last 20 minutes of cooking and only long enough from them to firm up.Barding – Covering the meat with fatty bacon or other fats while it cooks is another technique. This is typically used on very lean meats that lack sufficient natural fat so the bacon acts as a substitute. This is a great way to add fat and moisture during the cooking process, but I also find that you end up tasting bacon more than the meat.Wrapping – Once the meat has smoked for a few hours and absorbed a sufficient quantity of smoke flavor the meat can be tightly wrapped in foil. This wrap will reduce moisture evaporation into the open air and keep the juices close to the meat (acting more like a braise than BBQ). It’s also a great way to capture the juices for use in a sauce. If you want a crispy exterior (a “bark”) then don’t use a foil wrap and cook a little longer. If you want some insurance on getting a tender, moist final product then use the wrap.Smoke and WoodWood Choice – Just about any hardwood will do. Oak and hickory are some of the most popular and most commonly available. Mesquite, maple and fruitwoods can add a sweetness to the meat, but don’t overdo it. Herb woods like basil, rosemary and thyme can be used in small quantities to add a deeper flavor profile. Avoid softwoods (evergreen trees) because the high resin levels will give your meat an unpleasant taste.Smoke Ring – The “smoke ring” is a reddish/pink coloration just under the surface of the meat. It’s formed by a chemical reaction between the nitrogen dioxide in the smoke and the myoglobin in meat (which creates nitric acid and colors the meat). A good smoke ring is prized in BBQ because it usually indicates that the meat was successfully cooked slowly at a low temperature. The smoke ring gradually forms until the meat (just under the surface) reaches 140°F, then the formation stops. The thickness of your smoke ring depends on how long it takes for the meat to reach this temperature. Knowing how a smoke ring forms gives us two practical applications:1. To maximize your smoke ring take the meat directly from the refrigerator to the cooker. Conventional wisdom instructs you to bring the meat to room temperature before cooking, but starting straight from a cooler temperature will give your meat more time to develop a smoke ring.2. Since smoke ring formation stops at 140°F you only need to worry about generating smoke for the first 4 hours of cooking (roughly). After that the meat will not be absorbing any more smoke flavor or coloring. After 4 hours, just concentrate on keeping a steady low temperature until the meat is done.The Oven OptionNot everyone is blessed with the time, space, and/or patience to play with a smoker. Take heart - you can still get good results with an oven.Heat your oven to 200°F - 225°F. Wrap the meat in foil. Put it in the oven until done as described above. About 1.5 - 2 hours per pound.If you want smoke flavor use your smoker/BBQ pit for the first 1 - 2 hours to infuse some smoke flavor into the meat. Then finish the cooking in the oven. If you don't have a smoker or don't want to bother with it - skip this step. It will still be good. Written by Chris Hughes Filed under cooking, cooking tips, learn, recipe, smoke, wild boar Tweet
Wyoming
Wyoming is another fairly easy to draw state and a preference point state that I hunt in personally and love. The hunting is very high success on public land with decent bulls on the “general” hunts. The griz areas hold larger bulls but their are grizzles to worry about. The high success trophy units take a long time to draw but are worth the wait.
Washington and California
Washington and California are kinda unto themselves and seem to be states my clients are only interested in if they are trying to kill the two species of elk that are there. Roosevelt elk and Tulle elk are two subspecies that are fun to add to your list of critters to chase. Both states are difficult but not impossible to draw in and Washington has a good amount of public ground to go after them. California’s bulls are mostly on private so you’ll need to consider that as well.
Colorado and New Mexico
Colorado and New Mexico are high on my list as the best elk hunting states where you can hunt everything. Every year you can hunt if you have a reasonable budget and can buy landowner tags. Many tags are available through outfitters and I can be very helpful with that. Nice part is we can find both elk and deer hunts for you with guaranteed tags for “just a bull or deer” or for a deer or elk “of a lifetime” for bigger money. I put at least 65% of my clients in these two states every year. They are both set up very nicely for nonresident hunters to get after bulls.
Oregon
Oregon is a good state to chase private land bulls with outfitter tags as well, but there just aren’t a lot of them doing it and these hunts can be harder to find. Tags are drawable there and there are some really neat public areas but it takes a while to get one.
Texas
Here is a monster bull hunt in Texas we went on with video coverage of bulls running to us. “Hunting Monster Bulls in Texas”
Idaho
Lastly is my home state of Idaho where there are still over the counter tags and lots of public land. The problem is the woods are covered up with people chasing deer and elk. Honestly, the Idaho Fish and Game needs to change it’s plan as it’s getting over run; however, there are some good remote areas still left. Outfitters can access it and kind of have it tied up. The hard to draw units are available to hunt through outfitter acquisitioned tags which are still reasonable in cost. This can give you a chance to chase big bulls.
Well there is a snap shot of the west and elk and the advantages of the different states. I hope you found that helpful and if you’d like to speak with me in person and be put with “the right guy” in the right state to go hunting this season…call anytime. I’m glad to help.
Cheers,
Marc
