The Numbers Don't Lie

Statistics for the 2007 elk hunting seasons are available here.

The numbers don't lie - Unit 38 (my home unit, literally) had a composite success rate of 12% for all seasons and all manner of take put together. That's 70 bulls, 43 cows, and 9 calves (122 elk) for 1,005 hunters.

The majority of success was during the rifle seasons (50 bulls), with First Rifle season (71 hunters) accounting for 5 bulls, Second Rifle (256 hunters) accounting for 33 bulls, Third Season (122 hunters) with 12 bulls, and Fourth Season (25 hunters) with no bulls taken (just 3 cows).

I may to rethink my strategy for hunting #38. Seems like there is opportunity for hunting bulls during the 1st rifle season, but it requires a lot more work to find'em and hit'em.