If all things were equal for 2011 as they are this year, would you rather do a 2nd choice mule deer hunt in CO, or a Wyoming general tag elk.

CO would be completely DIY, and for a unit/tag I could draw as 2nd choice so I could maintain my points.

WY I would be hunting the wilderness areas near Jackson, WY with a friend/local. I'd probably have to pay the special elk tag price to get a tag...$1100 ish instead of the $550 or whatever. Hate to pay twice the price, but with the savings from DIY/no outfitter I really don't mind, and the price difference to the CO deer hunt would be negligible, either could be more/less, assume they're the same price in the end.


Currently have yet to take an elk or mule deer buck, working on both this year in MT hopefully, elk will be the primary goal, but I will have a mule deer tag too.

So far I am the lone Mule Deer voter.

Let me tell you why I would suggest Mule Deer over the elk tag. Simply put there are a few more deer around and they are a bit easier to hunt. IMHO elk are a step up from deer and in my own personal progression chart I always take hunters new to hunting the west on mule deer hunts first then after that on some elk hunts.

I just feel it's a bit easier to find and take deer than elk. Elk generally require that you get further back in and require more patience and skill to take.

I am not suggesting in any way that you aren't skilled, just that if you haven't yet taken either I would suggest crossing the mule deer off the list prior to chasing the elk just for the experience factor.

Just my 2 cents.

I could be wrong because I often have other alternatives but "most" 2nd choice deer licenses in CO that get drawn are doe licenses and very few are buck licenses. I would check the stats from previous years.
With that said I would go WY elk if those are my two options.

Besides I have a ton of places that are DIY mule deer in CO and would look for the opportunity to try elk elsewhere.

I would go with the elk. It is my absolute favorite animal to hunt by far. Although Mule deer are much easier to hunt and you could get that done and move up to the elk as stated.

If I had a previously successful friend/camp mate "guide" for both I'd take the Elk every time . On that point the trophy is nice but the full freezer is better. The vast majority of 2nd draw tags will be depredation doe tags or masacare field shoots. In my expirence anyway.

My vote is for the elk; one of the best imho.

Elk outways deer 100 to 1
Theres just no other way to go!!

I vote elk all the way. It is the perfect big game and I plan on hunting them every year until I can no longer do it which will mean I am dead.

Wyoming wilderness elk hunt is as close to heaven as it gets.

If that's true then I'm changing my vote. Chasing elk with your friend would be the route to take.