Welcome to BackcountryIndex
Your all-in-one elk hunting research tool. Here's how to get the most out of it.
Filter Hunts
Use the left panel to filter by state, weapon method, bag limit, season, and preference points. On mobile, tap the menu icon to open filters.
Explore the Map
Units are color-coded by opportunity — green means high, red means low. Tap any unit to see draw odds, harvest stats, and hunt codes.
Top 5 Rankings
The right panel ranks the top units by draw odds, success rate, and total applications. Swipe through the categories to compare.
Adjust Your Priorities
Use the Opportunity Index Weights to balance what matters more to you — draw odds or success rate. The map and rankings update in real time.
Find My Best Opportunities
Enter your preference points in "My Points" and tap the green button for personalized AI analysis. For lottery states like Idaho and New Mexico, it finds the hunts where you have the best shot this year.
Save & Compare Hunts
Bookmark hunts you're interested in and access them anytime from "Saved Hunts" to build your application strategy.