twofer

I just wanted to thank everyone for the good suggestions. A special thanks to those who generously offered a hunting spot with them.

Also, I just wanted to let everyone know that I joined a group of 3 other guys hunting 1st rifle season in Unit 12 with Bar H Outfitters.

--twofer

Redclub

Just curious,First rifle season is a draw and deadline is past?
Is this a ranching for wildlife?
Redclub

ironranger

I hear you there Shatodavis as I've got a few old friends who are in the same frame of mind and just waste alot of money at the bars or on bad habits where the accumulative costs do add up. Since 1997, I've been on 6 Elk hunts and 3 mulie hunts (DIY) and am heading to CO this fall for either a bowhunt, if drawn, or a rifle hunt as 2nd choice. No real monsters taken on the hunts but the memories are abundant and I savor the whole adventure from the drive out and back to the hunt itself. Western hunts can be done pretty cheaply if you do it yourself. The biggest cost for me this year is going to be gas (going solo) but even then I can probably do the whole trip (2 weeks) for around $1300 which includes gas, license, and food. Other than that I have everything I need to do it. I hear alot of people say "I'd really like to go on a western hunt". I was 35 when I went on my first one and I wished I hadn't waited so long. The older you get the tougher it gets so do it now. Life is too dang short...

Waterproof

I have had great success in the past with guys I have offered to come out and hunt out of our camp. In the past I have had guys from Georgia, Tennessee, New York, and Illinois. We have had great times with them and this year have some guys coming out from Texas hunting with me. I am not a guide, and offer no such services. I do have a cabin on the Uncompahgre and have had guys that do rent that from me. I have no problem with helping new guys out that are coming to the state and trying to get elk hunting figured out.

twofer

Redclub - I already put in for the draw. 1st choice is a bull tag, second choice is a cow tag. Pretty much guaranteed to get one or the other.

--twofer

twofer

Just to finish last year's story of me joining a group of three guys (people who hunt together each year at this drop camp, but who I didn't know until wemet for the first time on the hunt) for a drop camp hunt in Colorado:

I ended up bagging a very nice cow elk on the 4th day of my hunt. It was a 175 yd double lung shot at a standing animal out of a band of about 20 elk. The hit wapiti ran about 75 yards before going down. The elkwere crossing through a smallmeadow heading to a ridge to goto a higher valley at about 9:00am on a perfect sunny morning. I was set up in the weeds at the end of the meadow with my Kimber Montana .300 WSM.

The weather was perfect, the aspen were still golden, and it snowed the last day in camp. The hunt was just about perfect, except a couple of the guys got into afight in the tent one night including wrestling around on the tent floor. Me and the othernon-combatant broke it up. It definitely put some tension into the camp and the non-instigating fighter ended up leaving camp early just to get the he!! away.

It was a great trip, despite the "extra entertainment"!

--twofer

txhunter58

FYI: The deadline for Colorado is not until April 1st. Applications just opened the 13th of this month.

salukipv1

I can't stand reading about all these guys backing out.....if you say youre going to do a hunt, or say "you're in" that means you're in, no wife saying no....no nothing. its one thing to be like maybe...then say ya i cant swing that but, if you say yea im totally in, count me in, and you back out.....there better have been a last minute emergency/death, no excuses.

Defintely go! Maybe find someone on here, or someway else to tag along too, or just grab a buddy who wants to come along and not hunt.

PS- less already committed, I think idaho has some over the counter archery tags for some of their best units, though you mentioned rifle? All I can say is go.

EKM

FYI, this is a year old thread in which the originator come back and gave us an update of what actually happened.... very rare. Thanks.
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I wish that were the case, but for most hunters when it involves:
(1) overnight and away from home, and
(2) more than $500, and
(3) taking time off work or "using up" vacation time....

.... most hunters (apparently) can only dream.
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You are right about one thing, if you are a "maybe", then don't go running aroundtelling people who will be counting on you that you are a "yes".

Interesting also, is that for many who can actually swing going, that as the time to"put up or shut up" draws near they find that they are more in love with the "idea of going elk hunting"and just talking the hunt, than they are in love the "reality of going elk hunting"including the organization, cooperation, and making it happen factor that is required; and last but not least they shy away from"the guaranteed suffering part."

dayna0306

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I always have 6 to 10 guys say they want to go with me but when the time comes they let me down.Any more when it comes up ,I tell most of them you couldn't hang it's much to tough for the average guy. That is the staight up truth. The average guy will spend most of the hunt in my bace camp [home made camper]waiting on me to stop in for supplies and a days rest .I found out it's alot eazier to spike out and live up on the montains with the animals. I like the help on the fuel bill but the hunt may as will be solo . Last year I killed a bull solo and backed it out myself yet I had 2 guys livig in base camp ,as far as I am concerned wasting thier time. A real hunting partner is as rare as a boone and crocket bull .Good luck to all.


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