Grizzlybear

I wondered if I could get some thoughts to push me off in the right direction. I' m really starting from square one here. I' ve only hunted whitetail before and am taking my first big hunting trip this fall for Maine Moose. Now, the excitement is building and I' m already thinking ahead for other opportunities. Elk has always been in the back of my mind, but has always been something I figured was too far out of reach. Elk hunting out west was something ya just got to see on TV and read about. Well, I' d like to start thinking about making it a reality. Should I just start applying in lotteries all over the place and hope for the best? Or, should I fork over the bucks for a landowner tag? How much can I expect to pay for a guide outfitter since I won' t know the area (I know this will vary widely region to region and package to package).

Anyhow, any insight is appreciated either here or via email.

BeaverJack

If it was me, an' I could afford it, I' d hire a outfitter in a place where one ain' t required. After a few seasons, you could swing a self-guided hunt there an' make a fine annual tradition.

Oregon Archer

if you didnt have anyone to tag along with id definately suggest an outfitter for your first time elk hunting. if you do your homework and check references you can find a good guide at a reasonable price. after your first trip you can get a feel of what its like and make the decision of wether or not you would feel comfortable tackling a DIY hunt.

David/Mo

I' d say a lot depends on what you want out of the hunt. If you' re expecting to bag an elk the first year out then the outfitter/guide route is the way for you. If you are going for the challenge of doing it on your own, find your own animals, make your own camp, then start reading everything you can find about elk hunting trips in magazines and the net. Something will catch your fancy as to a place then start zeroing in on the location. A little of both type of hunt would be a outfitter drop camp, I saw one on the swap shop on this site, it was in gunnison area of Colorado for ~700 I believe, sounded good.
JMHO
David/MO

BareBack Jack

Hey Mr.Grizzlybear
Well he is how I see it,if you wan' t an adveture aplly for tag in Montana ,Idaho,Colorado,and Wyoming( I say these areas because their is alot of Public land).Start buying you gear NOW!Then start doing you home work and look at every state or the areas you apply for.When you draw you tag realy start doing home work call Ganme wardens,biologists,sporting good stores,any one who knows hunting or about the state you have drawn in.You can do this on your own.


Seacond option is this hire a outfitter and do a Semi-guided hunt,the do all the foot work for you and supply almost all the gear(Horse,Trailer,tent,firewood,packing services,put you in a area to hunt,help point out were the game is,food water and so on.)you bring the rest.All this from around 700-2000 dollars.


Option 3,
Hire an outfitter for every thing, garunteed tags,beds ,cook,guide,everything you need but rifle and clothes.This can be done for around 2500-5000 grand.
So start planning.BBJ

clattin

My brother-in-law, dad and myself are doing a semi-selfguided hunt for elk this fall in Colorado near Gunnison. I' ll be happy to let you know how it goes. We are hunting on private property with direction from the owner, but staying in cabins that he provides that we can drive up to. There' s no electricity, water, phone, etc; but lots of elk. We are not taking horses, but we are taking a 4-wheeler to maybe help take elk out. We have 2 either sex tags and one cow tag. So far, the owner has been tremendously helpful as none of us drew for either sex tags but he was willing to trade our over-the-counter bull only tags for land-owner either sex tags. Send me an email if you want me to let you know how things go.

clattin