npags01

Haha hey guys! Let's calm it down a bit! I was asking for people's opinions to help with my planning process! I don't need opinions of other people's opinions!

I do appreciate all the feedback though from everyone! I am looking into all possible options.

On the one hand, I am a go-getter and would love to attempt an elk kill 100% DIY with my bow. On the other hand, I have my dad to plan for as well. His age complicates things a little bit! While I am in my prime and would have no issue wandering around in with wilderness somewhere for a couple weeks, my dad is interested in having a little more help.

One thing I am looking into now is kind of a middle ground. Self-guided hunt through an outfitter. I can get the scouting report I would be unable to have through the outfitter along with lodging, food, and game processing (all of which are important to my dad) and still have the DIY element that I desire.

I am still looking!! And definitely still reading all the advice on here!

Keep it together guys! We are all on the same team here!

Thanks for the support,

Nick

Ranger77

in 1993 I asked a guy I worked with what the roughest, toughest wilderness in Colorado was to hunt - he told me a place in the Weminuche that fit that description.

I never had been mule deer or elk hunting - I spent the better part of 3 weeks, by myself, solo backpacking and I killed a muley doe and a 5x5 elk.

It was hard and tough and I learned so much through failure .... had I paid someone to take me in, point me where the elk were, pack the meat and camp out etc?

I'd have not learned nearly as much. This 5x5 dink bull was more of an accomplishment than a buddy of mine who killed a 370 bull with a rifle on an Indian Reservation.

Ranger77

Nick - this was a backpack hunt ... Dad was 65 at the time IIRC ... we killed this bull maybe 5 miles from the trailhead

Muley Hunter

Nick........Getting an outfitter for your dad, and going off on your own to do a DIY hunt is a plan. Not sure how to work this out with an outfitter. You'd still be in camp using that part of the hunt, but only your dad would be guided for the actual hunt.

It's something to look into.

super_hunt54

Okay so what I am gathering is you want an outfitter service. There are several out there. One that comes to mind is Western Colorado Outfitters. They do semi and unguided drop in camps. Basically they just do the camp thing and you do the hunt thing. Looked them up on the web, here's the page. I haven't personally used them but a couple of my old timer friends have. http://www.westerncoloradooutfitters...nd-drop-camps/ Fairly cheap rates (less than half of your budget) and in pretty good zones as well.

flags

B.S. You really do have a problem with reading don't you? Let me refresh your memory. You wrote: "So what you are saying Flags, is send a rookie hunter into a place he has never been, to get archery close on an animal he has hunted only once and that was with rifle and a guide?"

I never told the OP that. I said he had plenty of time to plan a DIY hunt if he wants to and I showed him where he could get a lot of info and then after he had that info and had narrowed his choices down to let some of us know so we could give him some info. You do understand that CO is a pretty big place and that nobody can give him any info until he narrows it down some don't you? I never told him to just bail off and try to shoot an elk. What I told him to do was do a little research on his own. Information never killed anyone I know but it sure has scared a lot of people.

At to calling the OP inexperienced, I don't read his posts that way. As a matter of fact the OP stated:
Note that they hunt in Ohio (probably for whitetails) and both have hunted elk. That means they have some experience and can use that experience to research a DIY hunt if they choose to. Remember I didn't tell him to throw caution to the wind and go on a DIY hunt, I told him he should research it. I would think that someone with some hunting under their belt would be able to do that if they choose. Maybe you don't, but I do especially based on the OP's response to me that said:

That shows he is at least open to it. In other words, he now has some of that dreaded info! You do know it is up to him to decide which advice is good and not you right? Isn't this his thread? You seem to have an issue with the info and advice I gave him but he sure as heck didn't. If he chooses not to hunt DIY, then that is his choice and not mine or yours but at least he now has the info rather than just a contact # for a game pimp that will happily take his $5K. Deal with it.

Now, feel free to send the $10K to a charity of your choice because you still haven't proven your ignorant claim.

Muley Hunter

I feel the hot breath of a mod showing up soon.

npags01

The hunt I was researching was basically the outfitter saying hey, I want you to hunt this area today... GO! Haha and all meals and lodging was taken care of. That way it could be just my dad and I which would be very meaningful to both of us.

npags01

THANKS! Ill give them a look!!

npags01

As this is my thread, I feel like I must interject in the brawl!

I appreciate both of the opinions! From a third person perspective, both have valid points, and have been helpful. Even despite the bickering, I still have gleamed some great information! Hahahaha you both should just let it rest, or start another topic of your own though specifically about your argument. Certainly no hard feelings here towards either of you as you both have been very helpful!

Thanks again for the feedback!


And as for my hunting experience level, I have been chasing whitetails and turkey for almost 20 years now (started hunting at 5) so my father and I have that baseline skill required to hunt anything. Beyond that, I have been hunting Alaska where I am stationed for a couple years, so I am learning that dynamic as well.

My desire for a nice lodge and a little help is mainly per my dad's request. I understand where he is coming from completely! He is not as young as he used to be, and is no longer as crazy as I am! haha and this trip is a once every few years kinda trip for us, so we just want to make sure we get it right.

Again, I appreciate you all chipping in to help!!