txhunter58

Hard to really say about your hunt, but if you were paying $4500 to hunt private land and were in to elk, but never closer than 200 yards, sounds like something was amiss. There can be some legitimate reasons why someone wouldn't want to move in toward a bull, but combine that with no camo and not getting you set up closer to the bull than he was, something is fishy. If you feel strongly enough about it you should contact the outfitters association and tell them what happened and see what they have to say.

turkman1

The only reason I got a outfitter is because I live in Illinois and it's hard to scout big game by myself when you don't know where to go. I wished I had gotten some tips while hunting elk.

Bernie

turkman1

The only reason I got an outfitter is because I live in Illinois. Its hard to hunt big game when you don't know where to go. I wished the outfitter would of gave me some tips on hunting elk.

mrbb

I live in PA, and have done self guided hunts all across the USA and I don't feel any were a BAD hunt
you don't have to live close by to scout, all the more so in todays modern world
between google earth and all the info on the world wide wed, the ability to contact folks in areas you hunt(wardens, DCNR< locals, folks on forums and so on)
its really NOT needed , all the more so if you know how to read sign
I personally tend to call a DIY hunt a learning experience and a challenge
I use the first day or two to be my in field scouting, as well as hunting, and fine tune from there
its NOT honestly all that hard to do if you put in the effort
the harder part might be recovering the game when its an elk , if your all alone!
BUT many places out west offer recover service's
, or drop off camps, or??
the options today are almost endless
the real key to anything done right is doing YOUR part ALL you can
yes there can always be BAD experiences and folks that scam you
But again, the more you do to weed them out, asking right questions and research on them, the better off you are

you cannot just HIRE a outfitter and HOPE Its going to work out
and NEVER just take 2-3 peoples word as a reference
dig deeper, outfitters loose help as often as any business, so from one yr having GREAT guides, the next eh can have BAD one's

the key is asking, HOW Long the guides have worked for SAME outfitter, and like wise questions

again, you get what you put into things MOST times

but a guide isn't needed if your willing to do the work!

If you want a more easy hunt, then an outfitter can SOMETIMES offer that, with the right one, that is
other wise, you can be just spending a lot of extra cash for NOTHING!

flags

Well, I was raised in CO but have hunted in CO, WY, MT, UT, NE, KS, TX, AL, FL, NC, VA, PA, NH, CA and HI. I have never paid an outfitter a thin dime. I've taken whitetails, mulies, blacktails, elk, pronghorn, hogs, black bear, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, bison and alligator all on my own without the services of a guide so it can be done.

txhunter58

Sounds like you need to develop some friends that elk hunt. You are not much farther from Colorado/Wyoming/Montana than I am here in Texas, but it is a Long drive by yourself. You can get lots of good info online, but there is nothing like having someone to share the experience with. Find a shooting range in your area and try to hook up with some guys that elk hunt. Or meet them at church, work, you get the idea. Or introduce a niece or nephew to hunting. Always better to have 2 strong backs to haul an elk out. My whole family hunts so that makes it easier.


Colorado has the easiest tags to obtain, but has the most hunters and it can be hard for a newbie to figure out where to go to find elk away from the crowds. Can be done, but easier if you hook up with someone who has been there before. Montana is essentially an OTC state, so you can get a tag every year, and it has way less hunters, but you have to find an area that is not thick with wolves.


Another idea would be a trespass hunt in Colorado. They can be had for $1500-2500 and you don't have to compete with lots of hunters but it is essentially a DIY hunt. Here is one that has a good rep: http://www.rockymountainhunting.com/index.html Never hunted with them but hear good things

bronko22000

I've been pretty lucky so far with outfitters. From what I've found sometimes the most expensive isn't always the best. There are many reputable outfitters out there but there are also some sleazy outfits. There are a couple good sources for good outfitters that I know of. One is Cabela's TAGS and the other is the NAHC outfitter list.
But even these are not 100%. You need to get references, lots of them. Even talk to the game commission in that state and see if there are any bad reports on an outfitter you're interested in. And if its a bowhunt its best to get an outfitter that has bowhunting success.
If you decide on a DIY hunt you need to plan several extra days just for scouting the area.

txhunter58

You should also consider going on a cow hunt to get your feet wet. The link I posted has a $900 cow hunt listed. You could learn the ranch and think about hunting a bull in the future. I have 90% as much fun hunting a cow as I do a bull. Especially when you hunt muzzleloader or 1st rifle seasons when they are still rutting. And you learn a lot without dropping a lot of coin. The tag is over $200 cheaper too.

Also, do you have anything to swap? There are some big whitetails in Ill. Do you have a spot you can take someone? If so, you could do a swap hunt. I have done swaps with a lot of luck from mule deer to elk, to moose, to Alaskan fishing.

Hunt Sponsored

That is a pretty penny to pay someone that loves to be outdoors just as much as you do. lol. Where im from we hire good outfitters for a 12pack and half the kills to hunt on their land.

turkman1

I have 270 acres of land that I hunt on and I shot some big whitetails in Fulton County.