Elk Hunt Honeymoon
08-04-2017, 09:11 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,358
the only elk hunting guide I've used I wouldn't again, they were great for a vacation just not many elk.
One recommendation would be a booking agent. they have access to LOTS of outfitters and can give you lots of options. There are many good ones around, a friend of mine uses www.hunts.net and loves them
One of the reasons people are asking for more info is that the price range will vary GREATLY, you can get a public land 5 day hunt for a couple thousand up to the Cadillac outfitter where if you are asking the price you can't afford it, but will get a monster.
If I were elk hunting, one place I would seriously consider (but you need points) is triple3 in Wyoming.
One recommendation would be a booking agent. they have access to LOTS of outfitters and can give you lots of options. There are many good ones around, a friend of mine uses www.hunts.net and loves them
One of the reasons people are asking for more info is that the price range will vary GREATLY, you can get a public land 5 day hunt for a couple thousand up to the Cadillac outfitter where if you are asking the price you can't afford it, but will get a monster.
If I were elk hunting, one place I would seriously consider (but you need points) is triple3 in Wyoming.
08-04-2017, 09:40 AM
#15
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Up on the Milk River
Posts: 459
First, there are other forums that have quite a few more elk hunters then this one, I won't list them, but just do a search. Here in Montana, Montana Outfitters and Guides Assoc., MOGA, is a good site to visit for info on an elk hunt here in big sky country. Another option is hitting a outdoor show this winter at a city close to you or where you would like to visit. Heck, hit a RMEF convention this winter! Not only might you find a outfitter, but you more then likely will learn quite a bit about elk and hunting them.
08-04-2017, 11:38 AM
#16
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 7
Great thank you both. We have a few friends that make a yearly trip on their own to hunt elk in Colorado, and we plan on joining them in a couple years. I'll definitely look into a convention. Sounds like it would be a good experience!
08-09-2017, 11:36 AM
#17
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
Kb42: I'm not sure you got the kind of answers you were looking for. It is helpful in seeking recommendations like this to narrow down the field. There is a better chance of getting fuller answers if some parameters are first decided upon and made clear.
Private land elk hunts may run $10,000 to $20,000 per hunter. I would assume this is not your hunt or you wouldn't be asking for guidance from the likes of us plebians on this web site. So you want to hunt public land.
Bow hunting elk is a somewhat specialized recreational activity. It requires a high level of skill with a bow. It usually involves very physical hunting -- as a great deal of ground in rough country is covered. I'm going to assume if you were a bow hunter you would know it and would have said so in your query. I'm guessing you are a rifle elk hunter.
I would also assume that (1) you don't have preference points you have accumulated in prior years of elk permit drawings and (2) that you definitely want to hunt fall of 2018 and not 10 years later after you have accumulated 10 preference points to hunt a premium trophy quality unit. The state that has the highest number of permits issued is Colorado. I recommend you apply in Colorado.
You will have to decide which of several Colorado rifle seasons you might want to hunt in. Can I recommend the first Colorado rifle season? This hunt typically occurs mid-October when weather has a good chance of still being pleasant. If you are lucky, the bulls may still be bugling. You will further have to select what game management unit (GMU) to hunt in. I recommend you try to figure out on-line what unit you can apply for first rifle season with a 100% chance of draw success. In doing this, you will need to make sure that the GMU you apply in has (1) public land and (2) has relatively high country (10,000 foot elevation to 12,000+ foot elevation) because the elk at this time are often just below treeline.
When you have chosen one or two or three GMUs that you MAY wish to apply in, then you might wish to learn what outfitters operate in those GMUs. Most outfitters will operate in only one or maybe two GMUs, I would guess.
So that is my advice to you. You are free to ignore it or to follow other advice. Colorado first rifle season in a GMU with public land between 10000 foot and 12500 foot elevation that has a 100% drawing probability without any accumulated preference points. That really narrows the field down quite a bit.
Private land elk hunts may run $10,000 to $20,000 per hunter. I would assume this is not your hunt or you wouldn't be asking for guidance from the likes of us plebians on this web site. So you want to hunt public land.
Bow hunting elk is a somewhat specialized recreational activity. It requires a high level of skill with a bow. It usually involves very physical hunting -- as a great deal of ground in rough country is covered. I'm going to assume if you were a bow hunter you would know it and would have said so in your query. I'm guessing you are a rifle elk hunter.
I would also assume that (1) you don't have preference points you have accumulated in prior years of elk permit drawings and (2) that you definitely want to hunt fall of 2018 and not 10 years later after you have accumulated 10 preference points to hunt a premium trophy quality unit. The state that has the highest number of permits issued is Colorado. I recommend you apply in Colorado.
You will have to decide which of several Colorado rifle seasons you might want to hunt in. Can I recommend the first Colorado rifle season? This hunt typically occurs mid-October when weather has a good chance of still being pleasant. If you are lucky, the bulls may still be bugling. You will further have to select what game management unit (GMU) to hunt in. I recommend you try to figure out on-line what unit you can apply for first rifle season with a 100% chance of draw success. In doing this, you will need to make sure that the GMU you apply in has (1) public land and (2) has relatively high country (10,000 foot elevation to 12,000+ foot elevation) because the elk at this time are often just below treeline.
When you have chosen one or two or three GMUs that you MAY wish to apply in, then you might wish to learn what outfitters operate in those GMUs. Most outfitters will operate in only one or maybe two GMUs, I would guess.
So that is my advice to you. You are free to ignore it or to follow other advice. Colorado first rifle season in a GMU with public land between 10000 foot and 12500 foot elevation that has a 100% drawing probability without any accumulated preference points. That really narrows the field down quite a bit.
08-09-2017, 06:17 PM
#18
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
That's what I tried to communicate to "her." But it fell on deaf ears. God forbid "she" provides a little info about exactly what "she" is looking for.
08-10-2017, 09:55 AM
#19
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
Yah. And you are correct. Normally I wouldn't have replied, suspecting some sort of ruse -- some sort of commercial hustle -- but then I thought maybe this is just a young bride-to-be who doesn't know jack squat about hunting, maybe even trying to scare up a surprise honeymoon for her husband. So I thought I would try to be helpful. If she is sincere, I DID give a lot of valuable advice . . . without giving away the honeyhole of course (e.g., a hunter's term of reference to a preferred hunting spot).
08-10-2017, 10:11 AM
#20
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
KB-42: A few other important points. You and your husband will have to complete a hunter safety course to elk hunt. You need this hunter safety certificate BEFORE you apply for your elk license. In Colorado you will both need to apply TIMELY for an elk hunting license in the annual license drawing that takes place in very early April. Thus, you need to have figured out your plans by early March 2018. On your application, each of your applications should indicate that they are "PARTY" applications and they cross-identify each other. The on-line application web site provides details on how this is done. I recommend you read all those instructions carefully. This means you plan to hunt as a party. In this case, either you both draw or you both fail to draw. There isn't any possibility that one of you would draw and the other would fail to draw. You will need to carry your hunters education card with you while hunting. In Colorado you will also need to purchase a Habitat Stamp -- something like $10 -- and carry that with you while hunting. You need to carry your elk hunting permit with you.
Of course, it could be that one of you wants to hunt and the other just wants to tag along for the experience. Then, of course, only one of you needs to apply. The outfitter will charge to take one of you as an observer instead of a full-up hunter, as the non-hunter is still consuming resources.
If you are going with an outfitter, you should expect your outfitter to tell you important things like what a legal elk is. Presumably you would have a guide and the guide will scare up an elk for you and tell you shoot or don't shoot. By the way the first rifle season in Colorado is an "either sex" elk hunt. You can shoot either a bull or a cow. If you aren't seeking to have an elk head mounted, there is no dishonour in taking a cow. I think cow elk meat tastes better than bull elk meat. There are more cows than bulls, so to some extent finding and shooting a cow may be easier.
The non-resident Colorado elk hunting permit costs in the neighbourhood of $660. It may be closer to $50 for Colorado residents. An outfitted guided elk hunt may run about $5000 for one hunter and twice that for two hunters. If one of the individuals is not a hunter but an observer, there may be a modest discount for the observer -- maybe a charge of $4000 for the observer. These are all "ball park" kind of numbers to give you a general feel for what the bill will run you. If you kill an elk, the outfitter will cut up the elk and pack it down to the trailhead where your car is located, but you will have to process the elk meat from there on -- either process it yourself or pay a local meat processor to do this for you. If you live out of state, you may have to pay for them to ship the meat to you, which can be expensive. You could possibly transport the meat back home and have it processed where you live. You would have to do things to keep the meat unspoiled during the drive home. If you fly, I'm not sure that is an option: in that case probably have to pay a local processor to both package the meat and ship it to you.
I hope this provides some helpful information.
Elk hunting is a vigorous sport. You and your future groom should trim your weight and workout in the gym. To some extent the outfitter will buffer you from some physical hardships but it will still be physically challenging I would think. And don't forget all of this fun takes place at about 11,000 feet of elevation where the air is thin. Focus on aerobic exercise, leg strength, and core strength. Endurance is useful to keep going. Walking is not to be disdained as a good exercise. Walk 2-3 miles every day with a 25 LBS pack on your back. Work up to both the distance and the pack load. Do this in ADDITION to aerobic and strength exercises.
Of course, it could be that one of you wants to hunt and the other just wants to tag along for the experience. Then, of course, only one of you needs to apply. The outfitter will charge to take one of you as an observer instead of a full-up hunter, as the non-hunter is still consuming resources.
If you are going with an outfitter, you should expect your outfitter to tell you important things like what a legal elk is. Presumably you would have a guide and the guide will scare up an elk for you and tell you shoot or don't shoot. By the way the first rifle season in Colorado is an "either sex" elk hunt. You can shoot either a bull or a cow. If you aren't seeking to have an elk head mounted, there is no dishonour in taking a cow. I think cow elk meat tastes better than bull elk meat. There are more cows than bulls, so to some extent finding and shooting a cow may be easier.
The non-resident Colorado elk hunting permit costs in the neighbourhood of $660. It may be closer to $50 for Colorado residents. An outfitted guided elk hunt may run about $5000 for one hunter and twice that for two hunters. If one of the individuals is not a hunter but an observer, there may be a modest discount for the observer -- maybe a charge of $4000 for the observer. These are all "ball park" kind of numbers to give you a general feel for what the bill will run you. If you kill an elk, the outfitter will cut up the elk and pack it down to the trailhead where your car is located, but you will have to process the elk meat from there on -- either process it yourself or pay a local meat processor to do this for you. If you live out of state, you may have to pay for them to ship the meat to you, which can be expensive. You could possibly transport the meat back home and have it processed where you live. You would have to do things to keep the meat unspoiled during the drive home. If you fly, I'm not sure that is an option: in that case probably have to pay a local processor to both package the meat and ship it to you.
I hope this provides some helpful information.
Elk hunting is a vigorous sport. You and your future groom should trim your weight and workout in the gym. To some extent the outfitter will buffer you from some physical hardships but it will still be physically challenging I would think. And don't forget all of this fun takes place at about 11,000 feet of elevation where the air is thin. Focus on aerobic exercise, leg strength, and core strength. Endurance is useful to keep going. Walking is not to be disdained as a good exercise. Walk 2-3 miles every day with a 25 LBS pack on your back. Work up to both the distance and the pack load. Do this in ADDITION to aerobic and strength exercises.
Last edited by Alsatian; 08-10-2017 at 10:20 AM.
