Dream Elk Hunt
12-13-2019, 06:10 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 454
Dream Elk Hunt
Forgive this "Hail Mary" on my part, but I'm kinda stuck here and some of you probably know how to handle this...
Wife has greenlighted a western elk hunting trip for me (live in NH). My research suggested that I go with an outfitter (I'm a poor hunter) and I was thinking of Colorado due to the abundance of over-the-counter tags. I don't care if its a cow or a bull, and I've seen some very reasonably priced cow elk hunts.
The problem I'm having is, I can't get good answers from outfitters about logistical challenges.
I really don't want to drive (would consume an entire week of driving), so I wanted to find a way to ship out meat and trophy. Several of the outfitters I've contacted were surprisingly clueless on how I might best address this.
Any thoughts, or outfitter recommendations would be welcome.
Wife has greenlighted a western elk hunting trip for me (live in NH). My research suggested that I go with an outfitter (I'm a poor hunter) and I was thinking of Colorado due to the abundance of over-the-counter tags. I don't care if its a cow or a bull, and I've seen some very reasonably priced cow elk hunts.
The problem I'm having is, I can't get good answers from outfitters about logistical challenges.
I really don't want to drive (would consume an entire week of driving), so I wanted to find a way to ship out meat and trophy. Several of the outfitters I've contacted were surprisingly clueless on how I might best address this.
Any thoughts, or outfitter recommendations would be welcome.
12-13-2019, 07:57 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,780
Shipping meat is usually done by a local processor, not the outfitter. This seems like a good option - until you see the price for this service. I have spoken with a few different processors and been quoted around $300-$400 to ship one little pronghorn, not counting the cut & wrap.
Is this a hunt for the 2020 season? If not you would be ahead to start accumulating preference points for future years. The OTC units get pounded hard so unless you find an outfitter with access to private land a quality hunt might be very difficult. The late season cow hunts are usually just a ride in a truck to shoot a cow that is eating the rancher's hay, but a few of them involve a bit of walking.
There are some very nice hunts available to fellows with no preference points if you are willing to pay fairly big money or are extremely lucky drawing a tag in the random draw.
Is this a hunt for the 2020 season? If not you would be ahead to start accumulating preference points for future years. The OTC units get pounded hard so unless you find an outfitter with access to private land a quality hunt might be very difficult. The late season cow hunts are usually just a ride in a truck to shoot a cow that is eating the rancher's hay, but a few of them involve a bit of walking.
There are some very nice hunts available to fellows with no preference points if you are willing to pay fairly big money or are extremely lucky drawing a tag in the random draw.
12-13-2019, 08:27 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 454
I spoke to a hunter this fall at Maine bear camp. His method is to pack the processed meat up himself in a cooler and have it ride the plane with him as checked baggage. Said it was a lot cheaper.
Probably going to be 2021, not 2020. Most of the outfitters I've been in contact with use private land, either their own or a lease.
Probably going to be 2021, not 2020. Most of the outfitters I've been in contact with use private land, either their own or a lease.
12-13-2019, 08:55 AM
#4
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
Drive. It's part of the experience.
Shipping meat is expensive. You won't get an elk into one checked bag. My dads cow two years ago had a hind quarter that weighed 80lbs. An elk is a big animal.
Call processors to get information on shipping. But again-it will be pricey. If money isn't an issue, then it's not a problem.
Do it while you're young- you'll run out of time and energy before you run out of money.
-Jake
Shipping meat is expensive. You won't get an elk into one checked bag. My dads cow two years ago had a hind quarter that weighed 80lbs. An elk is a big animal.
Call processors to get information on shipping. But again-it will be pricey. If money isn't an issue, then it's not a problem.
Do it while you're young- you'll run out of time and energy before you run out of money.
-Jake
12-13-2019, 08:56 AM
#5
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: On an Island in Vermont
Posts: 22,594
I have been out around 10 times with a fellow member Rob in VT and a few others. Rob owned a nice cabin and some shared private hunting land in south central Colorado. None of us knew much about elk hunting when we started but over the years learned a lot and harvested a few dozen elk and some muleys. We always drove from VT and split the trip into 2 long and one short day. Initially we hired processors and then at the end of the trip picked up the frozen meat and brought it home in large 156 qt coolers. Over time we bought a freezer for Rob's garage and did our own butchering, packaging and freezing without the need for any processors. The 3 day trip back home kept all the meat frozen without additional ice or even dry ice. A bull elk gives a couple hundred pounds or more of meat so flying it back as luggage would be expensive. Unfortunately the Spring Creek fire in 2018 decimated that land we hunted on along with Rob's cabin. The hunts we had were fairly rigorous with difficult terrain and lots of altitude. Even a small hill is hard to climb when you are at 10,000 feet. Over the years we started to take diamox in advance of the trip to condition our blood and to stave off possible altitude sickness. Private land access will certainly make it easier to harvest an elk. All our hunts were DIY but we did have a local hunting expert that we made friends with who helped us over the learning curve.
12-13-2019, 09:15 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Central VT/Big Horn WY
Posts: 1,543
A deboned packaged average size Colorado bull elk will fill a 150 Qt cooler (no ice) and spill over into a 60Qt cooler. The 150Qt will weigh much more than the airlines allow costing you more money.
I used to drive from central Vermont to southern Colorado every year for 12 years. It’s a 33 hour drive and you can slice that up any way you want. By driving you can bring all the gear you want. Can even bring butchering equipment and take care of it your self. It’s actually a nice drive.
Best of luck!
I used to drive from central Vermont to southern Colorado every year for 12 years. It’s a 33 hour drive and you can slice that up any way you want. By driving you can bring all the gear you want. Can even bring butchering equipment and take care of it your self. It’s actually a nice drive.
Best of luck!
12-13-2019, 02:05 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,780
I like to fly on long trips, but we drive to hunt elk.
Go to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife web site and start doing some reading, and then get a preference point. A single point might make all of the difference to you next year. One point will not get you much of a bull tag but one is better than none. If you decide to go on a cow hunt one point will get you into many good units.
I would also consider Wyoming or New Mexico if you are thinking about a cow hunt.
Go to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife web site and start doing some reading, and then get a preference point. A single point might make all of the difference to you next year. One point will not get you much of a bull tag but one is better than none. If you decide to go on a cow hunt one point will get you into many good units.
I would also consider Wyoming or New Mexico if you are thinking about a cow hunt.
12-18-2019, 05:09 AM
#10
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 454