Elk Hunting

[Chuckwagon Ray, SASS#72635]

I am looking to do an Elk Hunt , prefer free range hunt, for me and my son next fall. Trying to stay as close to Michigan as possible, maybe South or North Dakota, Montana????

 

Looking for advice. Considering maybe a do it yourself hunt or something similar. Thanks in advance for any advice you might be willing to share.

 

Chuckwagon Ray....

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

I am looking to do an Elk Hunt , prefer free range hunt, for me and my son next fall. Trying to stay as close to Michigan as possible, maybe South or North Dakota, Montana????

 

Looking for advice. Considering maybe a do it yourself hunt or something similar. Thanks in advance for any advice you might be willing to share.

 

Chuckwagon Ray....

You can put in for the public land draw hunts in several western states and hope you win the a lottery or you can buy a tag from an outfitter or rancher and be guarenteed a hunt. The later is more costly for bull elk. Cow elk tags are much less costly than bull elk tags and cows are easier to hunt. Of course there is no rack to hang on the wall if that is your goal. BTW, I just harvested my second elk in two years from the Valle Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico and recommend you consider it in your search. Idaho and Colorado have decent elk herds too and you might try the Canadian provinces. A guide is useful if you haven't hunted elk before. Hunting elk is a bit different than hunting whitetails.

[Chuckwagon Ray, SASS#72635]

You can put in for the public land draw hunts in several western states and hope you win the a lottery or you can buy a tag from an outfitter or rancher and be guarenteed a hunt. The later is more costly for bull elk. Cow elk tags are much less costly than bull elk tags and cows are easier to hunt. Of course there is no rack to hang on the wall if that is your goal. BTW, I just harvested my second elk in two years from the Valle Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico and recommend you consider it in your search. Idaho and Colorado have decent elk herds too and you might try the Canadian provinces. A guide is useful if you haven't hunted elk before. Hunting elk is a bit different than hunting whitetails.

 

Thanks..

 

Did you stay in a motel or camped??

 

Ray

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

Thanks..

 

Did you stay in a motel or camped??

 

Ray

There were reasonably-priced motels near my hunting area and a Forest Service campground I could have used. Instead I stayed at my outfitters bed & breakfast operation which was comparably-priced to staying at a motel and eating at restaurants.

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

Colorado has over the counter bull tags for 2nd & 3rd seasons....no drawing needed.

[Chuckwagon Ray, SASS#72635]

There were reasonably-priced motels near my hunting area and a Forest Service campground I could have used. Instead I stayed at my outfitters bed & breakfast operation which was comparably-priced to staying at a motel and eating at restaurants.

Thanks...

[Chuckwagon Ray, SASS#72635]

Colorado has over the counter bull tags for 2nd & 3rd seasons....no drawing needed.

 

Thanks...

[Sagebrush Burns, SASS # 14226]

The NW corner of Colorado (Craig area) has lots of accessible public land and plenty of elk.

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

Sending you a PM

[Chuckwagon Ray, SASS#72635]

The NW corner of Colorado (Craig area) has lots of accessible public land and plenty of elk.

 

Thanks, I will check that out.....Ray

[Utah Bob #35998]

Danged elk!

I usually have to hunk rocks to get em off the lawn.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

UB

 

limber up the MOSIN , them be GOOD eatin

 

if they be on the lawn , ya DON'T have to haul em very far

 

CB

[Utah Bob #35998]

UB

 

limber up the MOSIN , them be GOOD eatin

 

if they be on the lawn , ya DON'T have to haul em very far

 

CB

The mem sahib would not be pleased.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

SIR

 

that could be a LARGE problem ,

 

It has been said " if Momma ain't HAPPY , ain't nobody HAPPY "

 

CB

[Brother King, SASS #69031]

I hesitate to offer on these threads because so much of what I have to say has to do with over 3 decades in the hunting business; and fully 30 years of that 3 decades has been spent hunting elk from Alberta to Arizona and all points in between.

 

They've been kind to me, even as I've sworn day after day, year after year, "F*** those elk"! The record over the years is now Elk 14 King 17... all with a recurve or a longbow. My best isn't that huge 327 and there are 2 cows. My 3 boys were raised eating elk and deer. 100 years ago in a different life, it seems, I outfitted and guided in the Gros Ventre and lived in Jackson Hole.

 

The reason for that story is to say that I don't know everything about elk hunting, but there isn't anyone else that knows more. My clients and customers will underscore that as well.

 

That said, do it yourself elk hunts have a higher probability of killing you than killing elk. Once in a while a magazine features some guy (s) that got lucky, but more stories abound every season of search and rescue, tragedy than of success. BTW, the national success rate for archery elk is less than 8%.

 

FOr your first hunt, knowing that you're not familiar with our Rockies, terrain, seasons and survival in them please: HIRE AN OUTFITTER. They are small family businesses and worthy of your support. You'll likely come to count whomever you choose among your best friends for years and years.

 

Don't even think about hunting elk without horses or provide for them in advance. Elk hunting is rigorous physically. There are no flat spots where elk live. You can't keep up with them even at a run. A dead one will take at least 4 round trips to get him out. THat means either you have help, which ruins everyone elses hunt or you have spoiled meat, which ruins yours.

 

There are 100's of good outfitters. There are a few great outfitters. You can often tell in the first few minutes of talking to them and I urge you to spend some time this winter (Jan- Mar) at a sport show near you talking to all who exhibit there.

 

GOod luck... there really is nothing like hearing that bugle on a cold morning with the snow in your face.

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

I hesitate to offer on these threads because so much of what I have to say has to do with over 3 decades in the hunting business; and fully 30 years of that 3 decades has been spent hunting elk from Alberta to Arizona and all points in between.

 

They've been kind to me, even as I've sworn day after day, year after year, "F*** those elk"! The record over the years is now Elk 14 King 17... all with a recurve or a longbow. My best isn't that huge 327 and there are 2 cows. My 3 boys were raised eating elk and deer. 100 years ago in a different life, it seems, I outfitted and guided in the Gros Ventre and lived in Jackson Hole.

 

The reason for that story is to say that I don't know everything about elk hunting, but there isn't anyone else that knows more. My clients and customers will underscore that as well.

 

That said, do it yourself elk hunts have a higher probability of killing you than killing elk. Once in a while a magazine features some guy (s) that got lucky, but more stories abound every season of search and rescue, tragedy than of success. BTW, the national success rate for archery elk is less than 8%.

 

FOr your first hunt, knowing that you're not familiar with our Rockies, terrain, seasons and survival in them please: HIRE AN OUTFITTER. They are small family businesses and worthy of your support. You'll likely come to count whomever you choose among your best friends for years and years.

 

Don't even think about hunting elk without horses or provide for them in advance. Elk hunting is rigorous physically. There are no flat spots where elk live. You can't keep up with them even at a run. A dead one will take at least 4 round trips to get him out. THat means either you have help, which ruins everyone elses hunt or you have spoiled meat, which ruins yours.

 

There are 100's of good outfitters. There are a few great outfitters. You can often tell in the first few minutes of talking to them and I urge you to spend some time this winter (Jan- Mar) at a sport show near you talking to all who exhibit there.

 

GOod luck... there really is nothing like hearing that bugle on a cold morning with the snow in your face.

Best advice yet...from a lifelong hunter who knows.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

I am not an elk hunter, but it sounds like the real article to me also.

 

If you are going to spend the money to make the hunt, why not do it correctly and garner some memories

to boot.

 

Thanks for posting Brother King.

[Chuckwagon Ray, SASS#72635]

I hesitate to offer on these threads because so much of what I have to say has to do with over 3 decades in the hunting business; and fully 30 years of that 3 decades has been spent hunting elk from Alberta to Arizona and all points in between.

 

They've been kind to me, even as I've sworn day after day, year after year, "F*** those elk"! The record over the years is now Elk 14 King 17... all with a recurve or a longbow. My best isn't that huge 327 and there are 2 cows. My 3 boys were raised eating elk and deer. 100 years ago in a different life, it seems, I outfitted and guided in the Gros Ventre and lived in Jackson Hole.

 

The reason for that story is to say that I don't know everything about elk hunting, but there isn't anyone else that knows more. My clients and customers will underscore that as well.

 

That said, do it yourself elk hunts have a higher probability of killing you than killing elk. Once in a while a magazine features some guy (s) that got lucky, but more stories abound every season of search and rescue, tragedy than of success. BTW, the national success rate for archery elk is less than 8%.

 

FOr your first hunt, knowing that you're not familiar with our Rockies, terrain, seasons and survival in them please: HIRE AN OUTFITTER. They are small family businesses and worthy of your support. You'll likely come to count whomever you choose among your best friends for years and years.

 

Don't even think about hunting elk without horses or provide for them in advance. Elk hunting is rigorous physically. There are no flat spots where elk live. You can't keep up with them even at a run. A dead one will take at least 4 round trips to get him out. THat means either you have help, which ruins everyone elses hunt or you have spoiled meat, which ruins yours.

 

There are 100's of good outfitters. There are a few great outfitters. You can often tell in the first few minutes of talking to them and I urge you to spend some time this winter (Jan- Mar) at a sport show near you talking to all who exhibit there.

 

GOod luck... there really is nothing like hearing that bugle on a cold morning with the snow in your face.

 

Sounds like great sound advice. Have to see If I can pony up with the bucks to make this happen like you suggested. Thanks so much.......Chuckwagon Ray

[Grizzly Dave]

It's been years since I elk hunted, and to be honest, even back then I wasn't serious about it. My hunting buddies harvested an elk more often than not, but for me it was not at least for elk. Why? Because they worked it at WAY harder than I did, and covered WAY more ground than I did. It was still great to spend a week in a smelly old army tent.

 

What King says holds true in my experience, but I would modify it a little..

 

That said, do it yourself elk hunts in areas that you are not VERY familiar with have a higher probability of killing you than killing elk. Once in a while a magazine features some guy (s) that got lucky, but more stories abound every season of search and rescue, tragedy than of success. BTW, the national success rate for archery elk is less than 8%.

 

Back when I hunted there were still public lands where you could find elk and get a pickup fairly close to load up if you got lucky. But even back then you had to take your own rock to sit on, and you were more likely to hear a bullet whizzing by your ear than an elk bugle.