One thing I've always wanted to do with my dad is go out of state for a fun hunt and adventure. He's getting up there in years, and while still capable and willing, I can see I've not got too many years of him being in condition to do something like this, and was looking for some experience.
Hoping to spend $5k or less, would prefer something like a camping, hiking, maybe horseback riding into the mountains type adventure. I think an Elk hunt in Colorado or Idaho, or any hunt in the Wyoming/Montana area would be incredible and certainly an experience I'd love to have with dad. I've googled a lot, but have no experience trying to hunt out of state, so if anyone can point me in the right direction for a good, lower cost state/game hunt that has a decent shot of success I'd appreciate it.

You can get a guided antelope hunt in Wyoming for a lot less than that. See lots of animals, success rate is high, and it is fun. You can go a lot cheaper if you do it yourself. Maybe hook up with somebody from up that way who can point you in the right direction as far as which area to apply for. Heck, doe tags are under $50 each, so you could find a rancher in one of the areas with a lot of private land who would allow you to come in and shoot a few does without charging too high a fee (I am looking into this right now), and have a good hunt that would lack only in bringing home antlers. JMHO

Pronghorn would be my first choice. You will see lots of animals, the price is probably the lowest of all the animals out there, and they make a really beautiful mount.

Cow elk would also fit the budget, but in areas that they are hunted, it's not as easy as some people think. Success isn't as good as pronghorn, you might not see very many animals, and they tend to be in some pretty touch country.

For a first time out of state adventure, I would want to go where success is going to be highest.

Gemsbok on the White Sands Missile Range (or adjacent private land) in New Mexico. No brainer.

From what little looking I have done the pronghorn seems like the easiest cheapest highest percentage hunt. I would like to put one together some time, but I know nothing about out of state hunting and nobody I know does either. Have don't a little google foo on it but not enough.

Definitely want something that has the best chance of success, but a lot of the excitement of this is just going on the trip with my dad and enjoying the experience and scenery. Making it a successful hunt would certainly put it over the top. Pronghorn in Wyoming would be awesome, as would the Gemsbok. Two really cool ideas for me to start researching. Anyone have personal experience with any guides for either of these hunts?

New Mexico gemsbok (oryx) is a draw tag and for non-res it will cost $1680!

It's not an easy draw, either.

Idaho is a better bargain then CO since they have more OTC tag options and can use your elk and mulie tags for bear, Lions and wolf if you choose.

dang, that opened a whole new book of interest... have you done one of these hunts before? Just curious if you have an outfitter to recommend as well.

An antelope hunt would be great. Much more laid back, relaxing, and enjoyable. Lots of game to look over.

An elk hunt is much more intense. Much more physical. Much more like work. If that's what you are after, that's great. Just be aware. But the mountain vistas are incredible. Just two completely different hunts.

Yea, I'd really love the vistas and scenery of the mountains to be part of the hunt. But yea, elk may be tough sledding for pops.

Look into sitka blacktailed deer hunting on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. Almost the entire island is open for public hunting (free, no permit required) and there is a very good road system over most of the island (and of course you can hike up and down the mountains all you want, basically you can make it as easy or hard as you want to, the deer are everywhere and plenty of them, shooting 2 or 3 in a week isn't hard at all, but, of course, quality animals are harder to come by; makes it easy to shoot 'something' and then work for a better one). Relatively cheap hunt, depending on how you do it. License is cheap (75 or so), tags are reasonable (150, can get up to 3), ferry ride from Ketchikan to island is cheap (100 round trip). Or, you can take a floatplane out of Ketchikan for not too much if you want 'adventure'. After that it is up to you on how expensive it gets. A forest service cabin is only 40ish a night regardless of how many stay there. Rustic and simple, it is more like camping with a roof (have cots and woodburning stoves usually). They're almost always on a lake with a rowboat provided. Or, you can rent a cabin/lodge somewhere, but it is more expensive. We rented one for a week for 4000 (1000/person, 7 days). There are 6 or 7 small towns/communities on the island for supplies (including gas and groceries). You can either rent a truck on the island or in Ketchikan and take on the ferry (usually 500 or 600 for a week). The lodge we rented came with unlimited use of a truck so we didn't have to rent one. Other than the possibility of a lodge, the only big expense at all is airfare (600-1000). if you have air miles racked up, comes out to be a very cheap hunt. Awesome scenery, relaxed hunt, good trip, beautiful capes on the deer in November (love the red antlers from rubbing on spruce). The downside (as some would see it) is the sitka is a very small-antlered deer )only takes 105 or something like that to make B&C. But, it is a good trip to see some scenery, do something different, and hunt something different.

plus, no brown bears (as opposed to hunting on Kodiak)

A little research can put you in an area where the mountains can be seen in many good pronghorn areas. Then it's just a matter of you and Dad taking a little time out to drive and enjoy them up close. Another bonus of pronghorn hunts is (almost always) good weather and passable mountain roads since the hunts are early.

One of the MeatEater episodes was on POW with Joe Rogan and they had some miserable weather during that trip. But knowing how relatively cheap it is will be something I keep in mind for the future.

Now this looks incredible. How long ago did you do this trip?

Trying to send you a PM BOBO, it says you're over the limit. Would like more info

There are some great recs here, and I'd like to throw one out there that maybe you haven't thought of...

The US $$ is trading at a premium to the S African Rand, and there are some screaming deals out there in S Africa and Namibia. I've gone on 3 cull/management hunts in Namibia (10 animals included) the past 3 years at a cost of $3700 w/o airfare. Depending on when you travel (March-first half of May is cheapest) you can get round trip tickets for $100-$2200. Namibia is much like hunting the huge ranches in far West Texas and the people are first rate.

added to my list

We went in 2011. Was going back this year, but not going to make it (wife wants a cruise). Most likely going back next year. Best time to go for deer is rut, which is early November (when we went). When we went, the area had more snow than usual, which can complicate things, but usually only at higher elevations. I was amazed at how much difference in snow depth there was just going up in elevation a relatively short distance. Mid-November on you expect snow, early November 50/50. If there is snow, it pushes deer to lower elevations, so there is no real need to go too high. Temps were very nice for hunting, mid/upper 20's for lows, high 30's mid 40's for highs. Days are shorter that time of year though (seems like we were hunting from 7:30ish to 4:30ish but don't hold me to that). Expect some type of moisture, either snow or rain. Blacktails were very good eating, much better than whitetails. I'll see if I can add a few pics.

A few pics from the POW hunt.

That looks like too much fun.

Caliber and distances for an "average" shot?? How much
"flat" ground to hunt as shown by the hunter in the road pic is common?

I hunted Pronghorn as a Weaver Scope Sales Contest winner in '81 at the headwaters of the Medicine Bow River in Wyoming. Not a hard hunt but over too quick with only 2 days in the field. Back then ranchers hung an old fashioned glass milk bottle on the gate to put your License Permit tear strip into, so they could collect a $7 Crop Insurance payment from the State with as your access payment...and we drove/hiked miles and miles without ever seeing another group of hunters or vehicle. Would go back to Wyoming again in a heart beat ...but the POW thing is intriguing for sure.

Based on the pic of the Doe and half grown fawn I'd guess that any average Texas WTail rig would be more than enough shooter.

Crazy Horse (Randle Weems) and I discussed going to the Nebraska Panhandle once upon a time well over 10 years ago for a Indian Reservation Lottery Hunt on one of the ?Fort Robinson I think it was Hunt Areas...that stretched into Montana to the north. Randle had been a couple times years earlier and both hunters scored something each time. But was beyond adament against camping during the Hunt Period ever again due to WEATHER issues - his preferred hunting style, but wanted to stay at the Fort in an Officers Billet for mini bux and hunt only during the week. Sez you could buy multi Permits @ $92? depending on Unit selected each with 2 critter tags per Permit as I recall back then from the Reservation and allowed to take both WTail or Mule Deer depending on Hunt Area. A very hard hunt for sure with no motorized vehicles allowed off road for any reason and covered up with Denver hunters on the weekends that only hunted within a mile or so of the road...and some of that ground is straight up and down that is closer to the Fort. These days that Hunt is out of my league at my physical State of Grace...but'd be a great place to visit during a Summer trip to the mountains.

Abolutely outstandingly beautimous pics of the POW to dream about...thank you for posting them
Ron