For elk hunters

The wife and I were talking the other night and I mentioned to her that one day, I would love to take an elk ! She of course knew this since we have been married for 33 years , but then she surprised the socks off of me when she started suggesting places on our wall where it would/could hang ! She say's..."You aren't getting any younger, so you better get one while you can" ! Wow.....Now I have a dilemma ! I have hunted my entire life ( Just not for elk ), so this isn't a novel thing I will be doing, nor will I be doing it every year from here on as I simply couldn't afford it. I don't want to spend 5 K to 10 K just to take a 350" plus trophy ! Are there any semi guided hunts anywhere where a man may have a reasonable opportunity to take a good 4 x 4 to a decent 6 x 6 that won't break the bank??? Bare in mind, I am 54 and not in shape for a marathon mountain climbing experience ! Thanks in advance !

Bobby Hill's Ranch in southern Colorado. Fantastic guy and excellent guides. 45,000 acres (iirc) managed for elk. Borders Ted Turners Vermejo Park.

See if you can get on the Longfellow or Gage ranch in West Texas.


There are several great places in New Mexico as well.....the Mescalero reservation has some great elk hunting, country is very forgiving and the accomodations are great, your wife could spend her days in the casino while your hunting elk.


But I think your $6k-$10k budget is pretty realistic for a Trophy Elk on a guided hunt.

Any of your CO drop camp hunts are with in that price range. But CO ain’t flat.

Really you best bet is to put in for NM and see if you can draw a tag, first, then CO or Idaho as a back up.

WY is also a good option especially if you build a few preference points first.

Bobo, for the flatlander, could you give a description of what a drop camp hunt is?

They take you, your friends and your gear way up the mountain by way of horseback or ATV, to a place you've never been before in country you have never seen, drop you off and hope for the best for everyone involved



Kind of like a Colorado Snipe hunt

Absolutely. Two kinds of drop camps- non guided & semi guided

Basically outfitter has a camp already set up in the mountains.

Non guided-he rides you in on horse back and drops you off with food and supplies, and will check up on you.

Semi guided- He rides you in, And may have a guide/ cook stay a day or two to help you get your bearings and provide insight.

Some drop camps will have a wrangler or someone in camp to give advice and be there to pack out any animals you take.

A public land hunt in Wyoming or Colorado would probably be much cheaper than a private land hunt anywhere.
Your wish for a 4x4 or smaller 6x6 are good expectations for a public land hunt. I would even say any legal bull would be a good take on public land.
You'll need a couple of PP to draw a Wyoming general tag. You could find a hunt in one of the non grizz and wolf areas for far less money than NW Wyoming.
Look into a OTC area for a guided hunt in Colorado. You might find a RFW hunt with expectations of lesser bulls for your price range also.

Here's a couple of outfits that might fit your needs. Remember though that public land elk hunting is no guarantee on harvest, you'll work for any animal you get.

https://www.wyconsafariinc.com/colorado-hunts/elk-hunts
https://www.grandslamoutfitters.com/grand-slam-outfitters-price-list

For the money, the hunt with Condict is a General Wyoming area but on private land.
We have run into guides and hunters from each outfit in town and in the field and they are good folks at each outfit.

All good advice, but so far only BOBO has alluded to it, you need to be in shape for the mountains. So if you aren't, and want to hunt this year (unlikely) then get in shape. If you are planning for next year, then start early and be in shape for the trip. Nothing worse than planning a trip, gearing up, going out and realizing you cant't cover half the ground you wanted to because you can't move your legs uphill another inch. Altitude is gonna kick your butt, so be ready

Yelp WY and NM will have the potential probability of being less physical compared to CO as a whole. There are unit exceptions

How good a shape we talkin?

I think im about your age Bobo, turned 34 a few months ago. Im 6-foot and mid 230's recently since the advent of covid, started jogging about a mile and a half a day again. Would I just fall on my face dead? Ive never been anywhere at elevation.

Depends on the elevation, but even going to 6-8000 can wind you just walking to the door of the tent for us lowlanders.

Climbing mountainous terrain several miles for several days means you need to be in really decent shape, not marathon shape but still gotta be able to move. Muscle for climbing-carrying meat/gear, coupled with cardio is important.

There seems to be a threshold for altitude sickness around 8000, and thats where the risk really happens. If you are out of shape and sucking wind badly, that can couple with the altitude and make your chance of sickness worse. Altitude sickness can be fatal if not recognized and treated appropriately. The good news is most of the time it just requires going down hill. Occasionally a trip to the ER for some steroids. But, being in shape is not a cure for risk from AS either, as some really in shape people will get it. More on that subject if desired.

Shapewise, if you are running and doing decent cardio, maybe add some stairs or bleachers in there and add weight as you can to help develop the muscles for climbing. At 34 you should be fine, if in reasonable shape.

people way over exaggerate the level of fitness required for a typical elk hunt. The real azz kickers are mountain goat and sheep hunts.


You can beat yourself to death hiking up and down mountains all day long looking for elk, or you can choose not to, and you can be successful either way.


There are some grades you are gonna have to contend with at some point but your not hunting Ibex in Pakistan at 17k your hunting elk around 8-10 k


If you can jog a mile without stopping you are certainly in good enough shape to go to the mountains.


Some people can tolerate altitude some can't. highest I've been is 11'500' and I've had no issues. I know some guys have trouble at 8k.


Most of the guys pulling elk out of the trailhead are semi-paunchy folks in their 50's and 60's. Life is certainly more enjoyable if your fit, but you don't need to be in gladiator shape to have a great elk hunt, I don't care what Cameron Haynes tells you.


Plan the hunt, buy the tag and go have fun.

I got you be a decade, fitness is relative to how you hunt, not necessarily success. Fitter you are the more comfortable you are with going deeper, First three days is an arse whoop for any one because of elevation. Fitness really comes into play on a packout, especially if you have time constraints due to heat etc.

I think Mtn fit is a combination of moderate fitness and mental resiliency. If one is lower then the other has to be higher. If that makes sense.

Sheep and goat hunts are no different then elk hunts. All about location and access. 90% of the goat areas in CO have peak parking. Meaning a trail head with in a mile or three of the peak. They love cheese puffs too.

Sheep hunts same way, big difference in sheep hunting the Breaks of Montana and the frank church of a idaho or hells canyon. Sheep in Alaska are steep country but not necessarily high altitudes, if that makes sense.


My advice for anyone hunting above 8k, spent atleast one night in town between 6-8k ft, it will decrease Altitude sickness chances significantly

agree with what others have stated ... 3-6 months before your trip, start building up by walking/jogging, then add a pack, then add weight to the pack (water) and keep building up time/distance/weight ... a stadium or stairs will also be helpful ... start heavy hydration at least 2 weeks prior as that will help on the altitude sickness. The first several days no matter how good of shape you are in you will likely get winded within 100 yards or less. That part was the worst part for me, just slow down and stop frequently to catch your breath. Going from <1000 feet above sea level to 8000< will even impact a marathon runner, just the facts of life.

when preparing adding bottled water to your pack is a good indicator as that was what most of my weight was I carried in my pack in the mountains. I had an 96 ounce camel back bladder built into my pack plus several 12 ounce additional bottles which were all empty well before the day was over, each day I was adding more bottles. Each gallon (128 oz) weighs about 8 lbs and that can add up quickly on how much you consume on a 5-15+ mile round trip hike at higher altitudes. Doesn't take too much other stuff in a pack to get you on up to 40+ lbs not to mention rifle and other items.

Wow, Bobo is just a pup. Completely shattered my image of you.

Lol, I’ll take it as a compliment. My Pup years passed bye me pretty quick I feel like. 6 more years and I’m going to be semi retired hopefully.

Find a building where you can walk some stairs. Not necessary every day, but at east every other day. Last time I hunted Colorado, I had access to stairs at the Enterprise building in Abilene, it was only 20 stories, I started with walking as fair as I could up, and elevator down, by late August I was walking 20 flights up and 20 down. The smart arse that went with me would run them, he would be at 20 and on his way down I would meet him coming down at about the 10th floor.

I would also plan to get there a few days early, so you can acclimate to the altitude. Even 1 day is better than getting there the morning you start on the hunt. At Ruidoso, 7000 feet, it takes me about 2 days to get altitude adjusted, if we then go to Cloudcroft, at 8600, it can get tough on flat ground, but by the end of the day I am back at

I'm always on the lookout for a good set of stairs close to home, but haven't come up with anything yet. 'Definitely need that kind of cardio. But if you see me running, you best be looking out for whatever's chasing me.

I was with you right up to "jog a mile without stopping."

I appreciate all the feed back! I have considered a "do it yourself" hunt after talking at length to a man who used to go every year till a stroke got him. He said that some people will drive the roads with binoculars until they spot a bull that is in a decent location (Not in a deep valley) and then get out and make a stalk on him. He said others will take elevation/topography maps and drive around until they find a spot that can be accessed by traveling ridge lines to a favorable hunting location. His biggest recommendation which I thought was funny, but it made a lot of sense, was to kill the elk as close to the road as you can. There is a lot to think about for sure, but I am excited at the prospect of having the opportunity. I don't mind paying for knowledge that a guide can provide if it increases my chances, but like I said, I don't want to drop a small fortune either.

He gave good advice. If you are looking at next year, I would apply in NM first and use CO has a back up plan.

Thank you, I appreciate the advice !

Deersteaks like you I've always wanted to kill a good bull elk, doesn't have to be a great big one just a good representative of the species.I wanted to hunt inTexas if I could but looks like I need to start saving my money,cause some of the hunts were close to 10k

Deersteaks,
Check into this place, they’ve got spike camps or lodge. I haven’t been there, but know a couple guys that went a 3-4 seasons ago and took their wives. They said they would go again. It is also in your budget
https://www.utahelkhunt.com/about/

Good advice DC. There’s no way to train for altitude while your at or close to sea level. Getting to your location and getting acclimated is the best. Plus lay off the alcohol, don’t ask how I know this. Even 6-8000’ is rough when coming from sea level, especially when adding the hike w/pack.

I have hunted NM and Colorado for elk and mule deer for many years. I prefer NM because you can hunt elk around 7 to 8K feet where CO is usually 10 to 12K feet. I have not figured out a way to prepare for the altitude other that arriving a couple of days early and take your time and scout the area getting yourself use to the altitude. I hunt around the Gila if I can draw a tag but that is few and far between because NM only gives 6% of the tags to nonresidents without an outfitter. I tried using an outfitter this year as a semi-guided and did not draw a tag again! Colorado is a draw for early season hunts but you can buy over the counter bull tags in most areas, but the bulls are going to be hard to find. If you can get a land voucher and hunt late season you can hunt low elevation but it will cost you. Do it yourself is usually what I do but it can be tough in CO if you have never hunted the area and even if you have it doesn't mean that the elk are there. Do it while you can cause elk hunting takes you into some beautiful country with breath taking views. You will enjoy it even if you do not kill an elk. Best of luck to you!

I've known 3 guys that have hunted there and they loved it. All hunted the Idaho ranch on the preserve side and had great hunts for good bulls.

Prices are pretty competitive as well for what you get, the spike camps look pretty awesome and should put you in good country for good bulls.

My advice would be to spend $7,000 or so on a guide that gives you a chance to kill a bull. You can hunt in several states with a guide and over the counter tags. If your looking at doing something you've always wanted to do "Do it right." One great hunt will far, far surpass "a hunt".

I went down the same path. My wife, bless her heart, made me do it. I booked a hunt in Idaho for this October. It's costing around $7,000 but there are very, very few things I have wanted to do my whole life so I paid up. 7 day hunt, horseback ride into the mountain camp. As of now I'm the one hunter in this camp, guide only puts one or two. I'll have a guide to help find, stalk, field dress and get the bull out and a cook. And most important a fantastic experience with or without a bull.

I'm as tight as anyone but just once I'm spending on me!

This is my take on things since this topic gets brought up a few times every year:


General OTC public land hunts in Colorado is a great way to get your feet wet. It can be a daunting task to a guy who is used to sitting in a deer blind watching whitetails come to a feeder, so its money well spent to hire a outfitter to do a drop camp style semi-guided hunt OR fall into a group that has done it before to learn the ropes from them. Depending on the area you want to hunt, you can do it from the back of a SUV or need specialized equipment such as ATV's with custom aluminum trailers and/or horses or mules. As a rule of thumb, the easier it is to get to, the more crowded it will be, but this doesen't always mean bad hunting. I've seen elk literally get shot 400 yards from the Basecamp of the trailhead in plain view of 25 truck and trailer combos, and about a dozen elk get shot within 1/2 of a mile of the trailhead basecamp. Hunts can be as easy or as hard as you want to make it. You can take the easy route and hunt easy to get to spots on fairly level ground ( again, expect company ) or you can bushwhack into the wilderness areas and spend a few days in the backcountry living out of your pack.

My experience is that most OTC units have at best, a 25% success rate and it rings true with our party. Some years you see a few elk, some years you see elk at a long distance, and some years you have a few opportunities to get a bull. Best attitude to have, is your going hiking in the mountains for a week and your gonna bring your rifle along. If you do it long enough odds are you will eventually stumble across an elk that's within range. We typically hunt a party of 4-6 guys and most years at least one guy gets one, one trip we went 3 for 6. One of the hunters has about a 50% average on elk because he hunts hard, one guy has been going almost 10 years and only killed 1 tiny bull because he sleeps in a lot of mornings and doesn't go as hard as other guys. This is a trip all ages and walks of life can enjoy IF you go in with the right attitude.


If you have a little discretionary income to spend and only want to kill one elk to say you did, the outfitted hunts are def. the way to go. Private landowner tags can be bought in New Mexico and you can rifle hunt during the rut. This dramatically boosts your success rate. My friends that hunt the Mescalero have about a 95% success rate on bulls up to 370", with a good 330" bull being quite common.


As far as fitness levels are concerned, the better shape you are in, the better you will enjoy the hunt. If your packing around an extra 25-30 lbs of unneeded mass, you will feel it in the mountains but doesn't mean you won't be able to perform on the trip. Exercising and making hikes is a good way to train, I live in the hill country so I go replicate the grade by hiking around on the several parks we have like enchanted rock, lost maples or Friederich park here locally.

I will say, if your a tobacco user, cut it out weeks prior to your hunt because it raises your blood pressure and will affect performance

rmp, who are you using?

www.wildernessmule.com/

Visited at length with Caleb at a couple of shows and over the phone. Hoping it turns out well.

Hogslayer have you hunted Idaho?

Idaho is one of my favorite places to hunt. Extremely NR tag friendly. Get a wolf tag also. What unit are you hunting?


Edit: saw saw you are hunting the Frank. Get in shape, the Frank should be a bucket trip for every hunter. For sure get a wolf tag.

Bobo maybe you can shed some light on Idaho.

I hear that it is, like you stated, extremely NR friendly and tags are either OTC or very easy to draw.

I’ve also heard that it was a great place to hunt 15 years ago but the wolves have decimated game populations

What’s the real scoop?

I have a wolf tag. Also a mule deer tag so maybe I'll run into something good.

I wish I would have been a little dumb in my youth and got an extra college loan and gone elk hunting when I was still free to do what when where and how I pleased... freedom is grand.

Real scoop-

Premier units have better draw odds then most Other states because way they do their draws. If you apply for Moose or Goat or Sheep, you can’t apply for limited entry elk or deer. A lot of LE rifle deer/elk units are capped OTC archery.

You can get up too two elk bull tags. mule deer or elk tags can also be used for bear(fall/spring), Wolf, or lion.

Wolf issue- yes deer/elk number took a significant dive, but elk are starting to rebound in a few areas, due to aggressive wolf management and the ungulate herds learning to survive. It will never be the good old days. I think as a whole it’s a better OTC archery state then CO, but Central Idaho is a 24hr drive from DFW. You essentially loose two hunting days vs travel time to CO.

My last hunt there, in first three days, I could of killed full curl BH, Mtn Goat, BIG Moose, Mule deer and Elk(passed a 225’ish 5x5 and 8 cows first day, I saw a bear and wolf but not close. With that said I was a legitimate GPS’s 8.5 miles back in from the trail head, oh and I got caught in a nasty snow storm first week in sept. It got cold!!

I'm gonna look into Idaho for next year....I've wanted to go, but its hard to justify the drive when NM and CO are so close

That’s my issue is drive. Think I’m going to do a spring bear hunt next year and just fly in and rent a car.

If you are serious about Sheep or Goats, I’d apply if I was you, especially at your age, some of the Frank tags have good draw odds.

No better time than the present.

If I knew then what I know now I probably wouldn’t have ever made a September dove season opener. But the thought of going to Colorado or New Mexico to hunt when I was 21 seemed about as plausible as a trip to the moon. Hell I never left the state period ( save for Mexico, which is really just an extension of South Texas ) until I was 25 or 26.

It gets in your blood though it’s rarely a one and done type deal

Looking forward to going on one of these with my son in a few years. He is deep into school (nursing) and can't miss a week in the fall, but once he graduates we will head out west. He was super bummed he couldn't go with me and my bro this year. Gonna get my feet wet this year and then be a little more adventuresome with him. He will probably want to bow hunt, but we'll see.

Good luck to everyone elk hunting this year, gonna be interesting hunting season for sure.

Do yourself a favor, book with a quality outfitter and as motivation you'll get into shape. If you get to camp and can't go It's your fault and money down the drain. Don't do a DIY hunt because you'll be disappointed with the results if you don't know the area or elk patterns. Hunts will cost you 5K + , not what you wanted to hear but the truth.
Here is one of my bulls from Swiftcreek Outfitters in Wyoming. This bull was a 7X7 346 score.
Good Luck,

My other bull 6X6 315 score

I second BOBO on Idaho, or Montana, if you are archery hunting. Colorado if you are gun hunting. I would encourage you to go otc at least once just to gain experience, and put together a preference point plan for Co,wy and AZ. And do the random draw in NM.

You can cheat a little on altitude and get a prescription for diamox. It will speed up acclimation. I've used it before for climbing above 13k.

Depending on weather, elk will be lower in later season (2nd season co gun). The trick is to pick a region and time before they are pushed to private.

I really do believe you will enjoy your trophy hunt if you spend $1000 on a diy otc base camp hunt. It will be crowded and your probability will be 10% but you will learn so much that will help you when it's time to hire an outfitter.

Everybody's going to say I sound like a broken record but spend time hiking on uneven ground with weight. Start lite and work up. By uneven ground I'm talking off pavement with rocks and roots and slanted trails. You will expend more energy balancing than you will hiking.

I have you in age by 7 years. You are about the age I made my last high altitude climb (above 14k). I was way overweight but i spent time hiking trails, starting with low weight and increasing each week. By the end of training I knew that 50lbs was the max I could carry and I could do that for 7 miles and still be able to climb the next day. As we get older it's not the distance and weight that stop us, its the recovery.

If you want a taste, do a January otc cues/mule deer archery hunt in Arizona. You can drive or hike as much as you want and see how the altitude affects you at 4-7k. And it's cheap. For the price of gas and tags the young'uns and I hunted javelina for five days. Javi tags are drawn but only 150. Deer are otc and 300. Both plus a 85 license. Juniors lic was $5.

Good luck. I have my archery elk outfitter picked out in Colorado. I have my points. I need get back in shape and I'd like to do one more diy hunt before I pull the trigger. That outfitted hunt will be about 5k on public. Then I'm going to Idaho if the liver holds.

Looks like I should start wearing a tie on my elk hunts.