Elk drop camp options

[Mr Nice]

I am looking at planning an elk hunt for my wife and I in the coming years, we both currently have 4 points going into the 21 draw but will likely hold off until 22 with 5 points because of too many other things going on. I have been contemplating either a drop camp hunt, or having a packer lined up to help get an animal out. Does anyone have any good/bad experiences with either option? My wife has never been on a mountain hunt and I want to make it an enjoyable experience for her with opportunities for decent elk, not trophy hunting but with our points we do have potential for better areas.

I will also have 8 pts for mule deer by 22 and my wife 5 when looking for possible areas to consider.

 

[taskswap]

I've never done one myself but walked past plenty of drop camps and wished I could afford it. If you have the budget it's hard to imagine a better way to have a good time hunting elk. Beyond the pack-out itself (which is daunting) the creature comforts are a big deal. I've lost track of how many days I've eaten nothing but cold food / protein bars just to save the weight of a backpacking stove. I'm sure some of the hard-core folks here will sniff and say I'm just not tough enough, but a good night's rest and staying warm make a huge difference in having a good hunt IMO.

 

[RICMIC]

I've been on a number of fully guided hunts, as well as numerous DIY backpack hunts, and as taskswap stated, the pack=in is tough, but the pack-out after filling a tag is daunting. Especially on a hunt with your wife, the drop camp is a good way to go, and costs about 1/3 to 1/2 of a fully guided camp. Do your research and have the outfitter send references of past drop-camp hunters.