Guide recommendations

[Lazyboy2ts]

Hi,
Hope this is the right place to post this question.
I'm in Australia and looking to do a guided Elk rifle hunt in 2015. I am an avid deer hunter, good fitness and handy with my rifle. So I'm looking for a bit of a challenge. I am after a genuine free range trophy but prepared to go home empty handed if the right one doesn't cross my path.
I've looked at a few guides on the internet and there is good and not so good in each of them.
Can anyone recommend a good guiding service or offer advice as to who/where I should steer clear of? Feel free to email or PM me if you'd rather keep your comments off the forum. TIA.


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[mattdeere]

What state are you wanting to hunt? Do you have any points?

 

[Hilltop]

Do you have any preference points in any states? You can still purchase a point in Wyoming through the end of this month. That will increase your odds of drawing a permit for 2015.

Are you looking for a pack in horse back elk hunt or are you looking for a private land ranch style hunt? Both can be free range but there are drastic differences in the experience.

 

[Lazyboy2ts]

What state are you wanting to hunt? Do you have any points?

I really have no preference as to which state. I'm happy to go wherever the big Elk are. Points?...ummm...stupid question time...

Do you have any preference points in any states? You can still purchase a point in Wyoming through the end of this month. That will increase your odds of drawing a permit for 2015.

Are you looking for a pack in horse back elk hunt or are you looking for a private land ranch style hunt? Both can be free range but there are drastic differences in the experience.

Again...sorry, don't know anything about the 'points'. Obviously I need to do some research on this. Is this not something that a guiding service can take care of?
I'm thinking I'd prefer the pack in public land hunt but depends on what you tell me is the difference between the two. If it just comes down to comfort levels then I'm all for roughing it. If it comes down to quantity of deer seen vs quality then I'd probably rather quality.

For me the hunt is not going to be about just pulling the trigger. I'm happy to have to work for it.

Thanks.



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[Colorado Cowboy]

It's already been said, but do some more research and pick a state (and maybe a backup) and start from there. Each state's rules & regs are different, but all require licensing of their guides/outfitters and have them listed online. If you pick a state I am sure you will get plenty of references here to start from.

 

[Hilltop]

In most western states, there is a lottery drawing to determine who gets permits for a given year. Preference points can be purchased to increase your odds for drawing certain tags. For example, my elk license this year required 7 points to draw. Some areas only require one point to draw. I am guessing there are outfitters who will assist you. I would recommend hunting Wyoming as there are several outfitters that operate in areas where a general tag can be used. The general tag usually only takes one preference point to draw. Log on to the Wyoming Game and Fish site and read up a bit. It is easy to purchase the preference point. Buy your point now and then start researching outfitters by googling Wyoming outfitters- general tag. Wait until November to start contacting them as they are super busy right now guiding hunts. You will apply for you permit in January for your 2015 fall hunt. Most outfitters will assist in this process once you select one. Good luck!

 

[Cobbhunts]

In most western states, there is a lottery drawing to determine who gets permits for a given year. Preference points can be purchased to increase your odds for drawing certain tags. For example, my elk license this year required 7 points to draw. Some areas only require one point to draw. I am guessing there are outfitters who will assist you. I would recommend hunting Wyoming as there are several outfitters that operate in areas where a general tag can be used. The general tag usually only takes one preference point to draw. Log on to the Wyoming Game and Fish site and read up a bit. It is easy to purchase the preference point. Buy your point now and then start researching outfitters by googling Wyoming outfitters- general tag. Wait until November to start contacting them as they are super busy right now guiding hunts. You will apply for you permit in January for your 2015 fall hunt. Most outfitters will assist in this process once you select one. Good luck!

Good advice. My input would be to go online and buy a Wyoming elk preference point before the deadline, which is next week, just like HT stated. That way you have the one point and can start your research. In essence, it also narrows down your research to the state of Wyoming. At which point you can make the decision to start building more points in Wyoming, or find an outfitter that operates in a unit that only requires 1 point.

Wyoming is a state, and within this state are hunt units. The hunt units are species specific so focus on the Elk unit map you can download from the WY fish and Game website. Each unit requires a different amount of points based on numerous factors. We can get into all of that later.....first buy the point. And by doing so, you've actually made a big step towards making this hunt a reality!

 

[2rocky]

Preference point info _ WyomingIf you purchase 1 point you will have a real good chance to draw a General tag. Good in many hunting units.

Wyoming Outfitters Order a copy of Wyoming Outdoors magazine.

Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Joining gets you a subscription to Bugle Magazine.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Maybe the place to start is to find out your monetary budget. On the low end would be an OTC (over the counter) tag and then hiring a guide. On the high end would be a guided hunt on private land or even an indian reservation (some of the best free range bulls consistently come off of reservation hunts). All of these options can be done on free range elk with a fantastic elk hunting experience. In general, as with most things in life, the higher the budget, the higher the quality of hunt.

Regarding "Points", points are gained when you apply for a tag in a state unsuccessfully (not all states have point systems). Each year you apply unsuccessfully you earn a "point". Having points is not necessary to have a good hunt, but having "points" for many years can often get you into a higher quality area, for lower cost. The down side is it can take many years to earn your points, and for a guy just starting out I would not recommend that path. "Points" are NOT necessary. Some places you can get an OTC tag, then hunt on private land. One good example of this would be the Hill Ranch in Colorado. They put on a fantastic hunt. There are many more options like this.

Another option to bypass drawing a tag is to buy a landowner tag. This is commonly done in states like New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada.

There are a lot of ways to get it done on a guided free range hunt. Here is a VERY rough budgetary guideline for guided hunts.

$5,000 to $10,000 OTC tag, public land guided hunt (typically lower trophy quality and lower hunt success)

$8,000 to $15,000 Quality landowner tag, guided, public land hunts

$14,000 - $20,000 Premium private land hunts, or a quality Indian Reservation hunt

$25,000+ The best landowner tags with guiding or premium reservation hunts

The demand for quality elk hunts is huge and the pricing reflects it.

 

[Work2hunt]

Maybe the place to start is to find out your monetary budget. On the low end would be an OTC (over the counter) tag and then hiring a guide. On the high end would be a guided hunt on private land or even an indian reservation (some of the best free range bulls consistently come off of reservation hunts). All of these options can be done on free range elk with a fantastic elk hunting experience.. In general, as with most things in life, the higher the budget, the higher the quality of hunt.

Regading "Points", points are gained when you apply for a tag in a state unsuccessfully (not all states have point systems). Each year you apply unsuccessfully you earn a "point". Having points is not necessary to have a good hunt, but having "points" for many years can often get you into a higher quality area, for lower cost. The down side is it can take many years to earn your points, and for a guy just starting out I would not recommend that path. "Points" are NOT necessary. Some places you can get an OTC tag, then hunt on private land. One good example of this would be the Hill Ranch in Colorado. They put on a fantastic hunt. There are many more options like this.

Another option to bypass drawing a tag is to buy a landowner tag. This is commonly done in states like New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada.

There are a lot of ways to get it done on a guided free range hunt. Here is a VERY rough budgetary guideline for guided hunts.

$5,000 to $10,000 OTC tag, public land guided hunt (typically lower trophy quality and lower hunt success)

$8,000 to $15,000 Quality landowner tag, guided, public land hunts

$14,000 - $20,000 Premium private land hunts, or a quality Indian Reservation hunt

$25,000+ The best landowner tags with guiding or premium reservation hunts

The demand for quality elk hunts is huge and the pricing reflects it.

Well put. Thanks UH.

 

[pmcgovern]

I agree with these guys...... Do your research and when you do, look at their websites. Look for references, as a lot of the outfitters will list them. If they don't, call the outfitter and ask for references. CALL THE REFERENCES!!!!!! My dad and his buddies were a day away from booking with a Colorado outfitter when he decided to make a few phone calls just for the heck of it. He was glad he did. The references he called didn't have much good to say regarding the quality of the hunt(animal size/quantity, poor camp, etc). Saved them a lot of $$. If you don't check them out thoroughly it's a crap shoot, at best. Do your homework. That's a long way to travel for a hunt to come home empty handed and feeling burned by an outfitter. Just my .02

 

[Lazyboy2ts]

Thanks guys. This is a great head start for me and to be (sadly) honest there is more info here in 12 hrs then I got from any of the guiding services I contacted. I'll keep you up to date on my progress.


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[Hilltop]

Not sure why I didn't think of this yesterday- Elk Mountain Outfitters would fit what your looking for perfectly. They have exclusive access on an area so there is always tags left over. I haven't hunted with him personally but I grew up close to his operation and haven't heard any negative things coming from his hunters. In general they shoot 300" class bulls regularly with some bigger elk taken.

Another thing to consider- outfitters don't have much free time to talk to you right now as they are focused on the actual hunts for this year. I wouldn't be to put out if they don't want to talk much until November.

 

[Lazyboy2ts]

Thanks Hilltop, I'll look into them and I've now realised too that this is close to their peak time...so I apologise to any outfitter I've insulted
I've been doing more research and speaking to a few people and I'm being pushed towards New Mexico instead. Thoughts anyone?


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[Hilltop]

I guided in New Mexico... Some hunts are great as advertised while others are a rip off...do your research. If money isn't a concern, look at hunting the Jicarilla Indian Reservation. I guided literally on their fence line for one season. They have some huge bulls...

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

I think once you establish a budget for the hunt, we can offer several recommendations. New Mexico can be very good, but the biggest ripoff of a hunt I ever went on was also in New Mexico. The outfitter did not secure proper permits and I had law enforcement contacting me while they were prosecuting him. He is back in business.

Here are just a few examples of fantastic elk hunts, many can be done during the rut (breeding season) which is the most exciting time to hunt:

Hill Ranch (private ranch in Colorado):

http://www.hillranches.com

Jed Wayment (private land hunting in Utah):

www.jandjoutfitters.com

Mescalero (premium hunt on an Indian Reservation):

http://innofthemountaingods.com/activities/big-game-hunts/

White Mountain Apache (some of the best elk hunting on the planet):

http://outdoor8.wix.com/new-hunting-page

Justin Jarrett (Wyoming backcountry hunting):

www.wapitiridgeoutfitters.com

Mossback (they have access to Utah landowner tags, for some of the largest elk anywhere):

http://mossback.com

San Carlos Apache Tribe (among the largest elk in the world):

http://scatrw.com

Raftopoulos Ranch (private land hunting in NW Colorado, one of the top elk ares in Colorado):

http://www.trophy-elk-hunting.com

Folding Mountain Outfitters (British Columbia, could likely be combined with sheep, moose, and/or caribou):

www.foldingmtn.com/elk.html

Timberline Outfitters, Thomas Brunson (Nevada elk hunting, if you can secure a landowner tag):

http://www.timberlineoutfittersnevada.com

San Juan unit in Utah with Black Timber Outfitters (If they could secure you a landowner tag, you would have the hunt of a lifetime. The San Juan is currently among the top pubic land hunts available now):

www.blacktimberoutfitters.net

The list can go on and on…..

 

[pmcgovern]

Thanks Hilltop, I'll look into them and I've now realised too that this is close to their peak time...so I apologise to any outfitter I've insulted
I've been doing more research and speaking to a few people and I'm being pushed towards New Mexico instead. Thoughts anyone?

I'm heading to New Mexico at the end of October for a deer hunt......Hopefully we see some elk, too, and if I do I'm going to try and get pictures so keep your eyes open on here.

 

[packmule]

Timberline Outfitters, Thomas Brunson (Nevada elk hunting, if you can secure a landowner tag):

http://www.timberlineoutfittersnevada.com

This was going to be my suggestion.

 

[vince]

G'day Cobber,

Or you could take a lot of the guesswork out of it and use Cabela's Adventures.
I'm not connected with them, just a frequent shopper and they arranged my moose hunt in Newfoundland.
Using a service like this takes a lot of the guesswork out of it and eliminates the hassles. You pay them, they give you an itinerary, and you go enjoy your hunt. I don't know your budget but for a quick tag, without multiple years of points, I'd look at Wyoming.
Go to the Cabela's website and search for Cabela's Adventures and let the Internet do your work for you.

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[Lazyboy2ts]

Thanks again guys. I'll keep researching those guides and I like the Cabelas suggestion Vince. I was planning on dropping in to one of their stores before my hunt to grab a bit of gear.


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