Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum Elk hunts?? Help

I’d like to go on an elk hunt next year. It’d be 2-4 guys. Gun hunt due to some of them aren’t great with a bow. Any leads appreciated. To state the obvious we would like a good chance(high probability area). Thanks in advance.

You wanting DIY or guided?

I’ve been twice diy and got into elk easily both times

Been twice. Got into elk in AZ and saw a few in Montana but from 1000 yrds. 5 hunters in Montana killed 2 elk. One a cow and the other a nice bull. Understand that the higher your odds of getting drawn the less likely to see elk. A lot, of course, will depend on how much money you want to spend. You can spend $50K for a tag on the San Carlos Apache Rez in AZ and pretty much be guaranteed a B&C bull, or you can get an Over the Counter Tag in CO and DIY and see nothing but other hunters for the week and pretty scenery. then there is everything in between. When I could still get after them and researched it a lot. I just hit the Lotto on drawing the AZ tag that I did. Now it is almost impossible for a nonresident to get an AZ tag unless in is through one of the tribes ($$$$$$$$) If I were going to go again, I would look hard at New Mexico. Some of the better draw odds and quality public land.

If several of you are going then a horse pack drop camp is a good option. For one reason, they can get you away from other hunters and if you do happen to kill one you'll want the horses or mules, trust me. Start training now. The better the shape you are in the better your odds of scoring. That was one of the things that held me back in Montana. I learned my lesson and was in the best shape of my life in AZ and it made a difference.

If you can go while they are bugling, that is the time to go. I practiced and called in several bulls in AZ. The cow/calf call also brought in a Black bear a few times. That was a highlight for me. Calling the elk in and getting a bow shot are two different creatures of course.

I can go either way on the DIY vs outfitter.
I have gone once in Northern AZ on the Apache rez. It was a ragwort hunt so cheaper than you’d think. I was in great shape and it paid off. I also tagged out the first afternoon. You could drive trucks around out there and boy was that nice for picking up the dead. That’s been 15 yrs ago now.
So we are not made of money but definitely don’t want to walk around for a week and see nothing but orange.
BTW. Colorado is going to to draw only. No mo OTC tags.

The elimination of OTC tags was for Non Res Archery. There was also a heavy winter kill in the NW corner in 22 that resulted in OTC tags for rifle going to draw at least for a few years. There were plenty of left overs in our unit after the primary draw. We went 7/7 for our group in drawing during the secondary draw for 3rd season.

I've hunted NM twice , Unit 6A , with an outfitter. It's draw only and very tough to get drawn for a non-res. It's a very good public unit, about 340" is as big as they kill. 280-300" are common. I'm batting 1,000 there, I killed a 6x6 and a 5x5.

Link below to the 5X5 I killed last year.

http://www.aldeer.com/forum/ubbthre...in=277624&Number=4001098#Post4001098

First response regarding your criteria for the hunt........good luck!!! Getting 4 guys to draw gun tags in an area with high numbers of good bulls and high success rates with no preference points is extremely unlikely.

That being said, if you aren't opposed to a high fence hunt you can easily find a gun hunt next season for 4 guys.

If a high fence isn't what you are looking for, I'd venture to guess you could find a late season migration hunt in Colorado within the next 3 years that has room for 4 guys but those are $12K and higher and have near 100% success rates.

If you can spend $15K+ you could buy a landowner tag in a few different states and have a good chance at a good bull.

The hardest species for me to get my clients booked on is an elk hunt. I'm not saying there aren't some $6k rifle elk hunts out there but the good ones are few and very far between.

Unfortunately, hunting in the USA has rapidly evolved into a "Rich Man's Sport"... Damned sad. Money is TRUELY the root of all evil. (The interweb certainly has not helped matters either.)

Thanks guys. Kinda what I expected and I was afraid of. I’ll do more digging and pray for something I guess. Probably drop to 2 hunters to better the odds.

Dang nice Bull!!

some state's alloy you to apply as a group and all draw or none draw

Not always, but most likely your best bet for high opportunity in an east draw unit is going to be on private. But you may as well plan on 8-10k per person.

No way I'd spend that kinda money for a hunt... If I did it would be Roosevelt Elk in BC

That’s the way we did it in Montana all those years ago, 2000, so 24 years ago, if nothing has changed.