Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Help planning my first elk hunt

I'm starting to think about planning my first elk hunt for next fall . I am on a budget so I was thinking of making it a cow elk hunt which looks to be a lot cheaper. Seems like a good way to get my feet wet out hunting before planning a bigger trip in the future. Being from the Midwest and planning to drive I was thinking either Montana Wyoming or Colorado. Can anyone provide any suggestions or direction as far is the best places to get a tag and whether I should try public land or if there are decent outfitters that don't cost too much for a cow elk hunt? Just trying to understand my options at this point so I can begin narrowing them down.

Thanks,

Joe

I would either seek out a mentor that has elk hunted and was succesful in the past,or hire a competent outfitter

You might try Elk Mountain Outfitters out of Wheatland, Wy.
A college friend and I hunted with Mike last Jan. It was the only time that fitted into my friends time frame.. We had a great hunt.. It was motel based.. Lunch provided.. No a wilderness hunt, but we each killed a nice cow.

I can't offer suggestions on an outfitter for that area,however,do some research on any of them that look like good prospects,and don't just go by costs.
Don't ask how I know....

Solo hunt, or a buggy or two? The CO cow draw is usually in early April, for most anyway.

What is your budget?

Wyoming area 98 for DIY. Can't get into too much trouble there, and good for getting your feet wet.

98 is a great unit, as a matter of fact I just killed a cow there last night.

Early season will likely find the elk in the wilderness though (a no-no for a non-outfitted non-resident), and if the OP goes for the cow/calf tag, after Nov 20 the hunt area shrinks to that teeny, tiny area east of Scab Creek, with little public access.

There is a LOT elk in the unit though, no doubt.

To the OP:

Seriously, if you can afford it, use a guide for your first elk, so you know what you're getting yourself into. One just can't comprehend how much work getting a mature elk out is until they experience it. Maybe look into a trespass fee so you can at least hunt close to roads with a realistic chance for success.

There may be some relatively cheap guided ranch hunts in NM a guy could book to get his feet wet...I don't really know.

T. when my pal and I went last Jan. out of Wheatland, it was like $1200 for a three day hunt.. I am not sure if we could have picked up extra days or not.. We hat to pay for the motel, and evening meal.. Breakfast was at the motel, and lunch on the guide.. Sack lunches, excellent.. Not a wilderness trip.. Or camping in the mountains, but my pal and I are close to 70, and he had bum knee.. Worked for us.. He and his son are returning this month.. Compared to a bull hunt, these are cheap.. Especially when you consider the amount of meat one can take home..
Not everyone's cup of tea, but for what we wanted and needed, it worked..

I see nothing at all wrong with that type of hunt Hazen. NOTHING.


I would never try to talk someone out of an elk hunt (especially their first) but I have seen too many folks used to hunting whitetails come out west and luck into an elk...only to beg for help getting it out. It is rather frustrating to see, because you want to help, but you also don't want to waste a day of your own hunting to get someone's elk out who was completely unprepared.

"These are bigger than a guy thinks" is pretty much a standard line. Add in typical elk habitat with canyons, blowdowns and roadless areas, and one can be desperate for sure.

I am not trying to be negative (especially to the OP), but I do want them to know elk and elk habitat are NOT whitetails and farmlands or even "big woods".

T, exactly.. Folks have no idea how big even the smaller ones are unless they have been there.. Even now after lots of elk on the ground, I amazed at the size of these animals.. And some of the cows are huge.. I am sure you saw nothing wrong with that style hunt.. I just wanted the guy to know, it was not a tent deal with horses, but it is a heck of a way to get and elk..
Now bring on the birds!!!!!!!!!

Early season, I respect your opinion, but this time what you said is OH SO NOT TRUE. Many elk ARE taken early season outside the Wilderness area, actually, more bulls than cows as well. Its right in the middle of the rut, and bulls get stupid horny, can be fooled easily, if you know what you're doing.. Plus, as far as elk country goes, the area is more forgiving to a new hunter, than other areas.
The difficult part is when an elk is down, you gotta get it quartered and packed out, and cooled fast, because the weather tends to be fairly warm during the early season.

There are plenty of elk killed on regular non-wilderness forest service land in 98 no doubt, even early season. I think most of the elk are way back in there though in Sep and the first two weeks of Oct, though obviously, many aren't.

Lots of people hunt down near the Dutch Joe area and have good success relatively close to roads and like you said, that area isn't too bad terrain wise. Other areas of the unit are ROUGH though, especially further north.

Are you referring to the Sep 20 rifle draw? Great unit regardless of whether you're hunting it general or by the draw.