Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting CO Drop camp recommendations (elk)

I've hunted unit 24 in the flat tops many times, it is across the road just south of the area J bar H hunts...if you take a look at a drop camp map available from Patty at the usfs in Meeker you can see that Jeanne's camps are few and very spread out Compared to the flat tops where the camps are stacked on top of each other and way to many! I believe this is one reason her drop camp hunters do so well!

J Bar H is starting to look like the industry leader here.
Kenneth, who have you used and what did you think about them?

Tag for future reference.

Definitely.Jeanne bought out another outfitter years ago and spread her camps out.

With over 50 years of elk hunting under my belt and watching elk hunters with no experience blundering around I'd have to disagree with you.

I am aware that the OP wants to hunt a Drop Camp, but was explaining why a guided hunt would be prefered over a drop camp for the 1st hunt.

Success ratio of kills in CO is about 20% ,but that includes cow hunts, Can a 1st time elk hunt fill a tag hunting form a drop camp? Sure. Even a blind pig can find an acorn every once in awhile

Hunter density in Colorado is a problem especially in area's like unit 24..I have booked and hunted out of many drop camps over the years, one thing to look at is how close to other camps are you ! It is very frustrating to get out early opening morning work your tail off only to run into other hunters from the outfitters other camp a mile away! Do your research! Use all of the tools available to you, look the area over well on maps and google earth, ask lots of questions from the outfitter and reference's as well as the forest service! As far as J bar H goes I've never hunted with her however going on what I've heard as well as knowing the area I wouldn't hesitate to book with her..I can't say the same for some of the other outfitters in the area..Good Luck!

I hunted with Bar H (before the name change) back in 2008 I believe. Pm me if would like.
Roosterhuntin.

Don Dockins, Eagle's Nest Outfitters, Meeker CO. 970 326-8175. Has 5 to 7 pack-in drop camps along 10 miles of the White River drainage in GMU 24. Offers guided hunts also. Drop camps are in the $1600 range for 5 day hunts. Everything furnished but food, personal gear, and license.
All seasons. The wranglers will tell you where they've seen elk on the pack-ins and outs, you just have to follow their advice. About a 50% success rate as I recall, but that depends on the hunter and the tag. Knowing the area helps as well. First year is a lot of luck, subsequent years you learn where the elk tend to be. I've hunted with Don over 10 years, and always seen shootable elk. Cows are plentiful, you have to hunt a little harder for a nice bull. Give him a call.

When you say blundering around, It seems you're describing DIY dudes, they may drive to the trailhead and start asking, 'where all the Elk at?'

Dropcamps are hunters being taken several miles off-road to their camp and being dropped off. Shouldn't be much blundering around.

Regarding guided hunts, Most of the biggest disappointments in my hunts, and some of the most expensive mistakes were made by "guides"

Then there's the fact that many don't want the guided experience. Drop camps can be perfect for many.

Regarding Elk experience, you could find ten years worth of experience in 30 minutes of searching this very forum.

I'll say knowledge of the area is more important than knowledge of the animal, You go on one expensive guided hunt, you've learned little as it's not likely your returning anytime soon.

A reasonably priced drop camp that you hunt every 2/3 years and Life can be good. That was my plan 15 years ago, and it's played out well.

I am glad it worked out for you.Others may not be so fortunate

No, I am talking about hunters in drop camps blundering around.About the only benefit I see in a drop camp is you don't need to know or own much camping gear or how to pitch the big tent. The worse thing is once you are there and elk are not within a few miles you are pretty well screwed.

As for finding 10 years of experience in 30 minutes on this forum to do that you have to spend four hours sifting thru the BS from the so called experts.

Maybe you just signed up with bad guides.The one I reccomend has a big repeat client list and it is hard to get signed up with her. Every one that has ever posted on here about her has given great reviews and they keep going back.

Definitely having good knowledge of the area trumps all.I would rather hunt an area with fewer elk that I know well than an area with more elk ,but I know very little about. However, I have met a lot of guys in the unit I hunt that did a drop camp or guided hunt and then came back in subsequent years as DIY'ers.

On the other hand when I hunted Unit 25 which has a lot of outfitters and drop camps,I heard nothing but bad things from the hunters. A.J Brink, High Guide Service, Winterhawk to name a few.Then down in Unit 54, Tenderfoot Outfitters. The most often complaint I heard was no elk, and drop camps too close together.

I seriously don't have the time or energy to deal with your Negative Nancy crap.

Are you trying to imply public land Guided hunts in CO are 100% kill?

You claim 50 years experience, then imply the only advantage to dropcamps is not having to own your own camping gear?

GAFB.

I also love the so well used mantra about dropcamps, "if the Elk aren't there your screwed",

it's the same scenario with a guided hunt, or again are you trying to imply guided hunts are 100% ?

Later, much later.

Look at Kiowa Outfitters out of Raton NM

Just keep on truck in Kenneth.You will get here later,much later

You can always scroll past my post or ignore. Nobody forcing you to read them.OP has the option of sifting out the chaff and using what works for him

I'm of the same opinion as saddlesore on being screwed if your drop camp isn't located in the right place, or if there are too many other camps nearby. I've seen both myself.

And saddlesore is a guy who packs into the backcountry every year with his mules, and then packs back out with at least one elk. He's not being negative, just giving good advice.

So make sure you ask the right questions of the outfitter--how many camps, how close by are they, how many hunters in each, what have the success rates been in the camp where you'll be. And get the names of a few references that have hunted those camps recently and see what they have to say.

You could stand to learn a thing or two from guys like Saddlesore if you suspend your ego for a bit and read. You're not from a Western elk area, hence that implies elk hunting and mountain life is more incidental than anything for you. Negative Nancy comments are yours to own, not his. Best to read what the really experienced have to share. Not intended to start a crap war.
And not intending to negate YOUR experiences. Yet, best to recognize, your experiences are not the "end all" advice for a newbie.

saddlesore, smokepole, KC, Brad, huntsmann22 etc. have probably forgotten more about elk hunting than most of us will ever know. Do what you want but I would heed their advice. I have more than once and haven't been disappointed yet.

Holy [bleep] I'm laughing here,

Suspend my ego and read?

Hello?

The Nonresident OP asks for advice on drop camps, 4-6 people involved, they openly state they want a wilderness experience,

An outfitter is mentioned and the OP states the price is higher than he, not to mention the several other members of his group care to spend ,
then it turns into,

"You should go fully guided" LOL! All six of them!

How far from the original premise can these "experts" go? LOL!

I also listened to 'people in the know' for the first several years before my first Elk hunt, listening to all the advice and waiting for all the perfect scenarios to line up. Huge waste of time, missed hunts never to be regained. Time ain't standing still Babe.

You mention some good dudes, Hunts and Brad and others, You know how many drop camps they have likely been in?

Few if any. I'm a non-resident who's been in about 10 drop camps replying to another non-resident looking for like info, see the similarity's there?

You couldn't be more wrong, but thanks for the chuckle.

I have hunted drop camps exclusively since 2005 in 24 and 54, I've hunted with Winterhawk and Tenderfoot, but I will say I gained a wealth of knowledge from Saddlesore and KC researching info from the area (they know it) and the post they make regarding 54 is dead on. I'll still be drop camp hunting 54 this season but with another outfitter.

For me I don't feel like I need a guide but being a flatlander I do need to be packed in, rather than trying to haul Horses and Mules from Ky. I don't mind putting in the pre-dawn miles from camp as long as elk are reachable.

Do your research on your outfitters and you'll be ok there. Saddle I'll definitely check out the outfitter you've recommended and put it on my short list.

I'm always learning.

Good info--please keep it coming. I have no problem blundering around in the woods, as long as there are reachable animals. N2mywake, did winterhawk and tenderfoot put you in workable spots?

I just want to avoid a screw job.

My hunt with Winterhawk was my first, a heavy snow the night before we packed in collapsed our tent (they were testing lighter tent frames-one season that didn't hold up) so they moved us to a much higher camp 11,600ft for first rifle season... the elk were much lower, but as the snow melted they came back for about 2 days before we got another foot of snow. we got 1 cow on that hunt.

With all my hunts with Tenderfoot we were on elk, we got a few bulls over the years. There have been some accurate statements made about them. I like the area and I like dealing with Fred, though we haven't always agreed he does run top notch camps. That being said I think he's not planning to run drop camps in 54 any longer. I think he's planning to move his guided hunts into that area.

You have to do your part. I've been training since dec 1 for this years hunt, so I try to make sure I can put myself into workable spots.