Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Suggestions for a ranch elk hunt

One of my friends wife would like to suprise him with an elk hunt this fall. They are ranchers and outdoor folks, but, she would like to plan him a "ranching for wildlife" elk hunt. She dosen't plan to hunt but will go and stay at the "lodge" She asked me to help find such a hunt. They are both competent deer hunters, he used to be a really good team roper, but the years have gone by. If possible she would like to spend $6000 to $8000 with the likelyhood of killing a reasonable bull. Also, this has to be a "fair chase hunt" I would appreciate any suggestions or reccommendations. Thanks jmr

Hello elliesbear, Baker here and I've got a recomendation for
your friends. I won a drawing for a hunt on the Cotton Mesa in
SE Colorado last fall and it was my first ever ranch (ELK) hunt.
The Cotton Mesa is 10,000 acres of deep canyons and several
large parks. They have 1st rate accommodations that I would take
my wife to without hesitation. They have a professional chef on
staff for all 3 meals and the lodge is 1st class all the way.
As I stated I won my hunt there in a raffle so I was concerned
I might get treated like a second class hunter but I could not
have been more wrong. They treated me like a king and I would
recommend them to anyone.
The hunting there is mostly complete by late October but you
use your weapon of choice and you don't have to draw a tag.
The bulls are incredible and I was allowed to kill a Bronze
Medal bull that scored 302. They have managment hunts that
cost 3500.00 and these bulls are about the same size as a
bronze but the bigger bulls are more expensive but for the
price you mentioned you can hunt a big bull.
I'm sure I sound like I'm afilliated with these guys but I not
I'm just a regular guy that won a dream hunt and was treated
better than I ever imagined. The whole staff was completly
professional.I'll try and post a link to their web site but
if it doesn't transfer then google the cotton mesa ranch in
Colorado or send me a PM and I'll try and get a number for you.
Take Care and good luck with whatever you chose. Later Baker
cottonmesatrophyelk.com/

you might consider the lodge at chama (chama, nm). i have hunted there several times and the lodge/guides/elk are great. i believe their lowest bull elk hunt is around 8400.00 now.

elliesbear:

I own a cabin on a postage stamp sized parcel, in north-central Colorado. There are no elk on my place, so we hunt on State Trust Land, BLM land and National Forest land. Every year, the elk cross the highway from the public land onto Bear Mountain Ranch property where we can't hunt them. Anyone can see them from highway just hanging out in the trees about 1/4 mile away. The ranch charges $5,000 for a fully guided hunt with accommodations in their lodge. That's too rich for my bank account. But you might check out their web site and inquire. It seems like it's within your price range.

http://www.bearmountainranch.net/en/cms/?27

KC

elliesbear:

One more thing. You mentioned that your friend was looking for a ranching for wildlife hunt. The idea of ranching for wildlife is a good one because it results in better habitat for the elk. But if you're planning on paying for a fully guided hunt anyway, then there's no reason to limit yourself to ranching for wildlife property.

KC

I thought the Ranching for Wildlife licenses in CO had been changed to a resident only system? Did it get reversed again?

Not to my knowledge, but for each tag the ranch allows the state to issue in the RFW drawing the ranch gets one they can sell at market prices. For example, I hunted Three Forks Ranch a couple years ago. My tag in the lottery cost under $50 as a resident and was for antlerless elk. The either sex elk tags sold by the ranch - to anyone who could afford them - ran $8,750.

Three Forks Ranch, by the way, is a first class outfit. The bulls probably run smaller than down south, although there are some good ones.

http://www.threeforksranch.com/

Gotcha. It was just the DOW's drawing that was limited to the residents. Thats cool that opportunities still abound. Never even crossed my mind that there were other ways to get a tag.

Having looked at the PP requirements to draw a bull tag on the RFW properties, a guy would need to plan a long time in advance to draw a tag, but if he can save some money he sure can find a way to do it sooner.

As for the bulls up north, I've heard this from other places, but any bull is a good bull.

We hunt public near Gunnison.

Cotton Mesa is a high fence. A big high fence, but still a high fence. For the price you have posted, he could get a fully guided, fully outfitted hunt nearly any where in NM, Montana, or any other good elk state.
Dont get me wrong, Im not downing high fences, and have killed a few texas exotics in them, but just thought I would mention about Cotton Mesa.
Im an outfitter in NM, but am full on all our elk hunts, but if you want to PM, I can give you my opinion on several operations in NM, that I would not blink an eye about hunting with myself.

Toby Joe