Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting first time "hunt of a life time" elk hunt

I travel from Texas to MT each fall now with a couple buddies to hunt elk. This all started 4 years ago on what was our lifetime group hunt. Now, like stated by others, each end to a hunt brings on the dreaming and planning for the next one.

We hunt DIY on public land. We are the idiots you see bumbling around halfway lost, but, we do manage to kill an elk each year and even got two this year. Being from Texas where everything is privately owned and fenced up, my appreciation for the scale of the landscape that is there for exploration is overwhelming. There is more to hunt than I could hunt, and this is hunting the same unit 4 years in a row. Each year we venture further, or explore different drainages. To kill any bull is icing on the cake. Packing them out on your back is a thrill itself that brings joy while simultaneously causing breathlessness and achy or wobbly muscles.

I see the picture from hunts in Texas, and I see a lot of short sleeves, blue jeans, massive shooting tripods, etc.. To me it seems more like the deer hunting that I am familiar with here at home.

Texas is missing the mark when it comes to managing their elk heard. I cannot think of any native animals that have been restored to their native range, and then treated like an exotic animal. I wish that would change. It sure would be nice to see healthy elk herds running freely through their native range in west Texas. If that could be accomplished, then I don’t see why Texas couldn’t be a destination elk hunt. A lot would have to change to get there, but until that happens, hunting elk in Texas is like hunting any other exotic animal in Texas as far as I’m concerned. Pay your access/guide fee, shoot your animal, pay your trophy fee and go home. A totally different experience than a DIY hunt on public land and one I have little interest in, regardless of the size of the antlers on the bulls in Texas.

I agree with mule deer, like he I lived nearly my entire life in Wyoming , kept horses and mules ( mules are far superior in rough country) . Hunted some of the most beautiful rugged country you can inmagine, my favorite is thr thorofare up against Yellowstone park. Wyoming nonresident has to hire guide to hunt wilderness. As many have mentioned, make your choice based on your budget , expectations, and abilities. If you have never ridden horses, take lessons or hunt afoot or atv. If you would be pleased with a 320-330 bull, nice 6X6. Your options are immense, in any of the western states with a reputable guide, Incidently 330 class bull is a damn nice bull anywhere. If your after the truly trophy class bull 350 and up, likely you will have to play the lottery and start put in for tags in those premium units in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico or bite the bullet buy a governor’s tag or hunt one of the better Indian res. In my mind there is no better hunt and experience than a horse back pack in hunt, wall tent , wood stove, in truly remote country in any of the mountainous states. If you are lucky you will see moose ,deer, elk,and bear daily , hear wolves and coyotes howl and elk bugling , perhaps keeping you awake at night. It’s truly a grand experience. Other thing to consider is elevation, if you come from the lowlands , hunting at 8000 fat and above could be difficult until you become acclimated . Short of it, for such a wilderness experience, I like mule Dee suggested, would chose a wilderness outfitter in British Columbia or Alberta, a good 6X6 bull , in the 330 class is very doable. Incidently Wyoming elk unit 60 is I think still over the counter, opens Sept 10th,if you get a good outfitter to take you back in 20 -25 miles from trail head the bulls as a rule are so unmolested they can be cow called into spitting distance, although I haven’t been in there since 2006, do to my age. Whatever you chose I wish you a fabulousl hunt. You will be hooked.

Mohall,

Thanks for your perspective!

Will also mention that on that BC pack-trip I saw several bigger bulls than the one I got. One was standing 150 yards away in very dim light at the end of the day--so dim that even through binoculars neither my guide or I could be certain the bull had the legal 6 tines.

Another was heading up the far side of a timbered draw, pushing his harem at 500+ yards.

There are plenty of 350+ bulls in that area. Though if somebody absolutely HAS to have higher-scoring antlers there are also plenty of high-fence places to provide those, maybe even at lower prices.

Again, it depends on what you want.

Hey John: yah I think for the money and quality of hunt and trophy quality BC is hard to beat, I hunted moose and mtn caribou clear back in 97, and was amazed the number of elk that far north even that mamy years ago, and understand it even better now. Hope you guys are doing well, and enjoying your retirement. Don Chase