Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting First Elk Hunt

Looking for recommendations for a first Elk hunt (rifle only) , guided, 53 years old so not a spring chicken if you know what I mean , thanks

What state are you in or where do you want to hunt ?

Open to suggestions ,

Contact Anchor Outfitting in Melville, Montana. Chuck Rein runs a good outfit. Happy Trails

You may also be interested in Colorado. Try Jeanne Horn at J Bar H Outfitters just outside the Flat Tops. She has very high success rates. That said, she is booked for several years ahead. She does have cancellations sometime however. Right now, three guys cancelled late last week due to health and she had 3 openings for the second season. If you are interested in that you will have to act fast. Those spots will fill quickly.

Good luck in your search.

Get in shape. Do whatever you can between now and your hunt to increase your cardio capabilities. Walk, hike, run, swim, whatever works for you. Wherever you end up, you'll be glad you did.

Wherever you decide go, get out there 3-4 days early and get acclimated to the weather and altitude, and enjoy yourself !

Really depends on your budget and if you want meat rather than a trophy. If you want to go hunting sooner rather than later you’re gonna pay for it. You could lose all of your hair waiting to draw a tag, especially as a non-resident.

There are some pretty reasonable hunts on Indian reservations for cows or raghorn bulls. Or you can pay the price of a mid-sized car for a big bull. If you don’t want to hunt a Rez, then you’re looking at states with landowner tags. New Mexico is the first one to come to mind but there are others.

Some states have pretty convoluted regulations so it might be worth using one of the service companies that help with applications if you decide to try your luck in the drawing process. For a relatively small fee they make sure everything’s done right and turned in on time.

Good luck and brace yourself! Elk hunting is addicting!

Roosevelt Elk Outfitters in Washington State.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11623852/First_Elk,_First_Roosevelt


Okie John

Track em Outfitters. Bill Canterbury. I have hunted with Bill and Family for a 6 seasons and killed 7 elk. One year I had a bull and cow tag. Some years I also had mule deer tags I filled as well. His ranch and area have elk every season. Some years they even take some very nice bulls. Tell them Perry Newman referred you. I don't get anything from referrals, but they will know you got a solid referral.


Contact us: Phone (719)942-3207 or Bill Cell (719)539-5747 - 2005 County Road 4, Howard CO 81233

Read up on how big an elk carcass is. Never shoot one in a spot where you don't KNOW you can get it out.

Yep. Takes 2 of us to load 1/2 of a cow into bed of a pickup or Ranger. And it just gets worse from there.

If you know what you are doing and what to expect, packing them out solo is entirely doable.

I have passed shots on mule deer and elk because of where they were standing. I prefer to hunt uphill where there is access downhill. Impractical to even consider retrieving an elk uphill, IMO. I have retrieved and loaded elk into my truck or onto a trailer with a quad and hoist and a convenient tree. Dragging not so much...

Having observed a good many new & newer elk hunters over the years keep calm. New & newer elk hunters tend to get overly excited at the sight of elk. Always remember that your brain needs to be in control of squeezing the trigger, not your emotions jerking the trigger. A jerked trigger can cause a miss or a wounded & lost animal even at very close range. Force your brain to be in control , absolutely!!!! Proper sight picture , SQUEEZE, SQUEEZE, SQUEEZE !!!! Have a great hunt.

Plan your trip around the whole experience and not on shooting an elk because your chance of actually shooting an elk is pretty slim. Not trying to ruin your expectations, just being practical.

To go elk hunting cold turkey and trying to figure out what elk hunters have been doing for years is more than a challenge. Take your time and enjoy yourself in elk county and while you are there look for elk...

This is some very good advice.

Another thing you might consider is hunting private lands.It will cost you more to do it,but when you put one of those large animals on the ground,your gonna think it just might be worth it.It can give you access to better hunting and maybe an easier time getting your game out of the field.

Baldhunter gives an excellent suggestion. If you don't know the area and game habits, the effort and money invested in a trespass-fee hunt on private land can be cost effective vice an expensive camping trip. Landowners can generally can get you started in the right direction and may have a John Deere or SxS quad to help recover. Just like with an outfitter, make some calls and get some references as to terrain and animal population/success ratios. On thing for sure, elk hunting is never a sure thing!

Just takes time and effort. Hope to be doing it next month myself.