Buddy and i are in the early planning of a bull elk hunt in 2024.

this is what we think were looking to do:

- Bull doesn't need to be biggest, but looking for more then a raghorn.
- ranch house or hotel type hunt ( not looking to do a 30 mile pack hunt)
- Guided
- guaranteed tag, over the counter, or a easy draw tag.
- not an overly psychically demanding hunt
- spot and stalk from vehicles is fine.

any recommendation on a respectable outfitter/guide are appreciated.

Thanks in advance

I don't have any recommendations for you but it seems like you're wanting both the hemi and the good gas mileage...

Maybe look into New Mexico private ranch hunts?

Budget?

Not sure on a budget yet.

And by not overly physically demanding, we're not looking to scale sheer cliffs or compete in an iron man contest lol.

And a tent style camp is not out of consideration. We just want to be comfortable and eat decent meals after the hunt.

Oh, the horror! No first elk hunt should be any of that! No pain, no gain. Nothing like nursing a busted ankle over a cold can of beanie weenies back at the truck with a dead battery.

I guess you would be looking at the Vermijo Ranch or Chama Land and Cattle company in NM,or maybe one of the Jicarilla hunts. probably won't like the price though.

Almost all the ranches participating in the RFW program in Colorado also offer the type of hunt you want.You can get the names from the CO. Big Game Brochure and then Google them to get contact info.There are almost 20 of them.

There’s a number of ranches in NE NM that would suit your needs. Price will most definitely dictate the size of bull you would expect to have a chance at.

Vermejo
Bobcat in Eagle Nest
TO Ranch east of Raton
V7 Ranch in Cimarron
NRA Whittington Center
Express UU Bar ranch in Cimarron


Grab a Bugle magazine and peruse the back pages listing outfitters……bunches listed.

Archery or rifle?

If it is archery, I have a recommendation.

OP said he didn't want an overly physical hunt - you gotta draw the string back ya know.

I'm not that lazy.

Rifle

I could make the same recommendation for a rifle hunt, but I am not sure what the draw odds are for that unit.

I’d figure out the budget fast because the hunt costs can get exciting.

There are lots of reasons for not wanting a backcountry hunt but I have eaten some very fine meals and stayed in very comfortable camps about as far from roads as is possible in the lower 48. Not that I’m trying to talk you into to one of those, but wanting a nice camp and good food shouldn’t rule them out. Completely understand not wanting to ride to get there or other reasons though. Those hunts aren’t for everyone.

Bucks & Bulls offers several hunts in NM on private ranches, tags included on the hunts. Myself and a few friends have hunted on a couple of the ranches. Good food and bunk house type accommodations, bulls from 300” up to 330” typically. Check out their website for more details, or call them.
Tri State Outfitters in NM also has several large ranches to hunt. Bridger Petrini is the owner, very good operator. They have the TO and other very good ranches.
In Colorado, check out Three Forks Ranch. Great food and accommodations, lots of elk though nothing huge. Best part is you can rifle hunt it during the rut. It’s a RFW property so they have the tags.

ok, lets try this again.

looking for recommendations on a 2024 guided bull elk Rifle hunt in Colorado or other states.

Budget $5000ish.

Were open to various options (motels and local diners, ranch house and meals, or a wall tent and camp meals)

Looking for decent opportunity to harvest a mature representative of a bull elk.

hope this is better and provides more info.

Thanks Ralphie.

is our new budget and exceptions in line?

I think your budget is low for what you want. Some of the suggestions already give fall above the 10K. $5k is about the norm for a no frills Colorado bull elk hunt

Be hard pressed to find a land owner voucher in a decent area for 5k much less adding all the other wants.

Landowner tags in NM for even marginal units are going for more than $5000, most of the time double that for good units. If that’s a hard line and you want to draw a tag NM is still a lottery draw with no point system. Good luck.

Get in touch with Flat Tops adventures. He does backcountry and has bought a ranch for ranch hunts maybe.
Wyoming has some hunts that would meet your criteria but PP are needed to draw.

RFW, Ranching for Wildlife ranches in Colorado have long seasons and no draw for outfitted hunts.
https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/RFWParticipating.aspx


Your budget is kind of low but may be doable.

$5000? Not happening for what your expecting with respect to bulls and accommodations. I’d double that and cross my fingers.

Yeah, for an outfitted hunt on a good ranch it’ll be $10k to $12k at minimum. Much the same for CO on a RFW property. These days a back country hunt on public lands will likely run $6k or more.

Never used them but have heard Kiowa Outfitters mentioned here. They're out of Raton, NM. Quick glance through their website and seems like they offer several hunt options that might fit your budget. I think Units 51 and 52 are easier draw but haven't looked at the odds in quite awhile.

Like I said, no direct experience with them, but another one to look at.

I'd up your budget to $7,500 for just the hunt. No tips, travel, meat processing in that amount.

Private lands in NM. Some of the smaller operators in Unit 4. That Unit is loaded with Elk, they are just not very big. They do get big if you hunt the large ranches for example Chama Land and Cattle. A small operator Jared Robinson with Trifectia Outdoors in Cebolla can get you an elk on a rather easy hunt, again it will not be a monster.

Per their web sites:

Chama is $13 K--$14 K depending on the dates plus $550 license. Going up $1k in 2024 . Chama is owned by Jicarilla.

Vermijo is $18 K

I hunted with Ivory Tip Outfitters in NW Colorado near Craig for a couple years. Got elk both trips. He had really good lodging, food and guides but the price was 6k or 6,500 depending on which ranch you hunted. I was looking for a hunt for my son and I and called him this spring but he was booked up for this year. I did a lot of research on other Ranching for Wildlife outfits in Colorado and some private ranches in N Mexico. We could've hunted N Mexico this fall for about 9k each. And I spoke to a few outfitters that had openings and that was about the going rate for a bull hunt.

I ended up booking a hunt for us with an outfit NW of Steamboat Springs for next season. They are a little more than 7k for a bull hunt. I doubt you'll find anything good with lodging for much less than that.

I would give Tony at Ivory Tip a call and see what he can offer. I had two great hunts with him and would've gone back if he had the dates available for next year that I wanted.

You can also go down the list of RFW ranches at the link below. Contacts are listed if you click on the ranch name.

https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/RFWParticipating.aspx

I am sure most know this but RFW tags are only for CO residents.Those same ranches do sell private hunts though.

Thanks everyone. Looks like I'll be working more overtime to up my budget

RFW ranches sell guided hunts to NRs and they get to set their seasons more or less and no draw for tags. The tags for residents are unguided access to their properties for the most part and a draw.

It can be done on your budget.
Look at this guys hunts and he has a new ranch that may be hunted too I think.
https://www.flattopsadventures.com/#adventures

Dang going to use my 13 points in Wyoming next year hope can find something less than prices hearing here. Will b taking grandson as he has 13 points also.

Try contacting Jeanne Horne at J Bar H Outfitters. The area is draw for 2nd and 3rd rifle, and they take nice Bulls out of the area. She books years out so she may not be able to help you. She was the outfitter of the year a few years ago. Go to her web site to see the bulls they take. She charges in the $5,000 area. I believe she has one unguided camp available next year and a couple for 2024. She sometimes has cancellations so you could get on her wait list. Well worth it. Good luck.

I should’ve said the prices I quoted are primarily for RFW ranches. I don’t have any preference points.

I know Jeanne very well.Close friend of mine. She has one drop camp that is not a very long ride into. Maybe and hour, lower elevation about 9000 ft. Possibly another but higher. All other camps are a fairly long ride, by Colorado standards. All are on public land.

OP wanted guided hunt and her two camps with full service are back in a ways, 7-9 miles. She usually wants 4 hunters in acamp.

Her camps are top notch, staff are great, food is excellent. The best bulls are taken in an area that is pretty rough. That one is 9 miles in. Probability of taking a 300 bull is pretty low. 275 range is more likely. Her clients are probably 80% repeats

The stock that clients ride are usually Sombrero horses, but she weeds out the bad ones when she takes delivery.

If I was booking a hunt, she would be my first choice .Her prices will probably go up quite a bit for 2023.

Your PP should get you a nice hunt in Wyoming. I would use them next year before the price increase goes into affect for NRs.
Depends on if you're looking for a backcountry hunt or a pretty much given ranch type hunt.

Utah has a few premium elk hunting outfitters

https://www.visitutah.com/articles/the-hunt-for-tavaputs