I'm looking for a reputable elk drop camp for 2019 or 2020. I'd prefer WY or CO but am open to ideas. I do not want a camp in grizzly country - I really dont wqnt to deal with them. I've hunted a couple places in CO down around Gunnison and will call them (West Elk and Gunnison Country - I think both Gary Ballard and John Nelson must have sold out because I dont see them listed on the webpage).

What ideas you guys have?

Try Jeanne Horne at J Bar H Outfitters. She may have an opening for a drop camp next year. She books up early and has a huge repeat business. No Griz.

Every outfitter has always told me the same thing...I'll drop you, but its not going to be in the places where I think I can get my guided clients onto elk.

Maybe others have experienced a different result, but to me - you're getting put someplace where you can't stumble across the the outfitter and other, higher paying clients.

I'd rather walk in a few miles to a place I've scouted as opposed to getting packed in for a week long camping trip with rifles.

Definitely Jeanne Horne.All her camps are in prime elk country.Pricey, but well worth it.

Forgot about Jeanie Horne. Her prices went up - $2800 for a drop camp. She must have a great area. Unfortunately shes booked for 2019 already.

OA - I hear ya but some outfits only do drop camps and/or have good drop camps. You do have to use due diligence because you're right, they aren't going to put you in an area they can get $5-7000 vs $15-1800. I've been on some great drop camps.

As far as hiking a few miles into an area, that's been my MO for the past 10-12 years. It seems every year I'm finding elk farther from the road. At 55, my days of carrying an elk 3-4-5 miles up/over mountains are likely behind me. I shot an elk in WY on Weds. It was only 1.5 miles from the road and up only a slight incline. It was one of the easiest packs I've done. Conversely, on Monday I had the opportunity at a bull in late PM 3 miles from the road down the backside of the mountain and out about 1/2 mile of really steep terrain, reach out and touch ground in front of you steep. It's not about getting there, it's about having a plan to get your animal out. At 30-40, no problem, at 55 I'm starting to see the end of the long/steep packs. I wouldn't know what to do on a guided hunt, plus I cheap.

I am following this thread, as I think I'm in the same boat as you, BW. Interested in outfitters who only do drop camps and preferably, at lower elevations and gentler terrain. Maybe that's asking too much....

Jeanne does not allow her guided hunters to go into the areas of her drop camps. That is why she is booked years in advanced. That said, I just spoke to her and she does have a third season drop camp open for next year. A group canceled so she has room for six. Good luck, it will not last long.

Thank you! I'll give her a ring tomorrow. Just got home from 2 days driving.....

Check out Rivers Bend outfitting in CO. They do drop camps out of Meeker into unit 24 on the edge of the Flat Top wilderness. We've used them twice and have good success with lots of elk seen. Good luck in your search.

http://www.riversbendoutfitting.com/

I always wonder how the system works out there as far as first come first serve. People assume that the guides have chosen spots or destinations to previous year elk camps that are used year after year to earn their income. We can assume as well that these are all public lands open to any law-abiding citizen. Then here comes a non-resident that has done hours and hours of research and saved for years on an area he or she has chosen, completely unaware of possibilities of said area being occupied by a long time resident earning their living.

Do the guides always pack into the outer limits or have areas close to campgrounds and roads? Non-resident tags can get expensive I would think. I personally would not want to stumble into anyone's campsite while being on far and few between elk hunts.

Some food for thought.

Jeanne Horne has three drop camps at lower elevations and not too rough of country. I hunt close by myself if she doesn't have clients in them.

Most outfitters I know use the same camp location year after year

This has been my experience as well. I could walk into 2-3 outfitter camps tomorrow in CO.

If you are coming from out of state and want the quintessential Colorado Rocky Mountain elk hunting experience, by all means consider a drop camp. With a reputable outfitter it will be the epitome of a mountain experience. If you want a real chance to score a big bull, I'd be looking at a full guide service. That being said, our group of four guys this year narrowed in on a herd of elk less than half mile away from a huge outfitter base camp. (There were probably 60 people between all the camps in that area.) I asked the guys in one camp if it was OK we park next to them and enter the woods behind their camp. They pretty much laughed and said "go ahead" - like we'd see anything where we were headed. After getting into the woods, we split up into two pairs. I and another guy went ahead .5 miles and saw 30+ elk that night, and the guy I was with scored a nice 5x5. The pair that stayed back saw cows run across a ridge within 200 yards of the outfitter's camp. It's all about knowing the area and we've been hunting this area for six years now. That's what you pay for when you book an outfitter/guide - their knowledge of the area. I shot a cow later in the week .34 miles from another road. In fact, the last four animals we took out of this area, none have been farther than 1.3 miles from a major road - despite us routinely hunting 4 or more miles from roads.

Sounds like where I hunt. Last year I could have sat behind the cook shack of an outfitter and killed a cow with no problem. Except I did not have a Cow Tag. Also, withing 200 feet of a road and 200 yards from this outfitter you can find cows almost every year. So I agree that you don't have to go far if you have spent the time learning the area.

Fishtail Ranch out of New Mexico has a Colorado drop camp. I've talked to the owner at the NRA Harrisburg show, he seems like a real honest guy. He was pretty up front on kill rate (25% or 1 out of 4 if you are lucky) and it takes 2 points to draw a buck tag. I know a couple of guys who go on his New Mexico guided elk hunt and they rave about it. Good luck.

We just returned from Co today. I spoke with Jeanne and a couple of hunters who had just come in. Those guys had filled all of their tags but one. First season there was rough. One person died on the mountain from altitude sickness (he may have had an underlying heart condition also). He wasn't hunting with Jeanne but was camped in the upper campground. We rode mules in about 6 miles and hunted from camp. We saw a mountain lion, plenty of deer and a few elk. We could have shot a 5x5 on Thurs night at 650 yards but it would have been a 2 hr ride down to get him, in the dark, and we were planning on packing camp up Friday morning so we passed.

Meeting Jeanne for the first time in person, I can see why she has so many repeat clients. She is very personable and her staff ( the ones I met ) seemed to be just as personable. I cannot wait for my hunt with her next year.

bwinters, We need to talk. After this last hunt, I promised myself that it was the last of that combination. I'm not planning on doing that again. Drop camps were an item of discussion, we also discussed some other alternatives also. I/we could a part to your camp party.

If it is not 'til 2020 so be it. I'll hunt some thing else or somewhere.

I was gonna discuss with you guys when you all got back. I've grown weary of the circus..........

i hunted with jeanne a few years ago, not from a drop camp but rather her fully guided version. took a nice 5x5. had a great hunt. i talked to her and a couple guides about her drop camps and everything i heard was positive. if i was wanting a drop camp, she would get the first call. ymmv.

+1 for Rivers Bend Outfitters. Used them twice and planning on a third. Tel and his guys know their stuff and treat you right and do everything they can legally to get you to come off the mountain with an elk.