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Thread: Elk trip

  1. #1
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    Default Elk trip

    My cousin is wanting to surprise her husband with an elk hunt for 2021. Rifle preferably. Knowing the guy don't think he wants to hang off a cliff to shoot one but I don't think he wants to sit in a stand for one either. Where does she need to be looking as far as states, also what time of year? Any guides you would recommend?
    "They are who we thought they were"

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  2. #2
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    Mark just got back from New Mexico

  3. #3
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    Most Elk will require a few points before you can go hunt. With that said, some will also require a license purchase to be able to buy a point.

  4. #4
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    Everyone I know has gotten what they paid for an elk hunt. A 5 day horseback riding trip costs the same as some elk trips, and offers the same experience.
    Them that don't know him won't like him, and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him

    He ain't wrong, he's just different, and his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right

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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by ducksmoker View Post
    Most Elk will require a few points before you can go hunt. With that said, some will also require a license purchase to be able to buy a point.
    Not to argue, but there are plenty of options with over the counter or landowner tags that would allow for a hunt in 2021. Any idea on budget visorguy? You can do a ranch style hunt or a horse/camp hunt. Wyoming and Colorado would be good starting points.
    Carolina Counsel

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carolina Counsel View Post
    Not to argue, but there are plenty of options with over the counter or landowner tags that would allow for a hunt in 2021. Any idea on budget visorguy? You can do a ranch style hunt or a horse/camp hunt. Wyoming and Colorado would be good starting points.
    This is what she's looking at. Not sure of price. I told her New Mexico, Colorado etc,,,there's just so many outfitters out there. Just was wandering if anyone had any outfitter they had first hand experience with
    "They are who we thought they were"

    You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid

  7. #7
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    Budget is the starting point.

    Unfortunately, OTC tags percentages of success is way lower than draw tags. Different states have different draw systems. Some have preference point some don't.

    New Mexico is lottery only, meaning no preference points. If you don't get lucky and draw, then break out the check book and buy a landowner tag. It get's pricey real quick.

    I've wasted money on 2 of the low priced horse back riding trips with OTC tags, didn't even see any elk. Don't get me wrong it was a great experience, "BUT" I could've paid to ride horses and camp in the mountains a lot cheaper "for the experience"......

  8. #8
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    Call Guy Flynn at Montana Elk & Trout. 406 579 0509.

  9. #9
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    I personally wouldn’t go on a elk hunt with a price tag south of $5k. Sounds snooty, but with limited time and opportunity, I would rather spend $8k on a solid hunt that $4k on two meh hunts. Let me look in my files for the ranch I went to in Colorado. It was reasonable.
    Carolina Counsel

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheVisorGuy View Post
    This is what she's looking at. Not sure of price. I told her New Mexico, Colorado etc,,,there's just so many outfitters out there. Just was wandering if anyone had any outfitter they had first hand experience with
    Budget?
    Quote Originally Posted by Glenn View Post
    I'll shoot over a kids head in a blind or long gun one on a turkey in a heart beat. You want to kill stuff around me you gonna earn it.

  11. #11
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    They have tamie elk ranches too. How many inches ya want? Indian reservations are another option.
    Low country redneck who moved north

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carolina Counsel View Post
    I personally wouldn’t go on a elk hunt with a price tag south of $8k. Sounds snooty, but with limited time and opportunity, I would rather spend $8k on a solid hunt that $4k on two meh hunts. Let me look in my files for the ranch I went to in Colorado. It was reasonable.
    FIFY
    Them that don't know him won't like him, and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him

    He ain't wrong, he's just different, and his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right

    They don't put Championship rings on smooth hands

  13. #13
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    Eating elk meat and looking at that big bastard on your wall is worth the price of admission. Riding on a horse for hours , sleeping on the ground for a week and then eating tag soup sucks. Pay extra for a real chance to kill one.

    If I was in the market, I'd look real hard at one of the Turner ranches in New Mexico. Biggest Bull I have killed was in 1990 at the Costilla Lodge - which is now part of Ted Turner's properties. 360,000 acres at the Vermejo Park Ranch.. unreal beautiful and odds for success are high.
    Last edited by nitro5x6's; 11-24-2020 at 08:27 AM.
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  14. #14
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    I've been to Vermejo Park. I still dream about it.

    Agreed on the price tag. You do get what you pay for, and they are competitive.
    "Rivers and the inhabitants of the watery elements are for wise men to contemplate and for fools to pass by without consideration" -Izaak Walton

  15. #15
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    Not to mention, getting to wash your body and sleep in a real bed every night is not overrated.
    F**K Cancer

    Just Damn.

  16. #16
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    Just came back from Colorado Elk hunt with 5 of my buddies we booked in the spring of 2020 a unit 11 ranch, we all had shots and we brought back 5 animals and the 6th went onto private ground that we didn't have permission. Great ranch at lower elevation tags cost $650 & 550 in draw and leftover, Tip per guide 2-1 was $400 per head and Ranch fees were $4000-$5000 depending on number of animals shot. Hunted over 15,000 acres both private and BLM saw Elk every day and Camp was clean and they had an outpost setup 3 miles in BLM lands that was not too bad per my friends. Great Trip going again this year pm for ranch name

  17. #17
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    Milligan Brand has pretty solid success rates on rifle seasons and his prices aren't too bad. Your not likely to kill anything over 300" though. I have both Elk and Mule Deer hunted with them when given a free trip many moons ago. Since then I have referred several folks to his outfit, most were pleased.

    Sounds like Black Storm has a good lead there as well.
    Genesis 9;2

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carolina Counsel View Post
    I personally wouldn’t go on a elk hunt with a price tag south of $5k. Sounds snooty, but with limited time and opportunity, I would rather spend $8k on a solid hunt that $4k on two meh hunts. Let me look in my files for the ranch I went to in Colorado. It was reasonable.
    I couldn’t agree more. I do t have any personal elk hunting experience, but...

    One of the 70+yo family docs/surgeons here (SE Wyoming Hospital) owns about 1/3 of area 7, and he and his sons guide. He was showing me a giant 7x6 he filmed with his phone that came to 6 yards...and he passed him. There were other large bulls ... several slobs... in the background. He told me...”this place has made me an elk snob over the years, so I’ll only shoot a true giant...maybe. The people that come to hunt with me are spending 7-12K, and this is often their once in a lifetime trip...and I want to make sure they have a chance to kill an elk like this...so we (his fam) rarely shoot elk anymore.”

    He wasn’t trying to sell me, as he knows I’m a DIY kinda hunter. He was just explaining he he didn’t shoot when I was saying...”holy %*%#...why didn’t you skewer that beast?!?!”

    This is the type of outfitter you want to find...and it’s not going to be cheap!
    “I can’t wait ‘till I’m grown” is the stupidest @!#* I ever said!

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