Colorado Elk Hunting Outfitter recommendations

[ThePreBanMan]

I've always wanted to chase elk in Colorado.. I'm at the point in my life where I can do it financially, and I'm not getting any younger. It's time to shit or get off the pot. Looking for any recommendations on an outfitter offering pretty close to all-inclusive guided hunts. If anyone has any stories or recommendations, I'm all ears. Hunt would be in 2023 - so next year.

Gear recommendations welcome as well. Hunt will be with a rifle... 30-06..

 

[dixidawg]

Have you put in for points for elk tags? IIRC most all of the state you need many points from many years of applying to get a bull tag. I went with my uncle in 2010 for a cows. We were both successful. It was a great trip. We used Mike Lawson at Trophy Class Outfitters.

Welcome to Go Trophy Class Outfitters

I found this video on YouTube by legends of the fall hunting at Mike’s camp




PM me if you want to talk more about it, and I can fill you in more with our experience.

 

[dixidawg]

I just found this old post….

Big Game outfitter recommendations??

My uncle and I have decided to take a hunting trip, but have no idea where to begin. At this point we are open to most anything, most anywhere. The main stipulation is that it can't be real tough going. He's 70 and can't ride horseback or climb up and down the Rockies etc. I have a bulging...

www.northeastshooters.com

 

[Mark from ?]

I've always wanted to chase elk in Colorado.. I'm at the point in my life where I can do it financially, and I'm not getting any younger. It's time to shit or get off the pot. Looking for any recommendations on an outfitter offering pretty close to all-inclusive guided hunts. If anyone has any stories or recommendations, I'm all ears. Hunt would be in 2023 - so next year.

Gear recommendations welcome as well. Hunt will be with a rifle... 30-06..

Colorado is probably the easiest OTC state to hunt. You won't have time to draw in many good units so look up the units that are over the counter bull tags, or outfitters on good private ranches that maybe can pass a bull tag onto you.

Buy once cry once.....pay the money for a private ranch in low country when they come down out of the mountains in rifle season and you'll likely have your pick of the litter of bulls. Hunts like this are probably pushing 10K now for high quality one on one guiding.......and you'll probably be into the license and tags for another grand.

My wife is telling me to do something like this... I have plenty of money to do it....but justifying the money for me is hard, 10K to kill an elk...oof.

But for certain....its something I probably won't be able to do when I get older. I'd love to say....once I retire I'll go out there and chase them for a month on public land.....but that is seriously something I probably wont be ABLE to do.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

My wife is telling me to do something like this... I have plenty of money to do it....but justifying the money for me is hard, 10K to kill an elk...oof.

But for certain....its something I probably won't be able to do when I get older. I'd love to say....once I retire I'll go out there and chase them for a month on public land.....but that is seriously something I probably wont be ABLE to do.

My one dream hunt was always a horseback elk hunt. Money and time weren’t the issue. My back is so jacked up after many back operations and aftermarket parts that it can be tough to get around and getting on a horse is never going to happen.

Listen to your wife.

Bob

 

[ThePreBanMan]

Looks like a good chunk of the state is OTC for rifle.

https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Maps/OTCRifleElk.pdf

 

[Mark from ?]

My one dream hunt was always a horseback elk hunt. Money and time weren’t the issue. My back is so jacked up after many back operations and aftermarket parts that it can be tough to get around and getting on a horse is never going to happen.

Listen to your wife.

Bob

Yeah....I've been poking around looking at hunts in the 6K-10K range. They are easier low country hunts with a rifle. And this is something that you could even do Bob probably.

I've worked my ass off bowhunting around here and other states for years. Never used an outfitter. Never will for deer.

I'm not busting my ass to kill an elk on limited vacation time (I work) Most guys I know that save money on public land have gobs of time to scout and hunt.....I'm not one of those guys.
Even then your into the tag and lisc for a grand, then whatever you do for travel/stay/camp is probably another 2-3K. I'm not eating 3-4K unless I go out there and have a good chance
at success. Id rather pay 6-7K and get it done.

I have some friends that have gone out there 3-4 times trying to DIY and they are well into 12-15K and havent shot an elk. Im not doing that.

I really want to wait and do this with my son or someone else.....doing it alone is not that fun, and itll be a few years before I can save for both of us and he has enough vac time to go as he just started a new job.

So....lets just say its on the bucket list.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

With the drought this would probably be the year to do a water source hunt. That just doesn’t interest me much. Like you, I cant see myself shelling out big bucks to sit at a water hole of feed source hoping one will come in.

Vacation time is precious so you can’t really mess around. You need a good guide. They are expensive huntscfor sure and it only takes a couple of DIY hunts and you have already spent as much, or more than you would spend for a good guided hunt.

Doing that kind of hunt with you son would make it the trip of a lifetime. A bucket list item for sure.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

I'm in the same boat as you Mark. Not a lot of time to scout, etc. Only have about a week to dedicate to this. So an outfitter and/or guide is a must. Some of the management areas require 20 points! That's cray cray. Buying points for 20 years just to get 1 hunt... No thanks. It has to be an over-the-counter state. I'm not getting any younger over here.

I'll be running alone. No kids and no friends that hunt... But that doesn't bother me. My hunting has always been a solo affair. I enjoy finding myself in wild places... It's in the hustle of everyday life that I'm lost...

 

[Docpk]

Take a look at Rising Son Outfitters in Montana. They get the job done.

 

[ccm75]

In September 2020 a buddy and I drove 30 hours to western CO to OTC bow hunt elk.
Carried everything we needed for 3-4 nights away from truck on our backs. Camped out of the truck a bit.
Camped at 9,000', hunted as high as 12,000'. No elk meat to bring back east but it was an awesome trip and we fared pretty well for two 57 year old flatlanders.
Trained hard for 6 months in prep.
If we go back it will probably be with outfitter to hunt from a drop camp.