States Elk Hunt

[wildside]

In the initial planning and research stages for a 50 th bday Elk hunt. Not sure where I should be looking or best times. Most likely once in a lifetime trip so looking for a sizeable bull. Any recommendations on zones, outfitters , costs, or any other relevant information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[3blade]

There have been massive tag allocation shifts in several western states recently. Several require years of preference points to draw a NR tag and not all of them have outfitter/landowner tags for purchase. The best are booked years in advance.

But anyway, I’d suggest narrowing your idea first. What kind of terrain, weapon, experience, time of year, accommodations, and budget are you thinking. What year? What is sizeable? Public or private? How long are you willing to hunt and how far can you hike? Any horse experience?

[Esox]

Some states have over the counter tags such as colorado and I think montana and idaho but with OTC comes crowds, especially in the states. Likely still experience better elk hunting there than most of what alberta has to offer. The good states with the biggest bulls are almost all draw, whether thats random lottery or preference point. Either way they are hard to draw. The best route I would suggest for a decent bull would be a landowner tag. The states with those would be Nex Mexico, Nevada and utah, all of which have good Elk and elk hunting. Best bet would be to talk to one of the booking companies such as Epic Outdoors (my pick), Gohunt or Huntin fool and tell them what you want.

[Jamie Black R/T]

Budget?

San Carlos Apache tribe is your starting point. If that's in the budget. Don't look anywhere else and just book it. 400" bulls and very low pressure.

Budget will dictate your experience unfortunately.

[-JR-]

Sorry if i am going off topic a little . Do they still have those Sask. pen hunts going on still ?

[DirtShooter]

Originally Posted by Jamie Black R/T

Budget?

San Carlos Apache tribe is your starting point. If that's in the budget. Don't look anywhere else and just book it. 400" bulls and very low pressure.

Budget will dictate your experience unfortunately.

You may even be able to hunt with Cam Hanes and Joe Rogan.

[DirtShooter]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Sorry if i am going off topic a little . Do they still have those Sask. pen hunts going on still ?

Yes Redman Trophy Big Game Hunts still working. My cousins niece arrowed an elk there to the tune of $7000-10,000USD lol.

[1973 Moose]

New Mexico in the Gila National Forest. Some of the best Elk county in the world! Constantly big bulls (400's), high success rates, but you will pay high prices.

[KBF]

Originally Posted by Esox

Some states have over the counter tags such as colorado and I think montana and idaho but with OTC comes crowds, especially in the states. Likely still experience better elk hunting there than most of what alberta has to offer. The good states with the biggest bulls are almost all draw, whether thats random lottery or preference point. Either way they are hard to draw. The best route I would suggest for a decent bull would be a landowner tag. The states with those would be Nex Mexico, Nevada and utah, all of which have good Elk and elk hunting. Best bet would be to talk to one of the booking companies such as Epic Outdoors (my pick), Gohunt or Huntin fool and tell them what you want.

I could be wrong but I was under impression the landowner CWMU units are limited to Utah residents only. Is that right? Or is it that you can’t apply in a draw for the CWMU, do yiy just buy a tag then?

[fordtruckin]

Shoot time a PM if your interested in Montana. I’m a Montana state game warden so I can answer some question etc… Nice thing with MT is if you draw a NR elk or big game combo you can hunt pretty much 90% of the state.

[Drewski Canuck]

Alot of the Western States had a massive die off last winter, especially the Sierra Nevada range.

The snow was in excess of 10 feet deep and VERY hard, like concrete.

Lots of game simply got high centered trying to leave their feed area, or had all the browse so buried that there was no browse at all.

Surf the net for pictures of game dead and thawing out from the deep snow. It was a shocker.

Drewski

[wildside]

I was thinking of a rifle hunt. Would love to experience the rut and some calling action. Like the idea of foothills/mountain terrain. I have experience hunting just not much hunting elk. I don’t need anything fancy for lodging. Used to staying in a tent. Comfortable on a horse and can do some hiking. I could do a week long hunt. I think any bull in the 350 range would be exceptional. I’m not wealthy but don’t mind spending some money on a once in a lifetime experience. I turn 50 in 2026. Thanks for all the responses so far.

[Big Grey Wolf]

You probably need to evaluate states we sent All our surplus wolves to help with their game numbers. My wife uncle from Montana keeps giving me heck for sending our wolves their to eat their elk and complains elk numbers way down.

[Esox]

Originally Posted by KBF

I could be wrong but I was under impression the landowner CWMU units are limited to Utah residents only. Is that right? Or is it that you can’t apply in a draw for the CWMU, do yiy just buy a tag then?

you could be right for Utah. I havent looked in to it as much in utah as I have elsewhere and not so much for Elk in utah either. When I was looking in to it for Utah it was more for mule deer. Nevada and New mexico I have spent more time researching though from a landowner tag aspect.

[Esox]

Originally Posted by wildside

I was thinking of a rifle hunt. Would love to experience the rut and some calling action. Like the idea of foothills/mountain terrain. I have experience hunting just not much hunting elk. I don’t need anything fancy for lodging. Used to staying in a tent. Comfortable on a horse and can do some hiking. I could do a week long hunt. I think any bull in the 350 range would be exceptional. I’m not wealthy but don’t mind spending some money on a once in a lifetime experience. I turn 50 in 2026. Thanks for all the responses so far.

350 range will cost a fair chunk. Im not even sure how much, but think in the 15 to 20k range likely and that could be more for 330ish type bulls. One thing to remember is that the rut hunts in a lot of places (not all) is primarily an archery hunt.

I use Epic Outdoors for my tag applications in the states and just looked at my online portal where they have guided hunts. A rifle rut hunt in Utah for a 300 inch avergae (possibility of 340) is 18,900usd. For a 350 average hunt its 30k. In New Mexico for an october muzzleloader hunt on a unit wide landowner tag with an average bull of 320 inches, its 14k usd

[3blade]

Originally Posted by wildside

I was thinking of a rifle hunt. Would love to experience the rut and some calling action. Like the idea of foothills/mountain terrain. I have experience hunting just not much hunting elk. I don’t need anything fancy for lodging. Used to staying in a tent. Comfortable on a horse and can do some hiking. I could do a week long hunt. I think any bull in the 350 range would be exceptional. I’m not wealthy but don’t mind spending some money on a once in a lifetime experience. I turn 50 in 2026. Thanks for all the responses so far.

That’s going to limit your options considerably, you need to work with one of the companies esox mantioned sooner than later to get this lined up.

BC might be an option as well, they have some rifle rut hunts and outfitters who get it done consistently in pretty remote locations.

The winterkill is a big factor. Takes a lot of years to grow 350, by ‘26 there should be a few older bulls around, if it doesn’t happen again, but that’s still going to be an incredibly small percentage of the elk population. Another factor that leans in BC’s favor. But then you risk a more-equal issue, as they are trying to take over wildlife management.

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

You probably need to evaluate states we sent All our surplus wolves to help with their game numbers. My wife uncle from Montana keeps giving me heck for sending our wolves their to eat their elk and complains elk numbers way down.

Which is why over 80% of our elk districts are over population objectives and you can rifle hunt cow elk from aug15-feb15 in many districts. Darn wolves

[Lunkerhunter]

Might be worth reading the website Rokslide. It’s on Tapatalk if you use that on your phone. It’s like AO but with less politics and less hatred amongst hunters lol just kidding… sort of

Seriously check it out lots of awesome hunting content and write ups mostly from the western states. You’ll find something relevant and entertaining I’m sure!