Drop Camps

[noharleyyet]

Would appreciate your thoughts. Do outfitters second tier drop camp locations giving preference to their outfitted clients in regard to prime area selection? What are the advantages over diy? I've been thinking of doing this after this year.

 

[KC]

Noharley:

A drop camp costs more than a pure DIY hunt and less than a guided hunt. Of course the outfitter will give the best areas to his high-dollar clients. That's what they are paying for and that's what they expect and that's the way it should be.

The key to elk hunting success is to know your hunting area like your back yard. Pick an area and stick with it year after year. Don't expect to be successful the first time and don't expect to come out to a western state cold and see elk without scouting your area. You're from Texas. So you can start scouting by coming up on a vacation car camping trip. Then come a few days early and maybe stay a few days late to do more scouting.

Once you pick an area, a drop camp is a good way to start to get to know that area. The outfitter should share at least some of his experience with you, even on a drop camp, and you can start getting to know your area with the outfitter checking up on you. That adds some security for people who might feel more comfortable with someone checking up on them, at least the first time. You might even get an idea of where he has placed his high-dollar hunters and where their guides take them to hunt, which won't be where they are camping.

If you're an experienced outdoorsman, have hunted elk before and are in good physical condition, and you are willing to devote the time to study an area, then you don't need a drop camp. You can do pure DIY hunts, in the same area, in subsequent years.

The most valuable part of a drop camp is the horses, which the outfitter should leave with you. That will make you much more mobile. But remember, you can't hunt on horses. They are just for getting from one hunting area to another and for hawling out your game. Also remember that horses require a lot of maintenance and that maintenance time will reduce the time you can spend hunting.

KC

 

[noharleyyet]

Thanks for the courtesy KC.

 

[SuburbanHunter]

I am doing my first drop camp this year for second rifle season in GMU 12.
I'll post a report on it after the season. This camp brings you in and out on horseback but they don't leave the horses with you during the hunt. In my case that is probably a good things as I am not an experienced horse person.

 

[Washington Hunter]

I don't have any experience with drop camps, other than the one I'll be going on next week, but I have never heard of the outfitter leaving the horses with the hunters for their use while hunting. I suppose that is something that could be arranged, and at a much higher cost I would think. Even though horses can be a tremendous adavantage, especially when elk hunting, I don't have the experience needed to handle horses by myself, so to me they would be more trouble than they're worth. If I was going to hunt where horses are a necessity just in getting from camp to the hunting area, I would choose to go on a fully guided hunt.

 

[Roadtrip]

Good post and good topic. I have gone on several drop hunts in several states. It is my preferred way of going if I'm not doing it on my own. Why you ask? Well, I'm not a road hunter, I like to go in deep. 2) I don't like being over run by ATV's.....so I like wilderness and roadless units. 3) pack horses were made for such a use, to pack 2 paniers loaded with freshly kilt critters.
4) Don't like the guided deal because for me a lot of the fun is in finding them. 5) It is a very affordable way of pulling off a good hunt. 6) Usually included in the rate is transport to the meat locker from the pack trail. 7) meat stays fresher if you pack it all down on one trip with the pack horses 8) Camp is set up when you arrive 9) U don't break down camp 10) I fly a lot to hunt. Can't put extra gear in luggage. 11) Happy clients come back and give referrals, so good outfitters will put you in good places. The first part is the key...Good Outfitters. 12) Outfitter can bring in needed gear midway through hunt 13) Sleeping in a canvas wall tent in the high country is cool 14) Horses are a pain in the A$$ to transport, feed, water, get shots, pass states borders and just keep up. I could keep going on and on....but good drop camps are awesome. You will pay for what you get. I will do another post and give you some pointers to deal with up front when you negotiate.

Cheers
Roadtrip

 

[Roadtrip]

Ok...You want a drop camp and you don't want to get burned? I will give you some things to do up front, to cover your hind quarters so to speak. a) Research the outfitter and the unit. Check guide associations and call the competitors to get reputation and complaint information. Call previous hunters, and insist on calling a couple of unsuccessful hunters as well. b) Pin down the exact drainage and location of your hunt and make sure it meets your requirements if you are trying to get away from other hunters c) Go over the agreement/ contract carefully. Specify exactly what you want before you sign. IE: For us, it was 1) a separate cook tent so we didn't sleep w/ food, 2) tarp or cover over the crapper. 3) 2 bear proof paniers to keep in camp 4) Use of saw and axe 5) extra canvas and ropes left after pack in.
d) Pay them and pay them on time. They buy stuff and get equipment ready long before your hunt e) Map info, get it from them and have them ready when you arrive. f) come to terms on what happens after the kill. Meat locker fees are not usually included in your rate. g) Meet them at appointed times. If they come in 2 times during the hunt....have someone meet them at camp. Leave good notes if you have game down. h) Pack Lightly. They will already have the camp in there. I will never forget the time I saw a couple of kooks unloading 14 cases of beer to be hauled in on the pack horses. 2 small bags are always preferred over a huge Alaskan duffle. I) Be ready and packed on the morning you go in. The longer you hold them up, the darker it is when they ride out that evening. J) Drop camps mean u are sleeping with Elk. Cold camps are smart...at least for the 1st three days. Resist the temptation to light a bonfire. k) Water Filters....don't pack water....invest in a couple of good filters (I use a gravity unit) and set your water up the first evening. The outfitter will put you with water. (or you missed the GOOD part mentioned earlier). L) Tip the packers and the ride in folks. 10% of the hunt fee is normal unless you had a really bad hunt. This should not be the case if you execute the previous steps. M) Return....the more you hunt an area, the better you will be in there. The last drop hunt we did in Idaho scored 3 bulls and a bear with the 4th hunter passing 2 times. Of course we had a bad year in there also. Finally...be realistic with your expectations. a unit that has a 25% kill ratio will be hard to hunt and achieve 75% success year in and year out. You can increase your pleasure and take home meat if at least one of the party purchases a COW tag. I had a guy go home empty handed, when he had an either sex tag, after laying on the pack trail, under a bush, hoping this big cow didn't step on me. He could have shot her with the pistol. Instead, he ate his tag.

Cheers
Roadtrip