Use Outfitter or Not?

[MITCHMO]

Don’t over think it. Just go hunt. Hire a guide, it’s not like it’s goig to be a waste of money if you find a good one. A full week of 24/7 Q & A from an experienced person? Sounds like you can have all your questions answered right then and there. If you don’t like it, don’t do it again. Don’t let making the wrong decision scare you off from making any decision at all. Don’t be afraid to screw up.

 

[SPDSpappy]

I agree, look into places with spring bear, wolves , or even turkey. I like to scout with a weapon and a tag in my pocket.
I spend a lot of time trying to spend time around the Elk in an area I’m gonna hunt. They don’t all migrate. Cows may have bulls with them when season opens . Sheds will show you were they winter, if you see them higher you can narrow down where they go. And it’s a great time to pay attention to what they prefer in the area. All that helps me notch my tags when the time comes.

Good point about spring bear and shed hunting, I'll have to do some more thinking on that.....

 

[SPDSpappy]

Don’t over think it. Just go hunt. Hire a guide, it’s not like it’s goig to be a waste of money if you find a good one. A full week of 24/7 Q & A from an experienced person? Sounds like you can have all your questions answered right then and there. If you don’t like it, don’t do it again. Don’t let making the wrong decision scare you off from making any decision at all. Don’t be afraid to screw up.

I was thinking the same thing about the constant access to an expert... There's nobody in the woods hunting more than a guide.

 

[oleefish2]

Interesting topic. I have been on guided fishing trips but no guided hunting trips, unless I include the trips someone has taken me to one of their honey holes. I was guided but not in the classic money traded hands style. I also worked at ranch that had hunting trips for elk, deer, and antelope. I was the walker so I took the folks that could go to the places the others could not. Almost every person hunting was either a repeat or a friend of past hunters because of the experience they had. So if you go with an outfitter ensure you get past hunters feed back and read reviews if you can. It is either the best trip you ever been on or can be a night mare. Wyoming ranch hunts offer animals that are not pounded to death and the ranchers know the habits of the critters from years of experience. That does not mean that winter kills, lack of water and other weather conditions can change the structure of the hunt and the location of the game.
If you have the money go for it and have a great time.

 

[hearteater]

Minority here.

If you have the $$, don't live in elk country and limited experience, I think a guided hunt might be pretty cool. Give it a shot and see if it is something you want to do on your own again in the future. If you go the guided route, I hope you find one that gives a real elk hunting experience.

rveen experience looks pretty cool.

I agree with this. If I would have had the money to go guided one of my first times I believe it would have shortened the learning curve and been totally worth it.

 

[SPDSpappy]

Interesting topic. I have been on guided fishing trips but no guided hunting trips, unless I include the trips someone has taken me to one of their honey holes. I was guided but not in the classic money traded hands style. I also worked at ranch that had hunting trips for elk, deer, and antelope. I was the walker so I took the folks that could go to the places the others could not. Almost every person hunting was either a repeat or a friend of past hunters because of the experience they had. So if you go with an outfitter ensure you get past hunters feed back and read reviews if you can. It is either the best trip you ever been on or can be a night mare. Wyoming ranch hunts offer animals that are not pounded to death and the ranchers know the habits of the critters from years of experience. That does not mean that winter kills, lack of water and other weather conditions can change the structure of the hunt and the location of the game.
If you have the money go for it and have a great time.

I have some of the same thoughts on guided hunting like guided fishing like you mentioned. The hunting concierge company I'm using (GotHunts.com) has every client fill out a hunt report discussing what they thought of their experience and if they'd recommend it to others. I'm getting copies of these so I can read through them to make sure it's what I want (it is a lot of money for me). Good to know about WY. Would you think this is applicable for all large ranches out west, no matter the state? Thank you for your insight!

 

[SPDSpappy]

I agree with this. If I would have had the money to go guided one of my first times I believe it would have shortened the learning curve and been totally worth it.

Thank you!

 

[psycho]

I'm also late to the game so when I got my first NV bull and AZ bull tags which happened to be the same year I was concerned about being an accidental felon. I didn't know if I could get the meat out on my own before it spoiled. I had hunted a dozen or so other smaller animals with not filling a few tags but mostly successful as I wasn't too picky. This was my first solo elk hunts so I hired guides for both. I called dozens of guides in each state and narrowed it down to what I thought was right for me. I did learn a few things from them but nothing worth what I paid for. Paying the money probably pushed me to get up earlier and stay later or maybe I would have done that anyway because it was special tags. The guides didn't do anything really different or go any special place I wouldn't have gone without them. One really knew the area and the other was looking at the area for the first time same as me. One guy I'm still friends with and the other was an absolute tool and I was glad when that hunt was over. Both wer successful hunts. Its a tough choice so you really just have to figure out what you want out of a hunt. I might still hire a guide today on certain hunts but not for the reasons I would back then. Such as my prior story of getting my old man on a sheep. But for OTC Colorado, I bet you could spend that money better just doing more trips rather than one with a guide. You would probably learn more with more time in the field on your own than with a guide. Tough choice. Happy hunting!

 

[wyoboypt]

Don’t pay an outfitter in wy! Heck if you get a tag pm me and I can help you out. Save yourself some money.

 

[wyoboypt]

You don’t need to “pray for lots of effort leading to meat in the freezer”. Hunt smart. Randy has it down pat. Watch and listen and you can be successful.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Late to the western hunting game myself and have been debating the same thing as op. Being a flatlander and never spending much time in the mountains hiring a guide is appealing but doing it myself sounds a lot more appealing.

 

[LaSportsman]

If you are late to the hunting game, you need to find small game hunting opportunities that are local, regardless of whether you choose a guide or not. I grew up hunting squirrel, rabbit, and whitetail. I have hundreds of hours in the woods as a kid. In some ways, walking through the woods squirrel hunting was as valuable for western hunting as whitetail.

I do not in shape or form imply that squirrel have the same senses as an elk but I had to learn to walk quietly, look for sign, watch for movement or something that didn't look right in trees to spot them. Lot's of opportunity to shoot.

Consider a javelina hunt in AZ. Easy tag to draw. High success rate. Lot's of spot and stalk. Wind matters. It's a lot of fun and will develop skills that transfer to elk.

You've mentioned all the reading on elk habitat, habits, etc. You need time building hunting skills before you get to an elk hunt. Javelina or squirrel will do that much better than sitting in a stand waiting for a whitetail.

 

[LaSportsman]

One more thing, I don't know how it affects non-residents but AZ allows crossbows during archery season if a medical condition is certified by a doctor. That would open up OTC deer in AZ. If you are applying for points, you already have the license.

 

[vikingload]

Looking for advice from the experienced folks out there. I’m trying to figure out if I should use some money I’m coming into to pay for an elk hunt outfitter. I’m an adult onset hunter. I’ll post an article I wrote that showed up in a magazine about our story getting into hunting, but it all started 6 whitetail seasons ago here in IL. After 6 seasons hunting whitetail, I have a fork buck, 2 does, and a bunch of great as well as frustrating times to show for it. I went on a guided red stag hunt in Scotland during 2017 (cheaper than a whitetail hunt in my own state of IL including the airplane tix) and loved my time there. I started listening to/watching Big Fin, Corey Jacobsen, Born and Raised Outdoors, Jay Scott, and Hush about 15 months ago. I went on my first western (elk) hunt on a CO leftover tag in the Flat Tops with about 3000 other hunters, saw elk 3 out of 5 days, never took a shot, but had a great time. I’ve read a ton of material from the ~2000 page book Big Fin recommended, went through the UEH course multiple times, read the biology reports online for the area, and watched every elk hunting video from BF on YouTube. I’m applying in WY, AZ, NM, and CO this year, but am only expecting to get a tag through the leftovers in CO. I’m 41 years old and not sure I can take a learning curve of 10 years (based on 10% probability of success overall) with paying $600-$1200 for a tag/tags per year... What would you recommend?

Outfitter can definitely help with the learning curve and pending how good the outfitter is, I would say its worth the money.

 

[Wranglerman]

I would recommend you do whatever makes you happy. If you can afford using outfitters and enjoy your experiences thats what its all about. If you don't use an outfitter and equally enjoy your experiences then???? You know the answer.
Its all about what you enjoy. To each their own.
Enjoy life. We all know its too short sometimes!

 

[Slate]

Minority here.

If you have the $$, don't live in elk country and limited experience, I think a guided hunt might be pretty cool. Give it a shot and see if it is something you want to do on your own again in the future. If you go the guided route, I hope you find one that gives a real elk hunting experience.

rveen experience looks pretty cool.

I agree. I have been on 2 guided elk hunts in Wyoming. They where awesome hunts and both times I killed a good bull elk.

 

[SPDSpappy]

You don’t need to “pray for lots of effort leading to meat in the freezer”. Hunt smart. Randy has it down pat. Watch and listen and you can be successful.

Not sure how I missed these posts/responses when they happened, but thank you for offering!!!

 

[SPDSpappy]

One more thing, I don't know how it affects non-residents but AZ allows crossbows during archery season if a medical condition is certified by a doctor. That would open up OTC deer in AZ. If you are applying for points, you already have the license.

I actually applied this winter for the various western states to be able to use a crossbow. The only real one I’m not able to where I actually care is Montana. Not sure why they don’t allow crossbow use for hunters w/ medical/disability issues...

 

[SPDSpappy]

On a related note, I just sent the check for the second half of the hunt today. I’m also planning on doing an OTC archery antlerless hunt in CO in about 5 weeks. This is after 2 DIY rifle hunts in NW CO the last couple years. I’m looking forward to the next 2 months and the same number of hunting trips in CO!!

 

[KB_]

I actually applied this winter for the various western states to be able to use a crossbow. The only real one I’m not able to where I actually care is Montana. Not sure why they don’t allow crossbow use for hunters w/ medical/disability issues...

I'm waiting for the day they do. Would love to take my dad archery hunting here.