I am wanting to go on my first elk hunt next season.
Does anyone have any suggestions for reputable guides to hunt with?
I would like for this to be an archery hunt.

[This message has been edited by Stryke_Too (edited 9/23/2009 9:55a).]

Any other details you can provide?

Where do you want to hunt? CO, AZ?
What is your budget?
Looking for a trophy?

Just some things to conisder. Something I would suggest, unless you have the $$$$ and want a trophy, is to do a cow elk hunt for your first time. It cost significantly less, and you can learn A LOT from the guide about Elk hunting in general, and it won't break the bank. Then, save your money, collect your points, and look forward to a DIY on public land in the future.

Ultimately, I would like to have a shot at a big bull, but not knowing the cost of such a venture, I am uncertain. I guess I am just putting out feelers and trying to find out what I need to know.
I am pretty much open to any ideas.

audrey & roger mcqueen of trophy ridge outfitters. good friends and great elk guides. the hunt in and around the gila in NM.

Bump for a new day and hopefully some new input.

For a guided 6-9 day trip, you will be looking at ~3500-7000. I have never elk hunted in NM, but love CO and MT. Unguided at some pretty nice places will run you ~1500-+.

You can free range hunt in Texas. It will cost you about $2000 minimum. A 5x5 or better will cost you about $600 per point if successful. I wouldn't even think about doing that with a bow if you are watching your funds.

[This message has been edited by sunchaser (edited 9/24/2009 8:54a).]

I am going on an Elk Hunt in Idaho in 20 days (and patiently counting)! We have a group of 6 going, and we will be hunting with Heaven's Gate Outfitters. We signed up for this hunt 2 years ago and it is an 8 day hunt for elk, mule deer, bear, and cougar (not hunting with dogs though, so doubt we see mountain lions).

I have not hunted with them before, but my uncle has and he has had nothing but great things to say about them. I will let you know about my experience with them.

Additionally, here is the website which contains pricing, etc.
http://www.heavensgateoutfitters.com/
Also keep in mind you will incur the cost of flight, tipping your guides, tags, and other misc. expenses which seem to continue to keep adding up.

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$2000 grand

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that's a lot of grands.

And just for the record, my 2 elk tags for this year cost me a grand total of $98. nanana na nana.

Mine are free..nanana na nana

The gila area in NM is gorgeous and a great hunt. Don't know the guides that Wheelz suggested but I would check them out. You certainly will like the area and it is known for monster elk.

elk just shouldn't be hunted in Texas IMO. go to the mountains and hunt them if you want to do it the right way.

Didn't their range historically extend into texas?

What about the mountains in Texas?

Would you give this one a pass?
http://blog.kingsoutdoorworld.com/2006/01/23/world-record-elk-from-texas/

[This message has been edited by sunchaser (edited 9/24/2009 12:02p).]

Sunchaser and his ear-tagged elk...

Sean....you know better than that.

From what I understand, elk harvested under free range conditions here in TX are not allowed in the B&C and P&Y books, but I think SCI allows them. TPWD declassified them from game species status several years ago, which is what disqualifies them.

[This message has been edited by Log (edited 9/24/2009 12:27p).]

from the previously posted article:

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“We do know that there are elk in Texas and that there have been elk transplants in Texas. However, Texas does not consider elk a game animal; they do not have an elk season; and they do not have a separate elk tag. In order to shoot an elk, you only need to have a Texas hunting license. Texas elk are not eligible for entry in B&C. Texas Parks and Wildlife does not classify elk as game animals, and does not issue an elk hunting license. In addition, there is no season or bag limit for elk in Texas. Instead, they are classified as “Exotics.”

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Also from the article:

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Chris mentioned to me that all the ranch bulls have tags in their ear. Even the ranch bulls that were released would still have a tag in one ear. When Ronnie arrowed this bull, Chris didn’t notice a tag in its ear and didn’t think much about it at the time. However, some time later, after the hunt, the cape and antlers were being scored and prepared for taxidermy work. The cape was inspected and it was discovered that one of the ears had a round hole in it. It was not a natural tear or hole from an injury. It was a clean, round hole. Chris admitted that the round hole sounded just like the hole that would be made to secure the metal tag from a ranch bull. It looks like this bull originally had a tag in it, but fell out

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Even if Texas classified elk as wildlife it is very doubtful this elk would qualify because of the likely nature of him as a high fence elk. (even though he was harvested on a low fence ranch).

Sean....What if you bought his Daddy or Grand Daddy twenty years ago.....keep him in an internal high fence area for a year for acclimation. Once released he and the cows were faced with ranch fences.....they jump them...cross highways etc.

I'm not sure how big the Longfellow Ranch is....last I heard it was on the plus side of 900,000 acres....one owner and contigious. Elk were introduced in the early 90's....lots of them now....no perimeter high fences that I know of.

If Texas initiated a two week elk season and you strapped on a back pack and started walking and got one on the 10th day....

What would you call that 7x7? How would you feel about the experience? Fair chase or not?

Forgive me for this stupid question concerning high fence and low fence.

I enjoy hunting as much as anybody, but never have gotten into the "trophy" mentality of hunting. It's just a personal thing with me. Don't get me wrong, if I'm out hunting and have the option of a spike or a nice 12 pointer, I'm probably taking the 12 pointer, but I don't go out in exclusive searches for "trophy" animals per se (of course, I always hope and wish that one would trot out in front of me, but I digress).

But concerning the statement above that because the elk potentially (most likely) spent some of it's life on a high fenced ranch, and because of that it is disqualified from being allowed to be scored and recorded, why does the same standard not apply to white tail taken on high fenced ranches? (maybe it does and I'm not aware of it - but B&C and P&Y scoring are not my thing).

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I'm not sure how big the Longfellow Ranch is....last I heard it was on the plus side of 900,000 acres....one owner and contigious. Elk were introduced in the early 90's....lots of them now....no perimeter high fences that I know of.

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I think you may be off on the acreage. The King is still the largest ranch in Texas at about 825,000 acres spread out over several pastures. The Waggoner ranch is the largest contiguous ranch at somewhere in the neighborhood of 550,000 acres.

Some fun links from B&C to play with...I'm sure there are those on here with more knowledge on specifics.

On entry
http://www.boone-crockett.org/huntingEthics/ethics_affidavit.asp?area=huntingEthics

On "canned hunts" and genetic manipulation
http://www.boone-crockett.org/huntingEthics/ethics_cannedshoot.asp?area=huntingEthics

http://www.boone-crockett.org/huntingEthics/ethics_fairchase.asp?area=huntingEthics

And just to play with some of yall--Guessing yall will be pulling money and not wanting to get your critters scored now
http://www.boone-crockett.org/conservation/conservation_climatechange.asp?area=conservation


Ok, actually, I just spoke with someone from B&C..."If the deer is from behind any kind of high fence, escape proof fence, regardless of acreage, IT IS NOT ELIGIBLE for the B&C record book". They get questioned on this frequently. So you can have a pretty deer off a high fence place, but it ain't making the record book.


[This message has been edited by ursusguy (edited 9/24/2009 3:18p).]

It's that big.....you can't go by the 300,000 that they have set aside for hunting.....in other words soso roads.
The King Ranch might not even be second.

How about getting back on track for the OP? Sorry Stryke.

Would anyone who has taken a guided Elk hunt spend a few moments to write out a break down in the cost, maybe some pros/cons to doing a guided trip, and your overall impression?

I'd be interested to see the area encompassed by Longfellow - their website only talks about 350k acres, and every other place I've looked lists the King and Waggonner as #1 and #2 in terms of sheer size.

I'd love to have just a small portion of that spread.

Stryke

I hunted elk in NM last Oct, during the rut with Streater Outdoors, it was 7 days, 6 nites in a hotel with meals in local restaurants included. Private ranch tags, so we had a 42,000 acre ranch to ourselves, 2 hunters/1 guide. Total cost was $5500, and neither one of us shot a bull, BUT many of the other hunters who were rifle hunting were successful on other properties.

DVM

DVM - Do you pay no matter if you shoot or not?

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Not exactly a soup question, now is it?

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Lostboy....Yes you do! I had a buddy hunt Arizona and paid 9k for private tags and guide...also came home empty handed! Such is bow hunting.

DVM

How about just driving around a bit? Worked well for this guy...





[This message has been edited by Eric Draven (edited 9/24/2009 8:44p).]

Sun, that elk had likely been on that place for 7-8 years and was probably wilder than a hoot owl.

But I assure you it would have cheapened the experience for me if after I shot him I saw that he had an ear tag. The fact that the tag had fallen out in the case wouldn't make me any less sad.

I bet he had never been seen on that ranch before...if so I bet it was a matter of days.

So if Herman has a hole in his ear you are going to be disappointed?


[This message has been edited by sunchaser (edited 9/24/2009 10:31p).]

He probably will because I'll be so nervous I'll put an arrow through it.

...but yeah, I would feel cheap if he turned out to have an ear tag.