I know just where you're at. We've had really good success during second rifle season on the public land to the east for mule deer. Rarely seen elk but I don't think they move down until later.

@lazurasDC - do you still recommend SJO as good outfitter ? Not sure if same folks are still running business as when you used them in 2020

AgDad121619 said:

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@lazurasDC - do you still recommend SJO as good outfitter ? Not sure if same folks are still running business as when you used them in 2020

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Same people own SJO. But they have several other branches and businesses now, compared to when I first met Justin back in 2016. I'm not saying the outfitting has gone down or anything, because they still use some great guys for guides. But the owners are a less involved in the day to day than they used to be.


If you are looking for that area, I have another guide I can refer you too as well, if you want to compare to SJO. Both crews have their perks.

We went with SJO the last three years. After last year and the mess they left us with I would not go with them again or recommend them to anyone. We met with the owner prior to going in and let him know we had a potential need to get out early as one of the guys that was going in with us moms was not doing great but was stable in the hospital. Justin assured us that if we needed to get out it would be no problem and that family is of most importance. Three days in and things took a turn for the work with our buddies mom and she was not expected to make it through the weekend so we had to get him back to Texas and tried to arrange to get out with Justin and crew but they were unable to send horses or anyone to get us and our gear. So we finally got ahold of the hand that took us in and arranged for them to pick what we couldn't carry out on our backs and they were going to meet us in Texas on his way back to Oklahoma after archery season. So we hiked out of the back country the next morning 12 miles and headed back to Texas to get our buddy to his mom. It took us 6 months of constant calling to get the remainder of our gear located and back to Texas after we paid to ship it all our selfs.

We all knew stuff happens but to just not how I would do business.

I could go on and on but long story short I would look somewhere else.

I'm looking for 2025 so I'm open to any good reccs - I had talked to great guy from NM a few years back that is no longer in business even though his website is still there. He was in late 70s so he may not be able to run business anymore. As I have been looking at pack in options and outfitters I have come to realize how unstable that business is

Give Justin Frie a call. He is a friend, and a salt-of-the-earth sort of guy. Tell him Pastor Joey from Texas gave you his name (don't expect it to get you a discount or anything...). He is in the same unit as SJO, and hunts some really good areas. I believe they do drop camps too, if that is what you are looking for. They are a smaller setup than SJO, so you should get much more personal attention and follow through.

Sadly, I think the owners of SJO have too many irons in the fires with the big name and TV hunts, remodeling business and TV show, and other things. I have known them for years, and they are very nice people. But I've heard from a few friends who have hunted with them that their follow through has been declining in recent years, especially trying to get ahold of them. I also know people who have had many years of consistent success with SJO. I think the outfitting side of what they do just isn't receiving the attention that most people expect (rightfully so) from the owners, and they may not have a good process in place to pass that off to to other people who can correctly manage it for every client. That is speculation on my part, so take it with a grain of salt.

5 years ago, they were my go-to recommendation in the Pagosa Springs area. Now, I think BCO is more reliable, and has access to some really unique areas.
That being said, that WHOLE unit is not what it once was, as far as elk hunting goes. I'm not saying you can't kill a good elk there, because you can. You can get into some decent numbers too. It's as much luck as anything else these days. But there has been way too much pressure for way too long, in my opinion.


https://www.bcoadventure.com/

Drew CO Elk 77/78 first rifle

Any advice in the Weminuche?

I had a great experience with SJO in 2020 but that was four years ago. I think they got rid of the camp we were in for rifle 2 anyway. Not sure what hunts they offer now or who their guides are.

Went with Justin Frie last year and it was a much much harder hunt for rifle 1. 5 hour horse ride and rougher terrain but he worked harrrd for us. One hunter out of three got an elk but the other two of us had some close calls just didn't quite work out in our favor. If you're up for a harder hunt I'd go that direction for rifle 1. Or I know he does day hunts for rifle 3/4 that aren't as intense that may be worth looking into.

As far as being much smaller I think Justin has acquired several camps and other outfits so it's actually a pretty big org. But from what I could tell they were still able to keep everything together nicely.

cupofjoe04 said:

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And you are right, there are a lot of camps of drinkers that do a little hunting along the roads in 77. They are like flies on a turd out there. But the woods are also crawling with people, more and more every year. They are everywhere. It doesn't matter how far back you go, you will find people. I had some success hunting the often ignored in between spaces- little holes and dark corners 2-3 miles in that most people walk past or never make it to.

I remember one year I drew a sheep tag (just a ewe, but it was likely to be the only sheep tag I will ever draw, so it was a BIG deal to me). I scouted HARD all summer. I put some serious miles on my boots, got in great shape, and wore out my favors with horse-owning friends. I found a fantastic valley where the ewes were lambing, and had those suckers pretty dialed in. It was 12 miles back, almost up against the divide.

The horses that I had lined up to help me… well they didn't pan out, let's just say. I ended up missing time from my season because a horse got colic snd threw me down the mountain. But, I got my knee healed up as much as I could, and stared hiking in solo.

I got up there, set up camp in the timber a long ways below the saddle, and then eased up to the rim. I wanted to just check on the ewes and see where they bedded, so I would know how to approach the following morning. To my horror, as I peaked over the rim, I saw a giant horse-camp set up right in the middle of the valley. It was an elk camp, and I could not see any evidence of a successful elk kill, but a huddle of very loud guys around a very big fire. Right in the middle of the valley where the elk moved and the sheep like to come down to. They were camped where they should have been hunting, but didn't look like they cared much about hunting. I spoke with them at a later point, and my suspicions were confirmed.

2 days later, I finally found the sheep another 5 miles away. They were JUST over the divide and in another unit, but I knew I would catch them creeping back in mine if I stayed with them. But that would have meant going back for a stag camp and following them even deeper. That was WAY too far for me to safely try and take a sheep and haul it back solo on a questionable knee (I had no more horse support). So I tipped my hat to the ewes and cursed the clueless horsemen as I hiked back down to eat some very costly tag soup.


Or- maybe I'm just making up horror stories to scare all the people away, so I can go back and hunt there in peace… ha ha!

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Saw your post after I posted.

This was sort of my experience last year in one of the historically hot spots of the unit we went. We went with plan B way further north and much higher bc of warmer weather. Came across several great mulies. Heard very little shooting that week. Only dusted up a handful of cows and had a bull only tag.

lazuras_dc said:

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I had a great experience with SJO in 2020 but that was four years ago. I think they got rid of the camp we were in for rifle 2 anyway. Not sure what hunts they offer now or who their guides are.

Went with Justin Frie last year and it was a much much harder hunt for rifle 1. 5 hour horse ride and rougher terrain but he worked harrrd for us. One hunter out of three got an elk but the other two of us had some close calls just didn't quite work out in our favor. If you're up for a harder hunt I'd go that direction for rifle 1. Or I know he does day hunts for rifle 3/4 that aren't as intense that may be worth looking into.

As far as being much smaller I think Justin has acquired several camps and other outfits so it's actually a pretty big org. But from what I could tell they were still able to keep everything together nicely.

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Thanks for the suggestions.

SB IV said:

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Drew CO Elk 77/78 first rifle

Any advice in the Weminuche?

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As far as my hunt last year goes, we went really remote. Weathers the big kicker here. We had bluebird hot days and the elk had no desire to come out into the meadows. They were definitely still bugling though. Most the bugles we chased and saw were in the timber early morning and late evening. Mornings we chased bugles and evening we sat meadows.

lazarus, would you mine shooting me an email? I'd like to pick your brain on a few related questions.

aggieeng06 at gmail

I've hunted neighboring 751 in MZ, shoot me an email and I can point you to where heard them at in your unit.

mneisch at gmail.com

Drew CO 2nd rifle mulie in the same unit I pulled a bull out of last year. Tag is actually good in 4 total units, so we can really expand our hunt area.

My buddy would have been a guaranteed draw for bull tag this year if things stayed the same but he was unsuccessful. It will be interesting to see the full results when they are posted.

They are posted

mneisch said:

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I've hunted neighboring 751 in MZ, shoot me an email and I can point you to where heard them at in your unit.

mneisch at gmail.com

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Email sent

Wyoming deer and antelope results are in.

We successfully drew Region D for mule deer (Snowy Range west of Laramie). We had 2+ preference points for the group to make sure we were drawn.

SB IV- I've hunted the Weminuche wilderness on three different occasions. We set out of the Poison Park trailhead with horses and mules. Camp was about 7 miles from trailhead. These were elk hunts unit 77. I will tell you that the terrain is straight up and straight down. The further you get from the trailhead the better your odds of seeing elk. You need to be in good physical shape to hunt this country. The area has had a lot of the spruce trees die because of the beetles and the amount of deadfall is tremendous. Very hard to hunt with all the deadfall. Water in the unit is very good so you shouldn't have a problem with getting water. Like any elk hunt the elk could be there if the snows haven't moved them out. Good luck on your adventure.

Wvpd0707 said:

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SB IV- I've hunted the Weminuche wilderness on three different occasions. We set out of the Poison Park trailhead with horses and mules. Camp was about 7 miles from trailhead. These were elk hunts unit 77. I will tell you that the terrain is straight up and straight down. The further you get from the trailhead the better your odds of seeing elk. You need to be in good physical shape to hunt this country. The area has had a lot of the spruce trees die because of the beetles and the amount of deadfall is tremendous. Very hard to hunt with all the deadfall. Water in the unit is very good so you shouldn't have a problem with getting water. Like any elk hunt the elk could be there if the snows haven't moved them out. Good luck on your adventure.

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I kid you not, I was marking a path in OnX out of that trailhead this morning. I think I have my Plan A set.

AgEng06 said:

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lazarus, would you mine shooting me an email? I'd like to pick your brain on a few related questions.

aggieeng06 at gmail

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sent ya an email a week ago. lmk if you received.

I did, thanks! I just have been swamped and haven't had time to reply. Sorry about that.

Success!

Got a deer B tag for my home unit, so I should have no issue putting a doe in the freezer, at a minimum. TBF on antelope still.

Here's my Montana resident entries:

(1st choice/2nd/3rd)
Antelope: 480-20/420-20/481-20
Deer B: 121-00/104-00
Elk: 410-20/621-20/622-20
Moose: 334-50
Bighorn Sheep: 123-20
Mountain Goat: 100-20
Bison: 395-20
Elk B: 121-00/121-01/104-00

Got my CO tags in the mail yesterday.

Flatlanders who hunt Elk, were running out of time to get some kind of MTN legs going. Archery season is about to be on us.

Sometimes I incorporate a shot within my workouts. Today was four rounds after a strength regimen. 5-6 breath cycles from draw to release at 35 yards.

What is the first workout you have listed? I can make out most of the others but have no idea what that one is. Barbell squat and broad jump maybe?

I really like the shooting under duress and encourage anyone that doesn't do this with their bow to start doing this now. I normally just do air squats and maybe a quick sprint but I can't shoot at distance (more than 30) in my backyard.

I'm trying to walk and then run at incline this year more. Last couple of years I have done stair climber but I don't think it helped my cardio all that much. Leg strength is not a problem but cardio needs a little more help. Regardless, 120' > 11,000 - 12,000+ is not going to be fun…

One thing I've noticed too is I can be in great shape for day1 but then by day 3 with sore legs it's a whole diff story. So if I was going back in the mountains again I'd make sure to get 3 solid days of strength training in a row to prepare for the day3 toll.

4x10 Back Squat + 4 Box Jumps asap after putting bar down.

10 Dumb Bell Rows EA arm
4X :20 work :20 rest interval on rower
20 weighted lunges then jog to bow about 40 yards to shoot.

Shooting under duress is very helpful. In my last 2-3 steps to get to the bow, I try to calm myself down w breathing and going through my shot sequence in my mind, while telling myself to trust the float.

This one was an easier workout, there have been others where I breathe 10-12 cycles in a shot. I have a rule that if I blow a shot I repeat it to correction on firearms as well. This was a very tight group but generally as long as all my arrows fit within a 9" paper plate i don't care. ( for elk).

Got it. An elk is indeed a very large target and it sounds like you're ready to knock one down!

Nice plan you have sir. Quite diligent and I suspect it will payoff.
I will miss most of archery Elk season this year as I'll be in Alaska for a caribou float hunt for most of September.
Like you, I'm well into working out to be in top shape. For me, I subscribe to MTN Tough and really enjoy the programs they offer.
That's impressive shooting!

Catag94 said:

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Nice plan you have sir. Quite diligent and I suspect it will payoff.
I will miss most of archery Elk season this year as I'll be in Alaska for a caribou float hunt for most of September.
Like you, I'm well into working out to be in top shape. For me, I subscribe to MTN Tough and really enjoy the programs they offer.
That's impressive shooting!

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I will have to check that out. Enjoy your travels may your adventure be moat memorable.

Got my CO tags today. 3 weeks out, can't wait to disappear into the mountains for a bit

Where in CO are you hunting?

I bought my tags on Monday and am way behind on shooting my bow but have until mid September. I do feel like my cardio is much better than last year but I know I'm still going to be sucking wind the majority of the time.

I really want to go to 65 to climb uncompahgre at the end of the trip if I don't tag out, but I'll probably go back to 231 because I'll be solo for the first time and am familiar with the area

I get back from Philippines Sept 4th so I should be around if you need anything or need a place to crash.

If I kill something it'll certainly be in the worst possible place to pack out from. It'll probably be raining and 35 degrees and a minimum 5 miles from the truck. You'll definitely be welcome to help pack it out