Colorado elk outfitter?

[emmagator]

Looking for a starting point for guide research or recommendations fir a Colorado trophy elk hunt. This hunt is really fir my 70 yr old dad. We live in Oregon and have harvested several elk, but he is looking for a true trophy. We are really about diy fair chase hunting, do a guided hunt is kinda out of the box for us. We would really like done kind of drop camp or semi guided, but i understand an outfitter us not going to drop you off in a trophy area that his guided clients are hunting, and my dad wants a true trophy, do were open to fully guided.

Expectations. Some of these might not be realistic but I'm going to list them as if this was the perfect hunt.

Rifle hunt
Trophy quality/lots of animals
Drop camp/semi guided preferred. No sit back while guide hunts and all we do is shoot. We want to actively hunt for ourselves.
Complete fair chase wild elk
Private land
No horse experience, but willing
Rustic base camp/satellite camps preferred over lodge
Prefer to pack our own meat
Probably think of more later

Again, were only considering fully guided due to the fact that we would most likely get on better animals. This is all a first for my dad and i, so my ideas and expectations maybe off, so I'm welcome to advice and recommendations. Thanks

 

[cohunter14]

Check out elkcamp.com. The owner, Jay Houston, has a bunch of guides that he works with and should be able to point you in the right direction. Great guy too. Good luck!

 

[silvertip-co]

Try these nice folks:

Sable Mountain Outfitters

And no I am not a rep for them. Our favorite game warden recommended them a long time ago.

 

[emmagator]

Ok after more thought and discussion, we want to try a self guided private land trespass fee type hunt. With high potential for 300"+ bull. Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Ps. We also are open to other states also.

 

[The Oregonian]

This will give you some idea of what a guided hunt will cost, and what the sizes are for the price ranges.

Not saying you should do those trips, but it at least gives you am idea of cost, length, what it includes, etc.

Cabela's

 

[COBrad]

Is the idea to find an inexpensive hunt or to do it yourself. An inexpensive hunt with real trophy potential is a bit of an oxymoron. Not saying it can't happen, but most private land with true trophy class animals is a relatively high dollar proposition... at least that has been my observation here in CO.
While CO has more elk than any other state or province on the planet, we are not especially noted for trophy bulls. I would suggest considering New Mexico, Arizona, or Alberta... and get your checkbook out.
If you want a great hunt with good possibility for a nice representative bull, there are a lot of great options.
Take a look at unit 61. This is a trophy area that also has produced good bulls. My daughter shot a 333 bull there on a DIY hunt a few years ago. You might call the Division of Parks and Wildlife in Montrose for suggestions.
Best of luck when you get a hunt lined out.

 

[emmagator]

Is the idea to find an inexpensive hunt or to do it yourself. An inexpensive hunt with real trophy potential is a bit of an oxymoron.

I agree, i believe its a tough bill to fill. We would really like a to get a trophy, thats why we were considering a guided hunt. But after hunting in Oregon on public lands our whole life, my dad and i dont know if we would be satisfied with being guided to the elk.

So we thought if we could get a private land hunt, self-guided, trespass type hunt, we could do the hunting ourselves but be in a spot with trophy potential.

The other issue is my dad will be 70 in 2014, he gets around really good, can still do some hiking. However, a 4 mile hike into backcountry, or drop camp where all the hunting is done in rugged terrain on foot just wont work.

Im trying to find a happy medium. But im realizing were going to have to make a sacrifice somewhere.

 

[COBrad]

I hear you on the being guided part. I worked a Dall Sheep/Grizzly hunt in AK as a packer a few years ago. Having been a licensed outfitter and guide for three decades, it was a great way to participate in a great hunt and fly around the Brooks Range in a small plane for free.
I was not paid, so I was given a cow Caribou tag after the hunt was over, and the guide and I were turned loose for several days to hunt and fish and sleep really late. It was great.
The guide worked for me as my guide, right down to dressing the animal. It was a nice gesture, but just felt weird. I don't need a guide... I AM the guide!

Anyway, give this guy a call. He has a drop camp type hunt from small cabins based on private land. His hunters have a good success rate with a very high rate of return hunters. He used to guide for me and I will vouch for his honesty and integrity.

Hills Guide Service 970-487-3731. Speak with Mark or Jeanette

 

[emmagator]

I hear you on the being guided part. I worked a Dall Sheep/Grizzly hunt in AK as a packer a few years ago. Having been a licensed outfitter and guide for three decades, it was a great way to participate in a great hunt and fly around the Brooks Range in a small plane for free.
I was not paid, so I was given a cow Caribou tag after the hunt was over, and the guide and I were turned loose for several days to hunt and fish and sleep really late. It was great.
The guide worked for me as my guide, right down to dressing the animal. It was a nice gesture, but just felt weird. I don't need a guide... I AM the guide!

Anyway, give this guy a call. He has a drop camp type hunt from small cabins based on private land. His hunters have a good success rate with a very high rate of return hunters. He used to guide for me and I will vouch for his honesty and integrity.

Hills Guide Service 970-487-3731. Speak with Mark or Jeanette

I will thanks

 

[Timmyatneb]

Whatever you do don't do Rick sears Apache park. When i was there he didn't seem to care if you shot an elk or not. Plus i had a 800 dollar pay check in my shirt pocket, i got in a car axident and the hospital staff cut my chothes of me and threw them away. He would't. Re issue the check. I called him a few times since and said if i was ever in colorado again i would stop in and tell him HI. AND WE COULD FIQURE IT OUT.

 

[emmagator]

My brain is getting fried researching this, and ive only been at it a month or so. This is soo much money for us i dont want to make a bad decision and have a crappy hunt. aaaaaah!

 

[Dr. Vette]

But after hunting in Oregon on public lands our whole life, my dad and i dont know if we would be satisfied with being guided to the elk.

I wish it was that easy.

I've been on 4 guided elk hunts and so far have 1 cow and 1 bull to show for it. My Dad (also now 70, like yours) has a spike bull to show for it from our first trip. Now, last year's hunt he strained his ankle and also turned down a shot so he could also have had two to his credit, but don't think for a minute that you get "guided to the elk", pull the trigger and go home. If so I'd be 4 for 4.

My first year I had zero opportunity as the elk all stayed on the non-hunted land next door and I didn't take a cow on the first day, the second trip I shot the cow because it ran at me, stopping at 31 yards , 3rd trip never even saw a bull or cow with a "high opportunity" outfitter in NM, and 4th trip got a bull.

I just want to be sure you go into this with the correct frame of mind.
My Dad at 70 will probably have another elk hunt or two, and since he has no bull to his credit I'm gently pushing him to buy a landowner tag in the big bull areas of New Mexico and "get it done" so to speak.

Good luck in your quest.