Am I wrong thinking this way for elk ?

[TheFool]

Would like some opinions here....I’m 28, been wanting to go out west for years but can’t get anyone to commit with me so I’ve never done it, I live in MD so it’s a hike but I’m tired of waiting. Am I wrong thinking I should go to a guided hunt first instead of doing a DIY solo ? I have no kids, not married and I’m financially stable enough to go. Would like to start guided I think then switch to DIY once I get the first under my belt. Any help or opinions is appreciated


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RagnarRok]

Hey dude. I hear you. I’m from VA and decided to start two years ago. Fortunately was able to get a general area to start by a buddy who was willing to share, but then flew out and started solo.

This year I was fortunate to have a buddy come along (though he’s not hunting, just along for the vacation/ride, and some calling here or there).

To each his own, but with enough planning it’s pretty doggone rewarding to do it yourself. Nothing against guys who go with outfitters, but it sounds like you might enjoy learning it on your own too. This forum and others are great for learning what you need to learn.

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[def90]

Well, you can probably hunt solo for 4 years for the price of a guided hunt. Start doing some research and just go out on your own. Maybe you can meet up with someone else local that has the same desire as yourself and you can team up.

 

[Gerbdog]

Perfectly fine way to think, its your money and you earned it, spend it how you like, i never went with a guide but I bet It would help cut the learning curve way down at the beginning

 

[Brendan]

Depends what you're looking for. If the money's not a stretch, you want a jump start at potential success, then go guided. Lots of experience and teaching real fast.

But at the same time, if you've spent a decent amount of time hiking, backpacking, hunting out east, and consider yourself reasonably self sufficient and a decent planner then you're more than capable of DIY'ing it too.

I'm from Massachusetts, so about as far as you can get from Elk country, and my first trip in 2014 I just hopped in the truck by myself and drove to Montana for two weeks, and came home with an Archery Bull shot after 11 days of encounters... Then again, I've had trips that have been real tough and haven't seen much, let alone shot a bull too. A guide would have been awesome on those trips.

 

[Ross]

If you like a big challenge go solo.....if want to cut the learning curve and learn the ropes go guided.....as noted you can do many trips for the price of one guided hunt and with the resources today you can learn almost everything needed to have opportunity for success....

 

[Indian Summer]

It’s never to soon to start hunt on your own. But if you book with the right outfitter you can definitely learn a lot. Make sure it’s a public land outfitter who is hunting real mountains like you would on a diy hunt. Kill or no kill you can learn the ways of getting around and hunting in the hills. Sort out what gear you might want or need. Get some first hand experience on what it takes to break down an elk and pack it out. If you have the money then do it. But like I said make sure you pick the right one. Message me if you want some suggestions.

 

[TheFool]

Well, you can probably hunt solo for 4 years for the price of a guided hunt. Start doing some research and just go out on your own. Maybe you can meet up with someone else local that has the same desire as yourself and you can team up.

That’s what has been going through my mind also. I know I can go out west for cheaper DIY multiple times than one guided hunt

Perfectly fine way to think, its your money and you earned it, spend it how you like, i never went with a guide but I bet It would help cut the learning curve way down at the beginning

I was leaning guided to get the ropes down alittle easier than learning from DIY if i’ve never been.

Depends what you're looking for. If the money's not a stretch, you want a jump start at potential success, then go guided. Lots of experience and teaching real fast.

But at the same time, if you've spent a decent amount of time hiking, backpacking, hunting out east, and consider yourself reasonably self sufficient and a decent planner then you're more than capable of DIY'ing it too.

I'm from Massachusetts, so about as far as you can get from Elk country, and my first trip in 2014 I just hopped in the truck by myself and drove to Montana for two weeks, and came home with an Archery Bull shot after 11 days of encounters... Then again, I've had trips that have been real tough and haven't seen much, let alone shot a bull too. A guide would have been awesome on those trips.

Back east, I only hunt state ground. Backpack and hike in, stay overnight sometimes but not often, hike around here a lot but I know that’s nothing compared to the out west mountains, I try being farther than anyone else around here which isn’t always how it works out but I try.

That’s why I consider guided because I know there’s so much to learn out west that I don’t know. I want to do DIY hunts out there, much more rewarding but undecided if the price is worth it to learn a lot in the first year

If you like a big challenge go solo.....if want to cut the learning curve and learn the ropes go guided.....as noted you can do many trips for the price of one guided hunt and with the resources today you can learn almost everything needed to have opportunity for success....

I’ve been reading for months/years and thinking about the trip but I know hands on and boots on the ground is the best way to learn. Appreciate the help from all you guys


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CJohnson]

I've never done a guided trips, so take this with a grain of salt.

Aside from the money, the other reason I would be hesitant to do a guided trip is because I wouldn't want someone to hold my hand and walk me up over a ridge, set up everything for me, and they say, "Oh hey, look, there's a nice bull - go ahead and shoot it."

I would be concerned about how much I would actually learn in that situation. I'm sure you could get in touch with some guides and let them know you were interested in learning about hunting. I'd also be worried about all the little details that could be a pain on a DIY hunt that you don't have to worry about with a guide like: water sources, food prep, potential camp sites, packing meat out, etc.

TL;DR If you're used to backpack hunting public land, I would just go. But, no you're not wrong for looking into getting a guide.

 

[TheFool]

It’s never to soon to start hunt on your own. But if you book with the right outfitter you can definitely learn a lot. Make sure it’s a public land outfitter who is hunting real mountains like you would on a diy hunt. Kill or no kill you can learn the ways of getting around and hunting in the hills. Sort out what gear you might want or need. Get some first hand experience on what it takes to break down an elk and pack it out. If you have the money then do it. But like I said make sure you pick the right one. Message me if you want some suggestions.

I need some more posts before I can start a PM but once I get there, I’m going to send you one. Can’t get into my old account so had to start fresh. If I choose a outfitter, I want to do a mountain hunt in terrain I’d be doing myself, not really interested in a private land hunt. My first hunt I want to learn, more so than killing a bull. I know it’s a expensive learning adventure though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brendan]

I need some more posts before I can start a PM but once I get there, I’m going to send you one. Can’t get into my old account so had to start fresh. If I choose a outfitter, I want to do a mountain hunt in terrain I’d be doing myself, not really interested in a private land hunt. My first hunt I want to learn, more so than killing a bull. I know it’s a expensive learning adventure though

Here's what I'd do. Buy a point in Wyoming, I think you can still do it for this year. Then look into a guided, wilderness hunt in Wyoming that you cannot do as a nonresident. Someplace like the Thorofare that's truly wild... Bucket list experience hunt.

You probably wouldn't draw next year, but maybe. If not, you get another point next year and can look at DIY hunts in WY in the future.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

Would like some opinions here....I’m 28, been wanting to go out west for years but can’t get anyone to commit with me so I’ve never done it, I live in MD so it’s a hike but I’m tired of waiting. Am I wrong thinking I should go to a guided hunt first instead of doing a DIY solo ? I have no kids, not married and I’m financially stable enough to go. Would like to start guided I think then switch to DIY once I get the first under my belt. Any help or opinions is appreciated


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I see it both ways. Having a guide will increase the likeliness of getting one the first time because of his experience and the likelihood that it will be private property so you have less competition.

I did my first elk hunt last year in NW Colorado. It was a DIY OTC hunt in one of the most heavily hunted units from what I understand.

We had simple goals. First to hear an elk bugle, have one respond to my calling either by bugling back or coming in, seeing an elk and ultimately killing one. I live in NJ and had never been west before that trip. I learned everything I could from websites like this, listening to the early Gritty Podcasts especially the ones with Corey Jacobson and Aron Snyder. The elk 101 podcast and hunt talk. I watched the Born and Raised guys and didn’t look at it as entertainment but seeing what they did based upon the terrain and how the animals interacted with their calling. I watched every video I could to learn about OnX.

After doing all of this I spent 100+ hours e-scouting and within 15 minutes of getting to our number 1 spot we heard 3 bulls bugling on the next ridge! Goal number one met! At dark I bugled to increase the likelihood that if I got any response it would be a real elk. I had 5 respond. The original 3 and one farther up and one farther down the drainage! Goal number 2 met! Opening day we went down the drainage and originally planned on going upstream but I called near the bottom and had an elk respond farther downstream so we went that way only to get cliffed out. We turned around and at the creek crossing we had come across earlier we met a successful hunter with his cow in his pack. We talked for a while and he was shocked to meet us because he had been hunting that drainage for 10 years and never seen another person. It’s a 900 foot drop from our camp to the stream in less than 1/3 mile. Also no trail to walk. He asked where we had planned on hunting and we discussed the 5 top spots I had picked out and he said if any out of towners deserved to get an elk it was us because he had killed elk in 4 of the 5 spots. He gave me an easier route into two of the spots. We planned on giving where he killed the cow a couple days rest which was exactly where we were planning until the bugle opening morning got us to go down stream. We didn’t see or hear anything the next day. On day 3 we found a watering hole and had a cow come into 80 yards until the wind shifted and she took off. Goal number 3 met!

Unfortunately on Day 4 my son woke up with altitude sickness and we had to cut our hunt short by 5 days. We accomplished without a guide almost everything we were hoping to in what turned out to be a long weekend. I don’t think I would have had anymore sense of accomplishment if I had killed an elk using a guide. It was an awesome experience and we plan on making it a yearly event.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheFool]

I've never done a guided trips, so take this with a grain of salt.

Aside from the money, the other reason I would be hesitant to do a guided trip is because I wouldn't want someone to hold my hand and walk me up over a ridge, set up everything for me, and they say, "Oh hey, look, there's a nice bull - go ahead and shoot it."

I would be concerned about how much I would actually learn in that situation. I'm sure you could get in touch with some guides and let them know you were interested in learning about hunting. I'd also be worried about all the little details that could be a pain on a DIY hunt that you don't have to worry about with a guide like: water sources, food prep, potential camp sites, packing meat out, etc.

TL;DR If you're used to backpack hunting public land, I would just go. But, no you're not wrong for looking into getting a guide.

That’s what I don’t want either, I guess I’m asking a lot possibly from a guided hunt. I backpack hunt public land around here but I know it’s nothing like the out west mountains


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheFool]

Here's what I'd do. Buy a point in Wyoming, I think you can still do it for this year. Then look into a guided, wilderness hunt in Wyoming that you cannot do as a nonresident. Someplace like the Thorofare that's truly wild... Bucket list experience hunt.

You probably wouldn't draw next year, but maybe. If not, you get another point next year and can look at DIY hunts in WY in the future.

Thanks man! Appreciate the help. There’s so much for out west and putting points in with units that I need to learn. Midwest whitetails aren’t like this..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bsnedeker]

If you can afford a guide, do it! If you are coming all this way to hunt elk and have no experience I think it is a no brainer. I've never gone guided myself but I'm hoping to do so for moose sometime in the near future.

Yes, there is a lot to be said for DIY hunts, but there is also a lot to be said for success, maximize your chances and get a guide if you can.

 

[TheFool]

I see it both ways. Having a guide will increase the likeliness of getting one the first time because of his experience and the likelihood that it will be private property so you have less competition.

I did my first elk hunt last year in NW Colorado. It was a DIY OTC hunt in one of the most heavily hunted units from what I understand.

We had simple goals. First to hear an elk bugle, have one respond to my calling either by bugling back or coming in, seeing an elk and ultimately killing one. I live in NJ and had never been west before that trip. I learned everything I could from websites like this, listening to the early Gritty Podcasts especially the ones with Corey Jacobson and Aron Snyder. The elk 101 podcast and hunt talk. I watched the Born and Raised guys and didn’t look at it as entertainment but seeing what they did based upon the terrain and how the animals interacted with their calling. I watched every video I could to learn about OnX.

After doing all of this I spent 100+ hours e-scouting and within 15 minutes of getting to our number 1 spot we heard 3 bulls bugling on the next ridge! Goal number one met! At dark I bugled to increase the likelihood that if I got any response it would be a real elk. I had 5 respond. The original 3 and one farther up and one farther down the drainage! Goal number 2 met! Opening day we went down the drainage and originally planned on going upstream but I called near the bottom and had an elk respond farther downstream so we went that way only to get cliffed out. We turned around and at the creek crossing we had come accross earlier we met a successful hunter with his cow in his pack. We talked for a while and he was shocked to meet us because he had been hunting that drainage for 10 years and never seen another person. It’s a 900 foot drop from our camp to the stream in less than1/3 mile. Also no trail to walk. He asked where I had planned on hunting and we discussed the 5 top spots I had picked out and he said if any out of Townes deserved to get an elk it was us because he had killed elk in 4 of the 5 spots. He gave me an easier route into two of the spots. We planned on giving where he killed the cow a couple days rest which was exactly where we were planning until the bugle got us to go down stream. We didn’t see or hear anything the next day. On day 3 we found a watering hole and had a cow come into 80 yards until the wind shifted and she took off. Goal number 3 met!

Unfortunately on Day 4 my son woke up with altitude sickness and we had to cut our hunt short by 5 days. We accomplished without a guide almost everything we were hoping to in what turned out to be a long weekend. I don’t think I would have had anymore sense of accomplishment if I had killed an elk using a guide. It was an awesome experience and we plan on making it a yearly event.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s awesome! Those are some of the goals I have in my head of hitting for the first hunt if I was to do a DIY. If I chose guided, my goals change because the price does too. I’ve been spending a lot of time on onX for around here and fighting it out and occasionally I go out west and look around and there’s so much more to learn out there on it. Maybe I’ll shoot ya a message if I have any questions if you don’t mind. Still trying to get my toes in line but I’m going next year. I know a guided hunt might be out of question for next year though so might be forced for a DIY


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[YZF_88]

Perhaps you could split the difference and find somebody to meet up with. My WI buddy just left after his first 10 day hunt. We met in Idaho. I didn't have a tag but helped him 5/10 days. Made a scouting trip up there as well. Got him into elk every day even with tough hunting pressure. Had some really close chances. He hunted on his own days I had to work. Learned a ton and was at full draw at least 7 times. Just couldn't close the deal or get a clean shot. He kept his inreach on the entire time and logged 70 miles. He did great even without punching a tag.

He brought out a big bag of fresh cheese curds and venison sausage back there. Totally worth it!

 

[Str8shooter]

The information age is upon us and you have access at your finger tips to knowledge that most folks even a decade ago didnt have. Most guides I know, have an area that they know well and may or may not share much about elk hunting outside of their specific niche.... but even the information they do share, doesnt necessarily translate into elk knowledge that is transferable to other habitats, seasons or conditions. Part of the reason hunting is such an addicitve thing is the rare and raw adventure that can still be experienced. You want my opinion, ( a mostly self taught hunter who failed alot starting, and continues to fail to harvest plenty) there is no way in hell I would pay someone to effectively blunt the raw edge of that adventure and experience for me by telling me where to go, how to hunt, and when to shoot. Read up on elk behavior, habitat usage and hunting stategies for certain seasons....take the advice dispensed in hunting shows and forums like this with a grain of salt, but more than anything, get your ass in shape, and learn what it takes to find elk (binos, landscape views, callling) and let your instincts do the rest. It will be infinitely more rewarding when you accomplish your goal (which as was mentioned above, doesn't always need to be killing).

 

[Geewhiz]

Hit me up if you decide to come to montana DIY. Maybe we can get together and make something work.

 

[Indian Summer]

Wyoming points aren’t unit specific. You just buy a point and decide at application time which area you want to use them for. Do yourself a favor and go buy one right now.