FloridaCracker94
FNG
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2026
- Messages
- 1
Hey everybody,
I am a 32 year old hunter/fisherman from Florida. Archery elk hunting out west is on my bucket list but with with a 2 year old boy (and another boy on the way as early as this month) and a demanding job, it simply isn't a trip that I can swing every year. Otherwise, I'd go without an outfitter and embrace the learning curve year after year. I hope to go in the next 3-5 years but would like to do everything I can to maximize my odds of success on that trip, knowing it may be the only one I get to do for awhile. I'm finally ready to take some action and start applying for points so that I can make it happen.
My question for you all is what states and, if you are willing to share, units, would you recommend applying for points in for someone looking to draw a tag in 3-5 years. Also probably relevant is that I plan to hire an outfitter, but something that is important to me is not staying in a lodge or otherwise being treated as simply a shooter instead of a hunter. I want to pack, hike, camp in the backcountry, do the hard work, learn how to hunt elk, and hopefully pack out an animal (on my own back rather than an outfitter driving up in a side by side and doing the work for me). I want to do everything I would be required to do if I hunted by myself, but with a guide alongside me to share knowledge.
I also think that, since my hunting experience is mostly limited to deer hunting in the Southeastern USA, an outfitter is a much safer option while also helping me learn how to hunt elk, safely navigate the backcountry, and learn the skills that will allow me to go with my boys on our own when they get older.
Any and all advice that you folks are willing to share would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to direct message me if you prefer. Thanks for reading!
Troy
I am a 32 year old hunter/fisherman from Florida. Archery elk hunting out west is on my bucket list but with with a 2 year old boy (and another boy on the way as early as this month) and a demanding job, it simply isn't a trip that I can swing every year. Otherwise, I'd go without an outfitter and embrace the learning curve year after year. I hope to go in the next 3-5 years but would like to do everything I can to maximize my odds of success on that trip, knowing it may be the only one I get to do for awhile. I'm finally ready to take some action and start applying for points so that I can make it happen.
My question for you all is what states and, if you are willing to share, units, would you recommend applying for points in for someone looking to draw a tag in 3-5 years. Also probably relevant is that I plan to hire an outfitter, but something that is important to me is not staying in a lodge or otherwise being treated as simply a shooter instead of a hunter. I want to pack, hike, camp in the backcountry, do the hard work, learn how to hunt elk, and hopefully pack out an animal (on my own back rather than an outfitter driving up in a side by side and doing the work for me). I want to do everything I would be required to do if I hunted by myself, but with a guide alongside me to share knowledge.
I also think that, since my hunting experience is mostly limited to deer hunting in the Southeastern USA, an outfitter is a much safer option while also helping me learn how to hunt elk, safely navigate the backcountry, and learn the skills that will allow me to go with my boys on our own when they get older.
Any and all advice that you folks are willing to share would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to direct message me if you prefer. Thanks for reading!
Troy
