How to find a reputable outfitter and get a tag for that hunt?

[Erussell01]

Hey guys!
My brother just sprung on me that he'd like to go elk hunting in 2024 and he'd like to go with an outfitter. I've never considered an outfitted hunt but since it'll be my 30th, he has offered to pay for half of my expenses as a birthday present and since it'll likely be our only elk hunt together I want to make sure to find us a high quality outfitter.

I'm not sure where to start, and how likely we will be to get a tag. I hear MT is friendly to outfitted hunts, but In the research I've done so far I can't seem to figure out exactly how that tag system works. I have 2 points in MT and my brother has 1, but I believe I will zero out if I don't apply this year unless I'm really misunderstanding.

Any and all help is appreciated- and any recommendations are welcome.

 

[CAElkhunter]

There a few online services. HuntinFool, Epic and others that you can join to find recommended outfitters.
You will probably get some responses here also. My MT outfitter who was awesome retired. Once you
get some responses, even from the services get a list of references and spend the time calling many to ask
questions about the lodging, food, guides, what week they went, number of Elk seen and experience. Don't just take someone's word. Once you find
one that seems good, re-post here and see what the responses are.

There are many good outfitters but some really bad ones with great marketing.

 

[bxanders]

RMEF has been a good resource for me although, I have not booked with any one outfitter as of yet, still researching. In their Outfitters Camp page, they list a bunch of outfitters by state.

 

[Northpark]

I’d try finding a NM hunt with a landowner tag. Seems like the easiest route. Or maybe a CO hunt in an OTC area or 0-1 point unit.

 

[Jaquomo]

What's your budget? Are you looking for a horseback-wall tent-wilderness hunt with lower success rate, or a private land-cabin-lodge hunt with higher success rate at a higher cost? What sort of physical condition are you both in?

I’d try finding a NM hunt with a landowner tag. Seems like the easiest route. Or maybe a CO hunt in an OTC area or 0-1 point unit.

 

[Jaquomo]

Sorry, that was intended for the OP, not you Northpark.

 

[Erussell01]

There a few online services. HuntinFool, Epic and others that you can join to find recommended outfitters.
You will probably get some responses here also. My MT outfitter who was awesome retired. Once you
get some responses, even from the services get a list of references and spend the time calling many to ask
questions about the lodging, food, guides, what week they went, number of Elk seen and experience. Don't just take someone's word. Once you find
one that seems good, re-post here and see what the responses are.

There are many good outfitters but some really bad ones with great marketing.

That's my fear. If we are only going to go once together, I'd want it to be a good trip.

My brother won't ever make a trip back so this one is worth the effort to find a good one

 

[Erussell01]

RMEF has been a good resource for me although, I have not booked with any one outfitter as of yet, still researching. In their Outfitters Camp page, they list a bunch of outfitters by state.

Awesome! I didn't know that was even a thing. Thank you!!

 

[Erussell01]

I’d try finding a NM hunt with a landowner tag. Seems like the easiest route. Or maybe a CO hunt in an OTC area or 0-1 point unit.

I hadn't considered NM because I've never been there and don't know as much about the draw system there. I know he doesn't want to go to Colorado otc on public land after some of his friends went and told him there was a person behind every tree.

 

[Erussell01]

What's your budget? Are you looking for a horseback-wall tent-wilderness hunt with lower success rate, or a private land-cabin-lodge hunt with higher success rate at a higher cost? What sort of physical condition are you both in?

We'd like to stay below 10,000 for both of us total. I'm not sure that is realistic or not. I'm down for whatever kind of hunt we can do that has a decent success rate. Ive never done any guided hunt so I'm open to just about anything. I honestly don't care if I kill one on that trip since I'll be back every year that i can, but I'd be really really happy if he could have a good opportunity.

Physical condition is no issue for me, I train hard year round. He isn't in bad shape, and he knows he is going to need to train to be able to do it.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Since he is willing to pay half, check out Lodge at Chama Land and Cattle in Chama, NM. Top notch first class everything, but a little $$$$. Beautiful country, and just South (less than 7 miles) of the Colorado border.

Sorry- I was typing my reply while you were typing you wanted to stay under $10 K. Never mind

 

[Erussell01]

Since he is willing to pay half, check out Lodge at Chama Land and Cattle in Chama, NM. Top notch first class everything, but a little $$$$. Beautiful country, and just South (less than 7 miles) of the Colorado border.

Sorry- I was typing my reply while you were typing you wanted to stay under $10 K. Never mind

Thank you for the recommendation though!

 

[Seamaster]

Less than $5,000 each is going to be tough. I know a couple of fellows that have taken hunts in that price range and both of them say they wasted their money. Both of their hunts were on small private holdings and then public land in areas that had many public land hunters already pounding the area. One of them said that there were eleven other hunters in camp and only one of the twelve even saw an elk.

 

[wyosteve]

Agree with Seamaster. if you're looking at about $5000 each, it's next to impossible. Now, if you meant each of you can go up to $10,000 then there are more possibilities. If you really want to stick to no more than $5000 each, you might consider a guided cow elk hunt.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I agree with Seamaster also (and wyosteve). I believe if an outfitter is only charging $5000, that is close to what he is paying for the landowner permit in New Mexico. To make up for the minimal profit, he will book more hunters. You might find he overbooks the property with too many hunters. You might think that the outfitter will only book the amount of hunters that he has landowner tags for that ranch. BUT in New Mexico, an outfitter can buy tags from any ranch owner in that GMU, and hunt his leased ranch with the tags even though they were intended for a different Ranch, as long as they are in the same GMU.
It happened to a Ranch I used to hunt in Chama. The Outfitter put up "Want to buy tags" in every store and restaurant in Chama. He bought all the tags he could for the area, and over hunted the Ranch he was hunting on. Plenty of hunters, but you were lucky to even see a 4 X 4 when you hunted there. It was run into the ground and ruined. I hunted that Ranch before it was sold back in the early 2000's, and usually killed the first day, never anything smaller than a 6 X 6. No more-it's crap now, and the price is over $10k.

 

[Northpark]

I hadn't considered NM because I've never been there and don't know as much about the draw system there. I know he doesn't want to go to Colorado otc on public land after some of his friends went and told him there was a person behind every tree.

I agree with avoiding Colorado OTC. NM has a landowner tag system that allows you to book a hunt and get the tag through the outfitter. 10k limit for both is gonna be tough though. Maybe look at private land Colorado hunts. Or cow hunts.

 

[19trailboss]

Thank you for the recommendation though!

Hey guys!
My brother just sprung on me that he'd like to go elk hunting in 2024 and he'd like to go with an outfitter. I've never considered an outfitted hunt but since it'll be my 30th, he has offered to pay for half of my expenses as a birthday present and since it'll likely be our only elk hunt together I want to make sure to find us a high quality outfitter.

I'm not sure where to start, and how likely we will be to get a tag. I hear MT is friendly to outfitted hunts, but In the research I've done so far I can't seem to figure out exactly how that tag system works. I have 2 points in MT and my brother has 1, but I believe I will zero out if I don't apply this year unless I'm really misunderstanding.

Any and all help is appreciated- and any recommendations are welcome.

Did you decide on a outfitter yet? If not message me i have a recommended outfitter with a few spots available for 2023 and 2024, at $4500 per person

 

[Erussell01]

Has anybody ever done a semi guided hunt?

 

[trevvamos]

RMEF has been a good resource for me although, I have not booked with any one outfitter as of yet, still researching. In their Outfitters Camp page, they list a bunch of outfitters by state.

+1 for using RMEF, drew and unexpected tag in Montana last year, and was able to secure a world class outfitter this way.

 

[MSmiley]

I wouldn’t trust a hunt at $5k each unless it came with a very trusted recommendation. I’d consider 2 options with that budget:

1. Both pay, one hunts, one goes along for the trip. More to the hunt than killing. Switch next time. You can get better hunts when you look above $7-8k pp.

2. Use that money to buy a landowner tag. It would be DIY, but it could get you private land access, or at least a decent unit.