UK Hunter planning trip of lifetime 2024/2025

[Colterw]

I don't have much to add except that the firearms you own and are comfortable with will be adequate. No need to add extra expenses to an already expensive endeavor.

Best of luck and I hope it becomes a reality.

 

[butcherboy]

I think your best option would be to buy a private ranch hunt or a unit wide tag from a rancher in NM. Both of those can be done diy but you have a short window to accomplish that without being able to scout much. Play the draw game in NM. No points, just luck of the draw and if you don’t draw then buy a unit wide tag. I know if you are over 18 then you don’t need any kind of hunter safety card or program. Not entirely sure on that though for NR’s or non-citizens.

 

[74Bronco]

Not sure where you are located in England, but there maybe some US airmen with experience that would give you all the info they knew for a few cold ones. None of that room temperature stuff. Other than that, devour this forum, front to back, and apply/buy points this year. Like starting in a week. And watch those videos.
Good luck!

 

[Doc Holliday]

I know if you are over 18 then you don’t need any kind of hunter safety card or program. Not entirely sure on that though for NR’s or non-citizens.

Maybe for New Mexico....

In Montana, any hunter born after January 1, 1985, must have passed a hunter's safety course

Montana Hunting Laws and Regulations | Hunter-ed.com™

Learn about Montana hunting laws and hunter education requirements. Take the official Montana hunter safety course online. Study the course for free!

www.hunter-ed.com

In Wyoming, anyone born after Jan 1, 1966 must have one.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Hunter Education | Welcome to the Wyoming Hunter Education page

Wyoming Hunter Education

wgfd.wyo.gov

In Colorado, its anyone born after Jan 1, 1949:

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. The agency manages 42 state parks, all of Colorado's wildlife, more than 300 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs. CPW issues hunting and fishing...

cpw.state.co.us

Etc....Each state is different

 

[KurtR]

Points program primer:

Watch all the strategy videos from Randy Newberg

and others. Even if not everything they say is 100% perfect, there will be tons of information to suck in.

Wyoming Game and Fish has a very informative hunting website. The hunt planner is without peer among Western Wildlife Management agencies.

We have free ranging wild elk in:
Wyoming
Montana
Idaho
Colorado
California
Washington
Oregon
Utah
Oklahoma
North Dakota
South Dakota
New Mexico
Texas (in the Davis mountains and in the Hill Country)
Pennsylvania
Michigan
Kentucky
Nebraska
Minnesota
Maybe 1 or 2 others.


Other than Wyoming's Wilderness Areas you can hunt elk without a guide in all of them, provided that you can get a tag.

Some of them do not have public land elk hunts and you must pay an outfitter. Texas is a good example, but there are a ton of other ones.

They are called different things in different states, but there are programs in California, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho and New Mexico where you can buy a tag from an outfitter for a private land hunt. These are called landowner tags or landowner vouchers or ranching for wildlife. There are also units in Montana and Wyoming that have very limited public land and a higher draw odds, as you would be paying an outfitter to hunt private land. These hunts are $8000-18,000.

All of these have wild huntable elk programs. Not all of them are open to non-residents of those states. Maybe 2-3 are not, but I don't know for sure. North Dakota is the only one I know is not open to non-residents.

Some states have over the counter OTC elk tags for private land hunts (called different things in different states), and true OTC elk tags for public lands (Idaho and Colorado) of questionable quality.

Some states and Canadian provinces have high-fenced ranches that have elk. They range from the 20,000 or so acres of the Jicarilla game park to ranches that have elk on 30 acres. There are some really good value elk hunts in Saskatchewan and the Jicarilla. Some huge bulls for $7000 or so.

We also have the independently managed elk programs on American Indian Reservations. There are like 30 of them, but the famous ones are the Jicarilla, Mescalero Apache, White Mountain in Arizona and New Mexico. There are also some in Montana and other places. The better elk programs have what they call "management" bull hunts. This would equal a bull that most people will crawl through hell for. Prices on reservations are really high $15,000-30,000 for the better ones. The management hunts are under $10,000.

The Canadians have huntable elk programs in Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon that they offer guided hunts on. Some on "indigenous peoples tribal lands" (Canadians are very politically correct), and some on National Forest type lands (I don't know if this called Crown Land like it is in New Zealand or not).

Canadian elk hunts in BC and Alberta are horseback and in wilderness areas, are a very good value, often under $10,000 and I have seen them for $8,000. Many can combine hunts for moose, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and black bears. Everything in the Yukon is expensive.

There are also ranch based elk hunts in Saskatchewan and Quebec, these can be a good value for huge bulls.

Of those states that you listed I know both south and north dakota are resident only for elk tags .

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Of those states that you listed I know both south and north dakota are resident only for elk tags .

Nebraska as well.

 

[Rich M]

The hunter safety cards can be obtained online with minimal time investment. Might be worth the referesher course. Im guessing but we may have more hunters in the hunt areas?

If you want bugling elk, CO guided elk hunt with a muzzleloader. That’s during the proper timeframe and there will be plenty of archers running around. Surprised to hear you-all cant hunt with archery. Over here they try to push it on us. Some guys are exceedingly good at it.

The NM land owner tag is a good way to achieve your dream. It could be guided. Your .308 is plenty of gun for an elk.

I would focus on an outfitter/guide operation and hunt through them. Many do the timber mountain hunts and many hunt private land and could bundle elk, deer, antelope into a package if that appeals to you and your budget.

There are state programs where you can donate the meat to the needy. They have titles like hunters for the homeless and such.

Best wishes for your trip.

The advice you get from the outfitters will be correct for their state and areas they hunt. Preference points and obtaining a tag may be the biggest hurdle.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

You already mentioned that the experience and adventure are top priorities and killing a bull would be icing on the cake. With that being said, and having done a wilderness hunt in 2021, I HIGHLY recommend researching a traditional pack-in hunt with an outfitter (unless a Rokslider would consider taking you). Going 15-20 miles into a wilderness area on horse is an amazing experience where you meet the elk where they're at with reduced pressure. Absolutely no guarantees on seeing or killing one, but if you want to experience the splendor of the West and the Rockies, I can think of no better way to do it. May end up being a nice horse ride and backpacking trip, but you will leave with incredible memories and burning desire to come back.

If killing something is the top priority, I concur with others that a landowner or other private land hunt would maximize your odds of success. However, shooting your first elk in an irrigated ag field may not be the experience you're looking for. To each their own.

 

[butcherboy]

Hey Doc, yes, I know all the rules for each state are different. That’s why in my post above I specifically mentioned NM. He could play the draw game here and have a chance at a dang good elk hunt with no worry about points. Doesn’t draw then simply contact the landowner selling unit wide tags. By the voucher from them and the tag from the state. Gives a hunter the ability to hunt the whole unit and the private property. Essentially, I don’t agree with the landowner tag system but it’s a good option without waiting years and years to acquire enough points to draw.

 

[eddielasvegas]

Let me suggest you add Arizona to the potential states you'd elk hunt.

Lots of elk and some big ones too if you draw the right tag, but not sure how NR tags are awarded.

Good luck on your hunt and keep us posted.


Eddie

 

[jmannas]

Bear spray is impressively effective, but has trade offs - research them. In Canada we aren’t allowed handguns in the wilderness so that’s all people use. It is recommend to practice with it and learning the best practices. No fun if it goes off by accident when, not if, the safety piece falls off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tony]

You can't hunt with a bow in the UK?
Thats like the most basic and ancient of killing tools.
But then again, your government doesn't trust you with a pocket knife

 

[canyonhunter47]

Let me suggest you add Arizona to the potential states you'd elk hunt.

Lots of elk and some big ones too if you draw the right tag, but not sure how NR tags are awarded.

Good luck on your hunt and keep us posted.


Eddie

AZ is a decent suggestion if OP doesn’t mind waiting a few years and can live without bugling elk. The late rifle hunts in non glory units can mostly be drawn before 10 NR points (at least in 2022). Early rifle elk odds are too low to justify the cost to even apply. And he will need serious luck to draw even a late rifle bull tag by 24/25

 

[UK_hunter]

Thanks for all the input guys, greatly appreciated. Amazing how many PM’s I have had offering help. Unfortunately this site seems to be preventing me sending messages back at the moment!

 

[JMasson]

Thanks for all the input guys, greatly appreciated. Amazing how many PM’s I have had offering help. Unfortunately this site seems to be preventing me sending messages back at the moment!

You must have 10 posts to send PMs.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Thanks for all the input guys, greatly appreciated. Amazing how many PM’s I have had offering help. Unfortunately this site seems to be preventing me sending messages back at the moment!

Great bunch of folks on here for NR guys like us.

 

[Gobbler36]

good luck

 

[Sawtoothsteve]

Good to know one week isn’t enough, I had initially though 2 weeks but thought perhaps buddying up with a stranger that timeframe may deter some. I was hoping to come over to the US for a month either side of what ever date the season is and/or lucky enough to draw tags for.

Good for you for pursuing a dream hunt and doing the planning!

If you prefer to be "buddied up" I would definitely find a guide. Finding a buddy that you are compatible with being together hours on end in the wilderness is a long-shot. At least a guide is paid to accommodate you as a hunter. If you are comfortable alone in the wild, go for it, but just know your odds of filling your tag will be low. Good luck and have fun with your planning.

 

[KBC]

British Columbia’s archery elk season is September 1-9. Rifle season with 6 points or more antler restrictions in most places starts September 10th before prime rut time and runs until October 20th in most areas.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

British Columbia’s archery elk season is September 1-9. Rifle season with 6 points or more antler restrictions in most places starts September 10th before prime rut time and runs until October 20th in most areas.

Any idea on the firearm rules/restrictions now that Canada is clamping down even further on hunting rifles?