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Money Invested/Money Squandered?

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Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby Swede » 01 01, 2019 •  [Post 1]

Indian Summer's post about saving your money on a guide to put on equipment, got me to thinking again. So what do you think; is money spent on a quality guide a good investment for a new elk hunter or not?
I assume you need to pay for a good guide as experienced elk hunters, that can put you on game, are not sitting around just waiting for you to invite yourself to hunt with them.
I still remember how hard I hunted, for so long, until I felt comfortable in what I was doing. I still remember all of the help I received along the way. There are a lot of people ready to show you, but not many that will take you and show you at the same time.
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby saddlesore » 01 01, 2019 •  [Post 2]

For someone that has never hunted elk before,hiring a competent guide /outfitter is a wise thing to do.Sure even a blind squirrel can find an acorn every once in awhile,but mostly a neophyte is going to stumble around for 2-5 years before they figure it out .Money ahead when comparing it to those 2-5 years
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby Roosiebull » 01 01, 2019 •  [Post 3]

I think it depends, I think some, maybe many guided trips are a waste of money if investing in elk hunting knowledge, you would have to pick your trip.

Buying a trip and killing an elk in an ag field the first morning won't teach you much
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby Indian Summer » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 4]

On that particular thread Swede the poster wasn’t actually going to hire a guide. He was considering booking a drop camp. So basically renting a camp for 2 grand... per person.

To me there are only two values to that: The first is if the camp is at least 5 miles from the truck. In that case your money has bought you time. You have a nice camp wheat etc that would have taken you a minimum of 2 full days to get in and out.

The other bang for your buck is packing. If you are 5 miles in and hunt even further away from the vehicle having an outfitter to pack elk out gives you the ability and the confidence to kill an elk anywhere you want without killing your self to get it out AND potentially losing the meat.

There are places especially in Colorado where this is probably a good investment. But in Wyoming or Montana there’s no need to start that far from the road. Base camps at the vehicle are good enough to be into elk. My spike camp is only about 2.5 miles in. For years I’ve hunted that area from the truck.

But to answer the question if a person has never hunted the big mountains just getting a lesson in camp set up and how to traverse those hills is also a value. The chance to kill an elk when realistically you probably wouldn’t on your own is likely the main justification for hiring a guide. If a hunter has zero experience either elk hunting or in knowing the lay of the land and how elk use it the fact is that their success is 90% dependent on luck.
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby Elkhntr08 » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 5]

I was thinking that the only time I’ve had a guide was in Africa, but that’s wrong. We had an outfitter in Canada for a bear hunt.
In Africa, it was a fun and exciting hunt, mainly because my wife joined me in the blind and the PH was not on the hunt with us. It lacked a lot of the experience of a true hunt. I know that the work starts when you pull the trigger, but it’s also part of the memory.
In Canada, the outfitter started the baits and we took over when we got there. We ended up moving 6 out of 7 baits used and went 6 for 7 on bears. The next year, he was using the new sites we’d set up.
I think for a guy or gal that want to “kill” a elk, a guide is the perfect solution. Less time required and a whole lot less money for gear. I’ve never been one that wants to be led by the hand and told which one and when to shoot. I look for guidance wherever I can and decide what will work for me. Sometimes I’m wrong, but I keep trying. What else can I do? Got to feed the addiction.
I do appreciate all the help I’ve received here and from guys I’ve met. Guide fee is in the mail!
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby saddlesore » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 6]

If a hunter doesn't have the gear,or horses/mules and needs both to get into better areas, definitely an outfitter for drop camps . Most don't realize it,but unless you have pasture to feed your stock at least 6 months out of the year,it's going to cost you $1200-$1500 a year to keep each animal, and you need two, unless you want to walk. These are real figure, not made up as I have kept horses or mules for 40+ year. Add that to the time saving that IS mentioned for a set up camp and the $3000 is money well spent. Most drop camp outfitters will have their wrangler give you some clue as to where to hunt.

As IS mentioned. Colorado is way different than WY, MT. Even some draw units are a sea of orange come elk season. Foot hunters even get back in 3-5 miles. I camp at a trailhead and ride in every day 3-6 miles in country that will hunt out foot hunter in 3 days unless they back pack in

Plus the factor of getting your meat out.

I am not talking about private land hunts where you have a guide and they already know where the elk are
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby Swede » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 7]

Joe you are totally correct about JohnK wanting a drop camp. I misread the post. I agree $2,000 would be more than I would want to pay unless I could share the expense 3 or 4 ways. Thanks for the correction.

I really know nothing about John or his needs. He said he is a newbie. Is that a newbie to elk hunting or just the forum? I understood it was both. If he is a newbie to elk hunting, I would hope he has some good inside information, or the outfitter will guide him wisely on where to hunt. I have read horror stories about outfitters offering worthless drop camp hunts. A newbie just having someone packing them in and dropping them off somewhere is a potential disaster just waiting to happen. Not only is it likely there will be no elk around, but you are stuck there for the duration.
Is a guided 1X1 or 2X1 elk hunt a good investment for a newbie or money squandered?
I have never had a guided elk hunt. My experience with a guided caribou was great. My experience with a guided turkey hut was just Ok. I never saw a turkey until I left the guide's home and was on my way home. I did learn a few things that I could use if I hunted turkeys on my own, but not much.
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby saddlesore » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 8]

$2000 is a little low for a qualitty drop camp
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby Roosiebull » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 9]

saddlesore wrote:$2000 is a little low for a qualitty drop camp

But like you mentioned, you would pay that in feed having your own animals, plus the responsibility, but I bet there is a lot of satisfaction in that whole process and self reliance
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby saddlesore » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 10]

Roosiebull wrote:
saddlesore wrote:$2000 is a little low for a qualitty drop camp

But like you mentioned, you would pay that in feed having your own animals, plus the responsibility, but I bet there is a lot of satisfaction in that whole process and self reliance


What I meant is that it would be hard to find $2000 quality drop camp. Probably have to add $500 to that. I remember 20 years ago they were going for $1600-$1800
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby Deanmac » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 11]

I did a drop camp in Colorado last year. I learned the folks that had been coming for years had the best camps and took elk. The first time folks like me got the bottom of the barrel in camps and IMO the outfitter did not expect us to come back when we booked the hunt. We just added to his cash flow for the season. It was a nice camping experience and ride in/out on the horses. I think the four of us paid, $6200 total. The only elk we saw were miles away and probably 3000 feet higher than our camp.
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby saddlesore » 01 02, 2019 •  [Post 12]

Good outfitters depend on repeat customers rather than new clients. Poor outfitters have to Russel up new clients every year
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Re: Money Invested/Money Squandered?

Postby DWBMontana » 01 03, 2019 •  [Post 13]

I will throw this into the mix...leasing land. In my opinion a good compromise between guided hunts and diy hunts. I have chosen this route in hunting here in Montana. So many ranches are leased by outfitters, so they are not cheap. But the benefits are good in my experience. Animals are more relaxed I have found. Even if one decides to go with a guide or buy info online, if they are hunting public ground, they will have competition. I live up here just north of the Missouri breaks, I have seen what hunting is like on public land, not my cup of tea. I would rather hunt animals that have not been pushed from drainage to drainage. Having leased ground, one can regulate pressure on that ground, resting it for periods of time. There is a lot to be said for hunting critters in their natural area's that haven't been pushed day in and day out. It is not cheap, but it is not as expensive as guided hunts. Guided hunts in the area of Montana I lease land for elk go around $6500. Now that does include all the services of the outfitter of course. I have leased 3 weeks of bow hunting out on over 11,000 acres to 3 groups of 4, resting a week between groups the 1st and 3rd week, the 4th week the group of 4 preferred to come then. The cost is $2500 a hunter. They are responsible for all their stay, I imagine they can do it for $1000 a person, staying in tents or campers. A lot of people prefer this to having someone lead them through the woods. Plus, like mentioned before, you have no others hunting the property, this is huge to me. But it all comes down to the individual, what they want out of their hunt and their ability to pay for it.
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