Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

A Better Hunt

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

A Better Hunt

Postby Swede » 04 15, 2018 •  [Post 1]

For either a rifle or bow hunt: Would you rather go on a guided ranch hunt, where shooting a 5 or 6 point was common, or would you choose a high quality draw, self guided hunt? For this selection cost is not a factor, nor is the time to draw.

For me neither the meat nor the antlers are much of a decision point. The quality of the hunt is what I am interested in. I think I would choose a guided rifle hunt. I would have taken a regular DIY bow hunt early. I definitely do not want a drive out into a pasture, and "shoot the third bull to the right" hunt. For me the person of guide would be critical. I don't want a kid that just graduated from guide school and is full of pee and vinegar.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Navesgane » 04 15, 2018 •  [Post 2]

If it's paid for I'd do a guided bow hunt right now and hope to learn a lot from the guide.
Instagram @jeff.reilly1
User avatar
Navesgane
Rank: Satellite Bull
 
Posts: 309
Joined: 08 05, 2013
Location: Telluride CO
First Name: Jeff

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Grousewit » 04 15, 2018 •  [Post 3]

Hi Swede old buddy, went on my first elk hunt last year. Was a 1st wk rifle hunt. Had 2 guides and 8 hunters strategically placed. We were rotated on the stands. Four 5x's were harvested. To me for the first elk hunt it was awesome and would do again in a heartbeat! Watching the guides with the horses getting an elk out is worth it. So is seeing hundreds of elk in person. Cattle drive was pretty neat too.
62 yr old Hunter/Trapper/Shooter
Grousewit
Rank: Spike
 
Posts: 121
Joined: 03 06, 2017
Location: Central PA

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Joe Schmo » 04 15, 2018 •  [Post 4]

High quality draw hands down!!!
100% self guided.
100% packer packin out my quarters.
User avatar
Joe Schmo
Rank: Spike
 
Posts: 163
Joined: 12 22, 2017

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Elkhunttoo » 04 15, 2018 •  [Post 5]

Draw for me.
Elkhunttoo
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1160
Joined: 05 23, 2016

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby currie » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 6]

Self guided hands down!
currie
Rank: Calf
 
Posts: 79
Joined: 06 08, 2015

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby saddlesore » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 7]

I have only been on one guided hunt in my life.That was in Alberta.Took a decent bull,but not great.It sure wasn't a pasture hunt though. I saw hundreds of elk migrating out of Baniff NP.They switched guides on me and when we did encounter the bull, it was snowing heavy sideways.The guide says it was a good bull so I busted the cap.Same size as I got here in Colorado.Fast forward about 25 years and I drew a tag that took me 21 years to draw with a limit of 25 tags given out.I killed 340+ bull.There supposedly bigger bulls around,but I sure cold not find them.

However,during that 25+ years I killed a lot of mediocre bulls and some cows.Since then,in 10 years mostly cows with some bulls all DYI. I would not trade one of those hunts for the one guided hunt or the one special draw.Lot of memories with family and friends are worth more
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby CurlyTail » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 8]

DIY all the way for me.

I just don't like to pay to hunt. I enjoy figuring it out myself and being self sufficient.

A guided hunt on private land would be fun - but it feels too much like cheating to me. Not trying to ruffle any feathers, just how I feel.
User avatar
CurlyTail
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 785
Joined: 09 24, 2014
First Name: Jim
Last Name: B.

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Lefty » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 9]

In one sense they are not even comparable.
My nephew drew on a trophy tag , 2 hunters in the whole unit. He had never scouted the area and ended up with a over 350 bull.

A close friends father drew on Deseret Land and Livestock CWMU, fully guided, he physically was so advanced with cancer, he only got 0ut of the truck to shoot and take pics..

If in less than idea physical condition I would hunt a ranch.
But given a choice limited entry draws are still a bit more challenging and more my thing. But I'm still willing to hunt private ground.
Sorry Swede, maybe an unfair question
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Tigger » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 10]

DIY for sure.

Uh, Navesgane, um, there aren't any seasons open right now..... :shock: :lol:
Navesgane wrote:If it's paid for I'd do a guided bow hunt right now and hope to learn a lot from the guide.
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Navesgane » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 11]

Tigger wrote:DIY for sure.

Uh, Navesgane, um, there aren't any seasons open right now..... :shock: :lol:
Navesgane wrote:If it's paid for I'd do a guided bow hunt right now and hope to learn a lot from the guide.


I guess I'd wait till September :D
Instagram @jeff.reilly1
User avatar
Navesgane
Rank: Satellite Bull
 
Posts: 309
Joined: 08 05, 2013
Location: Telluride CO
First Name: Jeff

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Indian Summer » 04 16, 2018 •  [Post 12]

For me it’s about the quality of the bulls. I don’t care about a guide but if I went private land I’d let him show me around then tell him he could catch up on sleep. Lots of times private land has a better chance at bigger bulls. BUT... you said where 5 and 6 point bulls are commonly shot. If guys are shooting 5 points to fill tags I’m going with the public land diy draw hunt. I prefer that kind of hunting anyway.

Don’t get me wrong I dream of a vacation hunt for monster bulls some day..... just for a change. Regardless of what I killed I’d probably never go back though even if it was free.
User avatar
Indian Summer
Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby ishy » 04 17, 2018 •  [Post 13]

DIY draw all day.
User avatar
ishy
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1062
Joined: 08 18, 2013
First Name: Bryan
Last Name: L

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Roosiebull » 04 17, 2018 •  [Post 14]

Tough one for me. Never been on a guided hunt, and likely won't, so I would pick guided, just for the experience of it.... then I race home and hunt roosies diy all I want ;)

Why not? Money isn't an issue in this situation, so I can wing it in this fantasy situation. I think it would be fun, all hunting is, but it would also be something I likely wouldn't do the rest of my life.

A super sought after draw would be cool, but I wouldn't do that type of hunt justice I'm afraid. Give me an elk tag in a trophy unit, with my self control, I'm probably killing the first 250" six point I see :lol:

At least a guide might be able to talk me out of it...

I'm a poor trophy hunter, when I think " go big or go home" it is explaining the amount of elk meat in my pack, not 400" of antler
User avatar
Roosiebull
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1125
Joined: 02 27, 2017

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Beendare » 04 18, 2018 •  [Post 15]

Joe Schmo wrote:High quality draw hands down!!!
100% self guided.
.

^Totally agree.
I’ve been blessed to have drawn some of these and there’s nothing better than light hunting pressure and a target rich environment
“It takes no more time to see the good side of life.... than to see the bad.”
― Jimmy Buffett

"Everybody has a plan....until they get punched in the mouth" Mike Tyson




"
User avatar
Beendare
Wapiti Hunting Archery Gear/Tactics
 
Posts: 188
Joined: 02 20, 2017
Location: Ca

Re: A Better Hunt

Postby Beendare » 04 18, 2018 •  [Post 16]

I drew the Utah book Cliffs little creek Road less unit for elk about 13 years ago. ( n ot a lot of people knew about it then) I talked my buddy into going with me even though he didn’t have a tag. I bet if you asked him he’d still tell you it was one of the best Elk hunts he’s ever been on. For sure it was one of mine.

We were into six point bulls every single day. I stopped counting how many good bulls I passed in archery range over 50. I’m not a big trophy hunting guy but on that hunt I decided that I would. On about day 13 we ran into a low growler that we hadn’t heard. A couple Cow calls and a bugle had that bull coming in on a string.

He was one of those big old lone bulls that just went into other herds and took whatever he wanted. I had heard stories of these type of bulls but had never actually seen one until then. He was a pig. He probably weighed 1000 pounds, in 35years or so of elk hunting it’s still the biggest body bull I’ve ever seen. And that includes hunting Arizona 4x and multiple hunts in New Mexico. His rack was on the downhill slide and it still scored almost 360.

So we heard him coming for probably 300 yards and never saw him. I got in a position to shoot as he came out of a little patch of trees about 35 yards in front of us. When I saw brown through the trees I drew and he stepped out, I shot Immediately as soon as I saw him. I didn’t even have to think about whether he was big enough. In fact I’m glad I didn’t look at him too long or it might have screwed me up.

I’m on my phone now I will try to chime in and post some pictures later .

Yep Swede... a good draw unit for sure
“It takes no more time to see the good side of life.... than to see the bad.”
― Jimmy Buffett

"Everybody has a plan....until they get punched in the mouth" Mike Tyson




"
User avatar
Beendare
Wapiti Hunting Archery Gear/Tactics
 
Posts: 188
Joined: 02 20, 2017
Location: Ca


cron