Any Colorado Elk outfitters recommendations

[SSGOldfart]

I got a green light for a Colorado Elk hunt next year now I need to find a outfitter to work with? Any ideals?

[gnostic]

Craig Colorado is said to be the Elk hunting capital. I took one with my car a few years ago...

[SSGOldfart]

Craig Colorado is said to be the Elk hunting capital. I took one with my car a few years ago...

Humm bet you will never forget that one, did your car make it?

[rancher1913]

figure out the area you intend to hunt, then check local paper or gun shops. the back bowls on ski areas are prime elk habitat.

[SSGOldfart]

I'm leaning on a unit72 or unit 73 area in the SW. My oldest son just moved to Colorado,so I can combined the trip with a visit but I'm open to other area's/hunt units nothing set in stone other than making the hunt.

[gnostic]

Humm bet you will never forget that one, did your car make it?

The car is a 911 Porsche, I stopped when I saw them coming and they (2) ran into my right front fender. They're like yard dogs in Craig. They put a large round dent in the fender without damaging the paint. A paintless dent repair guy removed the dent for five hundred bucks. The Deer and Elk are so tame in this area they don't run away when they see you.

The way locals hunt Elk is to drive slowly on fire trails watching for foot prints crossing. If it were me, I'd call, Elk River Guns in Steamboat Springs, they're avid hunters and good guys to know...

[SSGOldfart]

The car is a 911 Porsche, I stopped when I saw them coming and they (2) ran into my right front fender. They're like yard dogs in Craig. They put a large round dent in the fender without damaging the paint. A paintless dent repair guy removed the dent for five hundred bucks. The Deer and Elk are so tame in this area they don't run away when they see you.

The way locals hunt Elk is to drive slowly on fire trails watching for foot prints crossing. If it were me, I'd call, Elk River Guns in Steamboat Springs, they're avid hunters and good guys to know...

Kinda sounds like they got you more then you getting them,I once took a nice 10 point whitetail while traveling to a hunt in S.C.with my 78 Chevy pick-up.

[longcruise]

I would wait for the 2020 big game brochure to be published. Season structures and regulations change every five years and 2020 will be the first year of a new five year period. Nothing radical but an area of focus is the SW corner of the state where elk populations are down. The NW corner of the state has the better reputation as an elk factory. Also, there are draw units and over the counter units. Unless you have been applying and accumulating preference points you should go for the OTC units so that you can get started organizing your hunt and outfitter. Don't wait until they are all booked up.

I don't have any recommendations for the actual outfitter as I've never used one in Colorado.

[SSGOldfart]

I'll need a outfitter due to my health,I'll going to try one more time with the draw and OTC as a plan B. I'm most likely going for Muzzleloader season,unless I get drawn for Rifle2 I'm hoping to make a combined Elk and deer. I'm really looking for a pack in hunt. Years ago I would have done the DIY,but life has a way of getting in the way. Glad to know they use a 5 year plan and update the guide.

[Minerat]

If you hunt with a guide and want to spend lots of money look into ranch guide service where they have "landowner" tags. This means when you book the hunt there will be a tag available.

[Chill Wills]

Hey Minerat, Maybe you can answer this.... This is a little off topic but may not be next year if it is a dry one.

Driving down to Denver a few times this fall I saw signs in Clear Creek county that due to the dry conditions there was a BAN ON Campfires and Discharging Firearms.

Does that effect someone like SSGOldfart from using his hunting license? .... assuming he or anyone pulling a tag for that Unit. That would be a shame.

[SSGOldfart]

Hey Minerat, Maybe you can answer this.... This is a little off topic but may not be next year if it is a dry one.

Driving down to Denver a few times this fall I saw signs in Clear Creek county that due to the dry conditions there was a BAN ON Campfires and Discharging Firearms.

Does that effect someone like SSGOldfart from using his hunting license? .... assuming he or anyone pulling a tag for that Unit. That would be a shame.

Yep,Good question never heard of a ban discharging firearms due to dry weather???

[SSGOldfart]

If you hunt with a guide and want to spend lots of money look into ranch guide service where they have "landowner" tags. This means when you book the hunt there will be a tag available.

Not looking to spend anymore then needed,but I do expect it's going to run 3k to 5k for guide and camp.I may have to go 5k to 7K for the full service. I'm not used to having a guide but I don't have a problem with it either.

[Chill Wills]

Last summer a firearm discharged at the range up the road ( a tracer I think - Dumb!) burned up half of two counties. Wicked bad fire! We had friends out of their homes for a few weeks and one lost their house. Last year the whole state was having fire troubles due to the (then) very dry conditions. I know last years fire losses have everyone reacting with an abundance of caution. This year we were fine except Clear Creek county I guess.
The signs just made me wonder if the county could in effect stop the hunting season? Or, they just didn't want people plinking.

Sorry if this is getting OT.

SSGOldfart, just to stay helpful here, think in general about hunting the central mountains and/or the northern mountains. There are good elk numbers and it has been a little wetter, which helps all the way around. Colorado has an outfitter list with ratings. I think you can find it going through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife websight. You can get the full package and high $$$ plan or some will offer a drop camp and you guild yourself for a much better price. If you are just looking to shoot a cow for the freezer and the fun of being out there, the drop camp is the best bang for the buck.
If it is your last Elk hunt and want to do it big, a high dollar hunt might be the memory of a lifetime.

Good Luck what ever you do!

[Minerat]

Chill Wills

I shoot at a range in Clear Creek County. Last week when the firearms discharge ban was in affect we could still shoot but the county was closed to general firearms discharge unless in an approved range. Our range does not allow incendiary or tracers. Last year is was so dry they closed the range for 3 weeks due to the hazard. This meant hunting too unfortunately. We got 8 inches of snow in west Denver and I understand they got 12 inches in the area around Idaho Springs, so the ban will probably be lifted.

We usually go thru some form of fire restrictions from mid August till the first snow. I can't remember when fire restrictions for firearms discharges have been in place when the first rifle season begins, mostly open fire bans in September to mid October. That can affect the wood stoves we use in our camp tents but have not had the problem now for 10 years. To be safe you can call the county Sheriffs office for the county you plan to hunt and find out the Fire danger for the area and to see if you will have to deal with a restriction during your planned hunt.

SSgoldfart

You are probably in the ball park on price but I have no direct experience so it is a WAG. Go to this link

https://cpw.state.co.us/rfw

and it will show you the larger ranches that offer hunting most if not all provide guided hunts in addition to the Ranching for Wildlife program, that you can not qualify for, but it is a place to get information on what you can expect if you hunt on them.

This rance is near Trinidad in Southern CO. I'm not sure they provide guided hunts so you will have to call.

Hill Ranch
Mike Powell
19402 Hwy 350
Trinidad, CO 81082
719-846-2539

Another on that straddles the CO/WY line northwest of Steamboat Springs or northeast of Craig that appears to be really nice is the

Three Forks Ranch
Brian Jarrell
P.O. Box 69
Savery, WY 82323
970-583-2258 (office)
970-583-2286 (fax)
Email: brianj@threeforksranch.com​​
Website: www.threeforksranch.com

We used to hunt just south of this ranch in the California Park area and it is in the Bears Ear herd area that is one of the largest elk herds in the state. Has some really nice Deer too.

Good luck.

[longcruise]

Make your muzzle loader decision early because it's a draw only tag whereas the elk 2nd season tag will have many units available to purchase an either sex elk tag.

Deer tags are also by draw so for a combined hunt you will need to draw for that in a unit where you can buy the elk tag OTC. Draw results don't come out until end of may so that puts you in a short period to make all arrangements.

Knowing what you want to do, I'll suggest you immediately begin contacting a wide range of outfitters and tell them what you want to do. They should be very knowledgeable about all these things in their area and can give you advice on draw vs no draw etc.

Talk to a bunch of them. If they can't answer your questions, cross them off your list!

[smokinfeathers]

palmer outfitters, brian palmer fix you up even can do summer private land hunts n shoot a bull on velvet. he offers public n private guided hunts drop camps the works. ive known him a long time n killed several elk antelope n tons of prairie dogs with him. ill go run lion hounds with himafter huntin season. he used to also have hunt n shoot n chester. n was a alaskan guide as well. i will also go back n august n try for another bull n velvet n shoot a cow as well. call him n tell him mike wagstaff sent ya. 719-588-3446, 719-207-1023. he has couple pack in camps if your up to it or can hunt in the valley n temp is nice and lots easier walking. he does private hunts there n san louis valley north of alamosa n south of salida.