When it comes to hunting, there are tons of different ways to do it. Guided elk hunts are available to you and are something you should strongly consider when thinking about elk hunting. Make sure to keep reading if you want to know more!
The going rate for a rocky mountain guided elk hunt is $6,500.
There are many factors that go into a guided hunt, such as what state you will hunt in, what unit you will be hunting, and what transportation needs there are to get to the hunting area such as horses or planes which can add to the overall cost of the hunt.
The costs of guided elk hunts vary from outfitter to outfitter. And to be clear, I am talking about hiring a guide to take you on a 100% fair chase hunt on public land.
I will give you a guide to guided hunting along with the pros, cons, and costs that you can expect when it comes to having a guided hunt in the western states.
Pros of Guided Hunts
Overall, having a guide for your hunt can have lots of pros, especially if you are a newcomer or inexperienced hunter, but it is not flawless as I will talk about later. But, even for the most experienced hunter, having a guide along with you can help in a variety of different ways.
Not as Much to Plan- If you decide to use a guide when going out and hunting one of the biggest advantages is going to be the fact that you aren’t going to have to plan nearly as much of the hunt as you typically have to. This rather will fall on the guide that you hire. They typically will take charge of just about every aspect of planning out the hunting trip including the location of hunting, rest areas, and almost every other state.
All of this will be done by the company and can eliminate much of the stress hunting causes. Plus, guides work for private hunting companies who have lots of experience and information about the animals to best help you be successful on your hunt.
Expand Your Hunting Knowledge- Along with using their knowledge and experience in order to help plan out all of your trips they are also going to be able to give you a lot of their knowledge. Since this is their job, they are going to be the wisest and can give you many tips to help future hunters. This is best for those who haven’t hunted much as it can quickly give them needed information that will help them for the rest of their time hunting.
Trophy Hunting Opportunities- This is one of the most common reasons that hunters will want to hire a guide. When you go hunting with a guide they often are there to help get you larger kills and trophies. Many hunters try for years and even decades to get that giant trophy with no success. But a professional hunting guide can help you achieve your goals and end your trip triumphantly.
Hard to Reach Areas of Wilderness- One of the main reasons trophy hunting can be hard is that public hunting areas are often overcrowded and overhunted. Using a guide can get you access to hard-to-reach hunting grounds which will provide more hunting options and better hunting options.
Cons of Guided Hunts
As mentioned earlier, having a guide while hunting isn’t something that is flawless. Along with that, having a guide with you while hunting isn’t for everyone, but I will help you know what works best by providing the main cons of having a hunting guide.
Not as Much Freedom- Hunting for many is an experience that helps them get away and calm down. It helps them get out and reconnect with nature while also getting to track and eventually, kill something to help provide food. While on an individual hunt this can be done in a variety of different methods.
But, if you decide to go hunting with a guide then they are in charge of planning so you have limited your freedom by quite a bit. Along with that, you may have to hunt in a different method that isn’t as relaxing for you when with a guide.
For some, this might not be a problem, so it might be much easier to use a guide while hunting, but for others having someone else around can all but ruin the hunting experience and these are the people who will want to avoid using a guide.
Expensive- The last major con that you are going to have to deal with when it comes to hiring a guide for your hunting trip is the fact that guides can be very expensive. Already, before you even leave your house hunting can be expensive. Having to buy a variety of different gear from guns, ammo, tents, jackets, and all of the other equipment that you may need, you are going to have your wallet feeling significantly lighter.
When you add a guide to this total, you can look at adding an additional $2,000 to $4,000 onto your bill. It all depends on what animal you are hunting and how large it ends up being, but even if it is just a single-day hunt for the smaller cow elk you are still having to pay $2,000. Along with this, someone who is on a smaller budget is going to want to avoid using a guide as it will take your whole budget.
Hiring a Pro for Your Elk Hunt
If you do decide to go and get a guide in order to help you out on your hunting trip, there is a variety of different ways to go and find a guide. Most often when you are hiring a guide you are going to want to know these main factors as they will help you find the best guide for the trip that you are wanting to have.
First, you are going to want to know where you are going to be hunting. While knowing the state is the easiest, do your research and try to make the location of where you are going to hunt as specific as you can.
Second, you are going to want to know what caliber of elk you are hunting for. If you are trying to get a monster trophy, it can affect the strategy the guide will offer. Along with this, once you know what you want to hunt, you can do additional research in order to get a general idea of how much you should expect to pay when hiring your hunting guide.
Third, you will want to know when you plan to hunt. When it comes to hunting elk, there are three choices during the year when you can hunt them. Early fall, mid-fall, and early winter. During each of the seasons, the hunting experience is going to be different, with it being easier in the winter and more difficult during the spring. The season that you decide to will play a factor in how much you are going to be charged for your guide.
Lastly, you are going to want to know how you plan to hunt. The method that you plan to use while hunting will play a factor in how much you are charged if you are using a less common method of hunting you are going to be charged more. Methods of hunting vary greatly, but the most common is simply to use a rifle, but there are still plenty of people who are interested in hunting using muzzleloaders or bow and arrows.
Different Sizes and Types of Elk
Bull Elk
When it comes to any sort of trophy hunting, you are likely going to want to go hunting for a Rocky Mountain bull elk. These are a breed of elk that is common among the western states throughout the rocky mountains. There is another species of elk called the Roosevelt elk and you will typically find these exclusively in the coastal forests of Washington state and Oregon.
This is because most guided hunt companies are there to help you get a nice trophy elk with a large set of antlers. And for many hunters, being able to display these large trophies in their homes or wherever else they might display them, is worth the cost.
Cow Elk
If you aren’t interested in trophy hunting and just want to have a cheaper guided hunting experience then going after a cow elk is going to be far easier for you to do. The cow elk is a female elk and since they tend to be smaller and don’t have antlers, they are not as sought after by most hunters. This does mean you can get a great bargain for a guided hunting experience.
Most places will offer a quick and easy one-day hunt for a cow elk, and because of this the average price for this guided hunt typically will coat about $3,000. This is the cheapest option that you will be able to find when looking for a guided hunt and can be a great option for a first-time hunter as it won’t cost you much, and you can use the experience gained in order to help with future hunts or even encourage the continued use of the guide.
Cost Guide for Guided Hunts
Here we have some awesome opportunities and examples of guided elk hunts. Let’s take look at two great states that hold a lot of public land and some great elk herd numbers.
Colorado Bull Elk Hunt
- Price $6500
- 2 hunters
Idaho Bull Elk Hunt
- Price $6500
- 2 Hunters
Other Costs
Many outfitters will have additional costs for you to consider such as:
- Non-Resident Tags and Licenses
- Travel to and from the airport
- Meat processing and transportation home
- Any gear you don’t already have. (Check out this packing list)
The best thing to do is to call your outfitter and get the skinny on all things related to your hunt. If it is your first time, just tell them that. They will fill you in on all the things you didn’t even think to ask. They do this for a living and have seen it all.
If you enjoyed this article, here are some more helpful articles from Pinetrees And Solitude.
- What You Need For An Idaho Mule Deer Hunt
- Catch Mule Deer While They Are Active
- What Should I Bring Elk Hunting? Idaho List
- Hunting Elk In Timber: Tactics To Even The Odds
(This article was originally published on Pintreesandsolitude.com. If it is now published on any other site, it was done without permission from the copyright owner.)