Can I realistically do a DIY Elk hunt for under $2K?

[Mad_Angler]

Sure you can... The drive out and the hotel do not count. They are a vacation for your girlfriend.

Seriously, the hotel route will greatly impact you. It will add a lot of money and cut your sleep about in half. Camping would be much better. It is probably an hour from the motel to trailhead, maybe more. My wife is coming this year (I hear that lots of them do). She will hike with me some days, read in camp some days, and go to town some days. If your girlfriend likes camping, the mountains in the fall are an amazing place to be...

Actual hunting cost can be kept pretty low:
- gear: 0. Just use what you have. Assume you already have camping gear. Assume that you already have a GPS. Also assume that you already have some sort of backpack.

- clothes: 0. Your deer clothes will work fine.

- bow: 0. Your deer bow will work fine. Most experienced folks suggest not using mechanical heads but lots of folks still do.

- calls: Maybe $50. Get a Temptress cow call and an Expandabull bull call. Use youtube to learn to use them

- food: convince your girlfriend that it is a wash since you have to eat anyway.

- meat processing: Check out gutless method on elk101.com it contains all that you need to know. Then, you just need panty hose, sheets, or pillow cases to use as game bags. You\'ll need some coolers to get the quarters home.

only hard, mandatory expenses are:
- Drive out (~$800)
- License (~$600)

 

[mtnmutt]

In most cases, if you are planning on staying in a motel...you will have to get up awful early to get to and kill an elk. How does 3 AM sound?

This how I have done it for my last 2 September hunts as a resident of the CO Front Range.

Opening week 9-10 days, I camp. Legal shooting starts around 6 am. I like hunting in the morning and evening plus shoot my bow mid-day at camp and eat my bigger meal at lunch time.

I stay in town when I start to get burnt out from camping. Starting mid-September, I may either stay at a hotel in a mountain town or at my rental house if it isn\'t rented out. Trip time to any \"trailhead\" from town is 20-30 minutes. I hike in at least 0.5 mile. By mid-September, legal hunting time is about 15 minutes later in the morning. I can sleep until 4 am and make it in for my first setup 15 minutes before legal shooting. If I am sluggish in the morning, I don\'t get to my first setup until legal shooting. A hotel for 4 nights, is $400-450. Fortunately, I also have free stays at houses in town.

Is a hotel doable, yes. Is it the best way to learn an OTC elk unit, no, not really. I know my area Ok, not great. I have hunted there for 8 years, but I am still leaning new places to go. I can get to most of my hunting setup locations without a GPS, therefore, navigation doesn\'t delay my time to hike in.

I agree with the guys that camping is the way to do an elk hunt. UNLESS, you already know your area well.

Don\'t give up on your dream to go elk hunting. If taking your GF is the only way, then just to do it and find a way to make it work. Convince your GF to learn elk calling and take her out hunting. She doesn\'t need camo. She just needs comfortable practical outdoor clothing. That is how I got started in this silly elk hunting stuff. I called for someone for 3 seasons. Heck, I wasn\'t even a morning person. As soon as one elk comes to your calling, you are immediately addicted. I NEVER thought I would be a hunter and then this elk came to my calling. It was all over after that.

Lastly, you do not need a 4x4 truck. I use a mid-size SUV. I have even gone down some rough 4x4 in my Honda Civic Hatchback manual transmission without issue. I see people hunt using sedans. Yes, you get to more \"trailheads\" with a good 4x4 truck, but I don\'t need one. A non-truck may save you on gas.

 

[cnelk]

To the OP
The general consensus is, YES, you do an OTC elk hunt for under $2k.

So,
Lets get started with the details so you can accomplish this.

What would be your next biggest question?

 

[Jaquomo]

You sure can if you take the advice above.

IMHO, trying to combine a GF hotel vacation with an elk hunt will result in half-satisfaction for both ventures and frustration on both sides. If you are truly hunting elk, you\'ll leave the hotel at 3:30 am and get back around 10:00, maybe later. You still have to eat and pack gear and food for the next day. You\'ll be totally beat while GF wants attention, show you what she bought, tell you about her day, maybe wants to go out. You crash and do it again. Repeat until breakup occurs.

Edit: one of the best combo vacation-hunting experiences is if she would camp with you, as others have mentioned.

Welcome the site. Anything you need to know about elk hunting, you\'ll find from the folks on this forum. If you can make it happen, you\'ll get plenty of sound advice.

 

[mainebrdr]

Hello Burtle, glad to have you aboard!

Of course you can do it for under 2k and still have a great time and take your girlfriend. It would be no frills for sure and maybe your GF could help with motel costs. Maybe talk her into a couple nights in the tent. Just know going in that your chances at an elk would be diminished with less quality time in the field and a shorter hunt to keep everyone happy. You would still have a great time, learn a lot about a lot of things, and have a great starting point for future hunts if you find that you really like it! (bet you will)
Like Cnelk said, there are those on here that can help with the details. Ask away!

 

[F M]

Welcome Burtle. :upthumb: I probably don\'t have quite as far of a drive as you, but I have drove out by myself several years. Even when gas was really high and getting 14 mpg I spent about 650 on gas. I figure another 100 for running around gas. In Co. a either sex tag will cost you 616 this year and a 10$ habit stamp. I like mapquest because you can get directions and est. fuel cost for your trip. With gas prices where they are now it will cost me about 500 round trip. Like others have said I don\'t count food into my cost. If you can talk your girlfriend into camping it would save you a bunch. Depending on where you hunt she could head into some towns and spend the rest of whats left of your 2000 for you.

Don\'t know if you have a frame pack or not but if you plan on hunting elk more than once it is a good investment to buy a good quality one or barrow one.

 

[burtle]

Thanks so much for all the replies guys. Wow....so much information to take in. I really do appreciate it.

I have decided skipping the gf and hotel idea. That just sounds like it\'s more work and will hinder me. Granted I\'d love for her to go, but it just isn\'t practical.

So my next question is, any advice on where to hunt? Which section?
I do have a tent, so that wouldn\'t be a problem. I have a small portable grill as well.

I will watch some videos on how to clean Elk and pack them out.

When do you guys suggest going on an Elk hunt in Colorado?

I am located in Springfield, Illinois. So I\'d be coming from Springfield. Do any of you suggest renting a mid size SUV then? I do get 25% off rentals through my insurance company. It would definitely save wear on my newer truck.

It does take me a while to get on here. I work full time, run a lawn care business on the side, and help a farmer. Bare with me!

But again, thanks for all the replies. I greatly appreciate it and I look forward to hunting Elk next year.

 

[cnelk]

Whoa, whoa, whoa there kiddo....
Lets back up just a bit.

Colorado is a big state and has elk scattered about everywhere west of I25 and some east of it.
The elk terrain can vary from steep 12,000ft+ ft and down to rolling 7000ft and everything in between.
If you hunt the west side, you will add 4-5 hours of travel [one way] to get to your destination

What is YOUR idea of elk hunting terrain? Do you want to see spectacular golden aspens waving in the wind or valleys of green timber?
How good of shape will you be in?
Superman condition? Average? Or pass me another beer?
Its your hunt, we can only help you achieve what your desires are!

The next thing is, I would highly recommend you getting Matt Dworak\'s book Public Land Elk Hunting book [ThinAirOutdoors on our banner] and read it 3 times.

 

[AaronJohnson]

It would be a good trip to experience. After you go once and you\'ll be hooked and constantly honing your calling skills, gear and knowledge. It\'s an entire process that is very enjoyable. Motel is a bad idea, you\'ll miss out on some of the best parts which is camping. Keep the motel for deer trips in the Midwest. Good luck!

 

[david.denham.39]

:upthumb:

The next thing is, I would highly recommend you getting Matt Dworak\'s book Public Land Elk Hunting book [ThinAirOutdoors on our banner] and read it 3 times.

What Brad said, it is a good read and will help you out!

 

[Zpd307]

my hunts run me right around $1k each year. that is with a partner to help split the cost of fuel. I spent 2 years in Colorado with a 17.5 hour drive and the cost was about $900. last year and this year I will be in Idaho which is a 22 hour drive, so more cost in fuel. last year was about $1100. I stay in tents in the national forage and eat dehydrated meals. the real costs of the trip are the tag and fuel this way. but I have spent wayyyyy more than that on just gear!
sites like this can really help give you a leg up so you aren\'t going in totally blind. but it is up to you to do the leg work and learn the aspects of elk hunting and getting yourself into shape. just remember there are a lot of resources out there

 

[WW]

I was born and raised about 40 miles southwest of Springfield in a little town of Palmyra. Moved to northwest Colorado almost 40 years ago. Made many trips back to Illinois to visit my mother. You are looking at an 18 hour drive. Drive it straight through and you\'ll be hunting the next day.

Colorado has more elk than any other state. But don\'t expect to find one behind every tree. You may make several dry runs before you finally get one. Don\'t expect anyone to give up their honey holes. It takes awhile to learn the territory unless you get just down right lucky. But compared to the corn fields of Illinois, Colorado is heaven on earth. You\'ll enjoy every moment of your hunt regardless of if you get an elk or not.

 

[StartMyHunt]

As far as cost, I cannot add much since I live in CO. As for bringing someone along who will not be in the woods with you seems like a recipe for disaster. Imagine having an opportunity to shoot an elk but it is later in the evening. Unfortunately, you had a prior commitment to go out that evening with the person back at the motel. Do you break off your prior engagement and shoot the elk and suffer the consequences when you finally get back to the motel around midnight or later? Or do you make the sacrifice and let the elk move on. You would then be kicking yourself for the rest of your trip if you do not get another opportunity.

Just my opinion and thoughts,

Mike

 

[burtle]

I was born and raised about 40 miles southwest of Springfield in a little town of Palmyra. Moved to northwest Colorado almost 40 years ago. Made many trips back to Illinois to visit my mother. You are looking at an 18 hour drive. Drive it straight through and you\'ll be hunting the next day.

Colorado has more elk than any other state. But don\'t expect to find one behind every tree. You may make several dry runs before you finally get one. Don\'t expect anyone to give up their honey holes. It takes awhile to learn the territory unless you get just down right lucky. But compared to the corn fields of Illinois, Colorado is heaven on earth. You\'ll enjoy every moment of your hunt regardless of if you get an elk or not.

wow, small world. I actually started my police officer career in Palmyra 2 1/2 years ago. I am now Chief of police in a small town south of Springfield.
Palmyra is a unique town!

I understand it won\'t be easy. All in all I think it would be a blast just going out to explore and look for an Elk. It may take a few years before I get one.

 

[burtle]

Whoa, whoa, whoa there kiddo....
Lets back up just a bit.

Colorado is a big state and has elk scattered about everywhere west of I25 and some east of it.
The elk terrain can vary from steep 12,000ft+ ft and down to rolling 7000ft and everything in between.
If you hunt the west side, you will add 4-5 hours of travel [one way] to get to your destination

What is YOUR idea of elk hunting terrain? Do you want to see spectacular golden aspens waving in the wind or valleys of green timber?
How good of shape will you be in?
Superman condition? Average? Or pass me another beer?
Its your hunt, we can only help you achieve what your desires are!

The next thing is, I would highly recommend you getting Matt Dworak\'s book Public Land Elk Hunting book [ThinAirOutdoors on our banner] and read it 3 times.

My idea of terrain is steep hills, cliffs, and lots of rock. I am in decent shape. I\'d say above average.
I will look into that book!

 

[mainebrdr]

Derrick, the Co. Parks and Wildlife website has a lot of information on it that could be very helpful to you. They have a lot on elk hunting.

 

[cnelk]

Here is the Colorado Hunting Atlas link

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It has a ton of info, concentration areas, migration routes, aerial/topo maps, MVUM [Motor Vehicle Use Map]

On page 35 of the Regs show all OTC archery elk units.
Once you narrow an area down, give Mike at StartMyHunt a call to discuss maps

 

[WW]

Burtle: Does the town of Waverly mean anything to ya? When I was a teenybopper, (too many years ago to remember) we used to make nightly runs up there just for the heck of it. The local cop used to park his patrol car on the southwest corner of the town square while he was out checking all the business doors to see if they were secured for the night. So one evening while he was doing his thing, we jacked his car up and put it on blocks. Just as he was getting close to his car, we came speeding around the square. I thought he was going to blow the engine out of that patrol car trying to get off of those blocks. LOL!

 

[Mad_Angler]

Burtle,

I was in about the same boat as you, except I am coming from Wisconsin.

I would recommend startmyhunt.com He has a GMU questionaire that will help answer your question \"which GMU\". Once you pick a GMU, he has nice maps to get you started.

Have you ever used \"fishing hotspots\" maps? I have. Whenever I go to a new lake, I buy one to get the lay of the land and to get general locations to start looking for fish. I see the startmyhunt maps in much the same light. But they show elk hotspots on public land in Colorado.

 

[burtle]

Burtle: Does the town of Waverly mean anything to ya? When I was a teenybopper, (too many years ago to remember) we used to make nightly runs up there just for the heck of it. The local cop used to park his patrol car on the southwest corner of the town square while he was out checking all the business doors to see if they were secured for the night. So one evening while he was doing his thing, we jacked his car up and put it on blocks. Just as he was getting close to his car, we came speeding around the square. I thought he was going to blow the engine out of that patrol car trying to get off of those blocks. LOL!

LOL!!! yes, Waverly sounds very familiar

Was it Brockhouse ?