Help on Outfitters for an Elk Hunt

[fportillo21]

Do you have a budget?

I’m still trying to establish what it would be. From what I’ve seen, a self guided hunt with advice from a scouted area would be about $2000-$3000.

Guides seem like they run from $4000-$7000.

I think my goal is to be around $3000 for self guided and $4000 for a guide. I also have a year to save so would be interested in knowing your thoughts in this price range.


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[Ross]

Here are some photos of the drainages Carr Outfitting hunts if you would hunt to the bottom and walk back up the walk up would be 4 hours for most.....as you can see visibility not the best and some of the brush when in it is over your head the elk are there but can be very difficult...a few of my groups photos the last few years......practice shots to 500 yds as often that will be your opportunity....Good Luck and the nice thing is the season is long so can always go back in NOvember when the snow comes in.

 

[KHNC]

Here are some photos of the drainages Carr Outfitting hunts if you would hunt to the bottom and walk back up the walk up would be 4 hours for most.....as you can see visibility not the best and some of the brush when in it is over your head the elk are there but can be very difficult...a few of my groups photos the last few years......practice shots to 500 yds as often that will be your opportunity....Good Luck and the nice thing is the season is long so can always go back in NOvember when the snow comes in.

My hunt with Cody Carr is 11/5-11/11 this year. I assume the snow must help with the hunt. Are those bull pics from that area? Several fires from a couple years ago too. Hoping that opened things up some.

 

[KHNC]

Cody Carr’s group knows the country well, they take some great bulls and bucks and I’ve run into them a few times. What I can tell you is where they hunt meaning northwest Montana you will find no tougher place to hunt. Reason being very heavy timber, steep large canyons, typically a lot of rain and fog and slippery stuff and then you throw in wolves.you have a chance at great animals but you won’t work any harder country than this. I will post a few pics and if you haven’t started walking uphill a lot you have 28 days. Good luck

I train year round, but i know its gonna still be rough! lol

Took me a couple days at 10k in Wyoming last week to acclimate. Felt like i hadnt trained much at all.

 

[idahohikker]

I think self guided would suck. You'd get the outfitters castoff areas. Go guided with a good outfitter or DIY like most of the guys here.

 

[Ross]

Those scenery pics are all in the head end of Trout Creek come first week of November you typically cant access from this view above and would come in from several access points....one burn two years ago down lower and across the clark fork...all but the bull in the rocks were shot in trout creek the bull in the rock on the other side of river and in the cabinets mts....I am two hours from this area and have hunted it for 20 years so if you have questions let me know....you could have good snow by then but in the recent years the snow has not come in good until the 4 week of season and this year the season closes early so it could be tough if no snow.....good luck!

 

[KHNC]

Thanks for the info! Looks alot like idaho areas ive hunted. Not alot of visual for glassing. This is why i chose an outfitter for this hunt. I want to learn how to find non-bugling elk in heavy timber. Probably going to realize its just a ton of hiking and hoping to run into elk if the snow doesnt happen. Hopefully Carr's boys know where some bulls are by the time i arrive.

 

[wind gypsy]

I want to learn how to find non-bugling elk in heavy timber. Probably going to realize its just a ton of hiking and hoping to run into elk if the snow doesn't happen.

You've got the right idea. It certainly helps to know the area and where elk like to use as a sanctuary (think nastiest areas that are prone to swirling/switching winds). Glassing is tough but there are spots where it can work. Elk densities are pretty low.

 

[KHNC]

Well, i cant say i would ever recommend Cody Carr's Hunting Adventures for a november rifle elk hunt. As mentioned before, that is nasty country, with VERY few elk and not many mule deer either. It was foggy and low visibility the first 3 days of our hunt and plenty of snow. Very few elk tracks most anywhere we went. I finally saw a group of cows about 3 miles in the backcountry on day 4. Never saw a bull. Hit a giant muley buck in the backstrap on day 3. Somehow my turret got spun up to 300 yds, on a 100yd shot. I didnt check my turret before the shot. (mental error) It had never moved before and didnt even move one click afterwards. He fell off the back side of ridge and i couldnt get a follow up shot. Tracked about a mile in the snow and actually saw him again with a doe. No shot opportunity again, but he appeared to be fine at least.
Our guide was very knowledgeable, but all we did was drive around and hike gated roads and some trails. Usually, we were going behind other hunters. The place was crawling with hunters! Lots of road hunters and alot of our areas were just off the road on rock outcroppings to glass. As soon as we left a spot, another hunter would take our place and vice versa. Musical chairs with areas and hunters. Cody's operation is primarily about nice lodging and excellent food. Not so much about the hunting. Two very small legal bulls were killed of 8 hunters and no deer at all. These bulls were the hunters first, so i understand. Also, it wasnt like they saw any bigger bulls to choose from. Evidently, only one deer was killed at all in the two week period counting the week i was there. Muley numbers were very low. I hunted by myself for 3 of the 6 days. (my choice) as i was hoping to see the big muley again. Did a 9 mile hike in the newly dropped 10 inches of snow on the last day. Only saw one doe and not many tracks. In my opinion, this is not where you would want to spend 5000 bucks on a guided rifle elk hunt.

Oh, and Cody showed me a video of a giant bull elk when i arrived. Over 400 class bull with red stag type crowns on each beam! Said it was in the Trout creek area from back in August. I immediately thought he was full of shit, but didnt call him out on it. I know i have seen that clip before, i just dont remember when. None of the other guides in camp knew anything about that bull. I will be wondering if it was a flat out lie or not. I guess some outfitters just want to tell you what you want to hear.

 

[Sako76]

I have friends that hunted with Cody Carr, 6 trips and they killed 3 bull elk and no deer. They did miss a couple of deer. Hunting was brutal, hiking straight up on National Forest for 5 hours. Not for me!

 

[KHNC]

I have friends that hunted with Cody Carr, 6 trips and they killed 3 bull elk and no deer. They did miss a couple of deer. Hunting was brutal, hiking straight up on National Forest for 5 hours. Not for me!

interestly , there were 3 groups of guys from NJ hunting the week i was there. One group left 2 days early. I cant believe they would do 6 trips out there with so little success. I would have stopped at 2 at the most. I am smart enough to stop after 1 these days. lol

Yeah, i knew the hiking was going to be tough. It wouldnt be so bad if there were more animals to hunt in the area. Cody does a great job at making it sound like its a GREAT place to kill a bull. And mule deer supposedly all over during the rut.

 

[Jkling12]

I know a group of 4 guys that saw a total of 0 elk with him this fall also.

 

[md126]

This is why I’d never hunt with an Outfitter on public land. Complete waste of money in this day and age with all the resources available.

 

[KHNC]

I know a group of 4 guys that saw a total of 0 elk with him this fall also.

amazing to me that so many hunters fall into his trap during rifle season. I am ashamed i let myself get burned, with as many years of hunting experience as i have under my belt.

 

[wind gypsy]

Carr's area is not an easy place to kill elk. I feel very fortunate to have learned to elk hunt in that area from a bad ass mentor. It has helped me set realistic expectations for the work required to be successful elsewhere.

I have a co-worker who hunted there with his uncle this year during bow season on their first Elk hunt. I don't think they were real impressed with driving around and walking gated roads like some of you indicate. They did kill a raghorn. I can acknowledge that it must be hard to manage expectations with the wide variety of clients. I'm sure plenty of people go there for the lodge atmosphere without intention of putting in the work that thick and rugged country often requires. The guy I know wanted to put in the work and maybe the guide was thinking they wanted something different?

 

[YBPS]

Colorado and Idaho both have OTC tags. If i were in your shoes, i would look at Idaho. Contact Sparky Sparkes. He has lots and lots of elk on private land joining BLM. No problem seeing plenty of elk daily. Would be a great place to start! Look him up on facebook. He owns M2D camo as well.

Call Sparky.