Cow Elk hunt cost

[Ryan28]

I have the chance to go on a cow elk hunt for $1,000. It includes guide, food and cook and a place to stay if we want, tent or trailer. Is this a good price. Success is high.
Thanks,
Ryan.

 

[go_deep]

I'd have to say yes, seems like a very fair price.

 

[Lee_R]

I concur that it's a good price, best of luck!

 

[FeHunter]

Seems pretty reasonable. Perhaps verify with someone who has hunted with them before to make sure their outfit matches your style. Good luck, sounds like a good deal!

 

[Slugz]

Sounds too good. They normally go for 2000 to 2500. Check out all the details. Tag included?

 

[swavescatter]

Your own tag, or just going with a buddy who has the tag?

I've got a bull elk tag I'd let you help me pack out on for $1500!

 

[11boo]

That sounds very good. Too good. i would be digging deep into them before sending money.

 

[Zappaman]

Sounds too good. They normally go for 2000 to 2500. Check out all the details. Tag included?

My last cow hunt with a WELL seasoned Wyoming guide a few years back was right at $1200 with four nights, food, etc. The (late seaon) tag was $350: Guide, lodging. meals were around $800. Of course I tipped a few hundred. Out of the 11 cow elk I've killed (without a guide- much preferred), this was THE most expensive elk hunt I've been on.

But it's hard to get cow tags for the $300 they were a few years back (without the newer state licensing BS now attached for ANOTHER $400). So my NM spot went from about $400 (on the draw) to $900 over a few years and so... I now don't hunt there because that is too much to me.

I'd suggest you "shop" guides and look at late season tags sold off for better money. These short tags issued last minute can be as low as a $300 a cow and there is a LOT of BLM land to hunt in the USA today!

 

[Slugz]

My last cow hunt with a WELL seasoned Wyoming guide a few years back was right at $1200 with four nights, food, etc. The (late seaon) tag was $350: Guide, lodging. meals were around $800. Of course I tipped a few hundred. Out of the 11 cow elk I've killed (without a guide- much preferred), this was THE most expensive elk hunt I've been on.

But it's hard to get cow tags for the $300 they were a few years back (without the newer state licensing BS now attached for ANOTHER $400). So my NM spot went from about $400 (on the draw) to $900 over a few years and so... I now don't hunt there because that is too much to me.

I'd suggest you "shop" guides and look at late season tags sold off for better money. These short tags issued last minute can be as low as a $300 a cow and there is a LOT of BLM land to hunt in the USA today!

You my friend got a hell of deal. I'm assuming you knew the well seasoned guide from a previous experience. Not saying good deals are not to be had, but ones like that are getting harder to find.

 

[banebc]

Not a bad price at all, especially with a guide. Curious as to how many days?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[longtail]

Sounds more affordable than most. Depending on your tag cost's also. Ive done a trespass private land fee hunt where it was more than that and didn't include any of that and then I saw more elk on the public land that was next to the private...
since then hard for me to ever even think about committing to paying anything extra than the tag cost for your basic elk hunt. Esp. since the following year seen more elk on diy public OTC. The risk you take is if the elk aren't there then you are invested there

 

[cgasner1]

Depending on the season and what else is going on the ranch it makes sense why not make a extra thousand dollars if you can I’ve heard of a lot of rancher here in Montana that a thousand dollars on the shoulder hunt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[trevvamos]

Thats a good deal, paid $1500 last year for my wifes hunt.

 

[libbybooker522]

i'd like to say that's a fairly stated price.

 

[Zappaman]

Not a bad price at all, especially with a guide. Curious as to how many days?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It was four days and I was a "tag on" to a group already booked (who I knew). This group has been going with the same guide for a decade and so I can't say what they paid. But I got the call a few days before the hunt when one guy said he couldn't make it. Also, those guys were paying for bull hunts so maybe the guide figured he'd do me the favor? But that was the price paid. Sadly the guide was getting old and so it was his last year in the biz as he was also losing his ranch he had guided on for about 20 years.

My 365 bull (I shot in 1991) cost me $80 in NM back then (as a resident hunting on public land). My first few cow elk tags (back in about 1996, also in NM) cost me about $250, but I stopped hunting there about 5 years ago when that price had gotten to about $800. I used to call the ranchers and just buy cow tags for us back then.

But the guides started buying the entire lot from the ranchers who just wanted one buyer (*and so the cow tags then started being sold off from those lots where the guides kept the bull tags, but sold me the cow tags for about $400). This worked for a few more years THEN NM added a license requirement (of $400) about 2011 that doubled the hunt cost.

As I have always filled my elk tags (knock on wood) I paid the $800 for the last few hunts there. But really... we got too old to kill and hike out $400 lbs of meat (per elk) in our packs like we did for 20 years. Being a ranch kid, I never needed a guide and we had a great group there for many years. We also butchered our elk, so it was at least a 10 day run to hunt, kill and butcher at our buddy's place in NM. Great times when we had them!

 

[Webb11]

I have the chance to go on a cow elk hunt for $1,000. It includes guide, food and cook and a place to stay if we want, tent or trailer. Is this a good price. Success is high.
Thanks,
Ryan.

What unit and state? NM?

 

[GringoBling]

I'd be skeptical. Do your due diligence before forking over any money.

 

[Laramie]

That's a fair price. We sold $1000 elk hunts regularly up until a few years ago. It was a way for us to fill in gaps and make a little extra money. Most hunts took 1 day and we ran 100% success for many years. We booked them for 3 days, 2-1 guided with the stipulation that once a cow was harvested, the guide was no longer required to be with the client. Clients were allowed to stay and eat but they were on their own for activities. Almost everyone left after filling the tag. I will say we stayed in wall tents and were a no frills outfit so overhead was very low.