Semi-guided/Drop Camp suggestions

[badams14]

My father and I are looking to do a semi guided or drop camp elk hunt this year. We have done complete DIY twice in the past and had a great time, but came home empty handed. Had a few vocal exchanges but have yet to see an elk while hunting. We love to hunt on our own, but wouldn’t mind a little help as well. He is 70 but in great shape, he can handle anything, just at his pace. We have been looking at some outfitters in NM, we also have 3 points in Co, WY and AZ. Open to pretty much anywhere. Thanks in advance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Indian Summer]

You get a camp and packing services with a drop camp or semi guided hunt. Other than that they are still DIY hunts. So it looks like what you’re really hoping to find is a better place to DIY hunt. After 2 previous DIY hunts it sounds like you and your dad are perfectly capable of setting up a base camp at the truck. My vote is Wyoming since you have enough points to know for sure that you’ll draw your general license and you can start planning that hunt right now. You’ve been on 2 hunts without seeing an elk. In many of the general units there you won’t go a day without seeing and hearing elk. Good luck!

 

[Riplip]

My $.02 as there seems to be a lot of requests for drop camp recommendations. While there are certainly some good outfits and exceptions, most of the time you are hiring a company that also does fully outfitted hunts. The obviously problem with this is that the outfitter is going to give preference to the fully paid client vs. the drop camp hunters, basically putting them in the better areas. This is especially true for OTC hunts, and easier to draw tags. Personally unless it is a wilderness hunt or there is some obvious advantage to being dropped in one particular location I would rather have the option of being mobile if the area is not producing. Obviously there are exceptions to this, such as top tier draw units where there is less competition and/or more opportunity. 3 pts in CO / AZ won't get you much, 3 in WY might get you a general tag (which may be good option). Personally I would recommend NM, as there are outfitters who will do partially guided/drop camps and you can apply under their outfitter number, although still a very tough draw. Landowner tags are an option if you want to guarantee a hunt or if you don't draw.

With that being said, I was lucky enough to draw a unit 16B archery tag several years ago and hired an outfitter for a drop camp, and it was incredible. But as I mentioned above this was a LE hunt that was difficult to draw and the outfitter only had two fully guided hunters at the time. PM me and happy to provide more info. Good luck.