Colorado Elk Guide??

[chuckeglenn]

I went on our first elk hunt last year in Montana for a late season rifle hunt. It was backcountry DIY wife my wife tagging along. I came very close to filling my tag a couple of times but didn't get it done in the end. This year I've got a Colorado archery elk tag for unit 55. I'm a 37 year old from Arkansas, and I've hunted whitetail my entire life. My wife will be with me again this year. She's very fit and has no problems keeping up with me, but she's not any help when it comes to calling, so I'm basically on a solo hunt. I'm debating whether or not to hire a guide. Here's my reasons. Statistically speaking, it may be ten years before I punch my first tag. That puts me at almost 50 years old. Forums, TV, podcasts, and reading about elk hunting will only get you so far. Like everyone else I'd love to do this on my own, but I'd really like to hunt with an experienced hunter to decrease the learning curve. I've only got one shot a year at elk hunting, and I want to make the most of it. Anyone know of any good guides I may be able to contact? Thoughts on this post are welcome.

 

[BlakeA]

Statistically speaking, it may be ten years before I punch my first tag. That puts me at almost 50 years old.

That is if you consider yourself average. If you truly put your heart and soul into it, you will find success. Public land elk hunting isn't easy and shortcuts don't exist. Believe in yourself and put the time in. The "learning curve" is the journey and the journey is the reason I and so many others enjoy it so much. If the end result was always success without struggle, I would hang em' up. Whatever you choose, Good luck in the elk woods in 2017!

 

[JohnCushman]

Even paying for a guide, elk are elk and you might spend $5K-10K on a hunt and might not see a single elk. I personally don't like that gamble. If I that sort of extra cash I would be putting it into getting better gear and saving for preference points in other states and probably applying for a moose tag in Idaho. Do yourself a favor and do it yourself. You will find greater satisfaction if/when you get your animal and you will know that you put in the work and scouting and online google earth time. My learning curve has been steep since moving to Colorado. I am currently 0-8 on archery elk, but that motivates me to work even harder to succeed.

 

[windymtnman]

The way I'm reading your post, your biggest concern is that your wife isn't much help in calling Elk? If that's the case, before I hired a guide, I'd be working on her calling practice. That should take about 15 minutes! A guided hunt will likely get you into an area where the casual walk in hunters can't access, and you may or may not have an experienced "guide". Of course you know you're going to spend some big bucks opting for a guided hunt, and it may be superior in some ways, but if it were me, given what you had to say, I'd put to use your deer hunting experience and hunt with your wife. If you're successful, you'll never regret it that you did it on your own terms. If things go bad, you can always opt for a guide in 2018.

 

[waygoner]

I'm with windymtnman - give your wife a few lessons on calling. Focus on cow calls if she can't master a bugle. There will be plenty of other hunters to contend with.

Have you been in 55 before? It's very popular for ATVs/dirt bikes/camping/fishing. Activity will drop off after Labor Day. It's a big unit and steep in most places. Get away from the roads/trails if you can. Cottonwood Pass is closed due to construction, you'll have to come in from the south. Be aware that there are moose in the unit. Shoot the first legal elk you see.