backcountry elk hunt

I am trying to put together a great backcountry elk hunt. I was wondering if anybody has some good outfitters that I could contact?

Greenmtnboy, member here is an Elk/deer and everything else probably guide. Try to contact him.

You are probably too late for this year. We have a couple of guides who are members here. Perhaps they will see this post, and comment.

Most Elk permits are the result of lottery drawings, which take place earlier in the year. Often you have to apply for a certain territory, or section, when you submit your application months in advance. Arrange a guide FIRST, and he will tell you what areas he guides Elk hunts in, and you can apply for a permit for those areas. If you get the permit, then you can arrange with the guide to schedule your hunt.

If you don't live in the same state where you hunt, you will be required to show that you have taken and passed a recognized Hunter Safety course, which you can taken in your own state. I recommend doing that NOW for an Elk hunt next year, if you have not already taken the course. If you have taken the course, but lost your student card, contact your state agency to obtain a replacement. Do it now. Before you can buy a hunting license or permit, you have to show PROOF of having taken and passed the H-S course. All US states recognize and accept the H-S Certificates from all other states as proof. ( In many states, if you were born after a certain date, you have to have passed the H-S course, even if you are a resident.These same states require all non-residents to have passed the course, regardless of age.) :thumbsup:

My first elk hunt was w/ an "outfitter" and he "sho nuff" did put on a splendid "Hollywood production". Very disappointing. Thereafter I did my homework, collected all the gear needed for a backcountry elk hunt, chose the right kind of hunting partners and have had many elk hunts, some successful and some not, but all were enjoyable. Have talked to other elk hunters who have hired "outfitters" and it's a toss up whether they thought they had a good hunt. Many of the "guides" hired by outfitters are off season ranch hands and don't know a heckava lot about elk hunting as experienced during my first "elk hunt" when I found out that our "guide" was from my state of Wisconsin. If I were to hire an outfitter, I'd book through a hunting consultant because he would have "weeded out" the phonies. Atcheson comes to mind and I don't know if he's still in business, but there are others. A search of the internet should give you some names....Fred

Who is your consultant?

Last I heard Jack Atcheson was consulting in Africa big game. Myself and friends have used Jack on an Idaho elk hunt and his son on a mule deer hunt. I don't know his son's name but would try to see if he is consulting if I was you and looking for a consultant in MT. or Idaho.
We went with Iron Horse Outfit out of Darby MT. Art was the guy running Iron Horse. We went in the Sellway Bitterroot Wilderness at the trailhead in MT. and rode the horses into Idaho.

The next yr. we hired one of his guides to scout during the summer and bought everything we needed, rented 10 horses and went in without an outfitter.

Like I said...after the first elk hunt in 1985 using an outfitter, all my elk hunts were w/o an outfitter or a guide of any kind. In fact we don't even hire horses to pack out meat...all done on our backs. There's an Atcheson and many other "hunting consultants" listed under "hunting consultants" on the internet. Have done 15 elk hunts on our own and once all the equipment is accummulated and the area is determined, all the hunts were "first class". In the 1986 MLER elk hunt in Colorado I hunted alone and packed in 9 miles into the Zirkel Wilderness Area and spent 11 days in "heaven" and enjoyed every hour. After that year's hunt I was joined by 3 others and it worked out better because the hauling of equipment, supplies and meat is a lot easier. Some think a guided hunt is the only way to have a "first class elk hunt", but my experiences don't bear this out and besides, by not hiring an outfitter, a lot of good equipment can be purchased and an elk hunt every other year is possible...Fred

Some think a guided hunt is the only way to have a "first class elk hunt", but my experiences don't bear this out

Click to expand...

Ditto, Ditto and quadruple ditto!

Your first hunt would be more of a learning experience but thereafter you will know more than many guides and outfitters! :shocked2:

In the middle of elk season right now!!! Had to come back to town on business but heading back up today.

Called a monster six by six to thirty yards on Sunday. Hot cow and little bull combo calling. Thirty yards away and could not get a shot! :shocked2: That's what elk country is like. If I don't kill an animal this year, that experience alone made the whole season worthwhile.

Have had the same experience...a huge bull w/in 30 yds and a shot is not possible. For some "unknown" reason, to me anyways, elk seem to have the uncanny ability to hide themselves in cover that gives them a such a big advantage and this is the opinion of one who has hunted whitetails for over 60 years. How such a large animal can "hide" in cover as to not even offer a "shootable" glimpse is astounding. Of course, some ranch and commercial hunting venues offer "easy elk" but the "conquest" is not in the tradition of fair chase. All told, MLer elk hunting is the epitome of hunting a fabled animal in surroundings that are breathtakingly beautiful and of which the romanticism of earlier times can readily be relived. IMO, nothing on this earth compares to a back country elk hunt...Fred

Thanks for all the help and good luck getting one down.