wilderness elk hunt???

JR

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Ive got a question for anyone out there who has info on where to start searching for a wilderness guided elk hunt in any of the western states.Ive been wanting to get into elk hunting for years, but seem to fill my calander with deer hunts to Wyoming and Oregon on top of hunting deer in my home state as well.My wife just sprung this on me tonight(SHE IS SO AWESOME!!!!) that she wants to send me on a wilderness elk hunt that Ive always talked about for my 40th b-day present next year.Ive been hot on the keys looking all over the net. If I can get pointed in the right direction or anyone of you guys who have already experienced a great trip with a great guide Im up for any info you can shoot me.
 
Nice gift!!! I have had very good luck booking hunts with Keith Atcheson of Atcheson & Sons. www.atcheson.com. A specific outfitter I would recomend is Dave Melton of Bighorn Outfitters in Salmon ID. www.huntidaho.com. Send me an e-mail if you would like more information.

Jeff
 
All I can say is, " you'd better hold on to that one." You are a lucky man.
 
JR, you are soooo lucky!!! Definately keep ahold of her! As far as a wilderness elk hunt, I have one booked this year in Wyoming in the Thorofare area. This is a 28 mile horseback hunt just outside the SE corner of Yellowstone N.P. I have always dreamed of a hunt like this and finally it is going to happen. Ask yourself, "what do I want in a wilderness hunt?" Do you want to horseback or backpack? Do you want to hunt with bow or gun? How much do you, or in this case, your wife want to pay? Do you want to hunt in the vicinity of grizzly bear or would you rather avoid that contention in a hunt? That is one of the conditions of my hunt. I wanted to hunt elk in an area that held grizzly. It adds to the excitement of a wilderness excursion. Their are a lot of outfitters that you can find online. My hunt begins on Sept. 9. I'll let you know how it goes. If you have any questions about my hunt let me know. Good luck!
 
Hunter-59, you have prompted me to get registered. My interest is peaked by your trip as I am doing a very similar hunt end of Sept. in the Washakie Wilderness. This will be a 25 mile horseback ride into heaven and I believe just N of where you will be camped. I booked 2.5 years ago and have been training since...dropped 35lbs, shooting, running,& daydreaming. Would love to hear your thoughts and plans before and after. I imagine you are a bow hunter as well? Any advice from the readers out there? (I know the saddle is going to destroy my ass).
 
Thanks for the response and yes Ive got a Keeper for sure.She just spent 3 days following me around the hills after an archery buck and due to no time to get ready she didnt have a tag but none the less she spotted deer and had a blast just snoopin in the woods with me. I cant wait till you post your results on this hunt.It sounds like one I definitley would love to try.Good luck too ya and when Im deer hunting in the Cody area this Nov I will inquire with the local guides there as well.I hunt in the Cody area for deer but try to avoid the grizz areas for the sake of the others in our party but Grizz wont discourage me from hunting in some of the most Awesome country in the world.PS Post lots of pics of your hunt if you can.
 
Thanks for the encouragement and I will let you know about the outfitter I hunt with. I did a lot of research and, although there are many options in this area, I chose Bliss Creek Outfitters (www.blisscreekoutfitters.com) Tim Doud caters to bowhunters, has been nominated a top guide for the area, and has had some great articles written about him. He also runs a guide school and trains pack mules and horses...he is the real deal. The area might not be the top trophy producing area, but the experience in remote God's country is just as important to me. I arrive in Cody on the 19th and head in on the 20th...I am chomping at the bit. Grizzlies apparently are an issue here. Oh yea, would you mind if your wife got together with mine for a while and impart a little of the hunting bug to her?
 
The hunt I booked is a rifle hunt. I am a bowhunter but I have always wanted to try a rifle hunt and since the price of a fully guided wilderness hunt is going through the roof, I thought I would book the rifle hunt first and "bite the bullet" to get the most expensive elk hunt out of the way now. Wyoming is going to a points system and it will be extremely hard to get the same tag in a few years. After this trophy rifle hunt then I will pursue the bowhunt. My bowhunting will be more of a do-it-yourself style and not in griz country. Probably Colorado. I hope to have a bunch of pictures and will try to get them posted in the future. Best of luck!
 
What a wife! What part of utah are you from?
and for all you guys heading to wyoming good luck and remember your PEPPER SPRAY!!!! Mack
 
A guided hunt to the Thorofare is on my "to do" list as well. The "where" is as important to my enjoyment of hunts as the trophy potential or anything else. There is so much neat history to that area. The Buffalo Bill museum in Cody had a great exhibit on the Thorofare cabin this summer and its background.

304099.jpg
 
I have been going into the Thorofare almost every summer since 1989 with my horses and mules. Nice area, have seen a lot of elk but hold onto your fanny with the grizz. I always like to be at the top of the food chain instead of the second one down.

Pappabull
 
He noted his hunt begins the 9th which starts with the better part of a day long ride. The season opens on the 10th. I'm guessing he'll be hunting on Hidden Ck. I've hunted most of the drainages up there. The third week of Sept is my favorite. The opener is usually a bit too hot and the bulls aren't cranking like they do a week or so later. If you want a better shot at a whopper, anytime after a heavy October storm will increase your odds. When they coined the term God's country, they had the Thorofare in mind. We'll be doing a limited quota wilderness hunt a bit east of there. I can't wait...
 
Ridge Rat if you can get a 55 gal barrel and put it at your house sit on it 20-30 minutes a night it will help with the soreness of riding in a saddle(you hips and groin need to be stretched) that will help get you use to the saddle( it wouldn't take all the pain away but it will cut down on it some). It you ahve friends who has horse get in some riding ahead of time is the best things. Good luck on your dream hunt.
 
Thank you Gator, that is good advice. Hunter_59, I see the WY hunting seasons for weapons are all over the map as far as type, thus answering my question. Best of luck.

Any suggestions on 'Must have' items for a wilderness camp hunt, keeping in mind it is fully outfitted. Maybe some luxury item or something ya'all realised would have been nice to have?
 
Chambero, that's one of the reason's I picked the Thorofare as my hunt destination. This area is steeped in history. It will be exciting visiting an area that the mountain men long gone had experienced. Trappers and explorers like Jim Bridger & John Colter visited this area close to 200 years ago. Some of their writings have been exciting to read. This was also the favorite hunting grounds of Theodore Roosevelt, and it's the remoteness that draws me to this area also. I'd like to visit the Thorofare cabin while I'm there but I'm not sure about time availability. Our camp is only about 4 miles from the cabin. RidgeRat, just like Triple_BB stated, my "hunt" begins on the 9th with an 8 hour, 28 mile horseback ride into the Thorofare. I've been waiting a lifetime for this type of hunt. Even if I don't kill a monster bull the experience will be well worth it. Good luck to everyone this season!
 
I second using Dave Melton of Bighorn outfitters. He will provide the classic, awesome, quality elk hunt we all dream about. He'll work hard to make it happen and do it in quality elk country.
 

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