First off, I would always recommend to anyone to get up there and put in 5-7 days of scouting in the summer. But, I'm sure you're already aware of that option and that it may not be an option, thus you made this post.
Advantages of going guided:
They've got horses to take you up the mountain each day.
You get an extra set of eyes looking for a buck.
They might take you into an area where a top end buck lives.
They cook for you (and I've heard wipe your butt, but I don't believe that .. ha ha).
Disadvantages of going guided:
Cost.
They don't always hunt areas where top end bucks live, as not all scout.
You may not get the ideal hunt dates.
Your guide might not be a very good hunter, but more of a horseman.
You've got to get up really early for the 2-1/2 to 3 hour commute to where you need to be before daylight.
Lots of guides bail off the mountain hours before dark, thus missing some primetime hunting.
Information report option:
As far as what I offer, you've got to be able to get yourself into the hunt area, whether it be by horse or backpack.
You have to have the mental strength to be up there alone, unless you have a buddy that'll tag along.
You need to put in the hunting time, usually 5-7+ days.
The big advantage to what I offer is that you will be hunting where a top 1-2% caliber buck lives. That's not always the case when going guided.
You'll also get lots of other valuable information and you'll typically be camping 3/4 mile or less from where you need to be hunting (20 minute walk usually).
You might be sleeping in a 2-man tent covered in a foot of snow for a few nights, so you've got to be tough.
By the time you draw a tag, you'll be invested nearly $1,000 and 5+ years before you even walk out the door, so you do need to make the most of it. Going with a guide can be a good option for some, and for others just having the information and doing it themselves is more up their alley. There's nothing wrong with either option.
Showing up blind and hoping to get lucky rarely works. If you want to kill a big buck, and I assume you do since you've been waiting 5 years for a tag, you need to be hunting where one lives.
That's my take on it. I do agree with others that catching a tag with just 5 points will be tough, but it's for sure possible. And as already mentioned, guides don't do backpack hunts. You'd be driving to a trailhead and riding into spots each day.
It's a cool place to hunt. I like it. Keeps me a great shape!
Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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