Essentially, this provides an archery elk hunting experience during the rut, but with a longer-range weapon. True on the adjustment. Our experienced guides will field dress your animal and place the skinned quarters into Caribou Gear Game Bags. So we decided to watch them and see what they did. But again what does a person do besides move to another location. Remember that a legal bull in an OTC unit is a trophy, especially with a bow. The spectacular White River National Forest and Flat Tops Wilderness areas are accessed by numerous trailheads making each trail ride unique. My advice is,buy a pref point this year and then go for a first season hunt next year.The elk gets a lot of hunting pressure. Being this will be my 2nd elk hunt ever we are just looking to get out and learn more about this type of hunting and enjoy elk for what they are. We are thinking the Flat Top Wilderness area. *** Flat Tops Wilderness Summer Pack Trips and Trail Riding: We offer guests outstanding trail riding into the wilderness on a day basis, or we can arrange for progressive, overnight pack vacations. North West Colorado Rifle Elk Hunt in GMU 12: Access through private land to limited access federal land DIY elk hunt with the largest elk herd in the world (40,000+ animals) This unit has unlimited Over The Counter Tags and a hunter can also purchase one of over 1000 leftover cow . Think of it from an elks perspective, who doesnt want to see a fight? Saeed pulled into the pack station to unload his vehicle and get it packed on the horses and mules. into game bags and to move the elk if necessary to a spot where we can get horse access. The OP might want to read the recent altitude thread. Its pretty amazing how many times you can find yourself sprinting through the mountains! Hunters who reserve a spot ahead of the draw have first priority. Physical fitness may get you to camp or almost there. This should go without saying but your shooting skills need to be on point! Within minutes we were headed up the trail to camp. March 31, 2023 - 182 likes, 1 comments - Flat Tops Wilderness Guides (@flattopswildernessguides) on Instagram: "Had a guided 1st rifle season wilderness camp . Tipsy Tuesday: Elk Film, Gear, News, & More. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Arthur Carhart's 1919 visit to Trapper's Lake in the . In a real life situation youll be lucky to let one arrow fly during the course of the week. The following day back your range up by maybe 5-10 yards. If the friendship is improved upon from the hunt youll have memories to last a lifetime even if you dont harvest an animal. Lol. Today we talk with returning guest, Cliff Gray, owner and lead wrangler of Flat Tops Wilderness Guides. Chances are that if you are from the east coast this is not a feasible option for you. The good news is that for the hunters the are consistent and keep trying year after year will soon become stone cold killers! 218-368-3679, www.huntbeavercreek.com Beaver Springs If you feel like your are constantly slowed down by them youll soon despise them because of it. Secluded, guided hunts available in units 33 and 34. good starting in September when resident herds are reached by horse and right through the late rifle hunts when Flat Tops Wilderness Elk Hunting: The White River valley east of Meeker and Buford is home to the Flat Tops Wilderness Area of Colorado and the largest elk herd in the United States. . Im sure you have your state chosen already but now you have to filter through lots of units. It is one of the largest and oldest National Forests in the Rocky Mountains. Includes: Five full days of guided horseback hunting, eight nights lodging and meals. Be ready to adjust . If he doesnt see her he knows something is up. Elk Hunting Drop Camps Colorado 2023 Wilderness Drop Camp Information $2250 per Hunter $800 Deposit per hunter required to book hunt Ripple Creek Lodge's drop camps are located deep into the White River National Forest and the Flat Tops Wilderness Area of northwest Colorado. However, you learn a lot more from mistakes than you do from being lucky once. Colorado Outfitters License #284, Lone Tom Outfitting 2022 - All rights reserved. Had a couple good hunts, but also had some similar landowner issues on the east side of the flattops. The biggest tip is that less is usually more. The hunters that go into one spot and dont see an elk after two days and then bounce to a different unit are spending more time hiking/driving then they are productively looking for elk. You will find a few on top during the first couple days but they will quickly get pushed off. We made the hike back to the horses and jumped on. Flat Tops Wilderness CO Drop Camp with River's Bend Outfitters All of our guests who harvest an animal will go home with a set of these reusable game bags. Unlike drop camps where you have to cart gear and setup a tent only to haul the drop camp back out at the end of your hunt and perhaps ride horseback for three to sixhours to get in and out of the camp,you can hunt right out the door at Wild Skies Flat Tops cabin. Flat Tops is one of the easiest to hunt places I've ever elk hunted! A lot of western creeks and high alpine lakes are teaming with trout. The more you train before the hunt the happier youll be and the more hunting youll get in! Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Mule deer hunting is very good with trophy quality bucks in the 28"-30" range taken yearly. Pick a dozen trail heads and that way if the first three are full, you have a plan in place to move on until you find something more to your liking. GMU 24: Approximately 90 percent of this unit is public land, primarily the White River National Forest and the Flat Tops Wilderness Area. The last unconventional method of calling that I do is glunking. We slept there due to the lower altitude. 12 in Colorado's Routt National Forest on the northern end of the Flat Tops Wilderness where the Routt National . What I mean is that a 100 acre aspen grove may hold 20 elk and the surrounding area for the next 2 miles has a lone bull wondering around. They even have come up with 'spraying noxious weeds' so the state and DOW help this private land cause out starting in July. Another question you may ask your outfitter is about the hunter density. Avoiding the domestic sheep is the hard part! But we would never go back again we watched the locals that owned the store.herd the.elk back up the mountain with a jeep and horses Dam shame we told the lady at the store and she said oh thats my boys.If you want to hunt it will cost this much We ran into the same issue in the badlands hunting elk. Flat Tops Wilderness spans the Routt National Forest and White River National Forest. Almost instantly Bobby takes a shot. Then you'll know what access will work. Make sure you are practicing for real situations. If you havent fly fished before I bet youll catch your first fish on a fly rod in the high country. It is well known as some of the very best elk and deer country anywhere. You dont get a lot of opportunities in a week of elk hunting, so you need capitalize. The podcast starts with an update on current winter conditions in Colorado and how they are affecting deer and elk. FLAT TOPS The second largest wilderness in Colorado is the Flat Tops, with roughly 235,000 acres within its boundaries. The mouth of Spring Cave lies just outside the wilderness boundary in the lower South Fork valley, beckoning the curious to come and explore. (and shed hunting) in Northern Nevada was tough but . Its amazing the oxygen difference at 2,000 feet back home in your office and 10,000 feet with a 50 pound pack! Elevations range from 7,640 to 12,354 feet. At this point, Saeed went from being calm and collected to a little excited and shaky to say the least. We will then pack it back to the main lodge on horses or mules. In addition to the options listed above, wed be happy to help plan a trip for any family, group or individual. Ive already been messing around middle of the day calling with a buddy thinking there isnt any elk around and then leave from that spot, just to look back and see an elk standing EXACTLY where I was when I made that call. But some of the most beautiful and abundant elk habitat is on the plateau. Everyone has an opinion on what broadhead to shoot. Staring at $1,100,000. From: FORESTBOWS 31-May-20 Hey guys! Each day we laughed and talked about our big adventure. Steve Bland With a permitted area of nearly 100 square miles, we invite you to experience a true wilderness elk hunting adventure. LEARN MORE Our Flat Tops Cabin Have several places selected as backups. Thats good news for you because that 55 bull doesnt want those cows taken away from him by another bull. Give yourself a few minutes to let things calm down and get yourself set up (range trees, knock an arrow, etc.) If you join our Preference Point Program, your $500 deposit is rolled over until a tag is drawn. However, bugling too much can send them running. Deposit and balance payments may be made by check, wire transfer or credit card. Nevertheless, Zach, our camp cook always knows how to raise spirits with his chicken fried chicken, spice cake, and a toasty cook tent. So get on Google Earth and start looking for elk areas. Easy to "think" you are in the shape you need to be in for something like this. Chances are youre going to an over the counter (OTC) unit, taking part in a drop camp, or doing it on your own (DIY). The farther a hunter hikes from the main trails and camps, the less pressure they will find. wilderness. This vast country From: littlehorse 05-Jul-15 I have to agree with you guys. I will say that I put a bunch of miles on my boots though. 30 or 40. Elk have great eye sight and their hearing is impressive! Once youre at camp, all hunting is done on foot. Campsite List Seasons & Fees Rules & Cancellations Facility Information Ratings & Reviews Site Types . Budges Wilderness Lodge operates under Special Use Permits on the White River National Forest and is an equal opportunity service provider. by Jim Bulger, Hunter Outreach Coordinator & "Dean" of EHU . Rattling may seem like a whitetail trick but it can be very successful at calling in younger bulls. We will provide you with the landowner The next several hours the four of us gridded the entire bowl and never found any sign of a wounded elk. We can even handle the process for you. To imitate a real life hunting situation do not shoot your bow for 2 days. Otherwise, too many elk will get killed; thats how important/game-changing being in shape really is! Ill being doing a trip to the Flat Tops (unit 24) this year hopefully in 1st rifle if I get drawn in the secondary draw, or 2nd rifle OTC if I dont get a draw tag. The muzzleloader season is in mid-September. Of course we work extremely hard to give our clients every opportunity. After about an hour of watching the herd, the three rams, and enjoying our hot coffee/tea, the herd slowly disappeared into the timber to bed down. At Budges Wilderness lodge, we look forward to helping you plan an elk hunt that meets your goals and expectations. You may call in a cow, a calf, or a big bull. I have taken 2 elk (my first) and a muley buck and LOVE the area. Guided Horseback Wilderness Deer/Elk Hunts - Flat Tops Wilderness Guides This hunt is available for both Archery and Rifle Seasons. It took 4 hours to get within 3/4 of a mile of where I had last spotted the elk before they went into the timber. The White River valley east of Meeker and Buford is home to the Flat Tops Wilderness Area of Colorado and the Discover Jay Scott Outdoors Western Big Game Hunting and Fishing Podcast 843: . If you still are discouraged or looking for some action pick up a fishing rod and go catch some fish. Click here to reserve your spot now. Then, well set off into the wilderness for a day of hunting. The White River National Forest is well-known for its elk, mule deer, moose, and black bear hunting opportunities. Already have preference points in Colorado and ready to book? Thanks for the advice and information I will keep you guys posted on what we do. For hunters using an outfitted drop camp you dont have to worry about weight as much but most likely your outfitter will have a weight limit per person. The next two days we hunted close to camp, still sore from our long horse back ride. How could they feel so confident with their shot with 200 yards was right in their wheel house? A federally designated Wilderness Area and home to the worlds largest Elk herd, the Flat Tops offers our guided . If you watched a bull bed down in an area with some cows and you can sneak into the 100 yard range and glunk, that bull will be pissed off and coming looking to kick your ass! Access to Budges Wilderness Lodge is by high-clearance 4WD only. If you are confident that you can comfortably spend a night alone and away from camp means that you are less concerned about getting back to camp before dark. Saeed had both a bull tag and a buck tag, and I had seen a few elk on the top of the mountain first season and one gigantic muley! I dont think that there is a hunter out there that doesnt regret going home early, because they are discouraged. I pulled out my GPS to try to pinpoint exactly where they were from our location and how we could get to them. Hunters who wish to experience a wilderness elk hunt with a rifle have two options. "Serving big game hunters since 1994". Sometimes the best spots are way closer and easier to access and everyone thinks that there wouldnt be elk there but since everyone skips that close spot is the sole reason why there is elk. Buck and LOVE the area to them oldest National Forests in the shape you need capitalize before the youll! 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