I was looking at some Colorado drop camp hunts that fit my budget ($3,000 or less) and I thought I might ask here where I should look as well.

DIY Wyoming pronghorn. Pick the right unit and you can put in for buck tag and two doe tags. If you camp out or stay in a cheap hotel (and cook your own meals) you can have a great hunt for a real reasonable price. A few years ago I did this with a couple buds. We filled all of our tags during our four day hunt (7 pronghorn) and had a great time. Including travel expenses from southern NM it only cost me about a grand.
http://www.predatormastersforu...rch=true#Post2305655

In the right area, you could also apply for a deer tag and try a combo hunt, but you'd want to add more time.

There are also some good opportunities for cow elk hunts here in NM. If you call around, or use an outfitter, you can get a landowner permit, usually for less than a grand (many times a lot less). These can be pretty easy DIY hunts if you have a little experience. If not, you can get an outfitted hunt for less than your price and get a bunch of great tasting meat. If you sniff around a little in this forum you should be able to find several hunt reports from folks who have done this.

I did this in 2014. Hunted a unit I'd never set foot in before. Found elk on the day before the season (my only scouting) and killed a nice cow on the second day of the hunt.
http://forums.accuratereloadin...3411043/m/7911063602

I've got an outfitter here that puts drop camps in for about 1800. He's got some great areas.

I can fix you up with a guided cow elk hunt for about 2000.00, includes lodging and breakfast and a guide, usually a 4 day hunt out of Walzenburg Colorado..I use this hunt to get a cow in the freezer.

Start applying for tags in the west. You can do it on your own or use an application service. Then you can hunt on own or at a reasonable rate with a guide. We use United States Outfitters for all our applications. We've done well through them.

Thank you for all of the advice. I am going to keep looking into this. The drop hunt is a little much for me to do solo, a cow elk hunt or antelope seems pretty doable.

Keep in mind, study the CO game laws so you have a fair idea what you can do or can't without getting in a jamb.
They will send you the regs and a booklet on which units and kill results. CPW don't know the rest of it since they changed names from CoDow. I haven't been in several years. Rick, fill in the blanks pard or Ray even.

One thing most of these states are at least half public lands and you don't need to hire a guide or outfitter for anything. First off you do need to know how to hunt. And by far it's best to have an experienced hunter that's been out here before along. Most seasons now are 5 days long. The last season in Nov. used to be 9 or 10 days. That's usually the best one as it gives you more time to learn the area and what's going on. It also subjects you to possible HEAVY snow. 4-7 feet in some areas so come prepared. A tent in such snows is NOT prepared!

AND practice 300-500 yard shooting all you can too. Much of this country is so wide open you won't see a tree for miles. It's nothing like you're used to. Come out in the summer with time enough to browse around. Cows are usually much easier to get than a big bull no matter where or who you hunt with. First couple elk hunts you'll be better off going for a cow. Some tags can be had up til season opens over the counter, depends on the areas though.

Wish you the best of it,
George

call this family and have a chat w them

http://www.fawngulchoutfitters.com/

Colin:

Drop camps are generally not a good idea for a newbie because outfitters reserve their better areas for fully guided hunts and the drop camp clients get the 'leftovers.'

What do you want to hunt? As others have said, you can do a quality guided pronghorn or cow elk hunt on your budget. These hunts are a lot of fun and the success rates are high but if you have your heart set on bringing home a big set of antlers you'll be disappointed. In reality, a bull elk or buck mule deer hunt is not going to happen on a $3000 budget

Questions like yours come up regularly on hunting forums and a frequent answer is "apply for the tags and do it yourself." In my opinion this is not a good idea for a first time Western hunt. It's true that there is a lot of public land in the Rocky Mountain states and every year thousands of hunters go on success DIY trips. But in most instances they have either done it before and / or have a partner along who has. Showing up for your first hunt with a tag in hand and alone, not knowing the where / when / how is asking for disappointment, if not disaster.

Going with a guide for a pronghorn or cow elk hunt will give you some experience that will come in handy if you want to do DIY hunts in the future.

If you want a great hunt on a budget, do a DIY caribou hunt in AK. Fly to Kotzebue and hire an air taxi to drop you off.

Just a small piece of information, what your definition of a budget priced hunt and people on this site's idea of a budget priced hunt, may be or are Universe's apart.

quote:

what your definition of a budget priced hunt and people on this site's idea of a budget priced hunt, may be or are Universe's apart.

The OP did say that his budget was $3000. You are right, to some, that's a lot of money and to others it's pocket change.

The things I look at when planning my hunts as far as budgeting is concerned, are not just the cost of the license/tag for the particular specie/species, but travel expenses whether flying/driving, lodging/meal expenses on the trip going and coming and time required to do the trip.

Over the years Lora and I have found that the "Incidentals" can add up quickly.

JMO, but a late season guided cow elk hunt in Colorado has been a hunt that should fall well within the 3K budget window, although with the price of cow tags going up to the level of bull tags, such hunts are beginning to push the limit some.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
The things I look at when planning my hunts as far as budgeting is concerned, are not just the cost of the license/tag for the particular specie /species,

Is that what you meant by "specie"? Lots of coins brought along on a hunt can get cumbersome.

spe·cie
ˈspēSHē,-sē/Submit
noun
money in the form of coins rather than notes.

The point I was trying to make, is that a person can do a hunt for one species, such as elk or a combination hunt for multiple species such as white tail deer and feral hog, and still fall within the budget parameter of 3K.

I have never been all that keen on PROPER GRAMMAR.

When I am going after elk, I consider it a one specie hunt. It is why I am not all that good with Spanish, the singular/plural concept of some terms elude me.

Just busting balls Crazy.....I knew what ya meant.

I had to check if "specie" was a word.....I had no idea it meant coins.

Randall:
Shucks man, incidentals can add up for us locals quick too. IF game don't live in the back yard during season. OR the neighbors bitch about shooting from the house!

I've always figured a buck a mile and 3-500 miles during the hunt too. Bring a 30 gal drum of gas along to camp will save a mighty long cold hike to the nearest pump. Always best to hook up with some others and everyone have a 4x4. Never know when the white stuff will get deep enough you have to build a train to get out of the high country.


George

Come hunt coues deer with me to Sonora one day for 3500