Can someone educate me on these elk cow deperdation hunts I have heard about in Colorado and Montana.

Looking for a easy on the wallet meat hunt.

Thank anyone and everyone in advance.

Contact: CPW

They're the one's that can
give you the facts.

Good luck,

George

Ok, first off here in Montana are two types of hunts, shoulder season and those actually called depredation hunts.

Shoulder season hunts are cow only, and in designated units and generally only open on private land in those units. Some start in August and run until bow season opens and some run all the way to Feb 15th after the close of general season. Access to private land depends on the landowner, some charge fees, some don't. Don't count on any help from Montana FWP on locating landowners open to hunting. I doesn't hurt to try as I have gotten some information on occasion. You might find some ranchers and or outfitters on line that offer cow hunts during shoulder season. This would be a good avenue for an out of state hunter as elk movements can be erratic and you might not know a rancher that will call you up and say " the elk are in the north field in the mornings...".

Depredation hunts require that you sign up during the summer, June 15th to July 15th as I remember. Again cows only. You pick ONE unit for each species, deer, elk and antelope. FWP then holds a lottery for each unit and you get a number; 1 to however many signed up. (In the past there have been 500 or more hunters in some units.)The local biologist calls you up according to your number, response time is critical so unless you have a private jet forget it for out of state. FWP arranges everything with the landowner, you may not even get a phone number to contact, you must show up at the designated time and place, if not NO SOUP FOR YOU! After the hunt, usually a one day affair, you must call FWP and report,if you have two tags they will generally direct you to another hunt if you were successful in the first one regardless of your draw number. They want successful hunters.

I know a rancher in far Southern Colorado that has 80,000 acres of private land..He sells some cow tags of various kinds..Has a Lodge and guides, not fancy and you wont get pampered, but you will get an elk, breakfast and lunch if your lucky and on your own in town for supper..Probably around $900 plus a license, unless hes come up??? The lodge is on the Waltsenburg city limits. His ranch border the town..Ihave hunted it a few times and enjoyed it..

I've done such hunts recently in Colorado and Montana.

Rancher I know in western Colorado attempts to grow corn and the elk start tearing it up by late summer. He gets depredation 'coupons' that allow you to buy a permit from Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Problem is the elk become nocturnal quickly and they no longer allow night hunting for them.

Also in my part of Colorado (western) there are cow only tags by draw for private property only. In some units (like GMU 60 and probably others) the seasons are quite long. The problem is access to the private property. Much (virtually all?) of such private property hunting is reserved for family/friends or leased out to outfitters.

There are a couple outfitters that are here on AR who do reasonably priced cow only hunts. I've hunted with Kiowa out of Raton New Mexico and Continental Divide Outfitters in Central Montana. With both I saw lots of elk and filled out within a day.

Check out the Outfitter hunt offers here on AR.

Heym:

There are many of them in Utah. We have a lot of snow this year and if it ends up being like like it was 2-3 years back, there may be some availability.

If I hear of anything I’ll PM you.

LH500,
Why not cut through all the red tape and just come to Texas where elk are considered exotics and there is no closed season.

I can refer you to a booking agent that has always found the best deals for me ( we often hunt together). On many of the exotic ranches they include field recovery, skinning and quartering, and put the meat in your coolers for you.
This mature cow I shot at 190 yards:



Reminds me that I did not shoot one last year and may need to do so.

Guys, not ignoring anyone. Spent a few days reading a couple of books.

Thank you all for the assistance. I think I got something with help from a member here lined up.

I do need to come to Texas and try to meet some of you.

Thank uphou everyone. I will keep y’uns updated.

I need something bigger to point this new 35 Whelen at.

Ive shot my share of Depredation cow elk in Idaho, but the ranchers and land owner cannot charge for those hunts, they can only give them away..don't think you can get one however unless you know the rancher, they of course give them to friends and family..The Fish and game sold 2500 cow permits in our area, and they slaughtered cow elk from the highway, and on blm and nobody did a damn thing to keep them legal it appears, those elk were to be killed only on private land, but they never made it to the private land, a militia was between them and paradise on corn..Talk about a cluster #%&@!