First of all, very sorry for a generic post which most will find frustrating.
I am very keen to hunt a very large trophy elk. I have been lucky enough to have hunted most other critters but never an elk.
Please can some of the more experienced point me on the right direction for a chance at a monster free range bull. I'm not interested in hunting a bull in a 100 acre fenced area but open to suggestions. This is likely to be the only bull I hunt so it needs to be in a great area but also happy to go home empty handed if we don't get lucky. Thank you. John

New Mexico

The Jicarilla Apache Reservation in Dulce, New Mexico

Or the Mescalero Reservation near Ruidoso or the White Mountain or San Carlos Apache Reservations in Arizona.

One of the Ted Turner ranches.

Here are a couple in Utah you can look into. They are not cheap.
www.westernlandshunting.com/hunting/
www.wildcountryoutfitters.com

"One of the Ted Turner ranches."

I've hunted cow elk on Ted's Vermejo Park Ranch. It's a beautiful place and I've seen some big bulls (that are way out of my price range.)

http://vermejoparkranch.com/

New Mexico and Arizona would be good choices. Not only for the trophy potential but also for the generally easier terrain. You need to be in top physical shape and, most importantly, be used to high altitude in order to hunt elk effectively in other Rocky Mountain states.

Another vote for Vermejo. Went there three times with my husband while he hunted bull elk (was successful on every trip) and we took my Father-in-law fishing there as a birthday gift. A truly incredible place.

Best of luck on your hunt.

Wagonhound Ranch, central WYO.

jcorry

It would help if you could quantify your need for a trophy/monster elk.
IMHO, taking any free range bull elk constitutes a trophy.
Elk size is often specified by the size of the rack - like 5x5, 6x6, 7x7, etc.
Or by the point score of the rack, such as 300, 340 400, 440, etc.
If you have a minimum size or score, it will help in choosing where to hunt.
Naturally, the higher the score, the higher the level of difficulty and price.
For instance, my target was at least a 6x6 with no concern for the point score. After four outings in Montana, NM, and Colorado, I finally jumped my 6x6 and there is no doubt when you see your bull up close - you know whether or not to shoot. Mine happened to score 325 and I will be happy if I never shoot a laager one.
I mostly shoot elk cows now for the meat which is excellent.
Happy Hunting.

All depends on what you consider a "very large trophy elk" and what you want to spend. Some guys consider 350" their benchmark while for others, it's 400".

If you're looking for something over 375" on a landowner tag hunt, with a higher than average success, expect to pay close to 15-20k once everything (license, tip, processing, etc.) is said and done.

Of course if you can draw a tag, it would save you a ton of money!

Are you building pref. points in any state?

Call Bridger Patrini of Tri State Outfitters or Kiowa Outfitters

Both are out of Raton New Mexico and they both hunt private property

John: I know nothing about this guy or his outfit other than every year I get his booklet full of pictures and ad's etc. Some mighty fine bulls and muley bucks killed every year he claims.

Ray Milligan Outfitting
Chama NM
www.milliganbrand.com
Ray@millinganbrand.com

Being semi local I think the prices are way out of control but, considering where you are and some of the other prices I think he's plumb reasonable compared. 1x1 $6750us.

Best of luck with your dream hunt.
George

As noted above New Mexico or Arizona are pretty much the best places to go for a real monster elk. Plus you will get the chance to look over a lot of nice Bulls in the process. You will also certainly pay for the privilege. But it sounds like you may not be averse to that.

There are some big bulls taken in other western states but not at the frequency that the areas listed for New Mexico or Arizona.

Hi,

Thanks for your messages.
So I was thinking that it might cost around 15K.
Of course the British pound is doing well now so its not too bad for us.
So I'm basically looking for something big and heavy with as much mass as possible.
I am a rifle hunter and not experienced with bow or muzzle loader.
The only experience I have with Elk is seeing them on my Aunt's ranch in Colorado, near Aspen. They're were lots of elk but nothing very big - in fact I would compare them to our hill stags in Scotland - millions of them but due to nutrition, they never get that big. So I guess the same applies to Elk - its all about nutrition!
In fact I like hunting the lowland stags. Big, heavy and dark antlers.
Thanks

John

http://vermejoparkranch.com/wp...Hunt-Rates-Dates.pdf


Here is the Vermejo 2017 hunt rates. So at $15,000, you are right in the ballpark.

quote:

The only experience I have with Elk is seeing them on my Aunt's ranch in Colorado, near Aspen. They're were lots of elk but nothing very big

If I had aunt with a ranch that had lots of elk on it that is where I would go.

Size is not every thing.

My aunt doesn't allow hunting on her place.

quote:

Originally posted by jcorry:
My aunt doesn't allow hunting on her place.

That's to bad. How big of a ranch does she have.

The NRA Whittington Center also has elk hunts. I am not sure, but I think they top out around $10,000. Quality will not be that of Vermejo park.

And Indian tribe has a game ranch that you can hunt on, it is something like 80,000 acres with no cross fence. Prices are half what Vermejo park charges. I think $8000.

http://www.jicarillahunt.com/hunting

A friend hunted there he said he saw the fence one time. Also huge bulls.

Just read it again it says it is 14,5000 acres.

That would be 22 square miles, not quite as big as I thought.

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:
As noted above New Mexico or Arizona are pretty much the best places to go for a real monster elk. Plus you will get the chance to look over a lot of nice Bulls in the process. You will also certainly pay for the privilege. But it sounds like you may not be averse to that.

There are some big bulls taken in other western states but not at the frequency that the areas listed for New Mexico or Arizona.

I have to disagree with you entirely. Based on B&C entries for nearly the past 20 years, Utah is the clear leader for trophy elk states. Arizona certainly produces, and has more total entries over time than Utah (256 vs 225 as of this past March), the vast majority of Utah's entries come after 2000, whereas AZ has been fairly consistent since the 1960s. Montana is the only other state that also has more total B&C elk entries than Utah (246), but again, the past 20 years comparison shows Utah dominates the leaderboard.

New Mexico can certainly provide lots of options for 300-330" bulls at "reasonable" $6-10k prices, with a couple options that will give you a fair crack at a +330" bull if you bump your budget up to about $15k.

Utah has lots of auction tags plus the CWMU private landowner program that provides the ability to buy a tag for a specific property without needing to play the draw game. Many of these CWMUs consistently produce bulls over 350", with tags on these types of ranches starting around $10k and going up to $25k. There are a handful of CWMUs that produce 370" to +400" bulls every year, and those ranches usually have 2-5 yr waiting lists and prices around $20k and up.

Auction tags for Limited Entry units in Utah vary greatly depending on which unit (and which auction). There are several units that with a good outfitter expectations of a 350" bull are not ridiculous, and again, a fair handful of units where +370" is a fair expectation. Prices for these auction permits vary, but a $10-20k budget + cost of a guide ($5-7k) can buy most of them.

If a 300-330" bull is a "big" bull to you, then I wouldn't hesitate to go to New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, or Colorado and you shouldn't have to spend more than $10k to have a great hunt. But if you wanted a +350" fair chase bull, Utah would be my #1 starting point with Arizona as a distant second. I would start my budget at $15k for UT/AZ though, and expect to pay a bit more by the end of everything.

If you can do a last minute trip, you can often find a cancellation or leftover landowner permit at a good discount. I happen to know of one from a Utah CWMU (14k acres) that is still up for grabs for this fall. They had 4 tags to sell for the property (plus 1 public hunter tag from the drawing). They were selling the tags originally at $16k, and that included 5 days of guide service. So far I know 2 of the hunters have filled their tags, these bulls scoring in the mid 340s and 350s respectively.

I have hunted Vermajo and the T-O

Both are in the suburbs of Raton New Mexico

There are several outfittes that hunt Vermajo and just one that hunts the T-O

Both produce dead elk over 300" each year and with both are assured an outfitter tag.

Kiowa and Tri-State Outfitters out of Raton are your best bet for these very big properties

Unit 16A New Mexico Have taken several big bulls there, 2 over 400 B&C. Choose your guide (not outfitter) wisely! Yes, Public Land, but damn good.

John, reread your post. With your attitude you will kill a big bull. Only way to kill a monster. PM if I can help.