My best friend is looking for recommendations on a hunt for 2022. He and his two brothers, along with their father, all live around the Dallas, TX area and would like to do a fun guided hunt out of state together (preferably in one of the western states).

They are open to different species (Elk, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Pronghorn, etc...) and their budget is $5,000 per person ($20k total). I believe they are okay with a quality pack hunt or something lodge-based. They don't expect to be pampered....they just want a fun, quality experience with good people and at least a decent chance of success.

What do you guys recommend? I would appreciate any input you might have.

It is going to be hard anymore get tags for that many all at once.

Does success equal antler/horn size? They can easily do what they want in Colorado for deer or pronghorn, just won't be high-end trophy size. Bear hunts are too boring sitting bait alone or with one other. A mule deer, pronghorn or low end elk hunt would be much more fun and interactive. Might be able to have a mixed bag type hunt with some hunting deer or pronghorn and others hunting elk (antlerless or small bulls).

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Originally posted by p dog shooter:
It is going to be hard anymore get tags for that many all at once.

That's what I was thinking.

You could probably rustle up some private land tags for pronghorn or cow elk in NM for that budget.

You might try Kiowa Hunting Service, they have elk tags on what used to be the 500,000 acre Forbes Ranch in norther New Mexico. My youngest son did a cow elk hunt with them when I was having heart issues and couldn't go with them and had a great time and got his first elk, but they have lots of different options.

You should check out elk hunting in NW Colorado (specifically, the Craig area). There are four separate seasons; bull tags are available over the counter; there are plenty of outfitters in the area; and there are many places with excellent elk populations.

How fit are they? Can they climb mountains for days in a row and walk miles and miles if necessary?

What are they looking for?

Private land mule deer/antelope combo's in wyoming would probably be fun in areas that do not require points. Might be tough to book something for next year with that many people.

Colorado has OTC tags for 2nd and 3rd rifle, as well as archery for elk. In the flat tops you can draw 1st rifle tags with 0 points. expect to see 500 hunters if you're not on private dirt.

Just because you're on private land also doesn't guarantee anything. My pops just wrapped up a private land elk hunt just outside of Craig, on 5k acres, and saw one barely legal bull on the last evening just before dark well out of rifle range. That camp went 0/4, with one guy wounding one, so 1/4 on shooting opportunities. Of course the sales pitch is always 100% opportunity!

If their $5k budget is "all-in", meaning that will have to include tags, travel, tips, then their hunting budget is closer to 3,500 or so I'd guess.

That leaves basically pronghorn or in some cases mule deer.

Pronghorn hunting in WY is one of my favorite hunts, and they can easily DIY that one and be successful if they can walk a few miles a day.

Mule deer and Antelope around Marfa, Alpine, or Ft.
Davis and some ranches have whitetail and Coues deer, out of Marathon..Elk are mostly too expensive in texas and 99% high fenced along with all the exotics..Texas is a poor place for bear, they hardly exist in huntable numbers..Javlina abundant. Tags would be difficult in most states for a hunt such as you describe..


South Texas for trophy whitetail and Javalina and feral hogs are a bonus..

Being from Dallas they should be able to check out those Texas options..

Attempting to shoot all the animals listed in one place is all but impossible in the LOne Star state, close but no cigar..Go NOrth for elk and bear with deer and even Antelope if your lucky, success for all anywhere in the USA would be on the low side of just OK....seasons wont jibe.

The end result is a Mule deer, antelope hunt in Texas. Elk and bear in Idaho, maybe New Mexico and colorado..

They need to sit down with an outfitter or two and go from there...shop around go to SCI...