[beach]

i and companions are mid fifties to late fifties. not in perfect shaped but still work out and do physical work (farm, lots of equipment tho). went on a gun hunt in col. this fall. had fun but hunted off of 4 wheelers and shooting tables. 2 hrs had our elk. actually harder hunting squirrels in ohio. would like wyoming or idaho or wherever someone has had a good experience. do not mind but would prefer not to have to walk up a whole mt. for the hunt. we are bowhunters and need to bowhunt but also realize we are not young bucks anymore. may be asking to much but this list always has some good advice and knowledge. thanks in advance. beach

 

[ILOVE3D]

All archery elk hunts I've been on there was plenty of mountains to walk up and down on. Not uncommon to walk up to 8 miles a day and more when chasing bugling elk. I'm 62 but blessed to live out west and still push myself to be in shape to get it done. I've always had to quarter and or bone our elk in order to get it out to a vehicle. Yes, it would be nice to get one say only a half mile from a road but when you hear them bugling further in, I just keep going and figure I will do what it takes to get one out even when that requires usually at least 2 trips and sometimes 3 for me and my buddy after I have carried out the first load upon killing it. Your first hunt that took only 2 hours and was off 4 wheelers and shooting tables was just that a shoot, and not really an elk hunt in most peoples books even though you got your elk. You can still get it done, you just have to want it more.

 

[Dakota79]

605-797-4539 and ask for Alvin

 

[beach]

thanks. you are right. it was not a hunt and i am sorry if i implied it was. kind of need an outfitter tho. we all own businesses and our time is limited to probably 5 days of hunting. traveling from ohio chews up some precious time off. it was my first gun hunt and probably the last. once a philosophy twice a perversion. actually my only hunting in my life has been with my bows in ohio woods for whitetail/squirrel. you have to be right on for squirrel with a bow.

 

[ILOVE3D]

thanks. you are right. it was not a hunt and i am sorry if i implied it was. kind of need an outfitter tho. we all own businesses and our time is limited to probably 5 days of hunting. traveling from ohio chews up some precious time off. it was my first gun hunt and probably the last. once a philosophy twice a perversion. actually my only hunting in my life has been with my bows in ohio woods for whitetail/squirrel. you have to be right on for squirrel with a bow.

I didn't mean to degrade your outing, just rewording what you said in your original post. We all have done things we wish we had done differently after the fact. Five days of hunting really restricts one to doing a fully guided hunt being you live so far away but I'm sure there are some good guides out there that can provide it for you. Keep looking but I warn you, once you do find a good guide and really experience an early season elk hunt during the rut you will find a way to extend the hunts to more than 5 days after the first good one. Good luck to you. I also agree with you on how hard a squirrel hunt is with a bow, you do have to be right on.

 

[Samuraiarcher]

Jeff Urban in NM at swcustomhunts.com

Great guy, has access to some great properties in NMC and is a bow hunter first.

 

[Beendare]

Hey Beach, mid 50's guy here too and been doing the elk thing for a long time. I can't give you any specific outfitters since I DIY.

I would look for a private land hunt, good size ranch, preferably the ranch owner is the outfitter. These guys will take a bit to find, but most times will give you better service than outfitters leasing property and running a pile of hunters through there. The landowners usually want to keep their ranch good quality. This hunt will put you in close quarters with elk quickly either chasing or treestands. Many of the private guys don't want you chasing them hard and running them off the property.

If you do a horseback packin mtn hunt, you will be getting into a much lower success rate type deal and need to be in real good shape to run with those guides in the mtns.
hope that helps, pm me if you have any more questions.

edit; actually there is one guy you can check on; Timberline outfitters in New Mexico, the guy lives in unit 15, Perry Hunsaker, I know he is good. I've met him, and a couple friends have used him- one shot a 360" bull

 

[beach]

hey thanks for the replies. not in a wheelchair but realizing when you have lived almost 6 decades at 500' above sea level (takes 8 days to make more red cells) i will have some limitations to you studs that live out west. i will not be able to walk 8 miles in and out in one day unless it is a monster. then i will hire a helicoper or sherpas. actually looking for a hunt and a little time off. skiied for almost 40 yrs in the west (2 to 3 trips annually) and can make it thru a few days. i ski hard so used to some hypoxia. i would like bragging rights but hunting is hunting and a learning experience. not trying to fill the freezer or line the wall with monsters. it would be cool and if i did i would be more than ecstatic, but at this stage in life it would be more of an experience. truly a bow hunter i think. to help with an old shoulder send + 4000 arrows to a targer at 20 yds.( 2 doz. a shoot) in the basement prior to the start of a day. if anyone wants to help a private outfitter with a recommendation please send me their info. beendare i think the family ranch we went to this fall had that philosophy that definitely wanted repeat clients and they got them. thanks for all the suggestions. beach