Best value in big game Hunt, US & Canada

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BoogieMan

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I would really like to go on a hunt for something more exotic and larger than the whitetail in NJ and PA. I talked to a elk ranch in MO but the cost is $6k per hunter. I want moose, elk, bear even mule. I don't want to go anyplace where they all but walk a trophy out to you. I want to actually Hunt the animal. At the same time I would like to go where the likelyhood of success is high. I am less concerned with a trophy. For me any harvest is a win and I will be taking the meat to share with friends and family. The major restriction I have is time. I can spare 5 days max.
 
My brother and I did a couple self planned, unguided hunts in Alaska in 1989 and 1991. We were primarily interested in black bear. At the time we went through a hunting consultant who helped us make the arrangements, but knowing what I know today, I do it myself.

For common game like black bear or moose today, I would contact and "air taxi" service, and they can fix you up with a "good area" for hunting. You make arrangements for a specific date, they fly you out, drop you off, and come back and pick you up on the specified date. (Keep in mind flexibility for weather is important.) Many will even have rental camping equipment available, which makes travel easier. We flew in via commercial airline, stayed in hotel, then met air taxi and was flown out the next day. Returned to hotel at end of hunt, flew home.

This kind of hunt is not for everyone, and your safety relies on your physical condition, and outdoors skills, but is very inexpensive. Obviously lots, and lots, more details but this is a good over all. We saw several bears, both trips, and some had obviously never seen humans before.

I'll also note that we chose Alaska because I primarily hunt with pistol, and Canada does not warmly welcome that.
 
Moose - fuhgetaboutit. Bullwinkle will cost you. Now, elk, black bear and mulies - go to Colorado. Haven't hunted there for a few years, but I used to live in Boulder. Killed one 5-point bull there. Not the greatest place for big trophies, but there are lots of elk (go for the draw on a cow tag if you're after meat), good access and lots of public land. When I lived there, deer tags were hard to come by, but last time out, they were in less demand. The economy had hurt business, but it might be coming back now. I should have got one, because while I didn't get a chance at an elk that trip, I encountered two trophy mulies together. I always bought a bear tag. Although I never filled one, we usually saw tracks, and if there are gut piles...

You can DIY there, just get in shape, take chains for all 4 (yes, I used them) and be prepared for weather. I've not done it, but a friend of mine used to rent horses every year. Although I have a tenuous relationship with the equine race, they are invaluable in the mountains.

Not cheap, but another option is to find an outfitter that offers drop camps. Probably half the cost of a guided hunt. Personally, I'm planning on heading to Idaho in 2017. Used to live there, too, and I have friends in Idaho Falls. But tags are more costly, access is more difficult and there are more 4-legged competitors there. Good luck!
 
Actually, there is a way to do moose that may be affordable to you since you live up in the northeast. Look into a Newfoundland moose hunt. Their hunter success rate is extremely high and the cost is affordable - especially if you can drive there. Their moose are much smaller than the moose in AK, but who needs a 60" rack anyway.
 
Pretty much discussed at length here.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=578724
What's your budget?
"...$6k per hunter..." Is roughly what it'll end up costing if you opt to come this way(or more), even with our dollar firmly in the toilet. $25Cdn.(~ $19US) just to bring a firearm into the country and no handguns when hunting or for CCW, period. Cost you that for an unguided hunt in Alaska too. Plus airfare.
I think there are big USDA hoops to jump through to take the meat across the border too. Couldn't take a roast beef sandwich across last time I crossed for work. snicker.
Like I said to deerslayer303, I'd be thinking buffalo for that kind of money. Bambi and Yogi you have at home.
 
5 days allows zero scout time and very little time for acclimation to high altitude.
Not only will you be needing an expensive guide but you will need to add air fare to your budget, including shipping any trophy back.

I knew folks who guided in the West and their typical hunts with clients were longer than five days. They took one day each way minimum on horseback to get to base camp and then on to spike camp to hunt.
 
There is a guy here locally that does Elk, Moose (on a few occasions), Wolf, Mule Deer. Mtn Lions, and Coyotes.

But his prices are pretty pricey and you have to be in great shape cause he goes into the Selway (no cars/trucks/atv use). He does provide horses but they are extra and you have to show a proficiency in riding. I have seen people up there on bicycles.

The nice thing is once you go in more then a few miles, you can go for days with out seeing any one else.

He does all the scouting for you but you need to plan a day each to fly in and out and 1-3 additional days of walking/riding (a horse) in. Plan for lots of walking even if there are horses.
 
Spring bear hunts in Quebec used to be inexpensive and popular. I used to know lots of guys from around here that would do it. They are considered pests and easily taken. I haven't heard as much about it as I used to so it may no longer be as good.

I know you said big game, turkey are considered big game in most places. A guided hunt in the right area would cost a fraction of an elk hunt and be very challenging.
 
Thank you for the info guys. It sounds like I am going to have to open my budget a bit and allow a little more time. It sucks to own your own business when you want to get away. Turkey and whitetail are very plentiful in S. NJ where I am. Maybe my best bet for the short term is to do a bit more research on PA bear. I have land with a club in Tioga County. We have bear on our land. I do want to get a shot at elk, moose, buffalo or something large aND more exotic to us flatlanders
 
i priced the hunts out west, and decided to try a african hunt with a good friend who is married to a south african women in 2013, we went for 24 days. staying with his relitives when not in the field. at the end of that hunt i was invited back and have made three more trips, the last being this last june-july. i have taken many animals from a cape buffalo to a small dikker with kudu-zebra-waterbuck-eland-impala- blue wildabeast-black wildabeast- red heartabeast and worthog in between. its best to plan a hunt on a privite ranch as the costs will be much lower than the gussied up places, make sure they will take rand instead of dollars. as with the rand at 13.50 to one us dollar now(it was 14.51 to one in june) the prices will be about 30 percent cheaper from last year. a 49" kudu was 4500 rand this year, but with the exchange rate of 14.51 to one it cost me 310.00 U.S.D. it does take some shopping around but a good hunt can be had for under 4000.00. eastbank.
 
@eastbank- I did a little search on Africa hunts. Without any research there are all inclusive hunts at much lower cost than anything in the US. Im sure the airfare is a bit more and the travel time is rather grueling. I really think its worth it to have the chance at multiple big game targets and just to experience africa. 5-day packages start at $3100 and include taking 3 animals. Observer fee is only $800. This includes everything except air.
 
African hunts don't include the really friggin' expensive trophy fees. $9500US(I think) for an under 40" Cape Buffalo. $800 for a Wildebeest.
Lot of other stuff to consider too. Like taking a 120 to 220 volt converter for all your electric stuff and CITES.
This site has a lot of info.
http://www.africahunting.com/community/safari-planning-guide/
"...airfare is..." Not horrible. Little over $700 from Newark to Joberg. That's on-line too.
 
"The major restriction I have is time. I can spare 5 days max."

With this schedule, your best bet on a reasonable chance of a successful hunt would be on a game farm. Five days is basically a 2 1/2-3 day hunt in many places.
 
Don't they now have elk hunts in the East? Was it in Kentucky or somewhere thereabouts? If so, it might afford you a chance at one
Won't be the same as having your lungs feel like they want to burst at 10,000', but what the hey.....;):D
 
I would really like to go on a hunt for something more exotic and larger than the whitetail in NJ and PA. I talked to a elk ranch in MO but the cost is $6k per hunter. I want moose, elk, bear even mule. I don't want to go anyplace where they all but walk a trophy out to you. I want to actually Hunt the animal. At the same time I would like to go where the likelyhood of success is high. I am less concerned with a trophy. For me any harvest is a win and I will be taking the meat to share with friends and family. The major restriction I have is time. I can spare 5 days max.
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if you do not care about trophies, only stories and something new, and a high chance of success but without the laziness of a farm hunt, then I would heavily suggest a central Idaho cow elk hunt. in my area there are usually more late cow tags than there are people who want to hunt for antlerless animals in the snow so the odds of getting drawn are pretty high. a cow elk is still 2 to 3 times the size of your average whitetail, and are way more elusive and difficult to hunt, but in the snow at least you have tracks to follow. odds of harvesting are usually pretty high during good years, pretty low during drought/wildfire years... so far I'm 2 for 3.
 
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