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BE PREPARED FOR THAT TRIP
OF A LIFETIME
By: Ron Wilson
November 4, 2010.... So you want to kill
an elk or deer outside of California? Well before you decide to go, here
are a few things to consider.
Are you going to hire a guide? There are
some good ones out there that are well worth the price but there are
some that just want what you have in your wallet. I have talked to
several people that have made that venture and paid out big bucks and
they never saw an elk or buck let alone one to shoot at. Your best bet
is to talk to your friends or do your homework if you plan on being
successful on hiring a productive guide out of state.
While guides are a good bet, even mother
nature can throw a monkey wrench into there success for you by not
coming in with a few good storms during the
hunting season.
This year we spent a week on our property
in Wyoming and the
weather was shirt sleeve stuff in the 60's and 70's. There was just a
small herd of elk feeding on the alfalfa there. We set up our ambush on
the side of the mountain on the topside of our property at 4:00 am. Well
before daylight on the opener and long before shoot time arrived, we had
a couple guys chase the herd past us. The only thing we saw was ghost
figures go past us going uphill and that was the last time they came
down off the mountain to feed.
We generally see a couple hundred head
scattered around on the south end of Ramon Mountain but this year the
count was like 30 head. My son and grandson and some friends pretty much
covered the whole area and there was just a few local elk there that
were scared to death and stayed hidden in the trees until almost dark
before they came out to eat each evening. Last year we counted over 200
head in one herd coming down the hill to eat.
What do you plan on spending for that elk
you are after. Lets start with the $570 price tag of the elk license if
you are lucky enough to be drawn. Then there is the $12.50 conservation
stamp. We picked ours up at the Wal-Mart in Edminston. The store is huge
and carries everything you need.
 We
stayed at the Hideout Motel in
Cokeville, Wyoming,
which is 10 miles from our property. We bring all our own food as the
motel room has a full kitchen service. That was another couple hundred
bucks. Chalk down $60 plus a night depending on how many people stay in
it. The couch is horrible a half dozen pillows don't help it out so your
better off with a air mattress and sleeping bag and the floor. The beds
are ok but according to my grandson his was hard as a rock. He sounded
like he sleep okay to me though!
Gas going and coming back to California
is about 8 tanks which comes to about $650 to $700 depending on how much
the oil companies are sticking us for fuel at the time. Then you better
add about 3 more tanks for your hunting if you are traveling around the
area to check it out.
Meat processing if you are successful can
also cost a few bucks. A couple years ago we had two deer made into
jerky and one elk cut up into steaks, cheese elk dogs and hamburger
rolls that cost better than a thousand dollars.
Now count the ammo and other non
essential items you want to bring along and the bill just gets higher
and higher.
Planning an out of state hunting trip for
the meat is not being frugal one bit. By the time you figure out your
total bill one would be better off staying home where you can go out to
a fine dining place and eat steak, shrimp and lobster quite a few times
and still have a few bucks in the bank left at the end of the year.
This year makes year number two that I
have had my elk tag with salt and pepper and it didn't taste a damn bit
better this year than last.
I have taken my elk to the butcher shops
in Wyoming and from the condition I have seen some of the meat come in
from the field from out of state hunters the only thing it could of been
good for was jerky or dog food. That means you should study up on how to
take care of your game once you have bagged it.
From what I have seen over the years is
that hunting has become big business and states like Wyoming and
Colorado, etc. are
after you hunting dollars. Going elk or
deer hunting is
serious stuff and cost serious bucks. My advice is do your best to be
prepared. |
