Drop in camp advice Colorado

[slayer73]

Hi, New here and am looking for advice on drop in camps in Colorado. I have no experience at all with them, although I have hunted in CO a couple times (very close to South Fork) it was always a hike in for the day type with a base camp by the road or by atv. I am wondering if anyone has any advice or could steer me in a direction to a good outfitter. Also in case I have the wording wrong I believe a drop in camp is where the tents are all set up for you and you just have to go by horse back to get to them. Also what would be included in them?

Thanks!

Ryan
Morton, MN

 

[Shot]

slayer73,

First of all, welcome to JHO, you will love it.

As for your question. A drop camp can come in many ways, some outfitters can just drop you and your equipment off or can provide everything for you, most I talked to are very flexible, just talk to the outfitter and voice your concerns/wants well before you commit and go. I don't know of any outfitter in the area you mentioned (assuming you want to hunt near South Fork) but what I recommend is taking to the local sporting goods dealers in town and see what outfitters they recommend (not the big chains, the mom and pop stores). I got this advice from some JHOers and it worked out well for me (found a packer to pack out meat).

Hopefully you will get more advice from other members. Also, if you find an outfitter post it here in order get some feedback before you dedicate your funds to them.

Good luck!

 

[SDHNTR]

I've looked into it and the options run the gamut. It can be a good way to hunt the backcountry but do your research and ask lots of questions. Most will charge about $1200-1500 for a drop camp. They pack you in to a camp that is already set up with wall tents and cooking equipment. You just have to bring your hunting gear, sleeping bag, and food. Some will include a wrangler/cook who will stay in camp and take care of chores and cooking. This may be an extra expense worth paying for. It all sounds great but I've heard some stories where the camp is set up in an area with no elk around. Most of these camps are used year after year and there may or may not be game nearby in any given year if conditions change. Again, ask lots of questions.

Then you can also just hire a packer to pack you and all your gear in. This will be cheaper but you'll need to bring all your camping/cooking gear. The price will depend on how far you want to go and how much stock you'll need.

 

[slayer73]

Thanks for all the advice. If we were to do it we would want to be bringing in all our own gear except for the tent and cooking gear. We would want to cook our own meals and such also. Its all in the experience I guess. The first time out we drove around for 3 days glassing slopes and found some elk way up the mountainside and ended up getting 2 bulls a day apart in that area. Small but great for your first ones. Saw lots of elk, 20 to 30 I would guess.

The last time we went out I studied ariels and topo maps in the general area within 5 miles of where we went the first time. We drove way up to the top of the mountain and unloaded the wheelers and took all our stuff up to just below the tree line and camped. We had thought the laws were that after the season started that you could not drive atvs into where we were going. Had that wrong. People started coming past us on opening morning like crazy on atvs. When we left after seeing some elk we drove past the spot we hunted the first time and there were elk in the same place as they were before. Should have hunted there I guess.

I guess what I am getting at is we want to get away from people and will work as hard as we need to to do it. Experience in your hunting area is definately a must tho. Unless you get with an outfitter that knows where all the elk are.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[azshtr]

Backpack it in and have a packer lined up if you drop one? Or bone it out and hoof it yourselves. Its the "gotta get back to camp" mindset your up against. If your camp is with you get in deep and stay there.