Archery vs rifle

[vandeman17]

I am planning on surprising my dad with an elk supplied drop camp hunt next season for a retirement gift. I have talked to lots of packers and narrowed it down to two. One is in the eagle caps in ne Oregon and the other is in the frank church in Idaho. The Oregon hunt would be archery for any bull and Idaho would be rifle for branched bull. Both tags are over the counter and we both will be hunting. I am trying to decide between the two and I am torn. My dad has only been archery hunting for a few years and I would LOVE to be there for his first archery kill. On the other hand, going with a rifle increases our odds of filling at least one tag. Idaho would cost about a grand more total between pack in and him having to buy an out of state versus resident tag. Thoughts?

He will be 62 and in decent shape so terrain shouldn't be an issue but as we all know, life happens so I want to take advantage of every chance I can to spend time in the back country with him while I can.

[boneaddict]

Dates would probably sway one way or another, rut versus not.

[lamrith]

Not knowing OR or ID seasons..  Would either of the hunts be during rut?  If he has not hunted the hot of the rut before I would think being surrounded by screaming bulls during the hunt could outweigh the weapon choice?  It would definitely improve the chances of up close encounters...

[bobcat]

Also look at the Bob Marshall wilderness in Montana for rifle hunts in September.

[Bob33]

For experience I'd probably choose archery. For odds of getting a bull, rifle - that's what he's more proficient and comfortable with, and it obviously increases the distance at which a shot can be taken.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Not knowing OR or ID seasons..  Would either of the hunts be during rut?  If he has not hunted the hot of the rut before I would think being surrounded by screaming bulls during the hunt could outweigh the weapon choice?  It would definitely improve the chances of up close encounters...

 

[vandeman17]

Both hunts would be for around 10 days at the end of September so both would be heat of the rut, hopefully 

[270Shooter]

I'd rifle hunt the frank personally. Given the September dates.

[Buzz2401]

Why not bring up a hypothetical question to him and see what his idea of the hunt would be.  You could lead him into it by saying " Man it would be awesome to go on a guided hunt, it would be hard to decide to the rifle or bow though what would you choose"  the area is just a formality in my opinion. Being out in elk country is whats it all about

[vandeman17]

Why not bring up a hypothetical question to him and see what his idea of the hunt would be.  You could lead him into it by saying " Man it would be awesome to go on a guided hunt, it would be hard to decide to the rifle or bow though what would you choose"

That's funny because I have done that and of course, he gives me the pros and cons of both so it ends up not helping   

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Check harvest statistics, talk to the biologist, ask the outfitter questions.
Bull/Cow ratios and age class of bulls compared to average success rates, is it worth not tagging out in hopes of a monster? or do you just want a legal bull?
What about Combo tags, deer, bear, wolf?
And what about wolves?
I had a hunter from Idaho last season that had a few unkind things to say about the wolf population in the area he hunts in Idaho, one of the reasons he came out here for a Roosevelt