Washington guided cow elk hunts?

[SirWalt]

Hi all, first post here. I'm still new to hunting. Only taken 1 blacktail a few years ago.


I'm looking for a guided cow elk hunt in Washington with reasonable odds. Or someone with property and an elk problem haha. I really just wanna fill the freezer. Having a wife, demanding job, and 2 small kids, I don't have time to really DIY it, even though I'd like to. So I don't mind paying a guide. Problem is, I can't find one in Washington that isn't expensive and also targeting bull elk. (I'd happily take a bull, but really this coming season I'd like to hunt for the meat).


Oregon and Idaho have some guided cow elk hunts with what seems like really good odds, and I've been talking to one Oregon guide who seems legit. 3 days, $2,300 plus tag, license, lodging, etc. It adds up quick.


For the experience and a good chance at putting 100+lbs of meat in the freezer I'm willing to pay it. But I just want to know if Washington has anything like this. I've been searching online religiously and can't seem to find a guided Washington cow elk hunt. 


The best I've found in state is either know someone with property on the east side, or hunt yourself in the Yakima Training Center. 


Maybe someone could explain to a noob why guided cow hunts aren't a thing here, or point me in a better direction within Washington state?

Thanks y'all

[millerwheeler]

Most eastern units are special draw for cow and  a bulls most units are spike only. What  weapon are you doing? Westside  there some any elk and cow units pending on weapons and season. All I can say be Be very careful on guides make sure they have REAL references! Good luck I have some names not too use you can Pm If you want. I would saw email @bearpaw  and ask him  he has the info you need.

[SirWalt]

Thanks miller. I'll definitely PM you for the no go list and hit up bearpaw. I have a muzzleloader and a 308, so I'd hunt either season. Westside unit 460 in 2023 had 42 percent success for muzzleloader Elk, although I think private land bumps those numbers up. As does an elk area that allows cows. Most of that unit is 3 point minimum. But so far, that's the best odds I've found for elk anywhere near me. I got a Snoqualmie Tree Farm permit and I'm gonna give that a shot with a friend. That's just a short season for someone who's a noob haha (my friend is new as well).

Hence wanting something more productive. I've been wanting to get into this for the last 10 years, but I have put career and family first. I'm in a position now where I can afford to spend some money on it, within reason. So I may pull the trigger on an Oregon guide as well.

Anyway, thanks for the info so far.

[Fidelk]

Without accumulating special permit points and then drawing an antlerless tag, I don't think there are any "cow" hunts available in WA, either Eastern or Western.

If you can locate a guide/outfitter in Oregon ask if he has access to private land hunts and landowner tags (these are usually depredation tags) not subject to drawing a tag. These hunts can be pricey with outfitter cost and license/tag fees but you are pretty much guaranteed to come home with elk meat.

[RC]

 

I don’t know any guides in Oregon, but would definitely consider looking that direction as well. I have family there that has connections with a lot of farmers and ranchers, so they just pick up over the counter damage tags. It’s a three month season and is automatic for them to get elk. I suspect some guides over there should have some of the same kinds of connections. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here in Washington unable to draw a colockum rifle cow tag with 17 points!

With that said, I’ve heard nothing but good things about bearpaw, but my dad and I used white pass outfitters a few years ago for his bull tag, and it was a great experience.

[bearpaw]

Most eastern units are special draw for cow and  a bulls most units are spike only. What  weapon are you doing? Westside  there some any elk and cow units pending on weapons and season. All I can say be Be very careful on guides make sure they have REAL references! Good luck I have some names not too use you can Pm If you want. I would saw email @bearpaw  and ask him  he has the info you need.

I don't have access to any cow permits in Washington, we do our cow hunts in Idaho and Utah. You might contact regional offices and ask for a list of landowners with depredation tags in Washington. Also check the draw odds on some of the cow permits then try to locate a guide who hunts that area. The price for the Oregon guide sounds pretty reasonable.

[SirWalt]

Fidelk & RC, yes, the guide I'm talking to in Oregon uses OTC damage tags and has access to private land. All in, it'll come out to around 25-30 dollars per lb of meat, depending on lodging and the size of the cow elk. Plus hopefully a good experience.

I appreciate the info. What both of you are saying is in line with what the guide is telling me.

I'll give it a shot in Snoqualmie for a muzzleloader bull. Hell, maybe I'll get one and have too much elk haha. But I think I'm also gonna ask that guide a few more questions and put a deposit down on the Oregon cow elk hunt.

Also, I checked out white pass and bearpaw's websites. Not what I'm looking for, at least currently, but good to know they're there down the road.

Kind of a bummer you have to draw a cow tag here. Maybe it's time I start putting in for points as I learn more about Washington's system.

[SirWalt]

Hi bearpaw. Contacting regional offices is a great idea. Appreciate the input.

And yea, that price seems reasonable to me as well from what I've been seeing online. Plus the guide answered my first phone call and took the time to answer a lot of my questions.  Good first impression.

[Dan-o]

Fidelk & RC, yes, the guide I'm talking to in Oregon uses OTC damage tags and has access to private land. All in, it'll come out to around 25-30 dollars per lb of meat, depending on lodging and the size of the cow elk. Plus hopefully a good experience.

I appreciate the info. What both of you are saying is in line with what the guide is telling me.

I'll give it a shot in Snoqualmie for a muzzleloader bull. Hell, maybe I'll get one and have too much elk haha. But I think I'm also gonna ask that guide a few more questions and put a deposit down on the Oregon cow elk hunt.

Also, I checked out white pass and bearpaw's websites. Not what I'm looking for, at least currently, but good to know they're there down the road.

Kind of a bummer you have to draw a cow tag here. Maybe it's time I start putting in for points as I learn more about Washington's system.

As others have warned, check your guide out thoroughly. 

Every year there are horror stories of guys getting ripped off thst are posted here.... including some recent ones.

Good luck!!!!

[Fidelk]

SirWalt, I've done the Oregon private land hunt twice....once with a buddy who wanted to check it out......outside Heppner, OR.....which resulted in 3 dead elk. Lodging, but not meals, was provided. The elk hold on private land and don't get too spooked as hunting pressure is light. On both trips, we were close to a few hundred elk and it is a real treat to constantly be hearing their vocalizations. When the elk are out in open grazing areas, they are pretty smart and set up to rest as far away from cover available to hunters as they can get. The outside perimeter has many sets of eyes looking out. In that scenario, a 300 yard shot is pretty much a minimum and you can expect to be shooting at 400-450 yards.

If you are willing, would you provide the contact info of the guide you are talking with? The one I've used in the past was supposed to have lost the lease that I hunted on but I will try and contact him and see if he's still guiding. Something came up and I missed the last Sportsmans Show......I had planned to go just to see if these Oregon meat hunts were still available. I hunted near Heppner and I think it's all good hunting country east to La Grande and beyond. Good luck.

[SirWalt]

His website is EllisHuntingRanch.com

[dvolmer]

https://www.monstermuleys.info/xf/threads/wtb-guided-cow-elk-hunt.211381/   this link might help from another forum.

[Fidelk]

https://www.ultimateelkhunting.com/usa/oregon/

This list includes Ellis Hunting Ranch......I had hunted with Pioneer Outfitters. I think Ellis is primarily a bird hunting ranch but also have elk. Pioneer was just out of Heppner but may not still be in operation.

SirWalt, I'll let you know if I find out any useful info.

[SirWalt]

Thanks for the links, and thanks for the info, everyone. This place is more active than I thought. I think I'm in good company here.

[jackelope]

Whatever you do, don't go with any guides from southwest Washington without thouroughly vetting them, preferably on here with us first.

[SirWalt]

Fidelk, much appreciated. That outfitter link is useful. It's not always easy to find these things with a google search. Also, check out Ellis Hunting Ranch's Instagram page. Lots and lots of recent pictures/video with some pretty nice bulls.

[SirWalt]

Dan-o and Jackelope, I appreciate the warnings. I've read a couple of these stories. It's pretty unfortunate. I didn't know how bad it could be. Off hand, are there any western Washington outfitters that you DO like?

[Fidelk]

SW, if you want to horrify yourself.....read the Olympic Mountain Outfitters thread....on this sub-forum.

[jackelope]

Dan-o and Jackelope, I appreciate the warnings. I've read a couple of these stories. It's pretty unfortunate. I didn't know how bad it could be. Off hand, are there any western Washington outfitters that you DO like?

I don't have any experiences with any outfitters in Washington besides Dale, and I didn't hunt with him. I just used him for his lunch during turkey season a few years back. I'd look hard at going to Idaho with his outfit if it was me. You can shoot bulls in a lot of the westside units, but the number of outfitters on this side is limited. There are definitely a few bad apples in that crowd. Also hunting on small patches of private ground close to highways seems to be a popular thing on this side of the mountains. Doesn't appeal to me at all, even if some of the outfitters haven't proven themselves to be terrible.

[boneaddict]

I would think the baiting rule change here in Washington will hamper many of their exploits.

[bearpaw]

Here's a list of outfitters who are members of the Washington Outfitters Association, I don't know them all but I know some of them run good operations. I don't know if any of them do cow hunts, but I would suggest contacting them to ask:  https://woga.org/outfitters/

Western Life Outfitters is a member (mtncook) on this forum, he is a good guy:  mountaincook1@gmail.com

[jackelope]

I would think the baiting rule change here in Washington will hamper many of their exploits.

Good point I didn't think about.

[Gonehuntin01]

My buddy guides for Ellis ranch in Oregon.  They do Cow depredation hunts every year, as well as bull and buck hunts.  They would be a good resource to look into.

[Fidelk]

My buddy guides for Ellis ranch in Oregon.  They do Cow depredation hunts every year, as well as bull and buck hunts.  They would be a good resource to look into.

Having a landowner depredation hunt tag is pretty much golden. Are these hunts conducted mostly on open cattle grazing lands and could you ask your buddy at what range most shots are taken?

[SirWalt]

Man, so much good information. And thanks for another useful link, bearpaw.

[SirWalt]

I feel pretty good about Ellis Ranch. Especially after talking on the phone with him. Some of those others from the ultimate elk hunting link look good as well, just pretty far away for me. Gonna have a peek at the link bearpaw sent as well.

[grade-creek-rd]

Its a few extra hours drive, but your best bet would be Montana...and they have a 5 week rifle season and cow elk B tags (some units are unlimited tags which means you can buy one over the counter when you get there, some are draw only but have good draw odds) and really good success rates for the DIY hunter, as well as some "guided" (usually ranch access fees) which are almost guaranteed meat...plus the NR elk B tags are $200 and the licenses are $25...fyi.

Grade

[jstone]

You would love Montana

[Fidelk]

Its a few extra hours drive, but your best bet would be Montana...and they have a 5 week rifle season and cow elk B tags (some units are unlimited tags which means you can buy one over the counter when you get there, some are draw only but have good draw odds) and really good success rates for the DIY hunter, as well as some "guided" (usually ranch access fees) which are almost guaranteed meat...plus the NR elk B tags are $200 and the licenses are $25...fyi.

Grade

That's a really good recommendation.

[nwwanderer]

Some any elk OTC areas exist in WA.  Do your home work. Make contacts and get it done!!

[teanawayslayer]

If your paying and want a guaranteed hunt go with one of the high fence ranch cow hunts in idaho

[SirWalt]

Grade-creek-rd, that's really good to know.

And NWWanderer, I've seen some of those units on the WDFW website. For the time being, I'm willing to pay for a guide. But I definitely have more homework to do. Eventually I'd like to  do it myself. Baby steps and learn as I go.

[Gonehuntin01]

My buddy guides for Ellis ranch in Oregon.  They do Cow depredation hunts every year, as well as bull and buck hunts.  They would be a good resource to look into.

Having a landowner depredation hunt tag is pretty much golden. Are these hunts conducted mostly on open cattle grazing lands and could you ask your buddy at what range most shots are taken?

Sent you PM

[finnman]

I can vouch for Ellis Hunting Ranch out of Pilot Rock. My wife and I and several friends have hunted with them for decades. Birds, deer, elk, bears. They run an A-1 outfit. I used to house Paul and his dad or brother for the Puyallup sportsman show at my house. I would not hesitate to book a depredation cow elk hunt with him. The hunts are Mostly one day if you can shoot straight.
He is probably the best route to go within a 6 hour drive of the coast.
Send me a PM for More info.

[Bob33]

I've seen a few outfitters in Wyoming who offer antlerless elk hunts for around $2000.