Need ideas for next year

[gunrinwa]

My dad is turning 65 next year and I wanted to kick around the idea of a guided/semi guided elk hunt for his birthday. He's never been elk hunting before and I want to do this while he's still able to hike and hunt relatively hard. He recently had a very good friend pass away from cancer that was younger than him and it hit him pretty hard. We've hunted together since I was 12, but he traveled a bunch for work and was away most of my teenage years working on projects.

I'm considering most places in the west. I'm not independantly wealthy and neither is my dad, so something with good value and a high on a fun and memories. A state with the ability to get tags would be helpful.Thanks folks

[Bean Counter]

New Mexico has already published 2012 regs. I will be applying there. They don't do preference points in that state so your odds are just as good as someone who has applied for 20 years. They only give out a small % of their tags to non-residents, and they're expensive. For a quality elk unit you're looking at $780 tag + $60 license... plus travel and guide fees. The payoff is low hunter pressure, and lots of big animals.