rick_reno

Depends - what's your criteria for a "good" hunt? If it's good only if you harvest an animal, you might want to skip it. If it's good if you enjoy yourself and learn something about hunting the animal and the country you're in - then go.

usa

If you can comfortably find your way around the wood's then by all means go for it. Don't be intimidated by all the rhetoric about gutting , packing out etc. Like you I was a whitetail hunter and deceided to try elk hunting, I did as everyone has suggested to you learn-learn -learn,actually learning is almost as rewarding as hunting,by the time I killed my first elk (opening morning) I thought I knew everything. Only after walking up to a HORSE sized animal did I realize what I had gotten into, but everything worked out ,it was a hell of a hand's on learning experience. I've taken 3 more bull's since then, all hunting by myself on public land in Colorado and I'm 64 year's old, so, if I can do it you won't have a problem. 2 I quartered , boned 1 out and dragged the other one about 1/2 mile to my truck( I try to alway's hunt uphill so that my drag is downhill back to my truck) .As far as whether you should break away and hunt by yourself that's a real personal choice . unfortunately most whitetail hunter's that I have taken elk hunting had no idea how much the altitude and steepness of the terrain kick's your ass, they usually don't last more than 2 day's and then they find excuse's to stay around camp. So I guess my advice would be to go off on your own (telling someone about where you will be hunting) and have the time of your life !! Alway's carry a daypak with everything you need to spend the night in the wood's, it might happen and if you don't panic and you are prepared it can be an exciting experience,Good hunting

txhunter58

I say go for it. Don't expect to come back with many elk if any this trip. As stated before, shoot the first legal elk you get within range. Regardless, it will be a blast.

For the guys that were telling you to really check out the guide, they must have missed the part where you told them that a son of one of the guys going was a guide for the outfitter. Should be a pretty good recommendation in itself. That said, unit 44 is a primo deer unit, but is not known for elk except in some small pockets, usually quite a bit from the road. The one setting the hunt up though may know a good honey hole. Obviously, he won't be taking you to his primo spot.

As far as getting a buck tag for the unit, you can pretty much forget it. There are no leftover tags. However, you might be able to find a landowner tag, but it would be pricy.

Good luck and have fun!

txhunter58

I would recommend checking out this website: http://www.elknut.com/ I have never met elknut in person, but I have been impressed with his videos/CD's. They are packed with the best elk calling info I have found.