Fall Hunting Trips - Rifle
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
– Henry David Thoreau
Hunting Style & Techniques
Elk
Our rifle elk hunts take place out of our Danaher and Cooney Creek Camps and total nine days in length (including one day to pack in and one day to pack out). Elk hunting consists mostly of spot and stock hunting, meaning we spend many hours looking for the elk from a distance and then decide how to stalk in to get a good shot. We ride on horseback in and out of camp, tying up wherever necessary and hiking on foot from there. No prior equine experience is necessary, although it is recommended. We typically cover anywhere from six to 12 miles each day.
There are distinct advantages to both early and late season elk hunting in the backcountry. During the early hunts (from September 15 to approximately mid-October) we are able to take advantage of the elk still being in the rut. The benefits are similar to those for an archery elk hunt: the elk are vocal; the bulls slightly let down their guard as their hormonal instincts can interfere with their judgment; and the large bulls are still with their herds, making them slightly easier to find.
Elk hunting in the late season offers equal advantages. Snow in the high country pushes the elk down to lower elevations, making them more accessible. The winter migration also pushes new, outlying elk herds through our hunting area. Late season hunts also offer an excellent opportunity for hunters to harvest mule deer in addition to elk since the mule deer are becoming more active and accessible.
In previous years, Jack and his guides have seen opportunity rates ranging from 70% to 80%. Each year they’ve typically harvested several excellent herd bulls and many satellite bulls, ranging from 5x5s to 6x6s with the occasional record book bull.
Mule Deer
WTR Outfitters is excited to offer a mule deer-focused rifle hunt. The steep, rocky cliffs of the Scapegoat Wilderness area, along with the lush forage of the Danaher Creek area, make for excellent mule deer habitat. Mule deer hunts require spot and stalk techniques similar to our approach for elk during the rifle season. Those looking for a demanding and challenging adventure can take advantage of our early season mule deer hunts. These hunts entail living out of spike camps in far, hard-to-reach areas, spending days looking for a buck in steep terrain above timberline. The real challenge begins once we locate a buck ? stalking within range in wide open, steep and rocky terrain.
Once the snow starts fly
ing, mule deer are pushed out of their high country haunts into more accessible areas. The mule deer rut begins in the first part of November. This is an exciting time of the year as bucks begin to establish their dominance and search for does, covering lots of ground on a daily basis and, like the elk, slightly letting their guard down while their hormonal instincts take over.
Like our elk hunts, all rifle mule deer hunts take place out of our Danaher and Cooney Creek Camps and total nine days in length.
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