Rocky Mountain Elk Rifle & Muzzleloader Hunts

       Hunt trophy Elk with a rifle during the peak of the rut in the backcountry of southeastern British Columbia with one of the best outfitters in the area. This area has not been hunted professionally in the last 25 years, and is remote with a 6 point minimum by law, which ensures top-end trophy potential. Success runs high, and most years > 65% of the hunters will tag bulls over 300 inches and the area has good potential for a crack at a Bull that will score over 35. Most of the shooters will run 300- 320 inches B&C. The 2012 season was especially warm and difficult hunting, so they had a good carry-over of mature Bulls. We expect them to kill some real monsters this fall. Mule deer or Whitetails are common and can be added to this hunt, but should be considered secondary, with focused effort only after you tag your Elk. 

Where: The Purcell Mountain Range near Kootenay Lake, BC about 4 ½ hrs north of Spokane, WS 

Cost: $9,950 US  Deposit: $5,000   

Hunt Schedule for 2027 (2026 is full)   

Hunt #1) September 10-16  Hunt #2) September 19 – 25 

Hunt #3) September 28 – October 4th  Hunt # 4) October 6 – 12 

What is included in hunt cost : 

· Services of licensed professional guide (1x1) for 7 days of hunting

· All meals and accommodations during the hunt

· All transportation needed during the hunt 

· Compulsory check of game (if needed) 

What is not included : 

· Canadian Goods & Service tax (GST/HST) - 5%

· Non-resident Hunting preservation fund - $200 

· Licenses -$220

· Tags – $300 (Elk)

o Whitetail - $150 

o Mule Deer - $150

o Black Bear - $220 

· Meat processing & taxidermy 

· Shipping of animals, capes or antlers 

How to get there: 

Fly into Spokane, Washington where you take rental car 4 1/2 hrs to hunting area. 

                              These prices subject to change without prior notice 

                         Contact Close Encounters for current prices and availability 

                                                 Tom Close: (715) 554 - 3302 

  This is an excellent Spot and Stalk Rifle hunt on private ranch in the foothills of the Crazy Mountains of central Montana just south of Martinsdale. Cruise one of the dirt tracks with pickup in the morning, stopping periodically to glass or to take short hikes to a better vantage, while waiting on an active meadow for the evening hunts. You’ll have 50,000 acres of private ranch with a good population to explore. They do well on this hunt as > 75% tag Bulls every year. The normal average shooter Bull runs around 300 inches, but they generally take a couple Bulls over 320 inches every year. This is a relatively (5500 ft) gentle area and is a good choice for an old gentleman or others with modest physical limitations, but like any elk hunt, the better you can go the better your chance to tag a good Bull. This is a 5-day full service hunt with good guides and nice lodge. 

Where: Martinsdale, Montana   

Cost: $7,500    Deposit: $3,000    

When: Entire Montana Rifle Elk Season    

What is included for $7,500: 

1) Licensed professional guide (2 hunters per guide) for 5 full days of hunting

2) All Meals and accommodations (nice lodge) needed during the hunt 

3) Field preparation of trophies and meat and packing out to a road 

4) All the transportation needed during the hunt  

What is not included : 

1) License – currently   

2) Gratuity for the guide 

3) Meat processing & taxidermy work 

Hunting strategy: They can effectively hunt these elk a few different ways. The more physical guys can get out and hunt pockets of rough ground on foot but its nearly as effective to glass from the truck or ridgeline near the truck in the morning. Often they’ll have a meadow that   Spot animals from distance and only approach if they need to verify size or determine the Bull is a worth and Stalk  

Trophy Quality and success 

While some hunters have the occasional tough hunt, bulls are usually available for hunters who are in good physical shape and will hunt hard all week. There’s a good population of Elk, with a good supply of nice (5x5s and 6x6s) bulls with some from 300 to 350 B&C. It’s not, however an area where you’d expect to pick through lots of Bulls over 300 B&C.  

                                         Prices subject to change without prior notice 

                              Call Close Encounters for current pricing and availability 

                                                     Tom Close: (715) 554 – 3302