A Colorado elk hunt should be the experience of a lifetime. It is everything the West was, and still is.

It is one of the last places to ride alongside cowboys wrangling a pack string, to see breathtaking beauty in high country meadows, to join in the evening camaraderie of the cook tent, or to catch sight of a bull elk bugling on a frosty morning. Every dream though, comes with a cost. If you are planning to spend some money on a guided hunting trip in southwestern Colorado, or if you are a local considering booking a trip outside the area, how can you tell if the experience will be the dream, or a nightmare?

If the advice of a friend who has been there and had a good time isn't an option, don't despair. Reputable outfitters in Colorado have a guide registration number. Most of them include their number on ads or websites. Try to get an idea of the personality and professionalism of the business. Does it fit with your personality? Do they hunt on private or Federal lands? How accessible to the general public is the hunting area? Are there any special restrictions on the animal to be harvested? How many other hunters are in camp at the same time, and what is the guide to hunter ratio? What has been the success rate? Be a little skeptical of high success ratios. In the wild, nothing is certain.

Remember, an outfitter has the ability to get you into and out of elk country with the least amount of hassle to you. These people know their hunting areas, and are in the business of putting hunters on game, but you are the raw material they will have to work with. The hunt has a better chance of success if the guide can concentrate on the strategy at hand, and not the physical conditioning of you, the client. Elk by the way, do live near major highways, but is that the quality of hunt you're seeking?

Besides physical conditioning, mental conditioning is key to an enjoyable hunt. Find out as much about the area as you can before arriving. The Colorado Division of Wildlife has recently added a number of web pages dedicated to hunting. Their Game Management Unit page has a link to query statewide maps of winter ranges, migration routes, home ranges and other information on elk and other game species. Some other government sites on the web, like Terra Server, may have satellite imagery on your hunting area. The less time the guide has to spend orienting you to the terrain, the more time you can both spend finding that big bull.

No one spends a lot of money on an elk hunt thinking they will not be successful. You will be entering into a domain which is foreign to you, but home to your quarry. Good preparation can help to balance the odds somewhat, but the odds are always in favor of the house. That is another part of the true spirit of the West you can find on an elk hunt. If it were easy- it wouldn't be worth doing. Hanging a big bull on the wall would be an ultimate end to the dream of a Colorado elk hunt. Spending a week in the high country in the company of cowboys, sportsmen, camp cooks, and enthusiastic guides, while pursuing the King of Big Game, is something you can hang on your soul; not on your wall.

(Mike Peterson is a local resident who has been a dog trainer and local hunting guide.)