Contributors to this thread:
My hunting partner and myself are tossing the idea around to try and find an OTC unit in Colorado that has limited to no access by road, thought process after watching an episode of dropped in trying to find a chopper to get us in. We are not sure where to start any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated thanks in advance.
I've done it five times. Some things you need to know.
USFS lands will not allow it. BLM lands MAY allow it, depending upon where.
Assuming you use a transporter and not your own private chopper, your transporter must be permitted by the BLM for such landings.
Your transporter must land on an existing landing strip or motorized route (two-track).
If the BLM lands are enrolled in a Colorado RFW property, you must get your tag from the RFW operator. I found that out the hard way by planning to fly into the BLM lands that are within the Three Forks Ranch RFW, only to be informed that those BLM lands are part of the Three Forks RFW and therefore my public draw tag was not valid on those enrolled BLM lands.
It does have its share of logistics, but all are manageable with enough planning.
Good luck.
I'd try calling up some small airports as close as possible to your destination and ask them as many helicopter owner/operators use them for landing. I've never arranged for one personally, but we've had some projects I worked on that utilized them (transmission line construction) and was told they run around $1,000/hr so that's why you want to get one close. A friend of mine had the opportunity to do this on some FS land surrounded by Kennecott copper land in UT and I thought he was crazy for not doing it. The owner of the construction company who also owned the helicopters was the one who suggested doing it, so I gathered he'd get to do this for pretty much free.
We would definitely have to find a chopper service, thanks for any info. We have both retired from fire dept. in Texas this last year, have been hunting around Montrose last 5 years with limited success wanted to try this one time while we still can.
With the way the Forest Service is now with areas closed to atv's and what not, you won't have much of a chance. We couldn't even land Flight For Life helicopters on national forest to take out injuried hunters. And if in the wilderness, you'll never be allowed to. And if caught, would be in huge trouble....
Just a suggestion, but I think I would find a way to rent some horses and maybe a wrangler to drop you off. I think you would find it a lot cheaper and you wouldn't have the issues of all those permits.
TMBB
TMBB, That won't help him get in to land-locked BLM. See Randy's Montana hunt where a helicopter drops him off. Pretty cool!
Being that a helicopter doesn't actually have to land in order for you to get off or on, do you really need a landing permit? Or maybe a different way to put the question is how low over forest service land can a helicopter hover without a permit?
BLM land varies depending on which management "group" it falls under. I forget the exact terminology for it but you need to narrow down areas and track down who manages that section. Here is a CFR link that shows an aircraft exemption for national forest type lands. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/36/261.13
Chopper does not need to land but how are you getting home? Same issue if you parachute in. Got to get home. Not sure about LifeFlight but sea rescue choppers use winch and bucket to retrieve since not a good idea to set a chopper down on water.
I know landing to drop off a hunter is different but iv personally seen medevac land in blm, national forest, wilderness area, national grasslands, and on national monument lands in Colorado.
Rapel in and get a guy with a Huey and a bucket to haul you and the animule out. Heck, the way drones are going, in 10 years you'll be able to hunt and have a drone carry your pack.
I think it would be fun just to say you did it. Not sure how practical it would be when you figure in logistics and cost, but thats a case by case deal. If it ends up being north of $2K, you might find paying a trespass fee or renting horses tons out to make more sense. Luckily, what makes sense and what hunters spend money on for hunting don't have to be tied to each other.
I would not pay someone to do that, I would put the money towards a fly in Alaskan hunt.
I would not pay someone to do that, I would put the money towards a fly in Alaskan hunt.
My idea of a good elk spot is like my last elk. We packed him 150 yards down a gentle slope to the truck. But, dropped in by chopper way back in makes a lot cooler story. Life is short.
There are some benefits of the fly-in option.
There are some benefits of the fly-in option.
When we do it, the cost is $700-800 per guy, depending upon how many elk we have to fly out. Takes some coordination to keep the price down.
Rappelling/hovering is out of the question, given no pilot in his right mind would do it and if he did, his liability carrier would drop him in a second.
Yes I would do it for $700 bucks, I thought it would be a lot more.
Sometimes they still have to be quartered and packed to a landing area.
My BIL has buddies who do it in Washington. if they can do I am sure you can in CO. Just need to find the guy/or company who offers the service. Probably not easy but sure they are out there.
I'd take a sat phone just in case he forget about you :)
My hunting partner said someone mentioned Montana lots of public locked land any help or suggestions appreciated
Kpopelk,
Very good idea. My first question is why? Where the places you went too crowded? Big Fin is the man, looking and finding public lands that are hard to get to.
How much public land is there in Texas?
Keep Public lands Public. Der Fuhrer TRUMP has intentions to sell all remaining PUBLIC LANDS to the highest bidder. Make Jobs!! Make Jobs!!! Everyone will have a job, but no place to vacation, camp, HUNT!!!
Soon the only hunting may be choppering?
Ski & Skin on why, my hunting partner mentioned it after watching a show dropped in thought it would be a once in a lifetime hunt. Texas has some public land, no elk and 100 degrees in September. Elk hunting in cooler weather is a way to keep our sanity. On Trump hopefully he doesn't get that done, we might have to start hunting each other with no land to hunt.
Texas has elk. On Private, but not high fenced.
Monster elk in the Davis mountains!
Ski and Skin,
Exaggerate much? No one really knows Trump's stance but I can't imagine we could be in a better position with Zinke as Secretary of Interior.
Let's please not bring politics to the elk forum.
elk shortage in Colorado..
