Elk hunting in British Columbia

Elk hunting in British Columbia is about as “classic mountain elk” as it gets—big wilderness, horseback camps, and heavy-horned Rocky Mountain bulls. Most elk hunting in BC takes place in the famed East and West Kootenays and up through the Omineca–Peace and northern Rockies, where elk herds are well established across river bottoms, burns, and high alpine basins. Non-resident hunters must hunt big game with a licensed guide-outfitter, which means every elk hunt in BC for visiting hunters is, by definition, a guided hunt—built around experienced locals who live with these herds year-round. On the plus sides, each such hunt comes with an OTC tag, available to outfitters through a quota. Typical BC elk hunts are September rut hunts, often on horseback from remote tent camps, mixing glassing, aggressive bugling, and raking to pull 6-point bulls into range. British Columbia is one of the few places where you can rifle hunt elk right through the peak of the rut, adding intense calling action to your rifle or combo hunt. Compared to popular US elk states, BC elk hunts tend to run higher in price, but you get low hunting pressure, big tracts of unroaded country, and a real shot at mature, dark-antlered bulls, often combined with moose or bear on the same trip. For hunters searching for a quality guided elk hunting experience, British Columbia is the place to chase bulls that bugle across huge, wild drainages and to experience a true northern horseback elk adventure.