A Dream Come True: My Unforgettable Experience at Wheaton Creek Hunting Lodge I recently returned from a three-day cow elk hunt at Wheaton Creek, and I can honestly say it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, far exceeding all expectations for my first-ever elk hunt. From the moment I arrived, the Wheaton Creek Hunting Lodge felt like a welcoming home away from home. The facilities were absolutely top-notch--comfortable, beautifully maintained, and offering every creature comfort imaginable. My room was a particularly lovely highlight: a quaint Southwestern-themed sanctuary featuring a cozy fireplace and an incredibly comfortable bed. The staff and management truly set this lodge apart. The entire team was extremely friendly and exceptionally conscientious about every guest's needs. Owner David was genuinely affable and welcoming, making me feel like a valued part of the Wheaton Creek family. The culinary experience was equally outstanding. The chef prepared wonderful, high-quality breakfast, lunch, and dinner that fueled long days in the field and satisfied after a day's effort. Unparalleled Hunting Opportunity and Guidance As for the hunt itself, the ranch offers an overwhelming amount of opportunity. On one incredible day, I spotted 20 separate bulls before we even approached the massive herd of cow elk, which totaled between 100 to 150 animals! My guide, Davy, was truly excellent. He was not only extremely knowledgeable about the land and the animals but also incredibly helpful and patient with my learning curve as a new elk hunter. His guidance was invaluable. The entire atmosphere was enhanced by the wonderful group of fellow hunters who were staying at the lodge--friendly, interesting people who made the evenings just as memorable as the days. Overall, the experience was perfection. Wheaton Creek delivered a perfect blend of high-end comfort, incredible hospitality, and world-class hunting. I am already planning my return next year to make this a new tradition with my young son. Thank you, Wheaton Creek, for the hunt of a lifetime! I cannot wait to be back! read more

2024 Rifle Elk Hunt : Pros: Wheaton Creek Ranch was an amazing experience! The owner and staff were very friendly and worked hard to make sure that our needs and comforts were met. The guides were also friendly and worked very hard each day for the hunters. All the hunters in our group were successful and shot decent bull elk. (Scores of 180-300) The elk were delivered to the processor promptly. As a hunter and not someone who expected pristine conditions, the rooms were very comfortable and spacious. The lodge inside was set up and decorated nicely. The chef was very accommodating and always had breakfast, soup, fruits, snacks, and refreshments available every day. The food was hearty and delicious! Their were many beautiful views to take in. Very accommodating and great lasting memories. Cons: Price $$$$, for the caliper of bull elk we saw/harvested, but I'm sure their are some big boys around at times. From some online reviews, there's a noticeable decline of success in recent years. If not the case, in the world of tech nowadays, yearly social media and/or website updates could disprove and show otherwise. WCR website/Facebook/Instagram is almost non-active. Would really help the business to keep updated. The grounds needed a little tlc There's a lot of land that is broken up but very huntable but may take a decent ride to get to and from. Seems to be a lot of turnaround with employees. Would I recommend WCR? YES Always remember that with fair chase hunting, you go in taking the chance to come out with or without success taking the chance of a loss of $$$$. Much of the hunt is the excitement of preparing, traveling, hunting, harveting, meeting new folks, experiencing new surroundings, and making lasting memories. All of these were fulfilled for me. read more

Arrived to a very nice lodge and are rooms were very nice also. The staff was wonderful and very helpful. My guide worked hard and we hunted hard every day. Big problem. We were on a Trophy Hunt with NO Elk on the ranch. The ranch is too cut up with too many small property owners where you can't hunt. 1 hour UTV ride up the mountain every mourning just to get to where we could start hunting. I saw a total of one bull elk for 3 seconds running away through the timber at 200 yds. I couldn't even tell you how many points it had. I would not call that a shot opportunity. 4 guys in camp and no one shot a elk. I asked how the hunt the week before went and was told they couldn't find any elk the week before either. My guide said they had 3 more months of hunts to go and didn't know what he was going to do to keep clients happy. I tipped 10%+ because my guide and the staff were excellent. It wasn't their fault that there weren't any elk. David Stanley (the owner) over hyped the success on this ranch. Bottom line: Nice place to go if you want to stay at a dude ranch. DON'T GO THERE TO HUNT ELK !!! Note that most of their reviews are very old. Nothing current read more

I recently had the pleasure of hunting here, and cannot begin to say how much fun and enjoyment I had! You feel immediately like one of the family with Lisa and the ranch staff. Accommodations are amazing, guide Daniel was professional, fun, and helped me learn and perfect hunting techniques. I've looked are many private ranch hunt experiences, and this is BY FAR the best value. Book your dream experience with WCR and you won't be disappointed! 5-Stars! read more

Wheaton Creek Ranch - View from main lodge - Health Retreats Near Me - Ocate, New Mexico

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Excellent service and lodgings. Really enjoyed hunting with Danny, my guide. All 4 in my party got an elk. We were well fed and treated in the most professional manner. I would recommend this Ranch without reservation. read more

My husband and I just returned home from Wheaton Creek Ranch, what a phenomenal time we had,from the time we arrived until we left.The service and accommodations was wonderful.Our hunt was successful,we were able to see an abundance of elk and wildlife everyday.Terrance was our guide he was very key.The food was delicious,I would definitely recommend this Ranch to anyone looking for a memorable hunt.We will be returning next year! Thanks again to David Stanley and his amazing staff! read more

I would not spend a penny on Wheaton Creek if you want a good elk hunt. I've archery elk hunted 11 times, I know what a good outfitter is. I was told there were 15,000 pristine acres untouched by others. The reality is the 15,000 acres are broken into 15 or so individual parcels, and not necessarily adjacent. A public road runs thru most of the property and there are many many many public hunters. Wildlife is non existent! The roads are horrendous, if you don't have a rock climbing utv don't try to navigate these roads. There is no management, the owner (David Stanley) has no idea what hunters require and need, he professes to know more than anyone else. Just 14 days prior to our elk archery hunt the owner had 30 dogs and 12 bear hunters on the property for 3 weeks. If you want a good elk hunt book at the neighboring UU Express Ranch, it may cost a tad more but it is worth the money. Happy to provide more details, blrathe@hotmail.com read more