Hunt ID: CO-5012

About the Outfitter:

These hunts are extremely popular and successful. Therefore, many of the hunters leave a deposit when they leave the prior year to be guaranteed the dates for the following year. The only way to get in this preferred hunting is to hunt 1 year with them, then you are on the preferred list for any of the hunts.

All rifle elk hunts can be booked up 18 months in advance due to the high demand for these hunts!

Arrival to base camp at 10 a.m. on the day before your hunt begins and pack out around 12 p.m. on the day after your hunt ends.

30 years of hunting and guiding on this mountain has provided us with a working knowledge in how to be successful and use an elk’s weaknesses to our advantage. The biggest bucks and bulls are always the last to migrate and, in many cases, do not go all the way down as far as the cows. The Mule deer rut is in November.

The bulls will tend to be in bachelor herds after the September rut as much as possible but movement and hunting pressure at times will put them with the cows. Even though this is national forest the public pressure is far down below us, so we seldom see anyone that is not with our group. If the elk or deer do get buy us on their downward migration it is common for the public hunter unknowingly push them right back up to us.

Although elk are our prime target you will see some mule deer. Early in the season we are one that has a timberline Mule Deer hunt for the high impact hunt lovers. These bucks will stay at timberline all summer and if they can in the fall.

You can have horses, but you will need to have fence panels, there are currently no facilities to support the horses. You can bring your own horses.

For the bugling elk hunter hunting early seasons as archery, Muzzleloader and first rifle this is where the bulls will work with you and you can work on them. You are up where there are normally no hunters for miles.

This is where the outfitter was born and grew up on ranches, running cattle and breaking horses, which are superior born and bred stronger mountain horses we train ourselves. The stock is hand raised and very sound and mountain smart. Having a good horse for clients to ride is a 100% necessity in the outfitting business our rule is safety first then fun.

Location:

Southern Colorado GMU080 and GMU081 San Juan Wilderness and Rio Grande National Forest.

Hunt Type(s):

DIY horse or ATV/UTV/4x4 drop camps, semi-guided cabins and guided cabins.

Species & Recommended Seasons:

Elk and mule deer archery through 3^rd rifle.

Licenses:

Elk licenses over the counter except for muzzleloader, 1st and 4th Rifle seasons. No or low preference points needed to draw a license.  2^nd and 3^rd rifle are over the counter for bull elk. Deer licenses are draw only and take 1 to 6 preference points depending on the season.

License and Voucher Watchdog will get you the licenses you need.

License and Season Information

Lay of the Land:

Apart from the low altitude foothills drop camp all these hunts take place around 9,500' to 12,000' elevation and 1/2 to 5 miles per day. It is important that you are in good physical condition to fully partake in these hunts.

The base camp is at 9,500' elevation that has a lodge where the meals and showers and bathrooms are found. The base camp lodge is surrounded by 4 dry cabins, then ¼ mile away or so are two separate deluxe cabins with full kitchens and water facilities that are labeled deluxe cabins.

For those doing drop camps with ATV/UTV/4x4’s or horses they are spread out across the best part of thousands of acres of mountain property, at different altitudes spotlighting on hunting honey holes near their location. The high altitude camps are guided out of or you are housed at the main camp in the cabin or main lodge.  

Hunting begins within ½ mile of camp. The terrain can be steep and rugged with areas of open meadows and plateaus. Bookings for 2 or less people may require you to bunk with someone else depending on availability.

Party Size:

2 minimum to 6 max for each drop camps.  Guided and semi-guided can be 1 to 12.

Mode of Travel:

ATV/UTV’s & Pickups will be used during the hunt as needed or by horse and foot.

Animal Quality:

Right across the line for the designated quality unit GMU076 taking elk up to 340” and mule deer 170-220”.

Success Rate:

With 25 years of outfitting preceded by 20 years of hunting has taught this outfitter where to find game. High success on mule deer and elk. DIY success rate is not tracked.

Hunt Difficulty:

It is recommended that you be in good physical condition for this hunt even though the mountain horses do most of the walking not you.  Hunting can be from 1/2 to 5 miles from base camp.

Pricing:

Archery/Muzzleloader Guided 2 on 1 hunt $3750/person 1 species, $4000 combo 2 species.

Includes meals and cabin lodging, packed lunch in the field, transportation to and from hunt areas from base camp via vehicle and/or horse, game pack out.

Of course, this is our most successful hunt. lodging is out of the base camp, with breakfast and a lunch packed. You will be transported to the highest elk density areas in the area, these areas change in location depending on the season. This can be setting you up to watch meadows and game thoroughfares use in their daily travels and during migrations routing down migration corridors. On the average the larger animals move to the highest ground to avoid people and other danger. Weather forces them down with elk being a moving target of moving down 2 miles one day then back up 5 miles the next day because they can. Eventually this travel circle puts them lower down to the wintering locations. Weather changes supply a catalyst that promotes the movement of the elk during daylight hours instead of napping in the dark timber all day, as they do in warm blue bird weather.

Additional days can be bought prorated based on season and availability.  No non-hunters allowed due to limited availability for hunters.

What’s Included:

• See above on all hunt types.

What’s Not Included:

• Hunting Licenses
• Transportation to Colorado
• DIY hunt field prep of game and packing to camp.
• Game processing
• Taxidermy

Use the Outfitter Request Form or call us using the phone number at the top of the page to check on availability, ask questions or book it.

Disclaimer: All prices are per person unless otherwise noted.  No additional fees for booking, the price is the price except for NM adds sales tax.  Unless otherwise noted price is per person, no licenses/tags included, game processing and taxidermy costs extra.  There is no guarantee in hunting.  Availability and prices subject to change by the outfitter or landowner and they have the last word.  If there is a discrepancy between our posted price and what they say it is then we do our best to negotiate for you but offer no guarantee.  We do our best to audit them making sure what they say they offer they actually do by visiting them or going on hunts we pay for.  No refunds for early tag out.  No guarantee on filling hunting licenses.