Hunt ID: CO-5081
About the Outfitter:
DIY/semi-guided mule deer hunt, lodging included, and you have the whole 500 acre private ranch to yourself. This is a semi-guided/DIY hunt for your buck, bull or cow hunt with lodging available on the ranch. The ranch owner will show you the lodging, where the deer and elk water, feed, and bed. Then she will show you the access point for the thousands of acres of The Mesa Verde BLM land with an access 8 miles down the road.
The deer don’t really migrate in or out of this area as it has everything they need and because the property is surrounded by private property they have nowhere else they would rather be living. They are considered locals. With that said there are other deer from outside this area.
Lately we have seen an increase in the number of bears, so many that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife have even noticed it and expanded the bear season. The bears are more likely spotted in the archery or first rifle season and if the fall weather allows, you may see one in the second season. If you are only looking for a bear, I would recommend options in Canada and the bear are much bigger.
There are elk and deer on the property and moving through but activity like driving around in diesel pickups and 4 wheelers puts them down into cover until the very last hour of sun light and they tend to get nocturnal. The hunters that really hunt, glass, and work the area always fill quickly. The ones that come to ride 4 wheelers, have a good time but put more miles on the tires than deer on the ground. If you spook them, they will stay in cover on the property or off the property until the disturbance leaves.
This lookout tower cabin allows you to glass much of the land below you from the temperature protection of a cabin shelter.
The deer are there all year but even more migrate in for the winter. The 4th season Deer season is the best it gets. Big bucks from higher elevations move in the draws and canyons of the 500-acre property once the rut and the snow and weather push them. Cow Hunters take note, this is a wintering area for elk, and they are already coming in during September.
We will provide you with maps and familiarize you with the area. We will not guide you on your hunt, but we are available to aid you.
Lodging in a cabin with electricity and running water, indoor plumbing, propane heat, refrigerator, microwave and stove, everything you need for cooking, outdoor grill and fire pit. No wifi or cell service. Bring all your hunting equipment and gear, bedding, and all personal grooming items. Laundry facilities are available.
Location:
Southwest Colorado, near town of Hesperus unit GMU741.
Hunt Type(s):
Semi-guided but DIY hunting.
Species & Recommended Seasons:
Mule deer, elk and black bear. September thru January depending on the license. Recommend deer any season, cow elk 2nd or later, bulls 4th rifle.
Licenses:
The landowner gets one deer voucher per season.
Elk licenses are either sex (bull or cow) for 1st and 4th rifle. Muzzleloader, 1st and 4th rifle are a draw. Archery, 2nd and 3rd rifle bull elk are over the counter.
There are cow elk licenses leftover and additional cow licenses for 8/15 to 1/15.
Mule deer muzzleloader and 2nd rifle licenses are usually leftover with a 50% chance of drawing with no preference points for residents for 3rd rifle. Otherwise you need preference points or buy a voucher. There is usually vouchers every year if needed at extra cost.
License and Voucher Watchdog will get you the licenses you need.
License and Season Information
Lay of the Land:
We invite you to experience the privacy and safety that this land has to offer. Excellent set up of farmland and fields, forest, ridges and draws, natural blinds, several mud sloshes pits, ponds, and water troughs at various locations throughout the property. The altitude is about 7000'. There is easy water access on the property which attracts a lot of deer, elk and bear on a daily basis as early as archery season. They feed on our grass hay fields that have a mixture of alfalfa and a variety of other grass mixtures.
At the top of the property you will have the ability to look through a lot of the cedars and other cover. There is always water available on the property. In the hayfield the grass mixtures are an attractant that deer cannot resist.
Try the access to “Spotters Point” providing a place to view to glass hay fields and junipers, scrub oak acorns, pinyon nut pines, sage and bitterbrush all provide an assortment of high protein feed needed to support a strong healthy deer herd all 12 months of the year.
Party Size:
Two hunter minimum, 4 hunters maximum.
Mode of Travel:
Vehicle, glass, spot and stalk or sit in ground blinds over water.
Animal Quality
Most deer taken are 4x4 or larger. The decision on what size of buck to take is the decision of the man behind the trigger.
Success Rate
History shows a very high success rate and elk taken as early as September. Staying on the ranch has always supplied the highest success rate. The best way to hunt the property is be up high to class and then make a stalk as waking just pushes the animals off the property.
Hunt Difficulty:
This can be a minimal impact hunt with ranch roads across the property to drive, walk or even with 4 wheelers although the 4 wheelers tend to spook the deer off the property. For those that fill early with a lucky streak there are even casinos and restaurants in the area.
Pricing:
Recommend black bear as an addon to mule deer or elk.
Archery Mule deer or Elk 5 day hunt with lodging $1895/person.
Muzzleloader Mule deer or elk 5 day hunt with lodging $2095/person.
Rifle Mule deer 5 day hunt with lodging $2495/person.
Rifle Elk 5 day hunt with lodging $2895/person.
Add 2nd animal (buck, bull or bear) for an additional $800 and 3rd for an additional $500.
A 3-day cow elk hunt with lodging $1795 per person 8/15-1/15 but not during normal rifle seasons.
Non-hunters $300/person for the season.
Extra days $99/night/person depending on availability.
What’s Included:
- Access to 500 acres private land.
- Lodging
- Maps of the area.
- Semi-guided the owner will show you the property and boundaries and make recommendations on where elk and deer feed, water and bed.
What’s Not Included:
- Hunting Licenses
- Food
- Transportation to Colorado
- Field care of game
- 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.
