colorado has lots of OTC tags and its the closest elk state and straight shot west on I . One thing I dont carry is a spotting scope because for the most part its not worth it, different story when sheep, goat, or hunting for big mule deer. North West Colorado Rifle Elk Hunt in GMU 12: Access through private land to limited access federal land DIY elk hunt with the largest elk herd in the world (40,000+ animals) This unit has unlimited Over The Counter Tags and a hunter can also purchase one of over 1000 leftover cow . Plus it'll take a couple days to adjust. If nothing comes in, bump a few hundred yards closer to where you think the elk may be then repeat. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. If he doesnt see her he knows something is up. Bighorn Sheep and Rocky Mountain Goat Hunts, British Columbia Spot and Stalk Mountain Bear Hunts, British Columbia Spot and Stalk Coastal Mountain Bear Hunts, Check out this great video on survival and fire making, Corporate and Family Wilderness Adventures. This "mountaineering approach to elk hunting," as Seacat terms it, often has the 30-year-old hunter crossing the spine of a range to work down to elk that have taken refuge on the more. Adventures. Some ranches have land owner vouchers and other hunts you will draw the license. North West Colorado Archery Elk Hunt in GMU 231: Access through private land to limited access federal land DIY elk hunt with the largest elk herd in the world (40,000+ animals) This unit has unlimited Over The Counter Tags. Click here to reserve your spot on a future archery or muzzleloader hunt. I know this sounds miserable but thats OTC elk hunting for you. This allows us to rotate camp locations, reduce pressure, and increase hunt quality. I have taken 2 elk (my first) and a muley buck and LOVE the area. Wild Skies specializes in unguided, remote, but also very easily accessible cabin accommodations in Northwest Colorado near Craig, Colorado and in the heart of the Flat Tops,the first area in the United Statesdesignated to Wilderness. Whether you hunt big game such as Mule Deer, Elk or Bear or enjoy fly fishing private river frontage in a wilderness setting or want a ride in and ride out snowmobile cabin location, Wild Skies' year-round cabins located on the Northern end of the Flat Tops in the Rocky Mountains of Northwest Colorado in Game Management Unit 12 and in Craig . You can have the right plan, but theres no guarantee it will produce! Of all the potential reasons why hunters go home empty handed, their lack of physical fitness and mental toughness is at the top of the heap. This is also a great time to be building your friendship. I hunted there in 2nd and 3rd seasons for deer and elk respectively. Gratuities for staff are customary and we typically recommend about 20% of the cost of your trip, based on your experience. So you finally made the leap, and are going elk hunting for the first time. you are interested in. Its important to know that we offer entirely free-range hunts on wild, public land where there are far more variables than guarantees. In addition to the options listed above, wed be happy to help plan a trip for any family, group or individual. Every quarter mile let out a location bugle. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The Flat Tops are part of the White River Plateau with an average elevation of about 10,000 feet. The Flat Tops are covered up in elk. (2x, GMU 371), Indian Peaks Wilderness (GMU 29), Raggeds Wilderness (GMU 521), and now the northern Flattops (GMU 12). We camped at the North Fork campground just east of Buford. Evan and I saddled the riding horses for the four of us, ate breakfast, packed our lunches, and we were ready to go. a.) It currently takes a nonresident hunter 1-2 preference points to draw the archery elk license. With that being said, a lot of folks dont take it serious and they regret it as soon as they hit the trailhead. Every few steps we were pulling out our binoculars to make sure we were not going to bump any elk and cause them to bail off the mountain. Costs vary depending on the property and availability of landowner vouchers so call for details. If we get one that's a bonus to me. Great fishing, incredible scenery, and a true wilderness experience. We can even handle the process for you. Once I locate an animal I get down wind of them as fast as I can before they have a chance to move off. This is the third largest Wilderness in Colorado. The plan was, to get up above them more and out of eye sight but not too much so that we would be sky-lined. But we would never go back again we watched the locals that owned the store.herd the.elk back up the mountain with a jeep and horses Dam shame we told the lady at the store and she said oh thats my boys.If you want to hunt it will cost this much We ran into the same issue in the badlands hunting elk. Explore Rides Unique Horseback Rides Tailored To Your Group In close proximity to Vail, CO, all of our trail rides are custom trips to best fit different ages, group sizes and levels of experience. With closer inspection, it was indeed the target species of Saeeds hunt, elk. Experienced, expert guides Contact us now to get started. Click here to reserve your spot now. Success is high and hunting easier physically than our pack-in mountain hunts. It is slightly geared towards archery hunters. Wild Skies' Flat Tops cabin is a year round vacation destination with mile of private river frontage and surrounded on three sides by the Routt National Forest which is ideal for snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, hiking, fishing, hunting, and horseback riding. Colorado Elk Hunting - Guided Hunts at Ute Lodge. Elk have great eye sight and their hearing is impressive! However, in OTC units there are not as many herd situations as you may think. At this point, Saeed went from being calm and collected to a little excited and shaky to say the least. Contact me so we can plan your drop camp hunting adventure today! Chances are that what you see in person will change some of the places you chose but at least you have a game plan on the first morning. This is usually split between guide, wrangler(s), kitchen and housekeeping staff. Wilderness camp prices are per-person, based on double occupancy and require a minimum of 2 hunters. However, I promise you that there is elk within reasonable walking distance every day. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Guided hunts are staged from the ranch with comfortable Though unsuccessful at bagging an animal, the day was a success and one that I will remember forever. Approximately 110 lakes and ponds, often unnamed, dot the country above and below numerous flat-topped cliffs. Although we can no more guarantee you a kill than any other ethical outfitter, we will increase your odds by providing a fair chase hunt in some of the . If you are confident that you can comfortably spend a night alone and away from camp means that you are less concerned about getting back to camp before dark. It was a shocker to all of us. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Think of it from an elks perspective, who doesnt want to see a fight? This may seem backwards but elk are very noisy animals when they are feeding around. Its 100% natural to want to get back to camp before it gets dark, because getting turned around can be problematic! Our hunting and cattle ranch sits in the heart of elk country, home of the largest elk herd in North America. Reserve your spot now to lock in this years rates. This imitates the travel time of getting to your hunting location (you most likely wont be shooting in the hotel parking lot on your drive). in good physical condition to get the most out of these hunts, but we are in the middle of excellent country and 970.878.5122 - email: lonetomoutfitting@gmail.com However, hes looking right at that spot and is looking for that cow. Colorado High Country Adventures Bugling is hands down the sexiest way of calling and can be extremely productive! During the hunting seasons, well-fitting tire chains with tensioners are required. There are a million articles out there about getting in elk shape, if you havent read any check this one out: Getting in Elk Shape. In stark contrast to the West Elk's steep and rugged terrain, the Flat Tops pretty much takes after its name sake, with the occasional peak rising 1,000 feet above the high plateau. Flat Tops Wilderness spans the Routt National Forest and White River National Forest. April 11, 2023 - 266 likes, 5 comments - Flat Tops Wilderness Guides (@flattopswildernessguides) on Instagram: "Welcome to guided elk camp! Just do not mess with it. thanks for the heads up about that would not be fun go spend all that time money and effort to have the animals rounded up like cattle and moved deeper into private land. For these reasons, we strongly advise you purchase vacation cancellation insurance through your local provider. Campsite List Seasons & Fees Rules & Cancellations Facility Information Ratings & Reviews Site Types Saeed never had another opportunity at an elk but passed on some smaller mule deer. If you took a stone cold elk hunter in an OTC unit and put them in a trophy unit and force them not to shoot the first 300 bull and wait for a big one will out hunt the folks that shot 2 bulls in their life that combined may score 700. Tipsy Tuesday: Elk Film, Gear, News, & More. Spend the rest of your time E-scouting or getting in shape instead of fine tuning your lip bawl bugle. The second rifle season takes place at the end of October. Just because they take you in on horseback for 8 miles does not mean you wont see anyone. My advice is,buy a pref point this year and then go for a first season hunt next year.The elk gets a lot of hunting pressure. Contact Us . Wilderness and adjoining White River National Forest. Before pissing them away to become a hunting guide, Cliff earned degrees from Stanford University and University of Chicago's . You may think you found the best glassing knob around but if it doesnt have a view into that 5% youll think its a dead zone. It may seem like a lot of work but if you are having trouble turning elk up close to camp, making a big move seems like the best option. Here at Budges, archery elk hunts are the highlight of our season! The biggest tip is that less is usually more. Then, well saddle up a before daylight and strike off into the wilderness. Know the difference between 3 hour old poop and day old poop. The first night will be spent in one of our cabins at the main lodge. In 2002, the Flat Tops Wilderness was scorched by the "Big Fish Fire," a wildfire that swept through the cradle of wilderness surrounding Trapper's Lake. Then give a few cow calls and be quiet, still, and on the ready. Flat Tops Wilderness Elk Hunting: The White River valley east of Meeker and Buford is home to the Flat Tops Wilderness Area of Colorado and the largest elk herd in the United States. The best thing to do is to prepare for and maintain fitness WELL IN ADVANCE of the hunt. for up to 10 hunters with a four person minimum. An attached cook tent provides a separate space for our guides to prepare meals. Staring at $1,100,000. Lol. We'll do the rest from there. The best way to capitalize on this is to wake up at 3am and head out for the morning. If you watched a bull bed down in an area with some cows and you can sneak into the 100 yard range and glunk, that bull will be pissed off and coming looking to kick your ass! The words ELK-14 and SPOTTED FROM-14 (my way of keeping track of waypoints) bring back memories. Hunters need to be When elk hunting out of our main lodge, youll enjoy cozy log cabin accommodations. Lone Tom Outfitting specializes in Bull Elk and Trophy Tom Mountain Lion hunts in Northwest Colorado. Hunters who wish to experience a wilderness elk hunt with a rifle have two options. However, not having one first thing in the morning increases the urge to sleep in or aimlessly be walking along the trail (very few elk get killed on the trail, so get away from the trail system). Elk, deer and moose find the area quite pleasant in the summer. Instead of spending enough time to be a competitive caller, learn how to make a good sound and not squeak your cow call when under pressure, you are probably good to go. Evan and I were out front with Saeed and Bobby right behind us. Required fields are marked *. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Guide Only Service at $500 (2X1) or $750 (1X1)per day, per hunter is available. Within minutes we were headed up the trail to camp. Owing to a brief season, remote location, the highest safety standards and industry leading service, our wilderness experiences are operationally cost-intensive. Or, there may be a fat guy that rides a horse just as deep or deeper than you can physically go. Colorado Hunting Units/Areas: 23, 24, 33; Find . Back to my point, if you are calling in an area that has openings further than you can shoot, a decoy can be really handy. Sable Mountain Outfitters offers quality, personalized horseback trips into the Flat Tops Wilderness and White River National Forest in beautiful Northwestern Colorado near Meeker. I lost sight of the bull for a few seconds, but he let out what could be the most beautiful sounds in the Rockies, a bugle! I am by no means suggesting that you learn how to make a fire bow, though that would be pretty cool. Our private cabin consists of over 70 acres surrounded on three sides by the Routt National Forest on prime National Forest Land. To prevent accidentally shooting the wrong elk, thinking that its the one you already shot, I told Saeed and Bobby to put their rifles on safe. This area has the largest elk herd in the world with a cow to bull ratio of 4:1 and you can drive right up to our front door. What I mean is that a 100 acre aspen grove may hold 20 elk and the surrounding area for the next 2 miles has a lone bull wondering around. Of course we work extremely hard to give our clients every opportunity. I would venture a guess that under 5% of the unit's acreage hold 90% of the elk. Licensed Colorado Outfitter #3488. However, getting packed in 8 miles sure does put you in a better position than the hunter that had to hike the 8 miles in there. The Flat Tops Wilderness lies within the Routt and White River National Forest and is one of the largest primitive areas in the Rocky Mountains. As i mentioned to the other guy asking the EXACT same thing a few weeks ago. I was headed to Saeeds tent by 4:30 to make sure he was up for breakfast. The mouth of Spring Cave lies just outside the wilderness boundary in the lower South Fork valley, beckoning the curious to come and explore. The game plan will vary based on the season and conditions, but our guides will put you in the best possible position for an opportunity. The hunters that go into one spot and dont see an elk after two days and then bounce to a different unit are spending more time hiking/driving then they are productively looking for elk. Group or individual doesnt see her he knows something is up lock in this years rates they have chance. This is usually split between guide, wrangler ( s ), kitchen and housekeeping staff to hunters! Of Saeeds hunt, elk as soon as they hit the trailhead fine your... 2Nd and 3rd seasons for deer and elk respectively a muley buck and LOVE the area quite pleasant the. 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Elk ( my first ) and a muley buck and LOVE the area quite pleasant in the of.

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