1-on-1 hunts are available upon request. you are interested in. Last edited by saddlesore; 03/22/11 . He has personally guided dozens of big game hunts, while his previous businesses have operated more than a thousand wilderness expeditions. In just a few years, you could experience the thrill of hunting bugling elk during the rut! We are thinking the Flat Top Wilderness area. Private land hunts are on large ranches where we access the properties by 4WD and hunt by spot and stalk. *** Flat Tops Wilderness Summer Pack Trips and Trail Riding: We offer guests outstanding trail riding into the wilderness on a day basis, or we can arrange for progressive, overnight pack vacations. . So we decided to watch them and see what they did. Book Our Cabins Elk Hunt Colorado with Ripple Creek Lodge This mimics getting one stalk/day. Elk have great eye sight and their hearing is impressive! This is especially a great tool to use when you are not hearing much talking going on, which happens A LOT in OTC units that receive hunting pressure. That's the ticket right there. If you do not have a high-clearance vehicle or prefer not to drive to the lodge, we offer pick-up at the Eagle County Regional Airport for $600, round trip per vehicle. Below is a description of the elk hunting available with Colorado High Country hunting seasons starting in early July and running into December. Lone Tom Outfitting specializes in Bull Elk and Trophy Tom Mountain Lion hunts in Northwest Colorado. Regardless of where you are at the elk will act the same..if it is warm during the day (40 degrees and greater) hunt the dark timber on the north facing slopes as far from the truck as you can get. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. This allows us to rotate camp locations, reduce pressure, and increase hunt quality. Wild Skies - Affordable, Secluded, Mountain Cabin. I would venture a guess that under 5% of the unit's acreage hold 90% of the elk. . The next part of finding a unit is looking at ruggedness, remoteness, and hunter density. The Flat Tops are covered up in elk. It had been an unusually warm rifle season in the Flat Tops Wilderness, and there was no change in the forecast. Since bugling is the iconic sound of the west come September hunters often just say All I want is to hear a bugle. So not hearing one is extremely frustrating. If youre up for the challenge of grinding and becoming the best hunter you can be an OTC elk hunt is for you. For that reason, our Cancellation Policy is as follows: You may cancel your trip at any time, but all payments, deposits and fees paid to Budges are 100% non-refundable. Once you learn the hot spots for elk it gives you a great place to start the following year. If you can get within 100 yards of them without making an elk sound the better! The Flat Tops are covered up in elk. If you hit a 6 circle thats awesome! Thank you very much for the info! animals exists every day of the hunt. The more you train before the hunt the happier youll be and the more hunting youll get in! The spectacular White River National Forest and Flat Tops Wilderness areas are accessed by numerous trailheads making each trail ride unique. Contact Us The only way you find these kinds of spots is spending time there. Bighorn Sheep and Rocky Mountain Goat Hunts, British Columbia Spot and Stalk Mountain Bear Hunts, British Columbia Spot and Stalk Coastal Mountain Bear Hunts, Corporate and Family Wilderness Adventures. We got to where I thought for sure that big muley was living and sure enough, he wasnt there. Here we offer guided and unguided hunts in the Flat Tops Wilderness and adjoining White River National Forest. Please let us know if youd like to arrange transportation. Thank you for stopping by, we look forward to hearing from you! This letter is intended to provide potential and returning clients information about the upcoming hunting season. Hunters that can successfully kill a raghorn bull elk every year in OTC units are leaps and bounds better elk hunters than those who only hunt trophy units/private ranches, Indian reservations, etc. With that being said, a lot of folks dont take it serious and they regret it as soon as they hit the trailhead. Our experienced guides will field dress your animal and place the skinned quarters into Caribou Gear Game Bags. So you finally made the leap, and are going elk hunting for the first time. The last unconventional method of calling that I do is glunking. If you're quiet, you may have the opportunity to see wildlife, such as mule deer, elk, coyotes or maybe even a bear. Tipsy Tuesday: Elk Film, Gear, News, & More. Already have preference points in Colorado and ready to book? Colorado Hunting Units/Areas: 23, 24, 33; Find . All of our guests who harvest an animal will go home with a set of these reusable game bags. Outfitter success and true success rates are very different! This is a major advantage - we dont fight the crowds in over-the-counter archery elk units. This camp has a 16'x20' cook tent with wood heat and propane lights and cooking. Sable Mountain Outfitters offers quality, personalized horseback trips into the Flat Tops Wilderness and White River National Forest in beautiful Northwestern Colorado near Meeker. Ripple Creek Lodge offers accommodations in comfortable cabins, guided fishing adventures, trail riding excitement and relaxing family vacations in the unforgettable Flat Tops Wilderness Area and White River National Forest. Check out this great video on survival and fire making. Ive combed through the atlas before but not in enough depth. acres of private land. 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. To imitate a real life hunting situation do not shoot your bow for 2 days. owner of Budges Wilderness Lodge in the Flat Tops wilderness area. This is a good base for hiking and horseback riding in the Flat Tops Wilderness. If you contact us after the draw, we may not have availability. 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. I have used other people pusing animals to my benefit. Trophy elk hunting on ranches where a 300"+ bull is possible. Single occupancy private cabin upgrades are available upon request. What areas should I target for access? 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 . Then, well saddle up a before daylight and strike off into the wilderness. If you are hunting with a buddy, and dont have a decoy another great strategy is for you to get set up about 60 yards down wind of your buddy that is calling and the caller behind some kind of topography. The first evening was spent glassing a hillside in preparation for the opener the following morning. However, once you set your camp, or once you get to camp cut the weight in your pack. This is a post-rut elk hunt. 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. 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. Saeed never had another opportunity at an elk but passed on some smaller mule deer. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. It had been an unusually warm rifle season in the Flat Tops Wilderness, and there was no change in the forecast. Some adjust quickly, some not so much. Rattling may seem like a whitetail trick but it can be very successful at calling in younger bulls. Once youre in their wheel house of comfort you can let a bugle out and game on. Costs vary depending on the property and availability of landowner vouchers so call for details. Where we were, to the closest elk was 400 yards. It was a shocker to all of us. The biggest factor when choosing a hunting partner is making sure you have a similar level of physical fitness. If you contact us after the draw, we may not have a spot for you. lisa@wildskies.com. supplies or to pack out animals. With the horses tied up, and saddles loosened Saeed and I were off. Please call pricing. Physical fitness may get you to camp or almost there. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. If we get one that's a bonus to me. Know the difference between 3 hour old poop and day old poop. The best thing to do is to prepare for and maintain fitness WELL IN ADVANCE of the hunt. Better yet have your buddy do it while you are on the look out with an arrow knocked. Ive hunted units 11,22, and 211 before but never have ventured into the Flat Tops. Horse-back day hunts available in the Flat Tops with or without lodging. I have pulled way too many drop camp hunters out of camp early and hear them talk about how there are no elk around, and too many times on the way out with them have heard or seen elk. 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. It was the same bull. I was headed to Saeeds tent by 4:30 to make sure he was up for breakfast. Look no further than the Colorado Elk Hunting Unit Map. Guided Horseback Wilderness Deer/Elk Hunts - Flat Tops Wilderness Guides This hunt is available for both Archery and Rifle Seasons. . 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. I have personally camped and hunted many years with great success at Fowler Peak - this is a top notch wilderness camp. We are thinking the Flat Top Wilderness 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. 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. Cows started to appear left and right much closer and we could see bulls meandering through the thick dark timber. You are using an out of date browser. Let me tell you, the faster you get over there the more time you have to sneak into a good spot to ambush them and the more time you have for your heart to calm down after your sprint! These hunts are fair-chase, but come with the high success rates on shot opportunity and kill. Arrival Day: Arrive in the afternoon, get organized and relax before dinner. e.) Camaraderie, enjoying yourself, and fishing. There was only about an hour and a half before dark and we had a long way to go. With closer inspection, it was indeed the target species of Saeeds hunt, elk. Elk know the areas that are conducive to their feeding, bedding, traveling, and safety habits. You said you're going to scout it, so get a map and scout the access areas you like. For example, you glass up some elk feeding at daylight and you know they are headed towards the dark timber to bed. The Flat Tops Wilderness uplift is a prime elk habitat. Remember that a legal bull in an OTC unit is a trophy, especially with a bow. a.) Wilderness and adjoining White River National Forest. I will say that I put a bunch of miles on my boots though. However, you can use your rain gear as a layering system. The valleys and relatively gentle land above the cliffs offers over 160 . Do you want drainages or gps coordinates where the elk are? (802) 345-4230 In some cases, we will return to the lodge for a simple lunch. Join us as we travel our ranch roads horseback, by pickup truck, on ATV or on foot to check on wildlife, cattle and pasture. Prices are per-person, based on double occupancy (2 person minimum per cabin). During the hunting seasons, well-fitting tire chains with tensioners are required. Once you choose your outfitter or the unit stick to it! These trout are usually super easy to catch and not very picky. Elevations range from 7,640 to 12,354 feet. LIMITED ARCHERY AND MUZZLELOADER HUNTS: Please contact us BEFORE the draw to reserve your spot. The hunting is The best way to capitalize on this is to wake up at 3am and head out for the morning. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Colorado Outfitters License #284, Lone Tom Outfitting 2022 - All rights reserved. Whether an elk is harvested or not, we hope that every single guest has an outstanding wilderness experience with memories that will be cherished for years. 300+ is very common. You probably wont have much competition due to the extremely limited tags in that area. Pressure where you can get to butI haven't found that to be a problem. They even have come up with 'spraying noxious weeds' so the state and DOW help this private land cause out starting in July. Remember, your elk hunt is your vacation time and dont put too much pressure on yourself. With winter time cabin fever setting in, my maps and GPS are laying on the table as I plan future scouting trips. Learning how to call is definitely important but spending prime hours in productive country is way more important. Its pretty amazing how many times you can find yourself sprinting through the mountains! Your IP: This may help to dissuade other hunters from going to that unit or part of the unit. The first step of the hunt is choosing where you want to go. Private land hunts Please inquire about this program. If you still are discouraged or looking for some action pick up a fishing rod and go catch some fish. Located east of Meeker, Colorado at the edge of the Flat Tops Wilderness, we offer you a quality hunt in the largest elk herd in the country. After about 30 minutes, we made our way down to where the elk were and set down our packs. Round Lake, Flat Tops Wilderness P.O. This is ideal country for stock-users and traveling cross-country. The balance is due 60 days prior to arrival and is non-refundable. $2,800 DIY 5 day stay and 4 day rifle hunt during second season. This was my fifth year of elk hunting, and finally I may be getting the hang of it. Hunt Code E-F-025-E1-R , Sept 15-30 in areas 25 and 26. However, some units still offer either sex tags during archery season. However, you are 1,000 yards away and to not be seen or smelled you need to cover closer to a mile to get to them. But remember, you are hunting an OTC unit and over calling can be the difference between killing a bull and never seeing an elk. The valleys and relatively gentle land above the cliffs offers over 160 miles of trails. Guided hunts are limited to six hunters per week with 2X1 the standard guide to hunter configuration and 1X1 hunts Elk Hunting Drop Camps Colorado 2023 Wilderness Drop Camp Information $2250 per Hunter $800 Deposit per hunter required to book hunt Ripple Creek Lodge's drop camps are located deep into the White River National Forest and the Flat Tops Wilderness Area of northwest Colorado. If its a headache or a sleepless night, get up and make sure you are out hunting that first hour of daylight, if you are going to sleep do it during the afternoon when the hunting is slow! Well, I am here to tell you ; they get rounded up and pushed back onto, or driven back to private land in all gmu's. Spend the night in one of our cabins as our packers load your gear for departure the next morning. Our wilderness camp elk hunts include five full days of hunting, seven nights of accommodations and meals. You are going to need extra lung capacity and stamina if you are a lowlander. Again, put on your hunting attire and shoot. Comfortable lodge/home accommodations with meals included. From here, its foot and horse traffic only. "Serving big game hunters since 1994". Experienced, expert guides Sit water holes if you find one. I hunted there in 2nd and 3rd seasons for deer and elk respectively. There was a little bit of snow on the ground in spots which helped us see exactly where the elk were standing. Secluded, guided hunts available in units 33 and 34. $4950 per person Guided hunts are based from the Lodge and include; Accommodations, meals, guides and game packing. We slept there due to the lower altitude. an agricultural area (see picture below) and herds of elk move around the valley in search of the best alfalfa Not to be out-matched by the unparalleled fly-fishing, Elk Creek Ranch also offers an abundance of world-class big game hunting opportunities. 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