The Guided Experience and Our Promise
This hunt is available for Archery, Muzzleloader and Rifle seasons. These hunts are 100% on public lands. Dependent on the camp we are hunting, it will either be inside the Flat Tops Wilderness Area or on the National Forest. Our guided camps are strategically hunted certain weeks based on elk movements/pressure. In all of our guided camps, hunters will be the first ones to hunt that area that year. The majority of bulls harvested are medium sized, 4-6 point animals. Roughly 1/8th of our harvested bulls score 300+.
All camps are only accessible via horseback and mule. Our hunts are 7 days (1 day pack-in, 5 days hunting, 1 day pack-out). Wranglers, guides and guests all ride in together, and typically our wranglers will take the horses back to the trailhead with them. We try our best to not keep horses in our guided camp, as the camps are in the middle of the elk. Most nights, hunters fall asleep listening to bulls bugling.
We provide hunters with all cooked meals (including snacks). We do not supply alcohol, but hunters may bring their own. Each hunter can bring up to 70 pounds of personal items. This weight limit is more than enough - we provide all camp gear with the exception of a sleeping bag, clothing, tags and weapon of choice. All guided hunts include skinning and quartering of the harvested animals.
We typically do not run more than 6 hunters or 3 guides per camp, dependent on how hunters book. Hunters can book as either 1:1 or 2:1 hunters to guide ratio. We encourage all hunters to have as many tags in their pocket as they are able to draw/purchase.
Our Guided Promise:
All of our guides are seasoned hunters/guides and know the area and animal behavior. Though we do not guarantee punched tags, we do guarantee an adventure of a lifetime. Typically our guided success is anywhere from 50-100% opportunity. We use the best gear, use camps that have been productive over the past 40+ years of outfitting, run top of the line stock and crew, and we will spend as much time as needed on the phone, video calls and email pre-hunt to make sure you feel ready for this experience. We provide you with:
Recommended gear lists for every season and type of hunt
A detailed list of everything supplied in camp
An open line of communication to help you best prepare for a fun and successful adventure
For pricing, please refer to our PRICING tab.
Archery Guided Hunts
We run at least one guided camp each week of the 4-week archery season. You must have a patient mindset to hunt the first half of archery season as the bulls tend to be less vocal. However, bulls are more callable because they are searching for their harem of cows, but come in silent. During the second half of the archery season, bulls typically become more vocal and locating elk is more “run and gun” versus glassing/blind calling sessions. All guides are experienced callers and will have their own calls. No calling experience is necessary for hunters.
Archery season is the best time of the year to be in the Flat Tops. The weather is good and the elk are bugling. It is also the time of year where it isn’t abnormal to go an entire hunt without seeing another hunter.
Our unit, 24, takes 3 preference points for non-residents to guarantee drawing the tag. This is another season where we encourage all of our elk hunters to pick up an archery mule deer tag, which only takes one preference point to draw as a non-resident, and an archery or rifle bear tag. There is no additional cost from RBO if hunters have multiple tags to fill.
We average 75% shot opportunity on bulls.
Muzzleloader Guided Hunts
Muzzleloader is, hands down, one of the best times to be hunting elk. The season starts when the elk rut is getting into full swing. The weather is still comfortable. Tags are by draw only. For non-residents it takes 6-7 preference points, but the hunt is well worth it.
Non-resident muzzleloader deer tags can be easily drawn with zero preference points. This is another season that hunters are encouraged to add a muzzleloader or rifle bear tag. There is no additional cost from RBO if hunters have multiple tags to fill.
We average 85% shot opportunity on bulls.
Rifle Guided Hunts
All of these hunts are true wilderness hunts where being in good shape and able to bare inclement weather will pay off with the hunt of a lifetime.
1st season is an easy elk draw. The first season is a great time, with fewer hunters, better weather, and it is likely you will catch the tail end of the rut. In recent seasons, the elk were still bugling through 1st season.
2nd and 3rd season are a draw, but easily drawn as a second choice tag. By the 2nd and 3rd rifle season, you need to be prepared for the possibility of heavy snow. These later seasons can produce nice bulls that are pushed out of high elevations. The biggest variable for hunting quality is weather and snow accumulation.
Every year some good high country mule deer bucks are also taken by hunters. You must draw a deer tag for the season you will be hunting if you want that opportunity. We can also focus on mule deer when it comes to camp selection, if you choose. It varies year-to-year but non-residents can draw a 2nd season buck tag with one point. 3rd season non-resident buck tags can be drawn with zero points. There is also a coveted wilderness only early season rifle tag in the Flat Tops. This tag can take 8-13 preference points for non-residents to draw, depending on the year. This is one of the few tags in Colorado that offer rifle hunters a chance at a buck in velvet.
We average 75% shot opportunity on bulls.