Colorado Elk Hunting Photo Gallery

Two scenes of base camp at 10,500 ft elevation. One during September Archery Elk Hunt/Muzzle Loader and the other during the October/November Rifle Elk Hunts

All supplies and gear must be packed into our Colorado elk Hunting base camp by stock animal. There is no motorized access to this elk hunting base camp. This is the Hermosa Road less area composed of 150,000 acres.

Inside the Base Camp Tents. Relaxing around the wood burning stove after returning from elk hunting at spike camp for a couple of days. Lisa Turner and one of our hunters, Charlie, inside the kitchen area of base camp.

Spike Camp. This allows us to hunt further out without having to travel back to base camp everyday. A more primitive camp with backpacking tents, mummy sleeping bags and pads, with a larger T-Pee Tent. We eat dehydrated food, snacks and simple dried food. We hunt to spike camp on foot, which is 2 to 3 hours away from base camp. Spike camp is located in the middle of prime elk hunting habitat. All supplies and water are cached at spike camp by stock animal.

Can you rough it for it for a couple of days in our elk hunting spike camp? Notice how the weather can change overnight. During the last week in September of 2006 while archery elk hunting we had an unusual snowstorm that dropped about 3 inches of snow. The weather can be warm and dry or cold, snowy or wet. For Colorado Elk Hunts, the key is to dress in layers.

Some of our elk hunting terrain and views. Our Colorado elk-hunting habitat is mostly composed of Aspen and Spruce Groves intermingled with small grassy meadows. The terrain is steep with lots of ups and downs. You must be in very good physical shape to go on these Colorado Elk Hunts. Your body weight should be in proportion to your height.

There is a resident elk herd in this Hermosa Road less area that exists here both in the summer and winter! Since the winter elk habitat is so good, the elk do not need to migrate, thus, making this elk herd very healthy. Elk from other regions of Colorado migrate to this winter range and become part of the resident herd.

Hunting on foot in an unusual three inches of snow during the last week of archery elk hunting. Fortunately, the sun came out and melted most of the snow so we could dry out. Be prepared to hike on foot. It pays off. The second photo is of the following morning of a bull that was taken at 15 yards.

Getting ready to Pack a bull out on “Charlie Brown”. Charlie Brown has packed a lot of elk. He has a cool mannered head about him, which makes it easy on us.

Rick and Marisa. Father- daughter hunters. This was Marisa’s first bull elk at the age of 24 after getting a Colorado antelope earlier in the year. Rumor has it… she got a bow for a college graduation present. What’s next… an archery elk hunt?

Packing supplies and elk meat to and from base camp. We do use horses for support, but all of the elk hunting is done on foot.

Chris and Dan with their nice bulls. Twin brothers from Texas.
Did you know that twins could heckle each other a little? These two guys hunted hard and never gave up. With them in base camp, there was never a dull moment.

After we packed out of the Colorado Elk Hunting Camp, Chris and Dan head back to Texas. Those bulls had to be packed out a long way by horse to the nearest road. Dan and Chris sure are glad they did not have to pack those elk on their own backs!

Pete and Brian with a bull taken during archery elk season. We caught this bull on his way to a water hole in the thick timber after getting out of his bed about 3 pm in the afternoon. This was a Colorado Elk Hunt that we never forget.

Charlie the III and Charlie the IV –father and son. As soon as we spotted this nice bull elk, Charlie the IV did not waste anytime. Charlie had about ten seconds to react.
No doubt, he is an excellent shot off hand!

Third rifle season Colorado Elk Hunt. John Sr. and guide, Michael, with a nice mature six point. We had to travel a good distance from our base camp to find this bull. These bulls are not found everywhere. John Sr. had the patience and tenacity to hunt everyday like it was the opening day. Colorado elk Hunting is not only about the harvest but also mostly about the experience!

In 2007, Steve took this really nice rare non-typical bull elk with guides Brian and Chad. This was one of several bulls that Steve and the guides saw during the five-day Colorado Elk archery hunt. These guys put lots of miles on their boots this week.

Chad McKee with a nice five point taken in 2007.

Marisa’s 2007 bull elk taken opening morning. Marisa and her father, Rick, hunted with us in 2006 and 2007. Marisa is proud and happy to get two nice bulls in two consecutive years. She is a great hunter and lucky enough to have a father and mother that raised her with a strong outdoor hunting background! Marisa’s mother, Chris, joined us on the hunt for 2007.