Colorado Elk Hunting Outfitters | Free Range Elk Hunts

Common Questions About Colorado Elk Hunts

What supplies do I need to bring with me when I hunt elk on your ranch?

You will need to bring your weapon of choice. Make sure to bring an appropriate caliber for CO Elk. You will also need hunting clothes and boots, a pack, binoculars, a range finder, and camp clothes. All towels and sleeping gear are provided at the ranch, along with a fully stocked kitchen where our cook prepares delicious meals. You may want to bring coolers or a freezer to get your meat home.

Are elk hunts on public or private land in Colorado?

You will be hunting mostly on our leased private land. We have access to over 50,000 acres of privately managed ground and BLM lands under special usage permits, allowing us to guide clients in a variety of habitats, terrain, and elevations. 95% of our elk hunting takes place on our private leases.

Do you charge elk hunting Trophy Fees?

No, the hunt price applies if you harvest a 200” bull or a 350” bull.

How big of a bull elk should I expect to harvest on my hunt?

We harvest bulls that are a good representation of what Colorado has to offer. Client’s harvest bulls scoring in the low to high 200” range with an outside opportunity at bulls scoring 300” – 320”.

What is the price of an elk hunting package?

See our rifle elk hunting packages on our rates page.

What is included in the price of the CO elk hunt?

The price of the hunt includes meals, lodging, guide fees, incredible views, and an awesome experience.

What is NOT included in the price of the hunt?

• Hunting license & tag
• Game processing (we will gut and skin your elk and prepare it for processing)
• Taxidermy
• Alcohol
• Guide/Cook Tips (Recommend a minimum of 10% to guide, and $100/hunter or guest to cook)
• Transportation to our lodge from your home (Once you are at the lodge, we transport clients to the daily hunting spots)

Do you offer self-guided/semi-guided elk hunts or drop camps in Colorado?

No, we are 100% Fully Guided only.

How many clients per each guide?

Our elk hunts are 2 Clients for 1 guide.

Can I upgrade to a 1:1 elk hunt?

You can in select seasons only, please talk to Earl about this availability and cost.

How do I purchase an elk hunting license and tag in Colorado?

Some of our seasons offer over-the-counter licenses (Archery, Second Rifle, Third Rifle). Others are draw licenses (Muzzleloader, First Rifle, and Fourth Rifle) Muzzleloader is the hardest to draw, clients will require 2-6 points to draw depending on if you’re a resident or non-resident. First/Fourth Rifle will require 0-1 point to draw. We help all clients with the application process if needed.

Do you help take care of my animal after it’s down?

Yes, our guides will gut the animal in the field. It will then be loaded up on our ranch equipment and taken to our skinning shed to be hung, skinned, and capped if applicable. We will also pull the ivory and clean them up so you can take them home with you. We will then help transport to our preferred partner processor in Walden, CO, around 20 miles north of our lodge. If you are taking it home to have it processed, we will help quarter and pack your meat in your coolers or freezers.

Do you have a list of references I can talk to who have hunted with you before?

Yes, we will provide references upon request. You can check out client reviews on our website's home page. Scroll down to the bottom to find the reviews, and you can also check out more reviews on our Facebook or Yelp pages.

How do I book a hunt with I&A Outfitters?

We require a 50% deposit to hold reservations. The hunt balance is then due either 90 days before your hunt start date or by July 30th if you are hunting in November.

What if I book a hunt and then need to cancel?

We understand that life sometimes interrupts your plans. Because of our hunt schedule and Colorado’s license system, we most likely will not be able to move you to another date in the same year. However, we do allow you to move your hunt to the following year provided that we are notified at least 60 days before your hunt start date; anything within 60 days of your hunt start date will not allow for any refunds or change in schedule. Cancellations are not allowed.

Do you offer any discounted pricing for youth hunters?

No, we work just as hard for a youth hunter as we do for any other clients, therefore we do not offer any youth hunt pricing breaks.

Do you offer any discounts for more than 1 hunter in a group?

No, with our 2:1 client-to-guide ratio, we are set up to handle clients who come in alone or with groups.

What is the closest airport to your hunting ranch in CO?

Denver International Airport is 120 miles from our ranch. You can rent a car at the airport and drive to our ranch (drive time is approx. 3 hours). You can also fly into Cheyenne, Wyoming, or Steamboat Springs to shorten your drive by around 1-2 hours. If you have your own plane, you can land in Walden, Colorado, and we can pick you up! We DO NOT do pick-ups at any other airport.

What Game Management Units do you guide in?

GMU 16, 17, and 171

How physically demanding are your hunts?

Moderate to difficult. Our hunts are not easy, but they are not hard either. What makes our ranches more difficult, it the elevation of 8,600 – 10,000 feet. Its not steep country, it’s more rolling hills with every habitat the west has to offer. Physically that can be an adjustment from sea level or lower elevations. Clients hunt open sage flats, timber fringes, groves of aspens to hillsides of dark timber, so being physically prepared is important, not from the aspect of climbing a mountain, but from the aspect of seeing elk and being able to move quickly to get in front of the herd in order to get into position for a shot.

What kind of weather can I expect on my hunt?

The Rocky Mountains have some of the most torrent weather in North America; it could be 20 degrees in the morning and 70 degrees during the day, and it could drop to sub-freezing in the afternoon if a storm blows in. One thing is certain: clients should be prepared for all seasons in one day!

Do you use horses or ATVs to get into your hunt areas?

We leave the lodge in the morning using the guides vehicles, from there you will walk into your hunting spot and hunt until midday where you will head back in for lunch, then the same in the afternoon. We do not use horses or atv’s to hunt the ranches, you will be doing that on foot or sitting on a high bluff overlooking huge expanses of land trying to locate elk. We also use elevated, heated blinds as stage points to glass for elk, which makes it nice on those cold and snowy days!

What kind of success rate do your clients see?

We measure client opportunity rates as success can mean different things to different people. On the whole, on average, the opportunity rate runs around 65%. However, some groups see opportunity rates closer to 95%, while others see those close to 20%. It all depends on the weather and other environmental factors that have been in play all year. Each year is different on our ranches, and each season is different on our ranches. Clients who book with us are looking for the experience, not so much the kill. Hunting free-range elk can be one of the most difficult hunts in North America, but the landscape and the people you're hunting with are really the best part of the experience!

Do you charge guest fees for non-hunters?

Guests are allowed, and there is a fee, but guests are only allowed if we have room at the lodge. Our priority is the hunting clients, but if there is room, we allow guests at a rate of $1,150 (3 Days), $1,750 (5 Days), $1,950 (6 Days), $2,275 (7 Days).