Guided Muzzleloader Hunting

Imagine lying in your sleeping bag at the end of a full day and listening to bulls bugling close to camp. It makes it hard to fall to sleep no matter how tired you may be.

At Winterhawk, black powder hunting, guided archery and muzzleloader hunting is our specialty. Our guides are serious  hunters? experienced callers who consistently bring elk in for good close shots. Our guides love this season. They are prepared, enthused, willing, and able to do what it takes to get their hunters on a bull. We have great respect for muzzleloader hunters and appreciate the challenge and skill that the sport requires. We are not just another rifle-oriented outfit trying to sell a few primitive-weapon hunts.

Muzzleloader hunters tend to have the woods to themselves during this special time of year. The foliage is beautiful, the temperatures are moderate; elk are vocal and responsive to calls. It’s not surprising that bow and black powder hunting has become more popular and successful.

During these early seasons when the elk are in rut, they tell us where they are, and we go to them. Instead of limiting our  muzzleloader hunters to specific camps, we take them to the elk.  We may be hunting from Indian Cliffs Base Camp, one of our pack-in camps, or a remote spike camp location.  We may also switch camps during the week.  In recent years, this "stay mobile and go where the elk are" approach has dramatically improved shot opportunities to nearly 100% on good mature bulls.

Hunters should arrive in good physical shape, ready to ride, walk and hunt hard. Conditioning is important and the better shape the hunter is in, the better our chances of getting him where he needs to be to have a successful hunt. As is always the case with limited range weapons, success in taking the animal is highly dependent on the hunter’s ability to make the shot. Come and join us for a great bow or muzzleloader wilderness hunting experience.

For the big game hunter, nothing is more exciting than hunting elk in full rut. It’s considered by many to be the ultimate hunt, period. The thrill of a close encounter with a big bugling bull is like no other, and at Winterhawk Outfitters, we specialize in making it happen.

New for 2010!

Muzzleloading Elk Licenses:
"Statewide" muzzleloading licenses are no longer available in 2010. All muzzleloading elk licenses are valid in specific Game Management Units (GMUs) or Data Analysis Units (DAUs) only.  Either-sex licenses are also available in specific units. This change should make it easier to draw muzzleloader elk licenses in GMU 25 and 26. Instead of needing 2 or 3 Preference Points to draw a elk license, you should be able to draw a license with only 1 or 2 Preference Points. All Muzzleloader elk licenses are either sex licenses for 2010.

The muzzleloader season is September 11-16, 2010, which is 9 days, but our guided hunts are for 6 full days.  Muzzleloader elk and deer licenses are not sold over-the-counter.  They are sold on a drawing basis, with an application deadline of around April 6, 2010.

• Click here for details on muzzleloading limited licenses
• Click here for Guided Muzzleloader References
• Click here for Guided Muzzleloader Hunters' Suggested Item List