Rifle Hunting Colorado

Rifle Hunting with over 250 square miles of country ranging from 8,500 to 12,000 feet and including a wide variety of terrain, Winterhawk can tailor a rifle hunt for almost any hunter. We offer guided hunts from our base camp, which can be reached by four wheel drive vehicle,and wilderness pack-in camp hunts at mid to high elevations.

Guided Rifle Hunts:

• Indian Cliffs Base Camp Guided Rifle Hunts
• Wilderness Pack-in Camp Guided Rifle Hunts

INDIAN CLIFFS BASE CAMP GUIDED RIFLE HUNTS
Indian Cliffs Base Camp is the hub of our Rifle Hunting operation. It sits at 9,200 feet on the edge of the Flat Tops Wilderness at the end of a rough five-mile road and can only be reached by 4-wheel drive vehicle.

These have been our most popular hunts, as they are less physically demanding than pack-in hunts, but they have been every bit as successful. The country is typically parks and meadows, surrounded by stands of aspens and pine thickets.

We ride out of Indian Cliffs base camp approximately an hour before sunrise and still hunt or hunt on stand. Depending on weather and game movement during mid-day, we may do some riding to spot elk and deer out feeding, still hunt the stands of aspen and spruce, or make drives through the timber.

These are fully guided two-on-one full service rifle hunts with everything provided except rifle hunting licenses and personal gear. For hunters, the camp has four heavy-duty wall tents with canvas floors, rain flies, and wood burning stoves. They accommodate two to six hunters each and are furnished with cots, foam pads, rack for drying wet clothes, lanterns and firewood. The base camp has aseparate cookhouse, guides tent, riding saddle tent, pack saddle tent, outhouse and a shower house with hot and cold running water.

Don’t expect to lose weight on your hunt. When Rifle Hunting with Winterhawk, a typical breakfast is French toast, eggs cooked to order, thick sliced bacon, potatoes, orange juice and coffee. Our hunters pack hearty lunches to pack in daypacks or saddlebags, so lunch doesn't interrupt the hunt. Evening meals may include baked ham, roast turkey, roast beef, stuffed Cornish hens or prime rib.

First Rifle Hunting Season:  For many years our first rifle hunting season was the most popular season, and very successful.  Because it was so successful, it drew more hunters to the field than the 2nd or 3rd rifle hunting seasons.  In an attempt to even out the number of hunters in the field each season, the Colorado Division of Wildlife put the 1st rifle hunting season licenses on a drawing.  Now, our first rifle hunting season is not as crowded, and our hunters are still enjoying a very successful hunt.  The best news is that although the tags are on a drawing, the success rate in getting the license is very high.  According to the Colorado DOW, in our units the success rate in 2008 for hunters with no preference points was 92%.  Although the licenses are on a drawing,  your chances of successfully drawing a license is very high, over 90%.  So please do not let the drawing scare you away from the first rifle hunting season.   The applications for first rifle hunting season licenses have an application deadline of around April 6th,2010.  Feel free to give us a call for more information.

• Click Here for Guided Rifle - Indian Cliffs Base Camp References
• Click Here for Guided Rifle Hunters' Suggested Item List

WILDERNESS PACK-IN CAMP GUIDED RIFLE HUNTS
Winterhawk’s pack-in camps are typically a three-hour ride from base camp. They are set at around 10,000 feet, allowing us to hunt down to 9,500 or up to 11,500, depending on game movement. The country consists of stands of aspen and spruce, small parks, meadows, and heavy dark spruce pockets with blow downs that somewhat restrict game to traveling on trails. Guided Hunts can be two-on-one or one-on-one.

The area is excellent bull country, but every year we take some nice timberline bucks while hunting elk. A flat shooting rifle is a must here, as game is often spotted crossing or feeding in the big parks and meadows.

This is not an easy hunt, and to enjoy it to its fullest, hunters should be in good physical condition. We have an experienced, hard-working crew and you can count on them to give 100% effort. If you?re a serious hunter, and want to experience a traditional wilderness pack-in elk and deer hunt, this is the hunt for you.

Our pack-in camps include the hunter’s tent, separate cook tent, guides tent, and a latrine tent. Meals are complete, balanced and plentiful. You’ll work hard on this hunt, but you?ll have comfortable accommodations.

• Click Here for Guided Hunting - Pack-in Camp References
• Click Here for Guided Hunting Pack-in Camp Suggested Item List

We recently learned that the Colorado Division of Wildlife has just announced a new High Country Trophy Deer Season in the Flat Tops Wilderness.  This is a mule deer season that serious trophy hunters have been waiting for.