Flat Tops Wilderness Guided Horseback Wilderness Deer & Elk Hunts
Up to 5 Guests, minimum 2 guests
About
This hunt is available for both Archery and Rifle Seasons. A mix of private land, forest service and wilderness area will be hunted. Horseback hunting will be our primary means of transportation, but 4×4 and hiking will be used to access some areas. The majority of hunting will be done on public land. Lodging and meals are provided in our high-end lodge adjacent to the Flat Tops Wilderness Area. In some cases, the option to spike camp for a night may be available. You can focus on several species (including elk, mule deer, and bears – based on season/tag availability) or focus on a single species. Lodge hunts are afternoon arrival, 5 full days of hunting, morning departure.
Success Rates:
Bear- Dedicated 5 day hunt – 75%+. As an “opportunity” tag added on to a deer/elk focused hunt – 20-25%
Elk- All of these hunts are true wilderness hunts where being in good shape, being able to ride a few hours each day and being able to bare inclement weather will pay off with the hunt of a lifetime. Rifle hunts average 40-80%+ shot opportunity on legal bulls for those that hunt every morning and afternoon/night of their hunt. Archery hunts run roughly 1/2 the success rate of rifle hunts. The biggest variable is weather and the hunter’s persistence. The majority of bulls are medium sized, 4-6 point animals. Roughly 1/10th of our harvested bulls score 300+.
Mule Deer- During 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons our hunters with deer tags have 50-80% shot opportunity on bucks. 4th Season rifle hunters generally have a 90-100% opportunity to harvest a mature buck. Dedicated muzzleloader hunters will have a 50-70% chance of getting an opportunity at a mature buck. Archery deer hunts are highly variable on the hunter’s shooting abilities. Shooting opportunities under 70 yards are 60-70% on a five day deer-focused hunt.
The primary focus of these hunts will be mature mule deer in the 160″+ class. We have taken many deer in the 170-180″ class and some over 200″.
Tag Availability:
September – Archery Deer are easy to draw, Archery Elk are over-the-counter, Rifle Bear are easy to draw
Muzzleloader – Deer tags are easy to draw, Elk tags require 2-4 preference points.
1st season – Elk are easy to draw, Bear tags are over-the-counter
2nd season – Deer are easy to draw, Elk are over-the-counter
3rd season – Deer require 0-1 preference points to draw. Elk are over-the-counter
4th season – Deer require 2-3 points for residents, non-residents should expect to draw with 4-6 points. Bull tags take 0-1 points to draw.
Rules
This outfitter currently has no lodging available.
Target species
Elk (Cow)
Elk (Bull)
Black Bear
Amenities
Guided
Keep the meat
Private experienceTrip includes
Animal cleaningLocation
Gypsum, Colorado, United States
Exact location provided after booking.
In terms of permitted camps, we are one of the largest outfitters in Colorado. We can use the camps that fit our guest’s needs best. Camps near streams, we got it. Camps near lakes, we got it. Camps near elk rutting areas, we got it. Camps near elk migration trails, we got it. Camps near oak brush for bucks and bears, we got it. An outfitter with 4 camps? You’re stuck with whatever they might have!
Our closest camps in the Flat Tops Wilderness are 2 miles and 1,800 ft. elevation gain from our base camp. Our farthest camps are 9+ miles and over 3,500 ft elevation gain into the area. Public access is by foot and horseback only. There is absolutely no vehicle access into the area. These camps were established by Colorado High Guide Service (Dennis Bergstad) over 30 years ago.
Unlike most outfitters in Colorado, our base camp is operated on private property on the edge of over 240,000 acres of designated road-less wilderness. We invest heavily in our facilities to accommodate our guests. We have a 3,000 square ft. pack station where we can saddle and pack 30+ mules at a time, under any weather conditions. There is almost always staff at our facility with ready stock. Although we are as remote or more remote than other outfitters’ public land or leased base camps, emergency vehicles and help can always reach our base camp. We work here year-round, allowing us to scout the fishing waters and hunting areas constantly.
Formerly known as Colorado High Guide and then Hilltop High Guide Service, FTWG is one of the longest running permitted outfitters in Colorado, 30+ years. Today, several of the original staff our involved. We even have mules that have been here since the beginning.
Our staff is made up of experienced horsemen, hunting guides, fisherman, and survivalists. The guiding staff is all first aid certified and several are certified Wilderness First Responders. Most importantly, our horses and mules are made for the mountains. From years and miles of packing gear and meat, most of them know the area better than any person around.
The White River elk herd is 30,000+ animals, of which a large portion live in the Flat Tops. Colorado’s 4-point antler restriction and the remoteness of the area allow for a decent possibility of running into a trophy bull during any season. Our large hunt area and number of camps allows us to increase your chances. We have several over-the-counter seasons, so planning a hunt is easy.
Over the past 2-3 years, our mule deer population is rebounding nicely and we have several trophy bucks in the area. Mule deer is a relatively easy draw tag. Bear and cat populations are at a decade long high. September rifle bear tags are an easy draw. 18in+ Cutthroat are not uncommon in the high lakes. You can typically catch Brook trout all day long in the lakes or miles of streams.
Jimmy Oswald
from
$2,900