Deer Creek Ranch

 Dave with bull elk taken with a traditional bow

Hunting Opportunities

Elk Hunting:  Elk hunting is a very popular sport in northwestern Colorado and each year brings in millions of dollars of revenue to the local economy from all over the USA. 

The areas of Craig, Meeker and Steamboat Springs are some of the most productive and popular hunting locations in the state due to the large resident elk populations in the area.  There are dozens of outfitters and guides that offer private and public property hunting in the area.  Deer Creek Ranch is located about in the middle of the Craig, Meeker and Steamboat Springs triangle. 

The largest elk herds in the United States are in northwestern Colorado.  The greatest concentration of those elk are in the upper elevations of northwestern Colorado, except during winter.   In late fall/early winter the elk gradually migrate to lower elevations.  During spring the elk migrate back to the upper elevations.   

Deer Creek Ranch is located in one of the major elk migration routes, just below the high elevation White River National Forest.  Elk and deer get pushed out of the national forest as soon as the public land hunting pressure starts and when it snows.  The migration can continue on and off over several weeks during October and November.  

Deer Creek Ranch is one of the very few ranches in the area that doesn't graze livestock during the summer, therefore it has some of the very best quality and quantity of natural feed available during the hunting seasons.  The photo above was taken in Nov. 08 from the hunting camp/ranch headquarters pad area.      

Colorado is divided into 185 hunting zones, called Game Management Units, (GMU). 

Deer Creek Ranch is located in the middle of GMU 12.  GMU 12 has been the Number 1 GMU in all of Colorado for many years in a row for Quantity of Bull Elk harvested. 

Dave S. and Dennis, each with 5 point bull elk taken one morning

Elk Hunting Seasons in GMU 12:  Due to the large elk population, the various elk seasons run from the first of September into late December.  Two of the hunts are over- the-counter rifle hunts for bulls with no total quota.  A person can have 2 elk licenses, either 1 bull and 1 cow or 2 cows. 

Elk archery season runs the whole month of September and is a draw that usually has left over licenses. 

Muzzleloader elk season is a draw hunt that is usually a week long in the 3rd week of September.  This hunt usually reaches its quota during the draw. 

Both the archery and muzzleloader seasons coincide with the elk rut. 

There is a combination rifle cow elk and either sex elk draw hunt in early October.  The cow hunt usually has left over licenses and the either sex licenses usually reach quota. 

Dennis with tall horned bull elk taken one afternoon

Elk and Deer Combination Hunts in GMU 12

There is an elk-deer rifle combination 9 day season about the third week of October.  The bull elk hunt has over-the-counter licenses with no total quota.  The cow elk licenses are on a draw and usually have left over licenses.   The buck and doe deer licenses are a draw and usually have left over licenses.  Its possible to have one bull and one cow license or two cow licenses; plus a buck or doe license per person for this season.   

There is a rifle elk-deer combination 7 day season in early November.  It has the same license characteristics as the 9 day rifle elk-deer season described above. 

 Hilda with cow elk

There are several cow elk hunting seasons with draw licenses available between the first of October and the end of December.  Several of these seasons do not reach license quota, including a private property cow license that is good for 60 days during October and November. 

 Gary with non-typical 4 x 2 bull elk

Currently the owner leases out the hunting seasons to an outfitter and other hunters and hunts for cow elk between the 3rd and 4th rifle seasons.  The elk hunting is usually very good, especially whenever there are snowstorms just before or during the hunting seasons. 

                                            Joe with nice 4 x 4 buck

          Mule Deer Hunting in GMU 12:

There are several deer hunting seasons, including archery, muzzleloader and rifle.  All deer season licenses are a draw.  In 2008 and 2009 there were no licenses left over for rifle bucks after the draw.  The 2 most popular deer seasons are at the same time as the elk-deer combination seasons which occur in mid-late October and early November. 

GMU 12 has ranked in the top 5 or 10 GMU’s in all Colorado during the past several years for quantity of bucks harvested.  The mid-late October season offers the opportunity for the first shot, while the early November season usually coincides with the beginning of the deer rut.    

For the seasons for the other game animals and birds, please consult the Colorado hunting regulations. 

For more information, please contact:

Gary Martinez

garymar@comcast.net

707-252-2124  If leaving a voicemail message, please speak clearly and slowly and repeat your phone number.  Thank you.