Private Colorado ranch offers self-guided hunters excellent elk hunting and lodge accommodations

This is a self-guided elk hunt that has just become available to our customers on a 3,000-acre private ranch in Unit 85 in southeastern Colorado.

The third season is booked by a group that schedules their hunt every year during the same time. Leases are available for rifle, bow and muzzleloader hunting.

Leases are available for the first or second rifle seasons, Oct. 10-14 and Oct. 17-25. You can have as many as seven hunters in your party for a total of $20,000 per party per season. You must apply by April 7 for tags valid for the first season, for which either-sex tags are available, and the odds of drawing a tag should be 100 percent as no preference points were needed to acquire a tag in last year's drawing. You may buy tags over the counter for the second rifle season. The muzzleloader season is available at a price of $6,000 for a party of two or $11,000 for a party of four hunters. You need at least two preference points to draw a muzzleloader permit. Two weeks are available to bowhunters, Sept. 5-11 or 21-27. You may have as many as four bowhunters in your party at that price. Additional hunters are $2,500 apiece.

One of our former outfitters sets up the hunt, but this is strictly a self-guided hunting opportunity. You'll receive directions to the ranch along with a key or combination to the locked gates. You may not contact the rancher directly. Do not request any in-field help because it is not available.

The former outfitter said the ranch is surrounded by other private properties, and he said trophy quality in this part of Colorado is good with many 5x5 and 6x6 bulls scoring 240 to 280 Boone and Crockett points and a few bigger animals. He has not been on the ranch, but decided to arrange hunts after seeing elk almost every time he drove over a pass close to the ranch.