What You Need to Know About Archery Elk Hunting at Budge’s

Here at Budge’s Wilderness Lodge, archery elk hunting is one of the highlights of our season. We operate in a limited license unit that offers a quality elk hunting experience during the elk rut in September.

Here’s what you need to know about our archery elk hunts:

The Area

We are in Northwest Colorado, in a unit that has been managed as a limited license area for decades. This area does not offer over-the-counter (OTC) licenses.

Because licenses are limited, this area receives low hunting pressure and provides a quality hunting experience.

What’s more, the area we hunt is within a vast and rugged Wilderness Area where motorized access is not allowed. Using horses and mules to access this remote country is a fun and effective way to hunt elk here.

The Elk

The White River elk herd is known to be the largest in the world. Summering in the high country and wintering in the surrounding valleys at lower elevations, this elk population is supported by excellent summer and winter habitat. We are able to hunt from the valley floor at 8,200 feet, all the way up to the tops of the plateaus at 11,000 feet, giving us a wide range of options, depending on the time of year, weather, and elk activity.

While this limited license area offers quality hunting, it is managed for opportunity, not as a trophy unit. If you’re interested in a high-country elk hunting experience where you’ll have the opportunity to see, hear and hopefully get a shot at an elk, this is a great hunt. If you have your hopes set on a specific class of trophy bulls, then we’d suggest a wilderness hunt like this is not the best fit for you.

The elk in this area begin their rutting behavior in late August and early September where bulls break away from their bachelor groups to begin posturing for the breeding season. As the month of September progresses, the rut and breeding behavior intensifies.

Our Style of Hunting

Archery season in Colorado runs from September 2nd through the 30th. Anytime throughout the entire month can offer excellent archery elk hunting.

There are pros and cons to hunting earlier or later in the month. Early in the month the weather is warm and bulls may not be as vocal as they are later. However, this can be the best time to call in a big, mature bull before they have a harem of cows to tend. Later in the month, bulls often become more vocal which can make bugling with them a lot of fun. The downside, is that getting a bull to leave his cows and come in to calls can sometimes be a challenge.

We use horses and mules to hunt remote parts of the wilderness area. We can do lodge-based hunts where we ride out each morning to hunt, and then ride back to the lodge each night. We can also hunt out of remote wilderness spike camps.

In either scenario, we listen for bugles and glass to locate a bull. Then we will move in close, set up, and try to call him in. Moving in close for a calling setup requires being in good physical condition – often having to close a large distance on foot in a short amount of time.

Our guides are excellent callers and passionate about archery elk hunting. If this experience is not already on your bucket list, it should be! Hearing a bull bugle and then having a 700-pound animal coming toward you is unforgettable.

What About Muzzleloader?

Yes! Muzzleloader is another primitive weapon hunt that takes place in September. It’s a 9-day season that usually begins the second Saturday in September (concurrent with archery season).

We operate our muzzleloader hunts the same as our archery hunts. And we hunt in the same style. The only difference is that muzzleloaders have a longer range – typically about 100 yards for most shooters with open sights. Scopes are not allowed on muzzleloaders in Colorado.

Because of the longer-range weapon, our muzzleloader hunters have extremely high success rates.

How to Get a Tag

At the time we posted this article, nonresident archery hunters must have 3 preference points to draw an archery license in our area. A Colorado resident can draw with 0-1 point.

A hunter can apply for one elk preference point each year in March. Therefore, if a nonresident hunter is beginning to plan their hunt now with no points, it will take about 3 years to draw the tag. That means you must plan ahead!

Because muzzleloaders offer the same hunt with a longer-range weapon, the demand is even higher. At the time of this post, it takes nonresident hunters 6 points to draw the muzzleloader license. Resident hunters can draw with 2 points.

If you already have elk preference points saved in Colorado and you’re interested in a hunt, please call or text us at 970-536-1341 to check availability. If you would like to begin planning your hunt, we can help!

How to Reserve a Spot

If you already have preference points and you’re ready to plan your archery or muzzleloader elk hunt, call or text us at 970-536-1341 and we’ll help with the details.

If you would like to start saving preference points and plan a future hunt, we are here to help. You don’t have to be intimidated by the application or draw process in Colorado. In fact, we can even complete the application for you.

If you would like to chat with us about the options and ask questions, please call or text us at 970-536-1341. If you’re ready to get started, you can fill out this form, which will allow us to begin collecting preference points on your behalf.

A $500 deposit will lock in your spot at our current rates. That means, even as prices change between now and when you draw the tag, your spot and your price is guaranteed. This deposit never expires – it will roll it over each year you apply until you successfully draw a tag.

Contact Us With Questions

You can find current pricing and detailed hunt info on our Elk Hunts Page. If you’d like to chat with us about specifics, availability or anything else hunt related, please give us a call or send us a text at 970-536-1341.

We look forward to helping you plan a memorable archery elk hunt!