Big Game Hunting

Find out who you really are.

Out here, in one of the most striking settings you may ever explore you’ll have every opportunity. The ranch sprawls out over tens of thousands of acres, and we have special-use permits with the Federal Government, which means guests have over 300 square miles of exceptional fair-chase, big game hunting at their feet. The topography of The High Lonesome Ranch, with its grand mountains, gentle slopes, flat rolling plateaus and sweeping green valleys is a big game hunter’s heaven on earth.

It’s our conscientious mission to keep it that way, using the latest irrigation and habitat management techniques to ensure the wildlife reach their genetic potential. We also maintain exclusive hunting facilities and limit the number of hunters each season.

High Lonesome Ranch is the home of one of the largest elk and mule deer populations in the West.  Through state-of-the-art habitat management, we’ve created breeding and feeding grounds for these magnificent animals.  We all know why you choose High Lonesome Ranch, and most of it has to do with the fact that we offer trophy animals.  We’ve spent years culling the herds to ensure that the best-of-the-best roam our properties.  And we limit the number of hunters each season so that we can offer a superb experience.  So when you come to High Lonesome Ranch you’ll have the big game opportunity of a lifetime.

In addition to our elk and mule deer hunts, we also offer black bear and mountain lion hunts.

The right guide makes
all the difference.

Our local guides are handpicked, with decades of hunting experience in not just the ranch but also in the West. For months before your arrival they are in the woods observing migration patterns. As your arrival date gets closer, they are scouting every day so they know the precise patterns of the animals. When you get here their goal is to match your expectations with a hunt, and to make your experience one that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.  If you tell your kids and your grandkids about your High Lonesome hunt then in our mind we’ve succeeded. For do-it-yourselfers, we’ve got satellite camps and directions so you can hunt on your own.

For a new thrill, hunt
some Merriams turkeys.

As a result of very successful conservation efforts, Merriams turkeys are back, in abundance. The High Lonesome limits the number of Spring hunts, so why not combine a visit with a fly fishing trip? Call a big Tom in yourself or have one of our guides assist you. As turkey hunters know, a big gobbler coming into range is an unparalleled thrill. And instead of napping in the afternoon, why not trout fish? At High Lonesome you have an opportunity to take a mature gobbler in the morning and land monster trout in the afternoon. All in one fantastic trip.

Archery

Our big game seasons start with archery in late August/early September, just as our bull elk begin their annual rutting rituals. The bulls become very aggressive, bugling and sparring for dominance as they collect their harems. Our guides are expert callers, and we’ve got the pictures to prove it.

Muzzleloader

Muzzleloader hunts for elk and deer are limited to about a week in September (September 11 - 19, 2010) during the peak of the elk rut. A special Colorado state license is required, and our staff will be pleased to assist you in applying for your tag. All you need to do is to get ready for some action; muzzleloaders here at this time of year stand a great chance of harvesting the trophy bull or buck of your dreams.

Rifle

There’s a short break between archery and muzzleloader seasons, and then the first of four modern rifle seasons begins, typically around the second week in October. We invite you to enjoy legendary Colorado big game hunting, with an unsurpassed opportunity to hunt trophy mule deer sporting the most impressive antlers you may ever see. Superior genetics and our extensive management efforts definitely pay off here in the heart of the famed Roan Creek drainage and Douglass Pass areas.

Perfecting your shot.

To prepare, and to confirm that the firearm is properly sighted in, spend some time at our rifle range.

Your stay at the ranch.

We have several guest cabins throughout the ranch, each designed to offer an authentic ranch experiencewith all the modern conveniences. At our High Ranch camp, a couple of historic log cabins used for a big game hunting camp sit on top of the mountains, so the views are as incredible as the big game. The Hay Canyon cabin is a three-bedroom ranch house nestled in a beautiful valley with elk meadows, springs, timber and more captivating vistas. There’s another cozy, newly-built log cabin with all the amenities at our Forshay Camp in Dry Fork Valley, where some of our largest trophy animals have been harvested. Our two McKay Fork log cabins sit on the edge of the Book Cliffs, which our equestrian clients also favor. And in 2010, ZVI, Hay Canyon and Flying W Ranches will be up for lease, for anyone whos ever dreamed of having his own private hunting lease here in Colorado.

The Colorado Licensing Procedure

Here are the basics: You must have a license to hunt (minimum age 12) and you must have a hunter safety card before applying for a license, unless you were born before 1949. Most licenses are limited and based on a draw system for specific units. Units 30 and 31, which encompass the ranch, are highly sought-after hunting areas. We have a limited number of landowner tags available, but we recommend that you apply for a tag of your own before the April deadline. Let us know if we can be of assistancewere a license agent for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, or check out their site for complete information.