Hunt Information

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The Ranch The Buffalo (bison) Mule Deer Elk Fees Discounts Guests Welcome Licenses Guarantees The Hunt Trophy Mounts Meat What to Bring Time of Year Scheduling Liability Waiver Payment More Information

The Hunt

Experience a truly unique Colorado bison hunt in the foothills and mountains east of Rocky Mountain National Park. Hike on the historic Blue Mountain Ranch and view snow topped Longs Peak while you wait for your perfect trophy and watch the vast herds of Bison, Elk and Mule Deer amble by.

The Ranch

Our ranch is ninety minutes from Denver airport, being situated between Lyons and Estes Park. We have thousands of acres of extremely varied territory ranging from rugged rock outcroppings on mountain ridges, to grass covered prairie, to a creek running through ponderosa pines in a canyon. The ranch is bounded by Roosevelt National Forest which leads to Rocky Mountain National Park about ten miles to the West.

Ranch wildlife includes Mule Deer, Elk, Coyote, Black Bear, Mountain Lion and Eagles in addition to the Buffalo.

The Buffalo (Bison)

Bison Hunting

Although their technical name is "American Bison", the Mountain Men called them "Buffalo" , and most people carry on this tradition.

The buffalo roaming the ranch are all descendants of the herds of the great plains, our herd originating with animals from such places as the National Bison Range, Custer State Park, and Teddy Roosevelt National Monument. They range in age from calves to trophy bulls more than fifteen years old, and in live weight up to twenty five hundred pounds. Our trophy hunts are for bulls, and even on the younger animals the heads are very impressive, equal to most any Bison mount you will see, though the older bulls grow even more impressive as the horns become heavier and the cape thickens with age.

Sometimes we do have an older cow which makes a different trophy with more slender, longer curving horns. We also sometimes have animals that are not suitable for a trophy because of a horn that has been broken or deformed while fighting and these are available at a lesser price as a meat hunt. You will select the type of animal you wish to hunt at the time you book your hunt, though you can change your mind if you see an animal you prefer while you are hunting.

Buffalo Hunting

Mule Deer

We do have mule deer hunts, but they are very limited. We allow the shooting only of bucks with at least four points on a side, giving the smaller bucks time to reach trophy size.

ELK

Elk hunting is exceptional. The number of licenses in our area are restricted by the State of Colorado, but as a ranch owner we do get a few permits each year, that allow our hunters to buy licenses at any time before you begin hunting. Our ranch is winter range for groups of “bachelor bulls”. Nearly every hunter will be in shooting range of mature bulls the first day of the hunt and it is rare that hunters go home with anything less than a 6 x 6. There are several different rifle seasons during the months of October through January.

Fees

Bison:

Prime meat heifers hunt: $1750

Prime Bull meat hunt : $1850

Mature Trophy bull hunt : $5000

--All Fees subject to change--

In looking at buffalo hunt prices remember that we can sell two year old bulls for meat for $1850. Many "hunts" you see advertised for cheaper prices are from ranches that simply have you drive into a pasture, kill a young bull, let you take the head and hide, and then they sell the meat. Our hunts are really hunts. They are on rugged foothills and mountains, our trophy bulls are older and bigger than two year olds, and you keep the meat. Some people suggest we keep the meat and reduce the price, but that doesn't work for us because our bulls are too old to bring prime restaurant prices for the meat and we can't get federal inspection of the meat when killed under hunting conditions. However, you will find the meat is excellent. Most like it better than either elk or moose, which are two of my favorites, and there is a lot of it. Your family will probably enjoy it even if they don't like venison. For meat hunts, please bring your own food to camp.

A tip for you guide is customary. The more exceptional your experience, the more generous a tip is appropriate.

Deer Hunt Fees:

$3500. Must be combined with a bison or elk hunt. Refund of 40% if you hunt at least five days and we don’t put you within 300 yards of a 4x4 or better buck.

Elk Hunt Fees:

$7500. 10% discount for two hunters in a party or if combined with deer or trophy bison hunt. Refund of 40% if we don’t put you within 300 yards of a 5x5 or better elk during your stay.

--All Fees subject to change--

Licenses

No License is required to hunt Buffalo. A Colorado License is required to hunt Deer or Elk. To purchase a Colorado hunting license you must either have been born prior to 1949 or you must present an original Hunters Education or Safety Certificate. Check out the Colorado Division of Wildlife website for details. http://wildlife.state.co.us/ Traditional hunting clothes are fine for Buffalo, but blaze orange is required for deer or elk.

Guarantees

We guarantee we will put you within 100 yards of a Buffalo of the value you select within your three day hunt period. If we fail to do so we will hunt for up to two more days until we put you within 100 yard of a suitable bull. If we do not get you within 100 yard range of a suitable bull within 3 days, we will refund all fees. Partial refunds are offered on deer or elk hunts if you hunt at least five days and we do not put you within at least 300 yards of at least a 4x4 buck or 5x5 elk , as stated in the “fee” paragraph. Refund made based on guide’s opinion of range and size of animal. The only unsuccessful hunt we have had was for a hunter who passed on a 6x6 bull at 200 yards and we gave him a refund because until then we guaranteed a kill, not realizing some hunters would choose not to shoot, which is something outside our ability to control.

Discounts

Every hunter in a party of two or more gets a 10% discount on all fees. Elk hunters get a 10% discount on their elk fee if they combine their hunt with a trophy buffalo or deer hunt. Maximum total discount per hunter is 10%. Please note that we normally have only one guide per party of hunters, though an additional guide can be provided for an additional $200 a day.

The Hunt

We will pick you up at Denver International Airport or meet you in Lyons and take you to the ranch where you will stay in the historic primitive "Black Cabin" on the Little Thompson River. You will spend your first day sighting in your weapon (because accuracy is very important), discussing aiming points on Buffalo and planning the hunt, and scouting for game before enjoying an evening meal of Buffalo steak. We hunt on foot because we can approach closer through stalking up the numerous draws, but hunting from horses is available as an option for an additional $500 per rider. Horses are definitely not necessary, but do provide an opportunity to sightsee more of the national forest area. Our terrain is quite rough and it is usually possible to sneak within a hundred yards of game before being sighted. There may be some time for hunting the first evening, but usually it is during the second day when you get an early morning start that you will have your first chance at a bull. You will hunt game with your guide who will accompany you at all times. The guide is required to carry a back-up rifle when hunting bison. We do not shoot your buffalo unless specifically asked to do so. Colorado law does not allow us to shoot a deer or elk for a hunter. However, in the event that the guide feels there is danger from an animal, he will shoot to protect himself and the hunter. This would be most unlikely, but a bull Buffalo can be dangerous and we feel this is a necessary safety precaution. If an animal is wounded and the hunter does not wish to pursue it, the guide will continue the hunt until the animal is taken. Your guide is responsible for pointing out to you the appropriate animal to shoot. Once the animal is down, the guide dresses it and it is transported to a meat processor for processing. The evening after you take your trophy is spent in celebrating the hunt and remembering past hunts and planning future hunts. The next morning we return you to the airport or to your vehicle.

Trophy Mounts

We can refer you to local taxidermists who do excellent work and are specialists in Buffalo. You will probably also want the hide treated, either as tanned leather or as a dressed robe, which the taxidermist can also do with cost based on hide size.

Meat

We can recommend a local meat cutter to cut and wrap and freeze your meat. On a two year old bull, live weight is usually 1000 pounds, plus or minus two hundred pounds.The carcass with hide, head and legs removed will weigh between 400 and 600 pounds and will result in about 200 to 400 pounds of frozen packaged meat. Older bulls can weigh as much as 2500 lbs live weight, though 1500-1800 is typical and carcass weight is usually 700-1000 lbs. If you do not wish to take all of the meat, you will be charged for processing only the meat which is taken. If you prefer to take the meat without processing, there is no charge. We will provide a styrofoam cooler packed with up to 50 pounds of your choice of meat if this is all you want. Frozen meat can be shipped to you air freight and costs about $75-$150 depending on the size of the bull.

What to Bring

We recommend you bring rugged clothes, shoes with Vibram or similar soles, a sleeping bag, binoculars, a camera, and your weapon. The minimum rifle recommended is a 30-06 and 40 rounds of ammunition. We like to see magnums-- a 7mm or 8mm or .300 or .338, with the larger calibers preferred. It is very important that you bring a rifle you are comfortable with because accuracy is very important --where the bullet hits is more important then the size of the bullet, though if you can hit a pie plate at one hundred yards you will do fine. Your guide will be using a spotting scope and range finder, so you need not bring one. We can supply a sleeping bag and/or a rifle if you prefer to avoid shipping yours. We do not yet have fishing on the ranch, though if a person chooses to continue their vacation in this area, there are nearby lakes and streams. You might especially enjoy touring Rocky Mountain National Park with its large Elk and Mountain Sheep herds.

Time of Year

Buffalo can be hunted any time of the year. Meat is excellent any time, but wool on the hide is best from fall through late winter (October-February). Deer and elk can be hunted only during the Colorado seasons.

Scheduling

Your hunt is a wilderness experience that is not going to be disturbed by running into other hunting camps and hunting parties on our ranch. This is the reason we schedule only one hunter at a time (unless you choose to bring more than one hunter in your partyt). Each year we limit the number of hunts to the number of trophies we believe can be responsibly harvested, so we can almost always book a hunt on or very near the exact days that work best for you.

Liability Waiver

In this day when a slip and fall can lead to a lawsuit for millions of dollars, we have to protect ourselves by requiring each hunter and guest to sign a waiver stating they will not pursue any legal claims for accidental injury. We suggest you review you insurance coverage to be sure you have adequate protection in the event of an accident. There are steep and rugged slopes and a slip is possible, especially when snow is present. We do our best to avoid hazardous situations and we encourage you to let us know if you want to avoid what you feel might be a hazard. We've never had an injury, but want to anticipate every possibility.

Payment

A non-refundable deposit of 50% of the cost of the hunt you choose is necessary to reserve your hunt. The balance must be paid in full before beginning the hunt. We will accept a personal check if received at least two weeks before the hunt begins or will accept cash, certified check or money order when you arrive at the ranch. If you decide to upgrade to a more expensive trophy when hunting, you may do so with the additional fee to be paid the day of the kill.

--Paul Jonjak

For more information, or to sign up for a hunt, contact my daughter and ranch Business Manager, Katherine Jonjak at:

Email Katherine

or Call (303) 823-0640

or Write: Blue Mountain Bison, P.O. Box 1460 Lyons, CO 80540

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