General Description:
Bugle Basin Ranch and all its surrounding terrain is by far some of the best elk hunting in Colorado. It is full of ponds, streams, wallows, meadows and ideal bedding and feeding habitat for the elk. The grass in the meadows and aspen groves is waist high and extremely thick. The terrain is gentle to moderate offering exceptional access for those who are getting up in years and want to hunt in a less strenuous environment. The 560 acres ranges from 8,000’ elevation to 9,800’ and joins the Routt National Forest which eventually rises into the Flat Top Wilderness Area to over 12,000’. The ranch is smack dab in the middle of elk calving grounds with literally hundreds of elk on and around the property at all times of the year. The entire area of adjoining National Forest for miles around is roadless, creating a situation where the general public has no vehicle access. The closest access with horses is a six-hour ride.
Improvements:
There are two different 100-year-old log cabins on the property that have been restored to a rustic hunter’s cabin condition. One of the cabins sleeps four and the other seven. These cabins are available for members both during the hunting seasons and other times of the year. The cabins are generally stocked with everything you need except your sleeping bag, hunting gear and food. There is a corral with a spring to accommodate up to 12 horses. Drinking and cooking water is brought in by the hunters.
Location/Access:
This remote elk hunting property is located approximately 45 minutes southeast of Hayden, CO in the northwest part of the state. It adjoins the Routt National Forest. One of the greatest assets of the Bugle Basin Ranch is its location and secluded nature. A four mile, four-wheel drive deeded access road from a locked gate takes you to the property. In times of snow or rain chains are generally required.
Hunting Opportunities:
Bugle Basin Ranch offers some of the most prime elk hunting to be found in the country. The northwestern part of the state has the largest concentration of elk in the state. Eighty five thousand elk make their home here. Sixty five thousand of these live south of Craig along the northern boundary of the White River and Routt National Forests, which is exactly where Bugle Basin Ranch is located. This area has long been known for its world-class trophy elk and mule deer hunting.
The elk trails on the ranch look like cattle trails! In the mornings and evenings, dozens of bulls can be heard bugling from the ranch. On a good day, you can see as many as 100 to 200 elk. Some herds will have as many as 40-80 head with 8-12 bulls. The bugling is absolutely amazing during the rut! The large herds keep the bulls active and bugling all day long.
Kent says, “In well over 1,000 days that I have chased elk in the Rocky Mountains, this is by far the most incredible bowhunting I have ever experienced”.
Hunting from horseback is endless. You can literally ride for days on horses without crossing a road. During the rifle seasons, many of the elk in the National Forest start moving down on the ranch and the adjoining 6,000-acre Seeley ranch. From one lookout point on the ranch, it is possible to see 400 to 600 head of elk at one time. Presently there is almost no pressure at all on the ranch in the last three rifle seasons. These are great times to hunt at Bugle Basin since many of the elk migrate out of the Flat Tops Wilderness and the National Forest down to the Seeley Ranch where they winter. The majority of the elk that migrate down come right through Bugle Basin. The ranch also has some of the best bedding areas for the elk that feed in the irrigated meadows on the Seeley ranch. There is also some exceptional muley bucks at the ranch and black bear are also common.
Big Game Statistics:
Bugle Basin Ranch is situated in Colorado Game Unit 12. This unit is one of the top ranked units in the state. Out of 52 game units, Unit 12 was in the top 5 for numbers of animals harvested in the 9 different seasons for elk and deer.
Five of the nine were #1 or #2. If you search, you will find that prime, secluded, big game hunting land for sale in GMU 12, or in most of northwest Colorado, for that matter, is simply few and far between or not available at all.
License Availability:
Game unit 12 has so many elk the DOW cannot get rid of enough tags. There are always plenty of leftover private land cow tags. This means you can generally always get both a bull and cow tag for each hunter.
Other Recreational Opportunities:
Pagoda Creek runs through the property for over a mile and for miles above the ranch on the National Forest. Cutthroats grow to 16 inches in the creek and make for exciting fly fishing. Snowmobiling at the ranch is incredible. You can literally ride for days! Summertime offers great family times just camping, hiking and enjoying the serenity and wildlife. If you have horses, you won’t find a better place to ride. Horses are also available to lease from Sombrero Outfitters. They will drop off and pick-up the horses at the ranch.
Title/Ownership:
Title to the property is held in a Colorado Limited Liability Company by the name of Bugle Basin Ranches, LLC. The LLC owns a 1/12 undivided, deeded interest to the 560 acres. There are a total of 16 people (can never be more than 16) that own the twelve undivided deeded interests. There is only one share available for sale. The purchase price is $360,000.