Estes Park Outfitters Inc. is the only licensed Colorado Trophy Elk & Mule Deer hunts & guide service located in Unit 20, in Roosevelt National Forest, adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park and in Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.   We offer fair chase, private ranch, semi-guided Archery, fully guided Rifle and Muzzle loader hunts for trophy elk and mule deer.  We also offer limited, self guided drop camp options in Roosevelt National Forest & Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.

What makes our area unique and a hunter’s paradise is Rocky Mountain National Park which holds one of the largest concentrations of trophy bull elk in the Rocky Mountain west. The reason for this is the protection offered by the National Park which does not allow hunting within it's 265,000 acres since it's establishment in 1915.  However prior to and during the rut these bulls wander from the protection of the park into the surrounding areas in search of cows, food and territory.  The opportunity to take a 300+ B&C bull with us is very high.

The private ranch hunts offer lodging in a historic, 1895, 3 bedroom log cabin with home cooked meals, beds, bathroom with a shower, satellite TV and easy vehicle access. The lodge sits on approximately 5,000 acres of private property for "right out the door", exclusive hunts nestled in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.  These 5000 acres, situated at 8000 ft altitude, feature large open meadows of high mountain grass that draw herds of cow elk, which in turn draw bulls.  Over 100,000 acres of Roosevelt National Forest, encompassing the Indian Peaks Wilderness area, border the eastern & the southern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park and surround the ranch. 

For those that like a more "do it yourself" hunt, Estes Park Outfitters Inc. also has established drop camps in remote areas of Roosevelt National Forest and bordering the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.  The Indian Peaks Wilderness Area borders the southern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park.  This area has difficult accessibility.  This means fewer hunters in that area.  All drop camps are fully equipped with everything needed for groups of  2 to 4 hunters per camp, except for food and personal gear .  The Wilderness Area camp is available for archery, muzzle and 1^st rifle (weather permitting) and the other camps are available for all archery and early rifle seasons in Roosevelt National Forest.

Estes Park Outfitters Inc. is the only National Forest licensed permit holder in Unit 20 with exclusive private property, National Forest and wilderness areas.  Estes Park Outfitters Inc. is also licensed and registered with the state of Colorado, #1932 and an active member of the Colorado Outfitters Association and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Unit 20 is a special draw unit due to its proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park.  New for 2008, the Colorado Division of Wildlife is re-establishing unit 20 as a trophy unit issuing only 25 bull tags per gun season and a total of 80 archery tags for the entire unit.  This most likely means it will now take 2 or 3 preference points for all gun seasons and at least 1, possibly 2 points for an archery tag.  This is good!  Bigger bulls and more opportunities!  

In addition to the changes being implemented by the CDOW, Rocky Mountain National Park will be implementing, in 2008 their 20 year "Elk & Vegetation Management Plan".  What this means is that Rocky Mountain National Park will start a culling operation of elk, targeted primarily at cows and calves to deal with the over population of animals within the park and the pressure on natural vegetation and other animals within that natural ecosystem.   This will increase the movement of park elk into the surrounding huntable Forest Service and private property areas.  If you've never been to "Rocky" there are some very majestic, trophy status bulls that will be even more inclined to leave the protection of  the park once the culling operation starts.

For Unit 20 all hunters must apply for a tag/license.  If a hunter is unsuccessful in application draw, a preference point is awarded each year the hunter is unsuccessful (one point per year).  In the event a hunter does not draw a license for their preferred year, there may be another option with landowner vouchers available for an extra fee.  If you would like to hunt with us in the future, to ensure that you draw a license for that hunt, we recommend you apply for a preference point each year from the CDOW, without actually applying for a license.  A hunter can "bank"  preference points in advance of  his/her planned hunt to ensure he/she draws a license when desired.  Application deadline for the license draw or preference point is usually the first of April.  The applications come out in late February or can be done online at www.wildlife.state.co.us/hunting/.  Contact us for more information or assistance in filling out the license/preference point application.  And be sure to book with us early to reserve your season of choice as space is limited and is on a first come, first served basis.   This also locks in your booking rate.

Estes Park Outfitters Owner, Tim Resch.
"The best thing on this earth to spend is time."



07 crew: front-back, l-r
Owner Tim Resch, Guide Mark;
Guide Keith, Cook Dale;
Guides, Jamie & Tate

2009 Show Schedule
where you can find me:

Denver International Sportsmans Show: Denver, CO: Jan 22-25
Eastern Sportsman's Show, Harrisburg, PA: Feb 7-15
Rocky Mtn Elk Foundation Elk Camp: Fort Worth,TX: Feb 21-24
Minnesota Deer Classic: St Paul, MN: Mar 13-15
 

A Personal Invitation From Tim Resch
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Estes Park's Zip: 80517

 

Click here for aerial views of the
Estes Park Outfitters, Inc hunting area.

Sunrise at the Crow's Nest !
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Your success is our success.

Estes Park Outfitters, Inc is Licensed, Bonded
and Red Cross certified.

 

To Colorado DOW online.

To RMEF online.