Elk Hunting

 
The High Plains Drift Inn is a family run hunting lodge in south central Colorado. The High Plains Drift Inn (HPDI) was started in 1989 by RV Robertson, an elk specialist who has been in the hunting scene for over 50 years. He did not choose this location randomly, located in game management units 80-81, this area is home to one of the largest wild elk populations in the world.
 
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We wanted to do things a bit different from other places around. Instead of offering guided hunts at an average rate of $5000 per person we decided to offer hunters a more affordable option. By cutting out the guide we can greatly reduce the price yet still offer hunters the things that really matter lodging and elk hunting information. We do the hard work for you so you can focus on the fun part…hunting. We cook your meals, make your beds, and if you like we can try to point you in the right direction to find those elk.

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Our lodge provides the security and many of the amenity’s of an outfitter while embracing real free-chase hunting. You won’t find any tame elk or high fences around here!

You will be hunting public land both BLM and National Forest


The HPDI is for people who want to hunt on their own, who want to be able to say they did it themselves without a guide, yet want a nice atmosphere, game lodge, cabins and home cooked meals to come in to at night.


We are the in-between answer for the “do-it-yourself” kind of guy. No more arguing about who has to do the cooking and dishes when you all come into camp after dark, cold, tired and hungry. No more taking spit baths out of a pot or the frigid mountain stream to keep your scent down. And that infernal rock that always ends up right in the middle of your back won’t be there to hound you at our ranch. If you are a first

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time elk hunter, RV gives a complete seminar on everything you will need to know. The seminars are so in depth that any level of hunter from beginner
to professional elk guide can learn something to make their hunt better. Over the years RV’s techniques have helped down innumerable elk, including some in the 400 class range. On PUBLIC land!

One of the huge advantages of hunting with us as opposed to camping out is that we have lived in the area forever and have a good idea of where they like to hang out depending on weather, hunting pressure etc. . This info can shave off days, weeks, even years of figuring out where the elk are. Now I don’t want to mislead anyone, this isn’t an easy hunt by any means. Even though our area according to the DOW is one of the most densely populated by wild elk, the country

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is very hard hunting and people constantly underestimate how smart the elk are. Unlike deer, even resident elk can have an area of over a thousand square miles. Also, consider that migratory elk can travel a hundred miles in just a day or two. They live out there in the woods, 365 days of the year. They know what normal sounds like, they know what normal smells like.

Since we are not a guiding service we do NOT base our success on kills. We base our success on getting people in the area with elk so that they either see them or hear them.  90-95% of our clients get to have INTERACTIONS with elk.  But just because you are in the right area doesn’t mean you will kill, lots can go wrong. So let’s be clear about your chances, the DOW statistics of success for public land  in our area is 10% for the over the counter rifle seasons. The other seasons such as archery and 1st rifle have higher success ratios and you can see more of that information here.  Remember this is a do-it-yourself hunt; you are paying $1975 whereas a guided hunt starts around $5000. Even $5000 guided hunts do not offer guarantees.

It might sound like we are discouraging you at this point but that is not our intention, we just want to be on the same page about what we are offering. In reality the most valuable thing we have in life is our time, we only have so much of it before our ticket expires. This is true for you and for us. We don’t want you to waste your time on a hunt you won’t enjoy and we don’t want to waste our time being around miserable people.

So in short, here is what we can do for you: we can give you a comfortable place to stay, a good atmosphere, and a nice lodge to sit around and tell stories. Dry beds to sleep in, hot showers to wash off the day’s mud. 

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And after our rugged mountains have taken their toll on your body and you come in tired, we will be waiting with a smile and a hot home cooked meal.

We are a family business and know how important family is. Therefore we love to see a man bring his wife and/or kids. Even if they are not hunters there are lots to do on the ranch and in our Valley. But we do charge the same price for hunters and non hunters alike since we are just a lodge and not a guide service.

So I hope you will give us a call and see if we can fulfill your hunting vacation needs.

The Robertsons

Elk Package Details

About RV

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