Colorado licensed outfitter · GMU 59
138-year working cattle ranch and Colorado outfitter on the south slope of Pikes Peak. Guided bull elk hunts on GMU 59 — archery, muzzleloader, and all four rifle seasons. One-on-one and two-on-one guide ratios on 2,100 family-owned acres and over 25,000 leased acres.
1888
Founded · original homestead patent
4
Generations of family stewardship
2,100
Family-owned acres
25,000+
Leased acres
1:1 / 2:1
Guide-to-hunter ratio
60 mi
From Colorado Springs Airport
The pitch in one paragraph
Elk Glade is the largest working cattle ranch and the only substantial guided-hunt operation on the south slope of Pikes Peak. Our private and leased ground sees almost no outside hunting pressure. The 2,100 acres of family-owned land and over 25,000 acres of leased land are country we’ve patterned year-round across many seasons.
You stay at the working ranch lodge. Guide ratios are one-on-one or two-on-one. A local rancher’s cattle graze the ranch under lease, and the ranch funds the conservation work — a CPW grant, the land trusts, and cattle as a habitat tool.
We do not run high-volume hunts. We don’t book overlapping parties. Jim Johnson takes the phone calls personally. If that combination fits your week, build a quote — it takes three minutes and the written PDF lands in your inbox inside two business days.
What we run
Sep 2 – Sep 30
September rut window. 20–60 yard shots. Calling and spot-and-stalk.
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Mid-September, limited entry
Late rut shoulder. Iron sights. 75–200 yard shots.
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Mid-Oct through late Nov
Glass-and-stalk. Cold-weather concentration in Rifle 3. 150–350 yards.
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Combined with elk + archery + muzzleloader
150–170 typical buck class. Combined hunt packages available.
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The country
East Beaver Valley · GMU 59 · the south slope of Pikes Peak.
The heritage moat
The Rathke Ranch was founded on the south slope of Pikes Peak in 1888; Jim’s family homesteaded the valley in 1929 and bought the Rathke place in 2001, running the two as one. The family has run cattle and guided hunters on these benches for years; East Beaver Creek runs cold and spring-fed through the ranch the year around.
That heritage isn’t a marketing line. It’s the reason the country still holds elk patterns year-over-year, the reason the access maps haven’t changed, and the reason the guides who walked the canyon as kids now guide it for guests. The country has been managed; that shows up in the hunt.
From the guest book
A rotating set from our recent guests. See the full archive →
I look forward to hunting at Elk Glade in future years, and think that all of the guys in our hunting party feel the same. Andre and the crew ran the camp like a family business.
Father-son rifle elk hunt · Fall 2024
The elk glade hunt was everything I wanted — your property was beautiful and we had great encounters with many nice bulls. I enjoyed learning about the history of the property, too.
5x5 bull · GMU 59 · Rifle 2nd · Fall 2024
FAQ
Elk Glade Outfitters is a Colorado-licensed outfitter operating on a 138-year working cattle ranch on the south slope of Pikes Peak. Founded on a 1888 family homestead patent, the operation is in its fourth generation of family stewardship. Guided big-game hunts on GMU 59 (limited entry), working cattle drives, and ranch stays are the core programs.
GMU 59 — the south slope of Pikes Peak. 1st and 4th rifle bull elk are limited entry (draw); 2nd and 3rd rifle bull elk are over the counter. Our private and leased ground sees almost no outside pressure, which preserves bull age structure. Elk Glade hunts 2,100 acres of family-owned land and over 25,000 acres of leased land.
Use the live quote builder at /quote (three minutes, written quote inside two business days) or call Jim Johnson at (303) 355-4868. For GMU 59's 1st and 4th rifle seasons, which are limited entry, you'll also need to apply for the CPW draw — we walk hunters through the application as part of the booking process. 2nd and 3rd rifle bull elk licenses are over the counter.
Five nights at the ranch lodge or private cabin, all meals from arrival dinner to departure lunch, one-on-one or two-on-one professional guide, in-field game care, field-to-truck recovery, and rifle confirmation-shot at arrival. License, tag, gratuity, processing, taxidermy, and travel are separate. Full inclusions list provided in writing with your booking quote.
Elk Glade's annual harvest report (publishes every February with prior-season real numbers) publishes our opportunity and harvest ranges by weapon and season. As a general benchmark, guided private-land hunts on limited-entry units like GMU 59 run materially above the public-land DIY statewide average. Honest numbers replace marketing claims; the report is the data.
When you’re ready
Tell us your weapon, your season preference, and your party size. The PDF lands inside two business days. Or call Jim directly at (303) 355-4868.
