Got a last second deal on a hunt in this area. Be there on the 17th. Anyone familiar with this area?

No, but it is probably going to be a first rate hunt.
You have probably hit the jackpot.

my nephew's Trinidad bull......375

Went out there to check out the college. Didn't attend but regardless if you get a bull or not - the scenery will not suck.

Wow, that bull would be a dream come true

Maybe you didn't ask nicely?

Wife (ex now) simply didn't want to live in the area and had doubts about my desire to attend gunsmith school - what would I do for work after etc.

Ended up buzzing up to Breck - spent a day skiing and went home. Loved the Trinidad area tho - get down to Raton to see the Whittington Center too.

Beautiful country.

If you're hungry in Trinidad, check out the Wonderful House. World class Chinese food. I have eaten at the Empress of China in San Francisco and Wonderful House is every bit as good. Plus you don't have to go all the way to California for it! It's just under the I25 overpass from the Colorado Welcome Center.

Nice bull!

Everyone in Colorado knows someone who knows someone who has killed a nice bull on some private ranch west of Trinidad. But they never seem to reveal the details of which ranch or where.

KC

My buddy Ted shoots his Colorado elk on a little spread known as the Vermejo Park Ranch.

Name of the place I'm going is crazy French ranch. Anyone heard of it?

Crazy French Ranch has some huge elk. A friend of mine named Johnnie Hamilton used to guide on that ranch and he had many clients take some very impressive elk.

It was a fairly expensive place to hunt, but provided good elk. If you got a bargain, you are going to have a great hunt.

Perry

Ted Turner owns the Vermijo and last I checked , hunts were $10K or so
I think Crazy French is in or was in the Ranching For Wildlife hunts with CPW and Colorado residents.

I'm fired up! Fly out Saturday

Good luck!

You're correct about Ted Turner owning the Vermejo Park Ranch. Rifle elk hunts are $10K to $15K on New Mexico portion, didn't see any prices for the Colorado portion.

www.vermejoparkranch.com

First morning and I had my first run in with a bull. About 600 yds on the far side off a canyon. No way to get closer. It's hot!

That is because they don't want to talk about how much they had to pay to kill that bull.

I have a friend who regularly pays 15k to hunt trophy bulls on private ground, and he takes them at a pretty good rate. He's taken 3 over 350.

Got a 6x6

Pics?

When I get home

Got my elk, and now I'm weathered in at Colorado Springs. 2 flights cancelled so far. Sent the rack ups, may get to NC before me

whooooeee. nice 'un.

Nice Bull Congrats

Looks like you did OK!

Nice bull!!

Nice bull, congratulations.

Worked out well. 405 yd shot. 2nd day of 5 day hunt. Leaves a lot of time to kill, but rained 2 days of it. Did catch some small trout in lake Trinidad

Nice bull!!!!

Congrats!!!

Dang, I'm a little short on funds!

Not sure if it has or hasn't sold but here is some info on the ranch...............

http://www.wsj.com/articles/colorados-crazy-french-ranch-gets-20-million-price-cut-1401312928

I made offer, came up a little short. Wonder what the taxes are on that place

Crazy French is no longer RFW and Richard Sears, who used to outfit there has other issues:
http://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/p...income-tax-returns-and-agrees-pay-278000

I'd shoot!!!

Link didn't work, whats the story? This was my outfitters first year at the ranch

Now that you mention it, by gum you're right!.......

Casey

$278,000 in back taxes.

That's a fine bull. Congratulations!

I'm not sure if it is the same ranch, but I took a bull Bison at the "Crazy Frenchman's" ranch a couple of years ago. The ranch is located just east of Trinidad, and behind "Fishers Peak". At that time "Larry" was the ranch mgr.

Quite a tale behind the name of the ranch, as the original French owner walked outside one morning, and blew his brains out, leaving his young widow with no idea of why. Of course she didn't have a clue how to run a ranch.

It's a long story as to how the ranch evolved.

As for Elk, I harvest them here at my ranch, 35 miles NW of Trinidad. This is a game rich environment, with plenty of Elk, Deer, Turkey, and Bear. And of course, those few occasional Cougars that seem to trail the Elk herds. Or, perhaps that's just when one of the trail cams manages to snap a chance photo of these sneaky critters?

Other than "Spanish Peaks", and "Bosque del Oso" State Wildlife Areas, the land here is all privately-owned.

Respects,
Richard

Same ranch. They weren't too young, and he was crazy before he killed himself. Story is he went up to the cabin on the top of a mountain because he felt he had done everything in life, nothing to live for. Needed to be alone to think about things. 3 days later family went looking for him. He killed his cat and himself. Funny part is the bullet went in the back of his head. Why shoot your cat and shoot yourself in the back of the head? Made a interesting story by the guides.