Bearcat Outfitters

Bearcat Outfitters has been running elk hunts since 1953, when Bob "Bobcat" Peters and his wife Vona started the operation. What began as a multi-species outfitter—lion hunts with hounds, black bear, bobcat—shifted in the 1980s to focus exclusively on elk and deer hunts. In 1990, their son Seth took over and still runs the operation with his wife Linda using the same approach that built the reputation.

"I have been hunting with Seth and Bearcat Outfitters since 2010. They have always treated myself and every other hunter like family and work their tails off to give hunters the best hunts imaginable." — David Nostrandt

You'll find Bearcat Outfitters 28 miles south of Craig, Colorado, along the White River National Forest in Game Management Unit 12. This unit covers 493 square miles with 238 square miles of public land (49% of the total). It's consistently one of the highest-populated elk and deer units in Colorado.

Getting there: - Address: 23760 W US Hwy 40, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 - Nearest airport: Yampa Valley Regional (Hayden, CO), approximately 45 miles away, served by United Express with rental car availability

You arrive the afternoon before the hunt starts. Once settled, you're fitted to a saddle and assigned a horse at the stable. Hunts run from well before daylight until well after dark. The farthest horseback ride is about 90 minutes. Full-day hunts with experienced guides familiar with the territory.

Archery hunts operate from the lodge and use calling, stalking, tree stands, and ground blinds. Bearcat limits hunting pressure by hunting only morning and evening sessions. This selective approach yields high success rates without overhunting the elk herd.

"I have archery hunted 5 times with Bearcat Outfitters and I have been successful 4 out of 5 times. The guides are outstanding, the food is great, along with the accommodations. I saw elk every day that I hunted." — Larry Stafford

For independent hunters, four and six-man camps are available. You're packed into a White River National Forest campsite with:

• •16 x 20 wall tent
• •12 x 14 cook tent
• •Wood stove and propane heater
• •Propane cook stove
• •Cots, tables, chairs, lanterns
• •Water supply

Outfitter checks camps every other day in person or by two-way radio and packs out game. You supply your own groceries, utensils, and do your own cooking. Pack light—only bring necessities.

Bob "Bobcat" Peters wasn't just running hunts. He worked 8 years as a predator control officer for Colorado, earning his nickname by catching 104 bobcats in a single month—a national record. He collaborated on mountain lion studies with Colorado Parks & Wildlife and CU University, appeared in two motion pictures about mountain lion hunting, and traveled to Mexico and Honduras hunting jaguar.

Vona handled bookkeeping and hunter correspondence while maintaining the reputation for excellent meals. Their son Seth learned the business ground-up before taking over in 1990.

• •Accommodations: Lodge-based hunts include meals and lodging at their facility. Food quality is noted specifically in multiple reviews. Drop camps include structure and basic amenities only.

• •Operating under permit from White River National Forest
• •Equal opportunity employer
• •Phone: 719-838-9022
• •Email inquiries available through website
• •Contact form accepts: archery hunt, rifle hunt, or drop camp type requests

The Peters family has long demonstrated commitment to conservation. Bobcat Peters worked with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on multiple studies. The operation reflects Theodore Roosevelt's observation: "The genuine sportsman is by all odds the most important factor in keeping the larger and more valuable wild creatures from total extermination." Modern hunters fund the vast majority of wildlife conservation through licenses, permits, and voluntary programs.