Backcountry Source 

This area was part of an old Spanish land grant and was settled in the centuries even prior to the formation of the United States,  The old Spanish settlers used the fabulous meadows for grazing their livestock.  Over the last several hundred years the Valles Caldera was known as the Baca Grant  or Baca Ranch and was in private hands;   operated as a cattle ranch with  very limited access and  hunting.  The area has remained very carefully preserved and lightly touched by the ravages of development ,  logging and other plagues of our modern society.

In the year 2000,  the Valles Caldera Preservation Act  made possible the transfer of these 89,000 acres from private hands into our  national public treasury of  priceless places.  It is now operated as a national preserve with emphasis on natural conservation and limited access.  Very few elk licenses are issued every year and  to draw one is an opportunity that is unparalleled in western elk  hunting. 

San Juan River Outfitters  is one of very few outfitters authorized to guide in this unit.   We  encourage you to participate in this unique opportunity.   The tags  for  Valles Caldera hunts are  issued in a separate lottery conducted by Preserve managers.  You have the opportunity to apply for  these hunts as well as your normal application in the state elk hunt  pool.  The VCNP drawing is held a little before the state drawing and if  you’re successful in drawing  a Valles Caldera  tag,  your name is removed from the state pool..  If you do not draw a VCNP tag,  your regular application is processed normally and you  have your same good odds of drawing a tag in the state lottery. 

The Preserve lottery allows you to apply for as many of the individual hunts as you’d like.  You buy a separate lottery ticket for each hunt and can buy up to 20 tickets per hunt.  Each additional ticket purchased, of course,   improves your odds of being drawn.  Tickets for “Mature Bull” and “Either Sex”  hunts are $25.00/ ea  and for Antlerless (Cow) hunts they are $15.00/ea.  The quota system for the distribution of tags is in effect,  meaning there are more tags for non-residents in the outfitter pool and improved odds of drawing a tag.  You simply use my Outfitter Number (O-1955) on your application and you are automatically directed into the outfitter pool with improved odds.  By use of my number, however,   you are agreeing to use my services for your hunt. 

Application for Valles Caldera hunts is very easy.  You simply log on to the Valles Caldera National Preserve website and  click on the “Elk Hunting”  link on the home page.  You will be led through a very easy site where you can choose the hunts you want and the number of  tickets for each.  Again, using my outfitter number (O-1955) as you apply for each hunt will greatly improve your drawing odds.  Application deadline is April 9,  2008. 

If you are drawn for a hunt we’ll provide you a premium,  fully guided,  one-on-one,  all inclusive hunt package to include all accomodations,  meals,   guiding,  meat and trophy  horse-packing service,  etc.  (See our “Hunt Services/ Pricing page for additional detail on our services) 

The following hunts are the ones we will provide services for. (These are not all the hunts offered by VCNP)  Choose from any of these below to apply for a Valles Caldera hunt with San Juan River Outfitters.  This is the best gamble you can make all year.  You will thank me later!   

Please contact me at one of the numbers listed below for more details

Remember:  Application deadline is April 9,  2008