Northwestern Colorado is often called The Elk Hunting Capital of the World. A trip to hunt with Ivory Tip Outfitters near the town of Craig showed me why. A drive around the area in mid-fall makes one thing clear: It’s elk season. Trucks full of hunters and trailering ATVs hurry down the dirt roads long before dawn on the way to promising spots. Tiny restaurants jam with blaze orange and excited talk. Meat processors work nearly around the clock to turn elk quarters into meals. Taxidermists offer specials on European mounts with 48-hour turn-arounds. The elk are here for the hunting—and some of the ways of doing it took me by surprise.
