Outdoor Buddies has limited hunting opportunities. To request a deer, elk or pronghorn hunt slot please click on one or more of the links below and fill out the requested information.

Requests received by 2/28/21 will have priority over those received after that date.

Participants in Outdoor Buddies sponsored big game hunts must be registered members of Outdoor Buddies. Registration must have been completed prior to being considered for a big game hunt.

All hunters who want to hunt in Colorado (95% of our hunting opportunities) must possess a “WILDLIFE RECREATION ACCOMMODATION PERMIT”, issued by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), authorizing the hunter to shoot from a vehicle. It is also suggested that hunters be enrolled in CPW’s Mobility-Impaired Big Game Program; for questions and application form contact CPW at (303) 291-7380.

Participants are expected to provide their own transportation to/from and during the hunt, unless other arrangements are made in advance, and pay personal expenses including required licenses. Outdoor Buddies will provide a location to hunt and an able-bodied helper/guide.

If you are selected for a hunt with Outdoor Buddies on private property, returning to this property for a future hunt, without our approval is strictly prohibited. This action may disqualify you from any future hunts with Outdoor Buddies.

All Outdoor Buddies sponsored big game hunts are “No Smoking” activities.

The Outdoor Buddies Big Game Hunt Committee will review all requests received and you will be notified if you were selected or not via email.

If you are selected for a hunt slot, we will let you know what hunt unit to apply for. If you draw a license from the state we will work with you to schedule the details of the hunt. Please do not apply for a license for your requested hunt until your hunt is confirmed.

Cancellations – If you are selected for, and accept a hunt with Outdoor Buddies and then cancel, you will not be eligible to hunt with Outdoor Buddies the following year. Please note – we will review all cases and will not apply this rule to valid medical or health related issues.

Applicants may designate an area where he/she would prefer to hunt, however it may not be possible to schedule that location due to the limited number of opportunities at each hunt location. Please note - by selecting "no preference" on your hunt location, you will increase your odds of being selected for a hunt.

At the most recent board meeting, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel the in-person annual banquet in 2021 due to ongoing concerns related to COVID-19. Although we are hopeful and optimistic that conditions will improve in the next five months, we are required to make many decisions related to the banquet far in advance, and therefore must make our decision on the banquet early based on the information currently available.

We will continue to host as many of our events and programs as possible, in keeping with local guidelines and keeping our members and volunteers safe. Thank you for your understanding; we regret having to make this decision and look forward to simpler times ahead.

Please be aware that Outdoor Buddies will be following all state and local guidelines for our events, including the mandated use of masks and social distancing. If you have a fever or other flu-like symptoms, have traveled out of state in the past 2 weeks, or have been in close contact with anyone testing positive for COVID-19, please do not attend these events. Furthermore, if you are in a high-risk category, carefully consider your risk before attending. Participants will be required to sign a waiver prior to attending events until further notice.

We will be continuing to update our events and precautions as the situation develops. Thank you for your patience, optimism, and understanding. Hope all is well with you and yours!

Sunday, December 12th brought good hunting for two Outdoor Buddies mobility-impaired elk hunters. Rob Adams and Patrick Nichols did their usual fabulous job of guiding Raymond Tickner and Robert Hopkins on their hunts.

Raymond and his wife, Mary traveled from Redding, CA and Robert came in from Seneca, SC. So, two hunters from opposite ends of the United States came to Westcliffe to hunt elk on the same weekend.

Congratulations Raymond and Robert! And thank you to Rob and Patrick for taking such good care of the of Outdoor Buddies hunters!

This was my third year being able to go on a pronghorn hunt through the Outdoor Buddies organization. The past two years I’ve had a doe tag, but this year I had an either sex tag, and was hoping to get a chance at a buck. My dad and I had an early morning, and drove to meet up with Nick Filler. Early into our hunt we saw one huge herd far out in the wide open, and a couple of smaller herds. We decided to go after one of the smaller groups, but unfortunately they happened to all be does and a bit too far for a shot I was comfortable with. Since it was early in the morning, I decided to pass on the shot. We drove around for a little longer thinking that we would find another group, or for the large herd we saw earlier to migrate a little closer to where we were. The large herd did eventually move closer, and we decided to try and get a shot off, even though we had quite literally no terrain to work with. We drove a little closer to the group, to cut the distance, and I jumped out of the truck and set my rifle down. There were two bucks that were close enough to shoot. Both Nick and my dad thought that I was aiming at the other buck in the group, but I already had one in my sights. I was waiting for the buck to stop walking before I took my shot when Nick made a loud "mmmwwwwaaap" sound hoping to get the buck’s attention. I think it scared me more than it did the goats. Eventually, the buck stopped and I was able to squeeze a shot off at around 360 yards. I felt super stable in my prone position with a rear bag for extra support. I made an effective shot and was able to get my first pronghorn buck! All the practice with my dad had paid off! I’m incredibly grateful for having an opportunity again this year. Big thanks to Nick Filler, Larry Sanford, and the Outdoor Buddies organization.

Chimichurri originated from Argentina, where it is used as a sauce or marinade for grilled meats. Today, it is used in all kinds of cuisines. Countries like Uruguay, Southern Brazil, Bolivia, Ecaudor and Mexico all have their own versions of chimichurri. The sauce is simply made with oil, vinegar and a combination of common herbs and spices like cilantro, garlic, jalapeno and parsley. Because of its acidic element, it makes the ideal marinade for tenderizing tougher cuts of meat. While everyone hails over venison inside straps and outside loins, leg meat is often under-utilized, to be thrown in the hamburger or jerky pile. But if you take enough care and time to properly separate all the different leg muscles on a deer, you will find that you can get some pretty decent pieces for grilling. We like to cut them up to get little steaks, like so. Oftentimes, they prove to be just as tender as any backstrap.

- 1 lb. of venison, whatever cut you like

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped

- 1/4 cup of flat leaf parsley, chopped

- 1/4 cup of onion, chopped

- half a jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

- 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar

- 1/2 cup of olive oil

- 1 tbs. of dried oregano

- 1/4 tsp. of kosher salt, plus more

1. In a large nonmetal bowl, combine 1/4 tsp. of salt, red wine vinegar, garlic, jalapeno and onion. Allow ingredients to marry for 10 minutes. Next, stir in cilantro, parsley and oregano. With a fork, whisk in oil. Remove some chimichurri to a small bowl to reserve as sauce. Season with salt, to taste.

2. Remove all silver skin and fat from venison. Season lightly with salt, to taste. Give the chimichurri sauce another quick whisk. Add venison to the bowl and coat thoroughly. Marinate covered for at least 1 hour. Our meat was cold. We marinated for 1 hour at room temperature so the meat would be immediately ready for the grill. If you plan to marinate longer or ahead of time, stick it in the fridge.

3. Once marinated, grill venison over direct heat for 2-3 minutes each side for medium-rare. Don't overcook. Allow meat to rest for 5 minutes. The smell will be fantastic!

We served our venison with hasselback potatoes, which is the Swedish version of a baked potato: Preheat oven to 425 F. Scrub potatoes, but leave skin on. Cut potatoes almost all the way through. Drizzle with olive oil, butter, salt and pepper. Stuff sliced garlic between the intervals of potato. Cover in foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender. Open up foil at the end to allow skin to crisp.

Spoon reserved sauce over grilled venison.

Enjoy!

Raffle to be rescheduled to a later date.

Meetings are held from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the locations and dates below.