The Feathered Elk Ranch announced plans late last fall to open a sporting club south of Hayden. Now fully open and operational, the ranch delivers on its promise of offering an exceptional experience for those with a passion for shotgun sports.

Located south of Hayden on County Road 37B, the Feathered Elk Ranch is the result of a dream for Robert Miller and his son, Thomas. After completing a successful venture capital career on Wall Street, Robert decided he wanted to pursue a family business that merged his passion for shooting sports with his business background.

Thomas, a Colorado State University graduate, distinguished himself as a collegiate shooter and then as a professional, winning seven state championships in seven different states including Colorado.

With a background in natural resource tourism and knowing that he “wasn’t ready to sit behind a desk,” it seemed only natural to pursue a business that highlighted the family’s passion for shotgunning.

The 1,300-acre ranch offers everything a discriminating shooter could want. Featuring a recently constructed beautiful lodge, guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner in front of a fireplace with spectacular views of the surrounding Flat Tops. The lodge offers six bedrooms to accommodate large groups who would like to extend their stay the the ranch.

The ranch also houses a kennel where guests can house their canine hunting companions or utilize the resident Labrador retrievers and German Shorthaired pointers.

A tour of the ranch was highlighted by the sporting clays stations designed by Thomas, which provide a challenging experience for even the best shooter. The lodge also has a 5-Stand station, a rifle range, a pistol range and a 3-D Archery range.

But the main feature of the Feathered Elk Ranch is its bird fields. The ranch is the only club in the vicinity of the Yampa Valley that provides the opportunity to hunt pheasants.

Robert and Thomas keep pheasants and chukar in a “flying pen,” which is a large netted facility that allows the birds to roam and fly just as wild birds would. They are then relocated into the fields for hunters to pursue.

So — how does the hunting measure up at the Feathered Elk?

Invited by Robert to tour and hunt the ranch, I accepted the opportunity and was joined by my friend Patrick Gamble, a fly-fishing guide at Straightline Sports. Arriving at the ranch, we were warmly greeted by Robert and Thomas.

Robert’s wife Maureen served a hot breakfast in the lodge as we discussed the ranch and the impending hunt. Robert stressed the importance of safety as well as working at improving the conservation initiatives being undertaken at the ranch — Ducks Unlimited has endorsed the lodge and is working with its owners on various projects to enhance the environment.

Following breakfast, we were escorted to the bird fields. As we geared up, we stood on a hill overlooking long strips of prairie grass with rugged mountains serving as a silhouette.

Temperatures hovered in the low 50s and an overnight rain provided adequate moisture for the dogs. Rather than use dogs from the Feathered Elk Kennel, Patrick and I opted to use our own — Stan, my 6-year-old Longhaired Weimaraner, and Rafferty, Patrick’s 3-year-old Golden Retriever.

Admittedly, I was somewhat hesitant about hunting pen-raised pheasants. Past experiences had produced mixed results. This was not the case at the Feathered Elk. Hunting under a cloudy sky, the dogs quartered back and forth excitedly.

Then, my Weimaraner locked on point with his friend Rafferty honoring in the background. A flurry of wings and the cackle of a rooster pheasant exploded from the underbrush followed by simultaneous shots and the bird was felled and then retrieved to my hand by Stan.

This would be the pattern for the next two hours. Hard-working dogs covering the ground before locking tight on unsuspecting birds. Having been reared in flying pens, the pheasants acted as they would in the wild.

My selection of a shotgun for the day was a Winchester Model 23 12 gauge side-by-side with full and modified chokes — my favorite shotgun that I have used for 30 years. I used size 5 shot for my shells. In retrospect, the close shots afforded at the ranch should have had me using more open chokes and smaller shot size. Patrick was using an over/under SKB 20 gauge, which was perfect. And, if new to the sport, shotguns are available to rent at the lodge.

Following the hunt, we relaxed over hot coffee in the comfortable confines of the lodge discussing the most important issues of the day — dogs, weather and hunting. And this is what makes any hunt successful. An escape from the ordinary day-to-day issues into a world inhabited only by the smell of the moist outdoors, the taste of hot coffee and the gentle nuzzle of a tired dog after a glorious morning of successfully doing what they are bred to do.

The Feathered Elk Ranch intends to provide 50 memberships to the lodge — currently, they have 35 committed. The Sporting Clays and 5-Stand stations are also open to the public for nominal fees. Non-member day hunts are also available to the public. General information and pricing can be found at FeatheredElkRanch.com.

The Feathered Elk Ranch promises to deliver on providing exceptional service and experiences for upland hunters.

Its cleanliness, beauty and emphasis on a safe, rewarding experience for hunters promises to provide adventures for those yearning for upland hunting experiences in the midst of a beautiful setting in the Yampa Valley for years to come.