finnbear

Everyone seems to be forgetting all the free training to be a wrangler that he got ... to hell with hunting he can be an outfitter next year LOL!!!!!!!!

Muley70

As an outfitter we live by a golden rule: "Take care of, what you can control." Elk hunting is full of uncontrolable issues but having a camp stocked and staff in place is very controlable. However, there are certain saftey concerns on every hunt as well. We are also only getting your side of the story, and every one has two. I have been in camps in years past where the story told online, wasn't what actually happened in camp, both from the outfitter and client.

On our first rifle base camp hunt this year we faced the possibilty of some pretty good snow as we entered camp. We decided to take a limited number of stock and split them into two trailers in the event that we had serious ice road conditions coming out. We packed one group of hunters in, then the other. They waited at the trailhead for nearly three hours, it wasn't sloppy on our part, it was a saftey concern. We did have some issues getting out with ice, but it all turned out fine, but I was dang glad we split the stock and reduced our trailer weight coming out. I did, however, explain this to all the clients before we went up the mountain.

As far as getting up to the meadows at first light, that is a couple of considerations as well, among them traveling in the dark with clients on stock. Second would be the concern of clients and staff getting an appropriate amount of sleep to work safely and effectively throughout the course of the hunt. Logisticals would also play a role, as we have areas where we blow out the herd if we try to get in at dark.

SJAdventures

May be a nice guy and may even for the most part be sincere and honest but sounds like he runs a pretty disorganized guide service. $4800 should have got you a pretty good legitimate hunt. May not buy you a monster bull hunt but should have been a good hunt for $4800.

kjarod

Thank you Muley 70 for your input. I never thought about the safety issue side of it. And like you said every story has two sides. But I am not out to make the outfitter look bad. Like I said the hospitality was great and the outfitter could not have been nicer. So I wasn't making anything up, that was truly what went on good or bad. That is the reason I wrote this post to see if anyone could give a good explanation. However, it is partially my fault too for not talking to the outfitter (which was also my guide) about how I felt. All in all I had a great time and that really is all that matters.

Muley70

This is a fair post KJ. I am not saying you are lying, not did I even imply that or mean to. Many considerations go into a camp, with safety of hunters, guides and livestock always being the number one priority. We instruct all of our clients that they need to be prepared to spend the night on the mountain if they get lost. I will not look for them at night as the possibilty of injury to searchers is too great, and the chances of finding them are too slim. We do many many things based on the safest method principle.

Blackelk

Has to agree on the horses and safety part 100% anymore. 22yrs and have never had an incident but I cringe anytime anyone gets in the saddle. I love riding horses through the mountains but I actually have never had one relaxed ride with a client in tow. Horses are just animals and anything could happen at anytime.

I stopped going up the trail in the dark riding right through the elk in the dark. If you want to be at a certain spot come first light you better already be cold camped there in seclusion.

The outfitter did seem way to lackadaisical for elk hunting but I'm sure at times I get accused of the same thing. Who wants to go into the trees in the middle of the day and push elk to other hunters that aren't in your party. I'd say $4800.00 was way too much money. We've been staying down around $2000.00 just to stay busy during the recession. Might go up another $500.00 this year but after 2nd and 3rd season this year of heat and weather and elk being hunkered down in the trees like ticks I'm not sure any of our clients thought we were worthy outfitters either cuz we didn't get any elk past 1st season. Once again two years in a row the elk locked it up and stayed tight. And all you do is jump them before you get the shot. So the plight is understood on both sides.

BTW anyone want an outfitting business? You can have all the glory and gusto.

the blur

Sounds like 6 days of a working vacation.

txhunter58

For that price on public land, I would have expected a 1st class hunt. You did not receive that in my view.