Bear gets Arrowed Elk
 

A few years ago I was bowhunting in New Mexico and shot a big 5x5 at dusk. The guide and I tracked him about a hundred yards and the blood stopped. It had gotten dark, the guide said it would be best to return in the morning.

I wasn't ready to quit, but he said we might push him if he wasn't hit good. I felt the shot was good, but I did as he ask.

The next morning we found the elk in a gully not 20 yards from where we stopped tracking the night before.

The hindquarters had been ripped up by a bear. The guide said the meat would be no good after a bear had gotten into the carcass.

I caped out the elk, and hated to leave all that meat for the buzzards and crows.

Was the guide right about the meat?

Lets have a looksee shall we?

verb (used with object) 1.
to assist (a person) to travel through, or reach a destination in, an unfamiliar area, as by accompanying or giving directions to the person: He guided us through the forest.



As hard as it is to have to tell a guide what you want to do you should since you are the one paying. If he wasn't going to be late picking up other hunters and could contact home camp to let them know you guys were tracking then he should have honored your wishes. If the elk was pushed then he should have explained its on you then. I assume if your going on an elk hunt with a bow you are somewhat a little wet under your ears with tracking. I screen my guides ahead of time just so we get a feel for each other and I may even through some scenarios out the just for that fact. I learned all of this the hard way because of a lazy guide that didn't want to go the extra mile. The end result was everyone in camp got caribou except for me. Vowed never to let that happen again. Just curious was it a grizz that ate the elk or a blackie? Did you guys go in at first light or did you give it a few hours after son up?

I would have disagreed with him and kept looking because the meat can spoil leaving an ungutted, unskinned elk out all night even if it does seem cold to you. I'll go with my own guy feeling over a guides because you really don't know the guides true experience unless it is someone you know well. I have a friend who guided for an outfitter 2 years ago because the outfitter needed a body. He had never been to the area muchless even scouted it. I would have been royaly pissed if I had paid money to an outfitter and got a guide who didn't know the area any better then I did.

Hey NJheadhunter71,

We were at the location at dawn. As far as the bear, I'm sure it was a Black, there are no known Grizz in the area.

The Guide selection. — The hunt was a gift from one of my clients and was setup without my input. This was my first hunt with a guide.

I spent 5 days in the Gila National Forest without a guide and survived. Saw a lot of huge bulls, but no shots for a bow.

That is a hard one but it happens. I am sure the guide figured it would be better to not push the animal. Some times you win and sometimes you lose. A second guess is always a better solution especially since you already know the answer. Can't turn the clock back.

All things considered I think you did pretty well.
you got your elk even without the meat, were still successful and you didn't pay for it. Not to shabby at all. Congrats on the elk! Consider it a learning experience for next time unless you are a DIYfer. I have booked through agents before only to talk to the outfitter and have them get mad at me when I say I want to talk to the specific guide I will be with. When they give me references I want references on the outfitter as well as the guide. If they catch an attitude then I go to outfitter B and then on. You could be in a great camp and have the guide suck. Personally I would rather have a crappy camp and a great guide that knows whats what.

You are into a touchy area, the number #1 issue most guides/outfitters have is hunters who don't listen to the guide. Trade this off against your personal experience and knowledge.

In theory the guide will/should make the suggestion based on his experience on that type of animal in that area of the country. What do you bring to that decision process?

The guide/hunter is a partnership. You should have your say and it should be considered. But remember the guide knows his expereience, he may not know yours. However you are paying the bill on the hunt.

No clear cut answer, sorry. Two years ago my wife hit a bull, the guide and I got to her with about 20 minutes of light left, we started tracking a great blood trail, it went down hill into some thick stuff, blood got less and less and it got dark. Based on my experience blood trailing, my wifes description of the hit and the sign, I agreed with the guide to pull out and come back in the morning. Not sure what would have happened had I disagreed.