Need some opinions
11-09-2010, 06:16 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 9
Need some opinions
Just got back from hunting elk with an outfitter. The hunt went like this.
Day 1 was spent waiting 3 hours for the outfitter to pack horses then ride into camp another 3 hours followed by no firewood for tents so we spent 2 more hours cutting wood with 2 man saws. No hunting.
Day 2 was suppose to be 2 on 1 but had to do 3 on 1 because he was short one guide that wouldn't be in camp unitl the next day.
Day 3 hunted 2 hours in the morning then spent 3 hours going back to trailhead to meet up with extra guide. Loaded more horses with hay etc. to take back to camp.
Day 4 arrived at meadow on top of mountain over a hour after sunrise. Ran out 30 cows and a few bulls from near wooded area no shot.
Day 5 arrived at another meadow over a hour after sunrise. Spotted a few cows in corner of field. Had to stop guide from riding out into meadow in the mean time spooking the cows and a few bulls.
Day 6 still riding on trail well after daylight. Guide left binos at glassing area 45 minutes away from trailhead. Had to wait an extra hour on the last day for him to walk back and get them. rode a couple of hours to evening hunting spot with 1 1/2 hours left of daylight.
Outfitter was very nice and hospitality was great. Just didn't feel like he gave 100% on hunting elk. Not really a bad hunt just wish we could have hunted more and arrived at our hunting areas before daylight.
Please fill free to comment. Is this pretty typical for a guided hunt costing around 4800 dollars.
Day 1 was spent waiting 3 hours for the outfitter to pack horses then ride into camp another 3 hours followed by no firewood for tents so we spent 2 more hours cutting wood with 2 man saws. No hunting.
Day 2 was suppose to be 2 on 1 but had to do 3 on 1 because he was short one guide that wouldn't be in camp unitl the next day.
Day 3 hunted 2 hours in the morning then spent 3 hours going back to trailhead to meet up with extra guide. Loaded more horses with hay etc. to take back to camp.
Day 4 arrived at meadow on top of mountain over a hour after sunrise. Ran out 30 cows and a few bulls from near wooded area no shot.
Day 5 arrived at another meadow over a hour after sunrise. Spotted a few cows in corner of field. Had to stop guide from riding out into meadow in the mean time spooking the cows and a few bulls.
Day 6 still riding on trail well after daylight. Guide left binos at glassing area 45 minutes away from trailhead. Had to wait an extra hour on the last day for him to walk back and get them. rode a couple of hours to evening hunting spot with 1 1/2 hours left of daylight.
Outfitter was very nice and hospitality was great. Just didn't feel like he gave 100% on hunting elk. Not really a bad hunt just wish we could have hunted more and arrived at our hunting areas before daylight.
Please fill free to comment. Is this pretty typical for a guided hunt costing around 4800 dollars.
11-09-2010, 08:11 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kittitas, Wa.
Posts: 462
Hell what ya bitchin about look at all the free training ya got to be a wrangler!!!!!
sounds like ya got the quick shuffle and was dealt the low hand........
But I can say that there is some that say when yer out in the timber before light U stand a Chance of injury and makin all sorts of racket and scaring the game into the next county... I see it all the time, I have this real sweet spot on top of a hill that slopes down into a shallow bowl filled with sagebrush that is normally full of deer, but invariably some idiot will drive up and jump out and run over the side to get in front of me and it's hard to tell whats makin more noise the humans or the deer leaving.... remember them deer like to sleep in also
sounds like ya got the quick shuffle and was dealt the low hand........
But I can say that there is some that say when yer out in the timber before light U stand a Chance of injury and makin all sorts of racket and scaring the game into the next county... I see it all the time, I have this real sweet spot on top of a hill that slopes down into a shallow bowl filled with sagebrush that is normally full of deer, but invariably some idiot will drive up and jump out and run over the side to get in front of me and it's hard to tell whats makin more noise the humans or the deer leaving.... remember them deer like to sleep in also
11-13-2010, 03:19 PM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Peoa, UT
Posts: 422
Hmmm tough break, that can be frusturating my advice...do your own hunt.
Besides having a pair of other eyes and having some trained hunting advice(from what it seems like you did not get a lot of either) those are the two main advantages to having a guide. You can learn a whole lot more about hunting elk by observing the animals and reading up on things. If you are paying 4800K for a hunt and they did not do their job or did not really give the best possible service than that is asking too much. Get a hunting buddy to go with you and act as a second opinion(plus its much more fun to hunt with someone else) and help you pack it out and all that jazz. A guide can be very useful if they have a high success rate and/or if they are guiding on private property or a ranch. Try to get some more bang for your buck by getting a better guide.
PS. Don't feel like its unkind or rude to ask for better guide to hunter ratio or to ask for better guiding, its their job and your paying them.
Hope this helps but remember this is all MY opinion.
Besides having a pair of other eyes and having some trained hunting advice(from what it seems like you did not get a lot of either) those are the two main advantages to having a guide. You can learn a whole lot more about hunting elk by observing the animals and reading up on things. If you are paying 4800K for a hunt and they did not do their job or did not really give the best possible service than that is asking too much. Get a hunting buddy to go with you and act as a second opinion(plus its much more fun to hunt with someone else) and help you pack it out and all that jazz. A guide can be very useful if they have a high success rate and/or if they are guiding on private property or a ranch. Try to get some more bang for your buck by getting a better guide.
PS. Don't feel like its unkind or rude to ask for better guide to hunter ratio or to ask for better guiding, its their job and your paying them.
Hope this helps but remember this is all MY opinion.
11-15-2010, 06:50 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,320
ya think ?
Sounds like you spend a considerable amount of time undoing his errors and clusterxxxxs.
I'd want some money back. As far as I'm concerned any decent guide would have you hunting at first legal light, wouldn't space out his equipment, would have wood and horses prepped before you ever got there. But thats just me.
Sounds like you spend a considerable amount of time undoing his errors and clusterxxxxs.
I'd want some money back. As far as I'm concerned any decent guide would have you hunting at first legal light, wouldn't space out his equipment, would have wood and horses prepped before you ever got there. But thats just me.
11-15-2010, 09:19 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 588
I would have been pissed. He should have his act together better then that if he does it for a living. I would expect to be hunting from before sun up to after sun down everyday with a guide, until I tagged out if I was paying $4800 for a week.
I would have definitly let him know how I felt before the 1st day was over. It's crap like that, that is the reason I will never pay that kind of money for a guided hunt.
I would have definitly let him know how I felt before the 1st day was over. It's crap like that, that is the reason I will never pay that kind of money for a guided hunt.
11-15-2010, 10:14 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Colorado
Posts: 200
The price you paid seems to be on the low end of average for Colorado. Although I've never gone farther than to research guides (can't get The Wife to bless off on it), I know plenty of folks who have hired them. NONE of them have any stories like yours. Usually they talk about how hard core the guides are, making them get up really early to get in position before sunrise, etc.
11-15-2010, 12:06 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,358
In short, no, that doesn't sound right.
Did you mention any of this to the guide? The outfitter? I've only been to one place, but the thing he stressed on the first night in camp "If you have a problem, come see me, I can't fix it if I don't know about it".
Did you mention any of this to the guide? The outfitter? I've only been to one place, but the thing he stressed on the first night in camp "If you have a problem, come see me, I can't fix it if I don't know about it".