Contributors to this thread:
elk outfitter gone bad guys, just want to advise anyone before they decide to use this outfitter, Mesa Verde Outfitters in Mancos, CO. we signed up to hunt for 6 days, during the first week of archery season in Colorado. will simon, the owner, told us we would be hunting areas that they had scouted and found elk. he also mentioned he would have trail cameras to show us where the elk were and that we would be able to shoot a 300" bull
after two days we canceled our trip, and got no refund or any money back. there were no trail cameras setup and the land didn't have any signs of elk tracks/poop at all. the guide took us to cattle water holes, we got to our stands 30 mins after sunrise and the blinds were aspen branches piled up the day before the hunt. then the guide wayne took us to hunt on public land which is illegal in Colorado to guide customers on public land. I would not recommend this outfitter to anyone, they are obviously chasing mule deer and not elk. look on their website they are all photos of mule deer with a couple pictures of elk. their lodge in manocs has about 15 mounted mule deer and 1 mounted elk. this is not how you run a business, promises were made and not held up on their end. day three we went too hunt public land on our own and shot 2 elk on our own.
Two days is giving up awful fast...
You killed 2 elk on public land on your first trip with zero scouting? In the first day? Dang...
Pictures or it did not happen!
Makes me wonder why it's illegal to guide clients on public land. If you had otc tags and the outfitter is licensed in the state of Colorado, he can legally guide on public land. Elk and cattle drink from the same ponds every day, so I wouldn't of been concerned about that either. But if a outfitter told me I'd be able to shoot a 300" bull, I'd be a little concerned.
I feel your pain! I have been there and done that... And with a very "reputable" Bowsite sponsor! But I have to ask, did you do any homework... Referrals, pictures of past hunts, unsuccessful hunters talked to??? I am not blasting you, but you are about to get blasted on here... Sad as that is! We all make mistakes and we all want to believe all we are told and promised, it just doesn't always work out that way!
Hopefully the outfitter will make it up to you! That is if you are willing to give him another chance. Sometimes that works out well for all involved!
Best of luck and congratulations on fighting through and getting a couple bulls! Pictures are always nice!
God Bless!
What did you agree to in your contract...?
First mistake: outfitter made a promise.
Second mistake: you believed him.
Scar Finga +1. Exactly Even if endorsed on Bowsite isn’t a guarantee it goes well
I was done reading after quiting in two days. I can careless who your outfitter is, if you quit that easy fair chase bowhunting isnt for you. Take up golf or shoot pen trash.
These guys hunted for one day, we had blinds set up for them they didn’t want to sit water. We asked them to please sit in them and not go traipsing around the 2,000 acre ranch we had already scouted. The guy that wrote that post (Ryan) immediately did just that and miraculously walked the entire 2,000 acres that evening and said there was no fresh elk sign on the property. He somehow failed to mention in his post the cow elk they almost hit with their truck driving into the property that morning or the bull elk Ryan (poster) said was a “nice bull” they glassed up the first day in the mountain right above the ranch. We told them sitting water was their best option since it was extremely hot and it had not rained in a month. I get that some guys don’t want to do that and they they expect to just roll up opening day of elk season and have bulls chasing them all over the place. Unfortunately as any experienced elk hunter knows this is not always the case, if their not talking your probably better of not calling and if it’s hot and not raining you should probably sit water and some of the biggest bulls are killed this way. The guys told their guide they wanted to go hunt on the public after day 1 and they asked him if he would show them some spots as a favor as he explained to them that he can’t guide them there but he wanted to do anything he could to try and please these guys, he also explained that our business could have no involvement with that and that he was doing it entirely at his own risk. They saw elk that morning where he took them and how did they repay the favor? By calling me an hour later and telling me all about it jeopardizing the poor guys job at which point I explained we do not operate that way and whatever the guide did he is not getting paid for it nor is he acting on our businesses behalf and that they should be very careful how they proceed but to please not contact me since they were clearly acting outside of the rules set in place for them. They called me at 10am the second day of their hunt and asked for their money back. Unbelievable! I asked if they would at least allow us to try and fulfill our job as their outfitter and they said no they would prefer to just have their money back. These guys paid a very minimal amount to hunt on private ranches as a DIY hunt, we insisted that they get a guide mainly because we don’t like people roaming around kicking up every bush on a ranch and then wondering why they aren’t seeing elk. We were very upfront with them before they showed up that the opening week is generally a slow hunt and involves a lot of sitting. We had a guy sixty yards from five bulls this morning and two over 300” so yes fellas 300” bulls do exist in CO although they are not plentiful by any means. Mountain Chicken is right! They hunted exactly one day with us, saw elk and a bull in 90F temps. That’s all I can say about the whole experience. There is a reason why most Archery elk hunts are not one day! If your going to rip us at least be honest about it.
Congrats on bulls that you killed
Pictures???
people watch too many hunting shows and think they will get a shot right after the last commercial break at minute 26 or 27.
So this was just a hunt were they basically paid an access fee to hunt private property... something the op seemed to have left out. Seemed he left out a lot, but glad we heard both sides of the story.
Wonder if the OP will be back to comment?
Doesn't matter. The OP didn't have the balls to even give the name of who he accused. Only two reasons for that. I've already told you one of them. The second is if he left out details to make his side sound more appealing. People looking for apathy, that aren't willing to tell the whole story they started, usually has way more to hide in order to receive the pity they seek. It releases them from their own responsibility in their minds I reckon.
Mounatin chicken is the right name for this clown. Is he cutting an pasting this trash on every forum.
It's over on rokslide now
Elk101 forum also....what a lunatic
If you're good enough to go 2-for-2 on public land elk in Colorado, why'd you have to hire an outfitter in the first place? Something smells...
^^^Yep,
It'll be interesting to see if he responds on here... Where is he now?
Sounds like even though this particular outfitter didn’t have credentials to guide on public, one of his guides gave him info on where to go. If he used that info and actually got 2 elk, then he got his money’s worth. I am siding with then outfitter on this one.
I think I’ll side with the outfitter on this one and agree with WV Mountaineer. No balls !!
watched many clients expect a bc/py caribou in quebec during many hunts in the heyday of hunting up there. to bash the outfitter in this case is ridiculous!
You have to be a special kind of vindictive douche to register on several forums that your not a member of to slam someones business like this.
I would need more facts. Like what was discussed/promised or insinuated. What was the cost IE;
If it was a $1200 DIY with lodging. Or a $500 without lodging ETC.
2000 acres isn’t much land. But if it’s in the middle of high pressured public land then mid sept could be full of elk. Opening day they are probably still coming and going. Not enough facts to side with either. Either way, after 2 days if you chose to leave. I’m not aware of any outfit that refunds because the hunter leaves. Unfortunately there are too many rip off outfits and also idiot, lazy, unprincipled hunters.
watched many clients expect a bc/py caribou in quebec during many hunts in the heyday of hunting up there. to bash the outfitter in this case is ridiculous!
The OP complained that the outfitter's website was full of mule deer, and very little elk - but he booked with them anyway, so, who's fault is that....?
So many people who have no experience with elk have opinions like this. Quite often deer hunter who cannot understand why the can’t be entertained by watching does and small bucks all day until their Booner shows up.
I always laugh halfway through their posts because I know the experience and integrity of so many Bowsiters will be handing their ass to them in the next 5 or 10 posts.
Try a game farm or maybe Africa Mountain Pussy. Great for kids with no patience.
Pretty spot on Mule power but I have to ask what is African Mountain Pussy?
Lol Pete. Sounds fun! Unless he’s talking about domestic sheep.
I think he means try Africa, Mountain Pussy (Mountain Chicken)
And Bowsiters know grammar and punctuation as well! Lol
Thanks all of you for your support, as an outfitter you hate to see guys unhappy first and foremost, secondly it really sucks when they decide to go out of their way to air it to the world. Sometimes people like this come along and all you can do is grin and take it but it certainly makes us question why we do this. After reading your responses it’s very encouraging to know there’s still intelligent hard working hunters out there who appreciate “the hunt” and what it’s really all about which isn’t always instant gratification