BillDoe708
Active member
2 foot of snow and high winds, some dummy comes down a closed trial with a 4 wheeler, lightening storm and monsoon rains or someone starts stalking the same animal you are.
Any Elk Guides Without a Bad Review?
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What about the rest of the week? It's not like that stuff doesn't happen to everyone. Elk still have to do elk stuff no matter how much snow or how windy or rainy. We eat and drink everyday to survive and so does the wildlife
^^ And the elk can unass the AO in a jiffy and beeline it to private property or a National Park if they so choose to "survive". There are still a lot of variables that a guide can't control, there is not always knowing what the elk will do, oft times it's just a SWAG! That's why it's so fun!
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Isn't that what spook span did? LOL!
WapitiBob
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Spook Spann charges were dropped in October.
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Carnage2011
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Your article is from 2012
rustednuts
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Seconded. Jay Scott might have other recommendations, you can DM him on instagram.
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Yes, when he pled guilty to shooting a buck in a different area of Kansas then his license was for.
Big Slick
Well-known member
I had a friend hunt with a guide in Chama, the guide was still drunk one morning and my friend had to do the driving.
Wow, this thread is tough. I have hunted in AK and WY where guides were required. I have hunted in NM and AZ where they were not (but I used one). I have hunted unguided. If I am going guided I will use someone like the Huntin Fool or Epic for a recommendation. Personally, I have only found the guides to be fans of the outdoors and excited to be out there. Not every trip is successful, but I have never had a guide ruin one.
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LuketheDog
Well-known member
Boy, we ran into one that had talked his client into shooting a cow instead of a bull, and then tried to drive off road in his beat up 4Runnner so they wouldn't have to carry it 1/2 mile in the dark, then slid the vehicle down a sidehill on snow and got stuck with no cell service and wouldn't take help from us on the InReach...he had to be operating outside the law, the client was PISSED. I should've taken a pic and reported him, he was so shady
Laelkhunter
Well-known member
Frank Simms and Randy Slaughter of Brazos Outfitters (Chama, NM) run a quality group. They have been doing it a long time. I have hunted with them in the past in NM (different Ranch) and have hunted their Colorado Ranch (Banded Peak) for the last couple years. I am going back with them this October. First class operation in every way, from guides, to accommodations to quality of hunt. Their NM ranch is booked solid every year, with returning hunters being the bulk of their bookings.
WapitiBob
Well-known member
I guided for Frank on his family ranch (silver top) and surrounding ranches way back in the 80's.
KB_
Well-known member
idk about new mexico. But I have used FinzandFeatherz for an elk hunt for my dad, they were great. Dad cant move around that great anymore, and they were extremely helpful. They were incredibly kind and a pleasure to be around.
We got on a huge herd of elk on the ranch we were hunting and I made the mistake of trying to keep up with chad to get my dads rifle setup on the tripod while the other guides were helping him get up the hill. Nearly had a heart attack when we stopped at the top of the hill.
We got on a huge herd of elk on the ranch we were hunting and I made the mistake of trying to keep up with chad to get my dads rifle setup on the tripod while the other guides were helping him get up the hill. Nearly had a heart attack when we stopped at the top of the hill.
Laelkhunter
Well-known member
Is that the ranch that was sold recently? I think they had two in NM, Broadhead and Silvertop and one was recently sold. That put all of their NM hunters trying to find a place to hunt on the one remaining ranch, which resulted in it always being booked up.
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One of the best ways I have found to screen a guide service is to ask for 3 or 4 references from hunters that did not kill an animal for the last 2 or 3 yrs
If someone didnt fill their tag and has good things to say your probably ok. Filling a tag can give someone rose colored glasses
If someone didnt fill their tag and has good things to say your probably ok. Filling a tag can give someone rose colored glasses
About 5 years ago I drew a Gila tag and decided to get an outfitter. I was completely overwhelmed with the amount of options. Was my first guided hunt for one, but also the amount of "outfitters" in that area is still mind blowing to me.
One of the first things to remember is you're paying and organizing the hunt with the outfitter, but in many cases not hunting with them, it's one of their guides. Once I started asking which of their guides I was going to get and requesting to talk with them about the hunt I was actually able to widdle down the list pretty fast. Sure the outfitter has had hunts in the unit, but very few guides had actually even hunted there. Good guide or not I wanted someone who truly knew the area.
I found Jay Scott's podcasts/recommendations pretty helpful, and ultimately went with one of his frequent guests. In the end I was very happy with my hunt and have stayed in contact with him ever since. If you wanted to PM me I would be happy to share contact info and also give you a list of some others I found to be pretty good guys.
One of the first things to remember is you're paying and organizing the hunt with the outfitter, but in many cases not hunting with them, it's one of their guides. Once I started asking which of their guides I was going to get and requesting to talk with them about the hunt I was actually able to widdle down the list pretty fast. Sure the outfitter has had hunts in the unit, but very few guides had actually even hunted there. Good guide or not I wanted someone who truly knew the area.
I found Jay Scott's podcasts/recommendations pretty helpful, and ultimately went with one of his frequent guests. In the end I was very happy with my hunt and have stayed in contact with him ever since. If you wanted to PM me I would be happy to share contact info and also give you a list of some others I found to be pretty good guys.
RoughCountry
Well-known member
My brother has been guiding for a couple of NM outfitters for about 10 years and they must be a pretty good outfits because a lot of the hunters have been coming back to hunt with them again year after year and if they don’t draw out they buy a LO tag and they are very pricey. I don’t think they would come back year after year if they were getting ripped off. My brother his wife and kids went on an off shore fishing trip with one of his hunters from Florida last year. So they‘re not all bad.
