Silver Spur Outfitters Colorado.

[Rackman77]

Does anyone have any experience with Silver Spur Outfitters in Colorado? Looking at a archery elk hunt and I see a bunch of negative reviews. Anyone ever hunt with them? Thanks in advance

 

[Trap]

Owner is my first cousin I think he’s great but I never hunted with him also I live in Idaho so haven’t seen him for a long time either ha ha. Maybe somebody else has more to offer

 

[Deleted member 28227]

With any outfitter do your research, not only on them but on their operation.

Why go outfitted instead of DIY? Because an outfitter can allow you to hunt somewhere you otherwise couldn’t.

When outfitters apply for a permit they have to apply for a specific area to hunt they can’t just hunt the whole state. Therefore pic an outfitter that either has access to a lot of private or that will take you 10-15 miles into the backcountry.

There is no point hunting with an operation that’s going to put you on public 3 miles from a trailhead with every Tom, Dick, and Harry from Denver.

 

[Westelker]

I couldn't agree more with 1313. A few years ago my wife "won" at an auction a fully guided bull elk hunt...tents and horses the full get-up. So I thought well, I want to got too so I paid the full price for same hunt in unit 55 east of Gunnison. I guess I wanted the experience to hunt from horses etc... All went well until the first day. Rode horses for three + miles into NF smack dab right into where every T, D and H was already set up. So we walked over a ways and sat down in the dark timber, absolutely NO shooting lanes, no nothing, yea sure!! Our faithful guide pulled out a paper-back read a while then went to sleep. Next day a different guide, (1st guide had to get back to Denver), this time we went a different direction into the NF, this time our guide started a fire...thought we were cold, yea sure!!! Then he took off his boots and said the elk will come up the ridge...which was a small grass opening 700 yds away, yea sure!! Soon every T, D and H came up the ridge. Third day different guide , (2nd guide had to get back to Gunnison), this time we set up in a blind over-looking a really nice meadow, after ten minutes the guide took off walking exactly in the direction we thought the elk would approach. He said he would "channel" the elk our way, yea sure!! The guide ended up walking right in front of us in the open meadow as he came back to the blind. The fourth day, the "owner" guide took us on a steep 45 degree ride straight up Fossil Ridge, parked us by some big rocks and with no shooting lanes or open space, yea sure! He, like the other three guides, would not listen to my suggestions or discuss other ideas. The "owner" guide then, with a roll of toilet paper disappeared for at least an hour. During the course of the day, my wife had to help the "owner" guide put on his coat several times...he hurt his shoulder, he said he fell off his horse while he was sleeping a few days earlier. Later a very steep ride back to camp. I hope you get what I'm trying to say here. During the course of the five days of "riding horses" we had four different guides with far less experience than us and no true dedication or desire to help us get a bull. If you're going to pay for a fully guided hunt, I would highly recommend you go with a guide service that has access to private property, limited number of hunters and a dedicated experienced guide for yourself and fully discuss hunting strategy and options beforehand. Good luck!!

 

[2rocky]

Silver Spur Ranches is a large private landowner in Wyoming and Colorado. They charge a pretty penny and most likely are sold out for this year unless there is a cancellation. Do your homework and ask about their hunting style. I think they cater to a high end hunter and are mostly lodge/vehicle hunts.

 

[elkduds]

The outfitter on Silver Spur Ranches on the WY state line is Spur Outfitters, and that is a Ranching for Wildlife participant. Silver Spur Outfitters hunts north of Rifle. And there are Silver Spur Outfitters in other states to boot (pun intended). Be sure which you are considering and which 's reviews you are reading. Good luck!

 

[hank4elk]

Fancy name.....

 

[Sagebrush1]

I think you kinda answered your own question when you mentioned lots of bad reviews. Am I missing something?

 

[Trap]

I think you kinda answered your own question when you mentioned lots of bad reviews. Am I missing something?

Not really I looked at reviews out of curiosity after this post and looked like the owners got in a pissing match with non guided hunters over boundary of public and private. Reviews from actual guided clients are good.

 

[Sagebrush1]

Oh ok.
It seems like such a crap shoot with outfitters. I hope it works out for you.