poor choice of hunting outfitter

[missjordan]

Really sorry this happened to you. Their operation does make the rounds on the internet at least once a year with issues. There was another gentlemen last year who posted on here that had a terrible experience as well.


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[Andrew Marsala]

Why is it people open accounts here just to bitch about outfitters? This is the second one in the last few weeks that i can think of. I get they had a bad experience but I always question whats going on when that happens. Sounds like this dude may be kind of shady. But this guy's only two posts are on this thread. But to each their own.

Just trying to prevent other hunters from wasting their money.

 

[YBPS]

I went on a bear hunt with Cody and we had a great trip. He and his family are good people.

 

[2ski]

Just trying to prevent other hunters from wasting their money.

I get that. I've just never been motivated by bad experience to go to a forum I've never been a member or posted on to put a bad review of something.

Why did you pick Rokslide out of curiosity? Why not some of the other forums? I really am curious what lead you here and not say hunttalk or other ones.

 

[WRO]

I know some very reputable outfitters in Oregon if you're looking for any recommendations..

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[roosiebull]

well.... your wife is awesome.

i can't imagine, hopefully you save a couple people from an experience like yours.

 

[WCB]

I get that. I've just never been motivated by bad experience to go to a forum I've never been a member or posted on to put a bad review of something.

Why did you pick Rokslide out of curiosity? Why not some of the other forums? I really am curious what lead you here and not say hunttalk or other ones.

who cares....the guy is relaying an experience and must care enough to not want other people to fall into the same trap. How about you just say "thanks for the heads up"! Obviously this outfitter is known for being crap...If the operation had a great name and no complaints and this was a guys saying he just didn't get and elk and was pissed it would be a different story.

Andrew (OP) If interested I can point you to a reputable outfitter I worked for when you get the itch for another try.

 

[Dogdude]

That Sucks

 

[theleo91386]

Sorry for your trip, that really sucks.

I'm not going to say all outfitters are like used car salesman, but booking a guided hunt should be treated like buying a used car. Do the research, know what you're buying, and don't rely on the guy you're giving money to tell you how great it is. I don't fault the OP or his wife for what happened, that's on the outfitter (don't know the guy but I've seen his name pop up frequently and rarely with anything good to say about him). I'm just offering that advise for anyone looking at guided hunts.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I get that. I've just never been motivated by bad experience to go to a forum I've never been a member or posted on to put a bad review of something.

Why did you pick Rokslide out of curiosity? Why not some of the other forums? I really am curious what lead you here and not say hunttalk or other ones.

Pretty simple. He got swindled out of his hard earned money and wanted to let people know so they didn’t make the same mistake. Why is that hard for you to understand? If I was looking for an outfitted hunt, I would love to hear about these reviews so I might save myself from a similar hunt. If you don’t like it, you could always just move on...

 

[bsnedeker]

Wow, I'm shocked you didn't at least see any bear sign, not at all shocked you didn't see any elk. This is tough country and it's full of predators of all shapes and sizes. Elk stay in small groups most of the year with a few notable exceptions so they are tough to find.

Most of the guys around here do tend to hunt by cruising logging and FS roads and hoping for the best (it worked for my dad this year) but yeah, when I want to hunt elk I head to central or SW MT. That's kind of crazy that an outfitter would charge you that kind of money for that type of hunting.

If you want to salvage anything and the offer is still on the table I might take them up on the spring bear hunt. They'd have to be next-level incompetent (which they may very well be!) to not get you on a bear. Just a suggestion rather than taking a total loss on the deal.

 

[strattonje2020]

I’ve met Cody back in several years ago....the country he hunts is tough steep and USED to have incredible elk and deer numbers....people are skeptical about what wolves have done Colorado will soon see the drastic changes I have seen in northwest Montana and North Idaho....can’t speak to his business only the country he hunts..I advised someone last year you want unreal country go to the northwest corner of Montana knowing you have a chance at something great but that chance is on a very low percentage scale from what it was a decade ago i have an outfitter I can recommend in this area and he will work your ass off but this country is no fence or flat country...there will be great memories and no doubt you earned it....I’ve met all the outfitters in this area and if you check the photos the tremendous big bulls were frequent until about 6 yrs ago with a big reduction since them

To what Ross is saying. I take reviews like this with a grain of salt. The noxon area and your chances of success are purely based upon sheer will and being physically fit. This is maybe top 3 roughest places to hunt elk in the lower 48. You earn every yard you hike in this country. I love it because you can kill a 350 in bull and know you didn't shoot one riding a horse into the "wilderness". All the outfitters in this area struggle but all of them kill a sub 400 in bull every year too.

 

[BAKPAKR]

All the outfitters in this area struggle but all of them kill a sub 400 in bull every year too.

I have shot a few sub-400 inch bulls in that general area (very sub).

 

[AaronMColeman]

I have shot a few sub-400 inch bulls in that general area (very sub).

All I shoot are sub-400 bulls. Since we are all bragging right now, I think this year's bull was sub-200

 

[CAElkhunter]

To what Ross is saying. I take reviews like this with a grain of salt. The noxon area and your chances of success are purely based upon sheer will and being physically fit. This is maybe top 3 roughest places to hunt elk in the lower 48. You earn every yard you hike in this country. I love it because you can kill a 350 in bull and know you didn't shoot one riding a horse into the "wilderness". All the outfitters in this area struggle but all of them kill a sub 400 in bull every year too.

how do you take reviews like this with a grain of salt? the guy paid top $ and did not see an elk he could shoot.
There is no outfitter operation that can say they are successful if a client doesn't see an elk. Outfitters
are judged on opportunities not necessarily success. If he had opportunities but could not get there or missed it is a different story.
An outfitter that doesn't even put you on an opportunity to shoot an Elk is not one that should be given excuses.

 

[2ski]

how do you take reviews like this with a grain of salt? the guy paid top $ and did not see an elk he could shoot.
There is no outfitter operation that can say they are successful if a client doesn't see an elk. Outfitters
are judged on opportunities not necessarily success. If he had opportunities but could not get there or missed it is a different story.
An outfitter that doesn't even put you on an opportunity to shoot an Elk is not one that should be given excuses.

I for one do as well, when someone is brand new and comes on Rokslide to give a negative review. Never posted about anything else. Yeah. I take it with a grain of salt. If you don't, that's fine. But I do. No posts and complaining get taken with a grain of salt.

 

[2ski]

Pretty simple. He got swindled out of his hard earned money and wanted to let people know so they didn’t make the same mistake. Why is that hard for you to understand? If I was looking for an outfitted hunt, I would love to hear about these reviews so I might save myself from a similar hunt. If you don’t like it, you could always just move on...

I get what you're saying. All I'm saying is I put less trust in reviews by brand new posters. They haven't built history or credibility. If you don't like it you could always just ignore my post. Him and I were having good conversation about it.

 

[2ski]

who cares....the guy is relaying an experience and must care enough to not want other people to fall into the same trap. How about you just say "thanks for the heads up"! Obviously this outfitter is known for being crap...If the operation had a great name and no complaints and this was a guys saying he just didn't get and elk and was pissed it would be a different story.

Andrew (OP) If interested I can point you to a reputable outfitter I worked for when you get the itch for another try.

Thanks for the opinion. I don't agree with it, but thanks for giving it.

 

[Indian Summer]

Noxon and the Bull River were never easy. Guys like Wayne Hill and Jerry Malson killed some monster bulls and bucks up there. I killed my first bull up there. But wolves and consecutive bad winters definitely took their toll.

I wouldn’t book a hunt up there with any outfitter.

The one I feel sorry for is the wife. She tried but things couldn’t have gone worse.

 

[strattonje2020]

how do you take reviews like this with a grain of salt? the guy paid top $ and did not see an elk he could shoot.
There is no outfitter operation that can say they are successful if a client doesn't see an elk. Outfitters
are judged on opportunities not necessarily success. If he had opportunities but could not get there or missed it is a different story.
An outfitter that doesn't even put you on an opportunity to shoot an Elk is not one that should be given excuses.

there is 4 major outfitters in that area.

Cody carr
Elk creek
Wayne hill
NW Montana outfitters

Cody charges more than any other 3 outfitters by a thousand dollars for the week. He also routinely books up with return clients. Last year I hunted with elk creek. We were on elk 2 out of 6 days. We had about 20 people in camp. I have seen first hand the clients these guys get as well. One group couldn't even get their rifle sighted in. Another had mounted the scope on backwards. I'm not lieing when I say these mountains will kick your ass. You have slim chances of seeing a bull but if you do good chances he will be a nice 6 point.

No doubt Cody has had some seriously reviews. I talked to him and he was upfront about them. The outfitter I was with had no choice but to put some guys in box blinds because they just couldn't physically handle the terrain.

As far as him paying top dollar Id be shocked if the hunt didn't run 10k all together for a 2 on 1 situation. Tbh I would benefit more by letting bad reviews of this area and outfitter go because it only increases my odd's hunting there next week and next year. But I also believe we should give the outfitters in the area benefit of doubt. The OP could be a genuinely great guy and lots of guys here offered to help him. Maybe he reached to them on the PM level. Or the OP could be expecting a Craig Co elk hunt.

The sub 400 inch bull thing may seem far fetched but if you look into it they kill some monsters during archery. I seen at least 1 370ish bull posted this season.