Was leaving the hunt worth it?

[tntrker]

Woof, this all makes my head hurt. I would have sucked it up. Shit happens all of the time and nothing ever goes as planned, even for guides and outfitters. Maybe someone quit on him last minute, therefore nothing was set up.

All sorts of variables could have been in play. I would have given it another day and negotiated prices from there. Like stated above, you weren't there to eat. You were there to hunt. I'd be inclined to have serious words with you if you pulled some shenanigans like that with my duck hunting guide in Arkansas if I referred you to him. I've had to do that with some close friends because their hunting expectations didn't match up with the hunting reality.

If you left me hanging in the middle of nowhere with absolutely nothing, I’d have some serious words with you as well..

 

[tntrker]

He asked for it…View attachment 450197

Funny, but not related..

 

[tntrker]

Pay a guide $10,000 and you get a cook who doesn’t know how to call elk as a guide and ramen and egg McMuffins.

Screw that. I don’t blame you one bit for leaving. I pay a MFer $10,000, he better know how to call and I’m expecting ribeyes and lap dances.

A burger instead of 1 pack of noodles at 11pm and the story may have been different…

 

[PredatorSlayer]

You’re a diy guy and that was expected. Throw that amount of money out, sit 3 hrs in the dark wondering wtf is going on not knowing when/if we were eating and then u get brought 1 pack of noodles at 11pm then call me a lil bitch…

Once again, not saying you don’t have a right to be pissed. Not saying you shouldn’t have some or all refunded…Just saying you leaving like you did was a lil bitch move. Elk all around you…SMH. Don’t ask the question if you don’t want honest answers. You get what you pay for on the internet

 

[tntrker]

View attachment 450203

A diy’er has no experience to comment on a paid guided hunt. If I were able to diy I’m with ya, dirty water and Ramon all week…but not a paid hunt

 

[tntrker]

Wanted an elk hunting experience - got a dream hunt the 1 afternoon hunted.

Happy to be driving home after being covered in elk on day 1? Over ramen noodles? Leaving something out for sure...

Imagine the story telling the next day when the older guys show up and are escorted to the elk. Yup, the guy left cause Bobby gave him Ramen Noodles! yuk-yuk-yuk! Nice shot on that elk Norm! I thought it would never shut up.

Left nothing out “for sure”. After he refunded my money, the owner wanted me to come back in 3 days (Sat) with the other hunter.

 

[tntrker]

Wow.........just wow. SMH

Heck, I eat ramen at home with a sandwich for lunch several times a month. I like it. Well, I should say I like ramen that I like. Not all ramen is created equal.

For almost $10k, I'd expect a magnificent lodge with fantastic meals, a hot tub, and massages from a young female Swedish massage therapist every night.......in addition to screaming bulls every time out.

Nope just something better than 1 pack of noodles at 11pm after sitting for hours with nothing not knowing nothing..

 

[tntrker]

I understand pulling the pin on the hunt. I suspect I may have tried to negotiate a new reduced rate and continued hunting, but I also completely understand pulling out. The outfitter misrepresented and failed to deliver on what was bargained for. Very understandable someone not wanting to continue any further at that point, bugling elk or not.

It seems like it’s different perspectives though for lots of users. An elk is an elk for me. I can find another one. Some of the responses make me think that some peoples experience is that elk are like unicorns, and when you find one, it’s magic that can’t be abandoned.

Anyway, I think you’re getting razzed harder than is justified, but that is the internet I suppose.

It’s all good. The one’s doing the razing are diy guys that are blesssd enough to be able to do it cheaply and often. Thanks!

 

[tntrker]

To the OP, you absolutely should have been upset. Leaving the hunt after so much personal expense seems odd to most of us that love to elk hunt. That said, you obviously were there more for the experience than to kill an elk. Nothing wrong with that and nothing wrong with demanding to receive what you are paying for.

I'm guessing in hindsight you will regret your decision. I personally would have either demanded the outfitter make it right by providing what you paid for going forward, or demanded the refund and then worked out a deal with the guide for the two of you to finish the hunt without the outfitter involved. I'm guessing he was out of work for that week anyways after you left.

After he refunded me, he wanted me to come back Saturday with the other hunter when “camp would be set up and a cook present”. Told him he should’ve just been straight with me…

 

[tntrker]

LMAO!!! I like both, but I'd been digging fresh holes if I ate either in the back country! However, sounds like this camp probably didn't even have TP. Woulda sacrificed a shirt sleeve or a couple pockets.

There was nothing at the “camp” but one tent propped up on each end with 2 stove parts and the sides blowing in the wind. So sitting there 3 hrs in the dark not knowing when/if he was coming with anything damped up the feelings. Then to see he just brought 1pk of noodles for us, turned the tide. A burger and this would have been a story of killing elk…

 

[def90]

Yeah, I get it, a lot of people put up with shit they shouldn't and allow others to get away with shit they shouldn't.

More people standing up for themselves and speaking up when they are getting screwed would be a plus for society.

 

[tntrker]

I got the impression the outfitter rode in with food for a day, and was heading out the next morning. The outfitter wasn’t planning on coming back for 5 days.

I don’t think I could elk hunt for 5-6 days on one pack of ramen, a couple snack bars, and one egg McMuffin.

I would be pissed about the whole situation.

It was supposed to be a 1 on 1 guided hunt, and he got set up with the camp cook for 6 days with no food.

It sounds like that trip was going to get worse, not better if I am reading the details of the story correctly.

My thoughts exactly after sitting in the dark for 3 hours not knowing when/if he was going to show….

 

[tntrker]

Even if you made the right decision to get a full refund and leave them, why would you not stay and try to hunt your tag on public land? You just got 10k back. Go to the local sporting goods and buy all the best shit and go hunt, camp, and enjoy your trip. You said you CrossFit all year - you are in shape. What makes you think you need to pay someone to make this experience for you?

Great point Chris. I thought about it and wanted too but I just do t think I could pack in and pack everything plus an elk out without it spoiling. I guess I’m a puss and don’t feel adequate enough to do it by myself, hence the guided hunts…

 

[tntrker]

Good one

 

[tntrker]

Damn, that's helluva long drive to think about this situation. Feel for you. Woulda, coulda, shoulda...
Grabbing that guide and paying him after the refund sounds like it was the deal to make (was that legal?)

The simple truth is that you'll be hearing that bull's bugles for the next 10+ years. I'd want that sh!t outta my head. Only one way to do that, get back out there.

I have a guided hunt in 2024 in Wyoming with my son with a guide I know. Last hunt I care to go on unless maybe a drop camp for moose In the Yukon.

 

[tntrker]

Which should have given you plenty of time to check references. I drop almost $10K, I'm not leaving bugling bulls...least not cuz of ramen noodles and granola bars.

I would genuinely be concerned with the meat care after a kill, and whatever preparations need to be done for taxidermy in the field. If the guide/foodlesscook didn't know how to hunt, he probably doesn't know what to do after a hunt.

I asked the guide what the plan was if we got one that 1st evening and he said” find a creek to put it in and hope a grizzly doesn’t get it until tomorrow”…

 

[tntrker]

I cannot say that you made a right or wrong choice. If it was me, I think I would have tried to negotiate some type of discount but that is only because there were bulls bugling and you had a high probability of success. You had already invested the money and time to get there, I would have tried to go home with an animal.

I would have looked at the owner and said, this is not what was promised when I paid and I will give it a one more day for you to have what we agreed on be provided. If you cant meet that, we need to talk about a discount or a full refund and I am leaving.

I would have been pissed if I was promised what was promised and got what was given. There are a lot of people on here that are telling you to "suck it up" that bitch when someone lists an item in the classified for 5 dollars more than the crack head on the corner is selling it for.

With that, if you are happy with your decision, unless you are going to out the outfitter, there really is no need to post the thread.

We had a calm discussion but I wasn’t wanting a reduction, as the guide says that always happens. The fact that he left us out there with nothing but a tent half propped up, flapping in the wind, not knowing when/if he was going g to show, then show at 11pm. Had he brought me a burger and had a decent sandwich for the next days lunch, I’d been writing about my great hunt..

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I asked the guide what the plan was if we got one that 1st evening and he said” find a creek to put it in and hope a grizzly doesn’t get it until tomorrow”…

That quote kinda speaks volumes for the quality of this outfitter.

 

[tntrker]

Adding to my first post. I understand being pissed and extremely concerned about the rest of the trip.

I've done guided hunts, but not for elk because of so many stories like this. That said, $9k is basically the going rate now for a decent guided elk hunt and half the guys going on these guided archery hunts won't be in the bulls, and half that are won't get close enough for a shot.

That's why I have a hard time with leaving. It's a tough situation. Maybe I would've trusted the outfitter to make things right if he had good references. Or maybe once I got the refund (shocking that was offered) maybe I would find a way to DIY on public land. I just can't imagine driving all that way with gear and physical prep to only hunt one evening.

He wasn’t going to change a thing until Sat “when the other hunter was to arrive”. Made me think well wtf is wrong with me or my money?!

 

[tntrker]

Sorry you had a shitty hunt experience.

I probably would have stuck it out, but that is hyperbole.

One thing not brought up yet- what if OP killed a bull? Was the cook/guide prepared to deal with it? Was the owner ready to get in and get the animal out? Were you provisioned to pack an animal out by yourselves if the outfitter wasn't willing/able to get there in a respectable time frame?

Sounds like there could have been bigger issues brewing.

I asked the guide that while we were sitting in the dark waiting for….. he said we’d had to find a creek to put it in and hope a grizzly didn’t find it u til the next day…