PaJay 1962
New member
Four of us booked a guided Wilderness Elk Hunt in the Thorofare region of Wyoming 2 years ago. The outfitter had good references, and after speaking with the outfitter about his camp, equipment, success rate, etc. we were sold on the hunt. The outfitter stated that he had 2 camps separated by about a 1.5 hour horseback ride. Both camps could accommodate 6 people, and since we had a group of 4 people, we would have one camp to ourselves with our guides as he wouldn't put anyone in with us. He assured us that there were plenty of drainages to hunt, and that the camps were far enough apart that there would be no interference. That sold us and we booked the hunt, and put the money away for 2 years to pay for it (we're not rich people). We hunted last month with the outfitter.
We met with the outfitter the day before the hunt, and he informs us that there was a "wolf" problem at the upper camp, and the group hunting there last week did not do well. He said that we would all be hunting out of the one camp (12 hunters), but there was plenty of room. We get to camp and it seemed like a nice setup with the canvas tents with stoves in each, but no wood. We ended up cutting wood for our tents each day. Each day we rode out on our horses, and I noticed my horse had no energy (we had different horse every other day). On the 3rd day the guides start yelling that the wrangler isn't doing anything around the place and hasn't fed the horses yet, as all the grain bags were still in the cache. Tired horse problem now explained! Various people were tossed from their horses during the week, with one guy getting thrown on the 2nd morning and had to sit out the rest of the hunt due to what was surmised as cracked ribs. Our guide commented that NO ONE should have been riding that horse as he was wild, yet the following day, horse C-1 was saddled up for another hunter!
We hunted for 6 days, and all the efforts yielded one elk for 12 guys. Each day there was a long discussion as to which guide was going where, and with only 6 drainages, each was hit every day of the hunt. Elk were few and far between, with most groups not seeing any elk most days. As we got to know our guides better, information flowed more throughout the week, and a few of our guides told us that there wasn't a wolf problem, but a personnel problem. Apparently the wrangler walked out on him during the previous hunt (not sure why).
I've been on a lot of hunts, and I know that the odds of coming home empty handed are high, it's hunting. However, promises were made (of course NOT in the contract). Without going into a lot more details, here are the main promises broken, and I'd like to know how you would handle it.
- 12 guys in one camp
- Equipment was shoddy - leaking tents, lanterns not working
- No hot water for washing up
- No wood in tents
- dirt floors in tents with water running into the tents during the rain
- Extreme amount of walking involved (told us that our 70 year old friend would have not problem on the hunt as he would only have to tie up the horse and walk 30 yards to sit and glass). Not a problem for us, but our friend and two other elderly gentlemen in camp had issues.
Suggestions?
We met with the outfitter the day before the hunt, and he informs us that there was a "wolf" problem at the upper camp, and the group hunting there last week did not do well. He said that we would all be hunting out of the one camp (12 hunters), but there was plenty of room. We get to camp and it seemed like a nice setup with the canvas tents with stoves in each, but no wood. We ended up cutting wood for our tents each day. Each day we rode out on our horses, and I noticed my horse had no energy (we had different horse every other day). On the 3rd day the guides start yelling that the wrangler isn't doing anything around the place and hasn't fed the horses yet, as all the grain bags were still in the cache. Tired horse problem now explained! Various people were tossed from their horses during the week, with one guy getting thrown on the 2nd morning and had to sit out the rest of the hunt due to what was surmised as cracked ribs. Our guide commented that NO ONE should have been riding that horse as he was wild, yet the following day, horse C-1 was saddled up for another hunter!
We hunted for 6 days, and all the efforts yielded one elk for 12 guys. Each day there was a long discussion as to which guide was going where, and with only 6 drainages, each was hit every day of the hunt. Elk were few and far between, with most groups not seeing any elk most days. As we got to know our guides better, information flowed more throughout the week, and a few of our guides told us that there wasn't a wolf problem, but a personnel problem. Apparently the wrangler walked out on him during the previous hunt (not sure why).
I've been on a lot of hunts, and I know that the odds of coming home empty handed are high, it's hunting. However, promises were made (of course NOT in the contract). Without going into a lot more details, here are the main promises broken, and I'd like to know how you would handle it.
- 12 guys in one camp
- Equipment was shoddy - leaking tents, lanterns not working
- No hot water for washing up
- No wood in tents
- dirt floors in tents with water running into the tents during the rain
- Extreme amount of walking involved (told us that our 70 year old friend would have not problem on the hunt as he would only have to tie up the horse and walk 30 yards to sit and glass). Not a problem for us, but our friend and two other elderly gentlemen in camp had issues.
Suggestions?
