RMEF elk hunt auction

[Corn king 60]

I’m going to a RMEF banquet that is going to have a elk hunt for auction.
its a archery hunt in Montana with Rawhide guide service/ outfitters.
was wondering if anyone has anything good or bad to say about these hunts/ fishing trips RMEF auctions off. I’ve looked at there website and talked to them,but was looking for maybe someone who’s done something like this

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Where do you find the banquets?

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

Where do you find the banquets?

I get invitations in the mail. Never went to one though.

 

[Caseknife]

It all depends on the individual outfitter, but they are usually vetted pretty good. How much you have to pay depends on how many bidders want to go on the hunt. Read the description closely on the hunt, may have specific dates that won't fit your schedule, or may allow extra people at a certain price.

Banquets all over the nation and Canada, https://www.rmef.org/events/

 

[Westelker]

I’m going to a RMEF banquet that is going to have a elk hunt for auction.
its a archery hunt in Montana with Rawhide guide service/ outfitters.
was wondering if anyone has anything good or bad to say about these hunts/ fishing trips RMEF auctions off. I’ve looked at there website and talked to them,but was looking for maybe someone who’s done something like this

My wife bid and won one of the RMEF auction elk hunts a few years ago. Fully guided, tents, horses ...the whole nine yards. There was room for one additional hunter, so I paid full price and went along as well. During the five day hunt my wife was unsuccessful, but I killed a nice 6 x 6 while I went out on foot on my own the second morning. My only complaint was that we had more experience than any of the outfitter's guides and each day, for different reasons unknown to us, each hunter was aligned with a different guide from the day before. PM me if you want more details.

 

[Corn king 60]

My wife bid and won one of the RMEF auction elk hunts a few years ago. Fully guided, tents, horses ...the whole nine yards. There was room for one additional hunter, so I paid full price and went along as well. During the five day hunt my wife was unsuccessful, but I killed a nice 6 x 6 while I went out on foot on my own the second morning. My only complaint was that we had more experience than any of the outfitter's guides and each day, for different reasons unknown to us, each hunter was aligned with a different guide from the day before. PM me if you want more details.

Thanks
I might pm you

 

[Corn king 60]

Where do you find the banquets?

Search RMEF banquet

 

[Corn king 60]

It all depends on the individual outfitter, but they are usually vetted pretty good. How much you have to pay depends on how many bidders want to go on the hunt. Read the description closely on the hunt, may have specific dates that won't fit your schedule, or may allow extra people at a certain price.

Banquets all over the nation and Canada, https://www.rmef.org/events/

thank you
I go to a lot of there banquets, just never bid on any hunts but was thinking maybe doing so

 

[reallyoldman]

I have attended and purchased hunts at these auctions: BEWARE they do not vet most of the outfitters. You will want to due your own vetting and be-CAREFUL. My first one I thought they were all vetted and when I got to Montana I found that the outfitter was a nice guy BUT he and his guides had very little experience. The ranch we hunted on had elk...a few weeks prior to the hunt but there was none when we hunted. Tim McCormick of Remington had purchased the same hunt so we ended up guiding each other. He ended up building me a custom made 338 in the Remington Custom arms shop. We recovered some lost horses for a rouge outfitter and enjoyed our "camping trip". I am a life member of RMEF and Charlie Decker is a friend.

 

[Addicting]

I’m in the MI statewide raffle next week. It’s a 1 in 18 chance at a guided CO elk hunt near meeker. They sold it as this great trip but the more I looked into it the more I’m not sure. There is a whole lot of no information on the outfitter and by the looks of some of the pics it’s a raghorn express experience. Think it may be a good one to transfer to my kid if we win.

 

[Corn king 60]

I have attended and purchased hunts at these auctions: BEWARE they do not vet most of the outfitters. You will want to due your own vetting and be-CAREFUL. My first one I thought they were all vetted and when I got to Montana I found that the outfitter was a nice guy BUT he and his guides had very little experience. The ranch we hunted on had elk...a few weeks prior to the hunt but there was none when we hunted. Tim McCormick of Remington had purchased the same hunt so we ended up guiding each other. He ended up building me a custom made 338 in the Remington Custom arms shop. We recovered some lost horses for a rouge outfitter and enjoyed our "camping trip". I am a life member of RMEF and Charlie Decker is a friend.

Thanks

 

[Corn king 60]

I’m in the MI statewide raffle next week. It’s a 1 in 18 chance at a guided CO elk hunt near meeker. They sold it as this great trip but the more I looked into it the more I’m not sure. There is a whole lot of no information on the outfitter and by the looks of some of the pics it’s a raghorn express experience. Think it may be a good one to transfer to my kid if we win.

Thanks for sharin.
over the last few years I’ve been tempted to bid on some Africa trips but to many questions. Thought maybe I’d try something in this country first. I did look up this outfit and talked to him but we know that’s all one sided information. Thanks to all for the feedback

 

[Addicting]

Thanks for sharin.
over the last few years I’ve been tempted to bid on some Africa trips but to many questions. Thought maybe I’d try something in this country first. I did look up this outfit and talked to him but we know that’s all one sided information. Thanks to all for the feedback

I went back and looked at the place after posting it. There is info from 2016 and there are some good reviews more recent from last year on FB. Just know what you’re getting in to. I didn’t and while it will probably be ok, it’s not a trip I anticipated a state wide raffle to be.

 

[Westelker]

I have attended and purchased hunts at these auctions: BEWARE they do not vet most of the outfitters. You will want to due your own vetting and be-CAREFUL. My first one I thought they were all vetted and when I got to Montana I found that the outfitter was a nice guy BUT he and his guides had very little experience. The ranch we hunted on had elk...a few weeks prior to the hunt but there was none when we hunted. Tim McCormick of Remington had purchased the same hunt so we ended up guiding each other. He ended up building me a custom made 338 in the Remington Custom arms shop. We recovered some lost horses for a rouge outfitter and enjoyed our "camping trip". I am a life member of RMEF and Charlie Decker is a friend.

I doubt if the outfitter we got lined up was vetted. The whole operation was lame. Another important thing to look into is where they hunt. Is it on a private ranch or public. If it's public it may be flooded with other hunters. My wife had to help the owner and "lead" guide put on his coat one morning because he had fallen off his horse while sleeping. The cook got drunk one day so the dinner was ruined. The cook wanted to pay a wrangler $20 if she would do the dishes. One day a "guide " went missing...found out later that he had taken one young hunter into town to buy some food for himself. First day we went out our "guide" built a fire, I said what the hell..., he thought we were cold! Stories go on and on! Do your own vetting!!! The outfitter may be hurting a bit for clients; therefore, offering his hunt to RMEF.

 

[Westelker]

I doubt if the outfitter we got lined up was vetted. The whole operation was lame. Another important thing to look into is where they hunt. Is it on a private ranch or public. If it's public it may be flooded with other hunters. My wife had to help the owner and "lead" guide put on his coat one morning because he had fallen off his horse while sleeping. The cook got drunk one day so the dinner was ruined. The cook wanted to pay a wrangler $20 if she would do the dishes. One day a "guide " went missing...found out later that he had taken one young hunter into town to buy some food for himself. First day we went out our "guide" built a fire, I said what the hell..., he thought we were cold! Stories go on and on! Do your own vetting!!! The outfitter may be hurting a bit for clients; therefore, offering his hunt to RMEF.

The guide had fallen off his horse while sleeping and had hurt his back.

 

[Corn king 60]

I doubt if the outfitter we got lined up was vetted. The whole operation was lame. Another important thing to look into is where they hunt. Is it on a private ranch or public. If it's public it may be flooded with other hunters. My wife had to help the owner and "lead" guide put on his coat one morning because he had fallen off his horse while sleeping. The cook got drunk one day so the dinner was ruined. The cook wanted to pay a wrangler $20 if she would do the dishes. One day a "guide " went missing...found out later that he had taken one young hunter into town to buy some food for himself. First day we went out our "guide" built a fire, I said what the hell..., he thought we were cold! Stories go on and on! Do your own vetting!!! The outfitter may be hurting a bit for clients; therefore, offering his hunt to RMEF.

Sounds like a real clown show.
how long ago was your hunt ?
i am going to do a deep dive into this particular outfit before the banquet

 

[Westelker]

Sounds like a real clown show.
how long ago was your hunt ?
i am going to do a deep dive into this particular outfit before the banquet

Four years ago in Colorado.

 

[OH->CO]

I have hunted with rawhide in the past for spring bear. They seem like a nice group with some good leases. The area was beautiful to say the least. I got a great blonde bear. We got about 20 yards from a group of cow elk. I don't think they have giant elk necessarily but I bet they're a good quality for seeing a good amount of bulls

 

[Corn king 60]

Four years ago in Colorado.

Thanks

 

[eshunt]

I'd also recommend vetting the outfitter yourself. Back in 2018 my dad purchased an elk hunt for 2 in SW Oregon at an RMEF chapter banquet. 5-day rifle hunt for Roosevelt elk. Him and my brother were the hunters, I tagged along to be with them and help out. With the encouragement of the guide, we purchased access to a large chunk of private timber property. We also showed up a few days early to scout around ourselves and check the area out since none of us had ever been there. Afternoon before opening day, we met up with the guide. He was already three-sheets to the wind and had all sorts of stories of where the big bulls were to be found. But he hadn't laid eyes on any of them himself, just had his "spotters" out looking for them. Well, his "spotters" were friends that had mentioned in passing about bulls they had heard about, but not seen either. So all just a bunch of rumors.

Opening morning, he admitted that he wasn't allowed to guide on the private timber property that we had purchased an access permit for even though he told us to purchase the permit. But he would point us in the right direction. That was obviously not what my dad had paid for on a guided hunt, so he opted to hunt the public areas the guide supposedly knew. In the 5 days, we never even saw an elk, the guide was usually drinking by mid day and wanted to hunt the same unproductive cut blocks every day. The guide was even encouraging my dad and brother to go walk into another block of private timber that we didn't have access to and was actually leased for hunting by another group. We reported back to the local RMEF chapter about our experience and told them not to do business with that outfitter again. That's when we were told that the outfitters were not vetted by RMEF, that they either had the outfitters reach regarding the hunts, or someone from the fundraising committee had originally contacted the outfitter. Anyway, buyer beware and do your research before the banquet.