drop camp elk hunt a bust

[theleo]

Did he tell you previously that it was good elk hunting up there? 

Id say you got gooned......

It's a risk you take hunting the Eagle Caps with a fixed camping spot. Most of it is either a home run or a strike out and the areas change each year. He was in a historically decent area, the elk just weren't there.

Sorry that's how things turned out, that's a tuff break. If you're serious about hunting that country we need to have a more in depth conversation sometime and I can give you some areas with more options. That upper country like where you were is very unforgiving if you can't move your camp.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Bummer.

[kselkhunter]

That sucks.  I know how much you were looking forward to this hunt with your preseason posts.

Your tag is good til the 22nd.  Hate to see you spend the nonresident money on that tag and the drop camp, and it be such a short hunt.  You're welcome to join my group in a couple of weeks.  Different wilderness area. We have plenty of community camp gear, so would be minimal gear needed.   PM if interested. 

[DOUBLELUNG]

That sucks.  I know how much you were looking forward to this hunt with your preseason posts.

Your tag is good til the 22nd.  Hate to see you spend the nonresident money on that tag and the drop camp, and it be such a short hunt.  You're welcome to join my group in a couple of weeks.  Different wilderness area. We have plenty of community camp gear, so would be minimal gear needed.   PM if interested. 

My hat's off to you sir, that is a very nice offer.

[vandeman17]

That sucks.  I know how much you were looking forward to this hunt with your preseason posts.

Your tag is good til the 22nd.  Hate to see you spend the nonresident money on that tag and the drop camp, and it be such a short hunt.  You're welcome to join my group in a couple of weeks.  Different wilderness area. We have plenty of community camp gear, so would be minimal gear needed.   PM if interested. 

My hat's off to you sir, that is a very nice offer.

100% agree!

[Rainier10]

That sucks.  I know how much you were looking forward to this hunt with your preseason posts.

Your tag is good til the 22nd.  Hate to see you spend the nonresident money on that tag and the drop camp, and it be such a short hunt.  You're welcome to join my group in a couple of weeks.  Different wilderness area. We have plenty of community camp gear, so would be minimal gear needed.   PM if interested. 

My hat's off to you sir, that is a very nice offer.

Solid offer.

[vandeman17]

My "I wonder" is what were the discussed expectations and reactions if things change regarding camp location and game. What was the expectation set regarding the area and who picked it. Can't control the game. Did the outfitter provide the service agreed upon?

My initial discussion with him was that my dad and I are two experienced hunters who were looking for a quality spot to hunt elk. I let him know I wasn't worried about the ride in distance or whatever, as long as it was a good area that I could hopefully get my dad his first archery elk. The agreement was also that if we got something down, he would come in and get it within a few days which wouldn't have happened and brought up another question we talked about. What would he have done if both of us tagged out the first day? Would we have been stuck waiting 8 days in camp with quarters hanging in trees and us just sitting there...?

[Ridgerunner]

Man this sucks, probably happens more than guys realize though. What a disappointment for sure. 

[Bob33]

That's a shame. It sounds like he didn't have current information to base the location on.  Google Earth can show geography but not wildlife.

[CoryTDF]

I had something like this happen to me in north eastern corner. Buddy said he made arrangements with a guy and we would be in the elk for sure. I skipped out on my normal camp to go and never even saw a pile of elk crap. It was cool country though and though I never saw an elk it was still fun to see new country and be in the woods. Try to find the positives.

The Eagle Caps are freaking awesome! I just got back from a hiking trip in there with my family. I was all around Bear Lake and Looking Glass Lake. Never saw any elk there but did see some old sign. and thought I smelled them a few times. Fishing was not great this year but it was a really fun trip. Hope you can find a silver lining in your though situation.       

[bobcat]

What would he have done if both of us tagged out the first day? Would we have been stuck waiting 8 days in camp with quarters hanging in trees and us just sitting there...?

Seems like he must have been pretty sure that packing an elk out of your camp wouldn't be necessary.   

[vandeman17]

That's a shame. It sounds like he didn't have current information to base the location on.  Google Earth can show geography but not wildlife.

Yes, he had ridden through and saw some sign and the country looks nice from google earth but once you put your boots on the ground, its obvious that it wasn't huntable, especially with a bow!

[idaho guy]

My "I wonder" is what were the discussed expectations and reactions if things change regarding camp location and game. What was the expectation set regarding the area and who picked it. Can't control the game. Did the outfitter provide the service agreed upon?

I would say no he did not provide agreed upon service I am sure the expectation would not be a horse ride but a drop camp where there was "some" elk.  Sure no one can control what the elk do but doesn't sound like a place the elk had been for quite a while. We had a bush plane drop us in AK for a caribou hunt and the caribou were scarce but the pilot did enough recon to drop us where there were at least some animals. We missed the migration by a long shot nobodys fault there but effort was made to get us  where we had a chance. We hiked our butts off but got 2 bulls. We were also able to use satellite phone to get out early but it took 2 says for him to arrive due to weather     Sorry to hear about that vandeman I probably would have pulled out just to save vacation time for another hunt

[vandeman17]

My "I wonder" is what were the discussed expectations and reactions if things change regarding camp location and game. What was the expectation set regarding the area and who picked it. Can't control the game. Did the outfitter provide the service agreed upon?

I would say no he did not provide agreed upon service I am sure the expectation would not be a horse ride but a drop camp where there was "some" elk.  Sure no one can control what the elk do but doesn't sound like a place the elk had been for quite a while. We had a bush plane drop us in AK for a caribou hunt and the caribou were scarce but the pilot did enough recon to drop us where there were at least some animals. We missed the migration by a long shot nobodys fault there but effort was made to get us  where we had a chance. We hiked our butts off but got 2 bulls. We were also able to use satellite phone to get out early but it took 2 says for him to arrive due to weather     Sorry to hear about that vandeman I probably would have pulled out just to save vacation time for another hunt

Exactly. The lack of even areas that you could hunt were what forced me to leave. It took A LOT for me to get to the point of actually walking out that early but I just felt like it was the prudent thing to do. Cut our losses

[h20hunter]

  Got ot. Sounds like you were sold a product and left high and dry.