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Hunter Comments

We discussed our displeasure with the hunt with the person responsible for packing us out of camp since neither Jeanne nor her husband was available once we returned to the base lodge from our hunt, if they were we couldn’t find them. We began the booking process with Bar H more than a year and a half prior to hunt, I saved email correspondences. We were interested in a first season rifle hunt and allowed Bar H to fulfill our registration needs, never a mention of getting a cow tag although we would have certainly purchased on had we known. We were told that we were not chosen for a 1st season hunt so we settled on a 3rd season hunt in 2006. While hoping to renew our preference point last year, 2008, I could not find record of a preference point in the Colorado Division of Wildlife system which leads me to believe that it was never planned for us to hunt during the 1st season. I asked on multiple occasions for topographical maps of our camp location in order to study and prepare for the hunt, although promised, again I retained e-mails, they were never provided and just prior to the hunt we were informed that we would not be placed and the camp which had been promised for almost 2 years, Emerald Lake, but instead another location. Described by Jeanne, “It's located in an area that is used by elk moving through. My husband particularly likes this camp and will have some good ideas for your group as to how to hunt the area. The success (opportunity) rate varies year to year, primarily based on the hunters and their abilities. The usual opportunity rate averages around 80% and the kill rate is usually over 60%. The topography is not that much different from the Emerald Lake camp and we will send out a new map. I don't have GPS coordinates for it, but the map I send will indicate where the campsite is.” After 4 of us, all in great shape, hunted hard the entire week, 3 hunters saw no elk at all and although I saw 4 elk all were running downhill on my approach. The camp was a short walk from the main road and we daily saw outside hunters, ATVs and even outhouses recently built in the woods surrounding our camp. All this left us to believe that our camp was hastily placed in an area with little chance of success. No follow-up was ever requested on the part of the outfitter and as we plan our 2010 hunt we do not hesitate to search for another outfitter.

Was the outfitter notified of problems? - NO

Outfitter's Response

As a full-time professinal outfitter, we do our best to please all of our hunters. There always is that small percentage that you cannot please no matter the circumstances. There seems to be some incorrect information, and since the hunt was in 2005, much time has passed and it is now over 4 years later. Mr. Buggs and his group did not hunt with us in November 2006, they hunted with us in November 2005. Here are other inaccuracies: "never a mention of a cow tag". Each form that all 4 hunters completed for the hunt had a section where they were to indicate their preference for a license. Cow elk is clearly listed as one of the options (and we have all 4 forms on file). Next is Mr. Buggs' mention of a preference point. Mr Buggs alludes that we never submitted their applications, which is just not true. Applications were submitted for the group, and they were unsuccessful in the draw for the 1st rifle season (I have copies on file of the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) report for each hunter), and each hunter DID receive one preference point. The CDOW published in 2007 that beginning with 2007, all points would be purged if hunters did not renew them. It appears that the Buggs group did not renew their points after the 2007 draw, thus they all lost the one preference point they had on file. As for the topograpical map, maps were provided prior to the hunt, as promised. They were not of the original camp we had discussed, for two reasons: one is the water source was not adequate and we were not seeing elk sign in that area. The camp we put Mr. Buggs in did have a good water source and we were seeing elk sign in that area. We were trying to put the hunters in the best location for the hunt. We did not "hastily" place this camp and certainly did not pick a camp location where we felt there was "little chance" of success. As for follow-up, a letter was sent on February 20, 2006 to Mr. Buggs (as he was the lead hunter in the group), thanking him for leaving the camp in good shape, thanking him for the business and asking if we could assist in planning a future hunt.

I personally helped pack the Buggs group in to their camp and on the ride in to the camp the commnents I heard repeatedly from several of the hunters was (and I paraphrase), "this country is so beautiful that the scenery and the ride in to camp are worth the trip and if we get an elk it will be a bonus".

We are sorry that we did not meet the expectations of Mr. Buggs and his group. We are also sorry that the staff member whom Mr. Buggs discussed his "displeasure" with did not relay that to us. Since this occurred over 4 years ago, we do not remember the staff member who packed them out. Obviously Mr. Buggs was not happy with the hunt and we try to learn lessons from all experiences. We will continue to send out our follow-up/thank-you letters and do our best to serve our clients and continue to work with our staff so that all comments, good and bad, are relayed to us in a timely manner so that we can address the issue with the client.

Safe hunting and God Bless, Jeanne Horne, Owner/Manager Bar-H Outfitters