Bowsite.com

I recently finished a mid-September bowhunt for elk Colorado’s High Lonesome Outfitters. The camp, the food, the location, potential, and overall experience was outstanding. However, do your homework on your specific guide before booking a bowhunt. It was tough hunting as the elk were quiet, which forced us to change strategies from calling to spotting and stalking. The first red flag we experienced was that while my hunting partner and I carried binoculars, our guide never bothered. In fact, there were multiple instances of our guide asking us “what is that brown spot over there”, “is that an elk or a deer”, “can I use your binoculars!”. If I’ve learned anything from experiencing and researching western bowhunting it’s that high quality glass is a must. Not only did Cody not carry binoculars, he refused to carry a rangefinder. There are many times bowhunting when things happen quickly and the hunter must draw and judge distance at a moments notice. A guide should have a rangefinder to help in that situation. When I asked Cody if he brought his rangefinder on day three (after asking the first two days), his response was “what are we going to range?” “Jackrabbits” I said. Really?! The lack of bowhunting experience was also evident when multiple times Cody would lead us down the middle of open terrain searching for elk (not scanning anything with glass prior to entering). Not only were we completely exposed walking in the open, but had we in fact spotted something, our only move would be to freeze lest we scared everything away. My partner and I explained to him how exposed we felt to which he replied “that’s why we are taking it slow”. I don’t care how slow you go, the hunter must spot the elk before they spot them and walking slow or otherwise in the open simply does not work. This may be a mediocre strategy for rifle hunting, but not bowhunting. We tried multiple times to explain our reasoning for alternative approaches to him, but he was very insensitive to feedback. To Cody’s credit, he put the time in to try and get us on elk and he can bugle with the best of them, but unless the elk are bugling back and running to his call, he’s not going to get the job done. His lack of bowhunting experience and reception to feedback will hopefully be changed with time and maturity.