Gibson Taxidermy

Submitted by: Sam Fortino

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Review Submitted: Feb 3, 2012

Hunt Date: Sep 4, 2007

Species Hunted: Elk

Days Hunted: 6

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Mountain

Method: Bow

Price Range: 3000-3999

Don't believe everything

It has been awhile since I've hunted with Jeff and Ben, let's start there. I was actually trying to find their website to look at this years' photos,when I noticed there was a horrible review. I have hunted with outfitters in seven different states, and Sask., B.C., and New Foundland for Elk, Moose, Mulies,Whitetails, Bear, and antelope. So I guess I have a little knowledge of what to expect out of an outfitter. I disagree with Brian 100%, and would recommend this hunt to anyone whoever dreams of archery hunting elk in the mountains of the west. This was the best hunting experience I have ever had, topped off by taking a truly magnificent animal. From the very first time I met Ben and Jeff, they told me what to expect from them, and what they expected from me, from all of the outfitters I have dealt with over the years, they were the most honest,truthful men I have met. The most important thing stressed was getting yourself in shape, talking to Jeff leading up to the hunt, he couldn't stress this enough, so for a guy to admit showing up to camp out of shape and then to complain.... Any TRUE hunter knows better than that. We were into Elk everday, hearing them bugle for the first time is something you will never forget, the country was demanding but altitude is lower than most elk hunts you will find, so overall it is like a dream location. Beautiful but manageable. The lodge and bunkhouses are a whole lot more comfortable than wall tents, with hot showers every night after hunting. The food wasn't five star, but it was plentiful, fresh, more than I expected. Guides explain prior to leaving the first morning, strategy on how hunting should be done, and what to expect. I have yet to find more knowledgeable guides on any hunt for any species, anywhere I've been in the US or Canada. They all worked their tails off , hunting ,and packing out. they know their area well. Anyone who would like to contact me further,feel free sfo1924@frontier.com

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Submitted by: Jim Fredrickson

Review Submitted: Apr 9, 2011

Hunt Date: Sep 15, 2007

Species Hunted: Elk

Days Hunted: 4

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Mountain

Method: Bow

Price Range: 3000-3999

Archery Elk

I have never been treated so rudly by anyone let alone someone I was paying to take me on a hunt. Jeff was my guide and he swore at me numerous times. Its like he had it in for me. I have hunted all my life and when we set up for an ambush he would tell me or more like it scream at me to not fucking move. One time I set up and I had absolutely no possible way to even get a shot off and he yelled again don't fucking move. In both casess the bull was a long way off. I finally told Jeff there is no way I could get a shot if he did come in and he said I don't care. I went on this hunt by myself and was teamed up with a gentelman from Georgia that had been hunting with them before and it was like I wasn't even there Jeff and the other gentelman talked and laughed and Jeff looked right through me like I wasn't even there. On the fourth day the guy from Georgia shot a bull and Jeff said we had to get off the mountain and not do any pushing of the animal and that they would go looking for it the next day. He stuck me in a blind by a dry dust wallow on his land to passify me the rest of the day,but that night when I asked who I could hunt with the next day,he said you have two options and that was to either sit in the ground blind all day which was a joke in the first place or go help them look for the bull the gentelman from Georgia had shot. He had two other guides that their party had filed out with, I could have went with them or he had hired a guide the week before that could have taken me out. I argued with him that night and I said I'am getting screwed out of my last day of hunting. He said that was my only two options. So I said I might as well go home then and he said I don't care those are your only two options. So I did go home the next morning extremely upset. I should have send a letter to the Montana DNR or guide services but I never did. When I saw looking through the internet this outfitters name and a place to comment or review my hunt I couldn't pass it up. They didn't hunt at all in the evening because they were to lazy. I hope I never have an experience like that again.

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note: The following reviews predate the numeric rating system and are not included in this outfitter's overall rating.

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outfitter review submitted by: Brian Mcilnay on Dec 26 2008

Species Hunted: Elk

Game Quality: Low

Accommodation Quality: OK

Camp Condition: OK

Food Quality: Pretty good

Guide Experience: Low

Other Personal Experience: N/A

Overall Impression: Totally Disatisfied

Recommend: Never

Reviewer Comments: Jeff and Ben seemed like nice people. Accomodations were OK for a just out of town hunting camp. First of all, we were not physically prepared. That I am sure had an impact on the quality of our hunt. The outfitter may have tried to customize our hunt based on our physical ability. However, being an experienced elk hunter with 8 bulls from my bow, self guided, I don't think that is entirely the case. I think they saw us coming from a mile away. A 64 year old hunter with his 40 year old son just wanting a Montana experience. It was the last week of Archery, they were tired and just wanted a lazy week before the hustle and bustle of the rifle hunts. Hunting consisted of waking at 4am every morning of a 4:30 breakfast followed by over an hour drive to wherever they were taking us for the day. The hunts lasted until around 2 pm or so. That included their nap as you "sat and listened" It felt like they were obligated to keep you out "in the field" until early afternoon so that you did not feel jipped on time. Ben got us semi lost a few times, we could not find the trail and had to make our own through some of the nastiest terrain I have ever had to crawl down. That made for an interesting and painful day. Jeff was out with my Dad one day, scouting for an upcoming Ram hunt that he had a customer (either a family memeber or a friend of the family) He was busy glassing the rocks for Rams instead of trying to figure out a way to get an elk in front of my Dad. On our best day, Ben and I were onto an elk. We got to within two to three hundred yards. I was set up on a steep side hill. I wanted to move up to a flat spot ten yards up the hill. He waived for me to hold tight. He then started rustling around behind me so I turned to look. He was taking off his back pack. I thought he was going in for the fold out decoy. A minute or two later, I turned to see what he was doing. He was sitting on his A** eating a f****** sandwitch. As I am standing there, uncomfortable as hell on a sidehill on which he told me to stand tight... I gracefully took my arrow off of my string and put it back into my quiver. When he finished his sandwitch, after the elk had moved way ahead of us (I have no idea if we would have been able to keep up with this bull) Ben came up to me and suggested climbing a little higher. That was the end of my hunt. I told him that I was done, I had no desire to climb any more. I have never left a bugling bull on a hill like that before but I had no desire to spend any more time with that outfitter. And, when I got back to camp that day, before I even had time to speak, my Dad said it first. He said "I am done, I do not want to hunt with these yahoos any more". With that, we cut our hunt short by one day. I have much more to the story if you would like to hear. From an experienced archery elk hunter, I would not ever recommend this outfitter. Feel free to email or call me.

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