Ross Johnson Outfitters

Submitted by: Gary Welch

Review Submitted: Sep 16, 2010

Hunt Date: Sep 2, 2010

Species Hunted: Elk

Days Hunted: 6

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Foothills

Method: Bow

Price Range: 4000-4999

Elk Hunting with Ross Johnson Outfitters

I would highly recommend Ross Johnson Outfitter. Their service was great and my guide was also outstanding. We were into bulls every day of the hunt, and I passed on many smaller bulls looking for a chance at a true trophy 320 plus bull. We had at least 4 bulls in this category or bigger within 100 yard several days. We hunted in the early morning while trying to intercept the elk moving back to their bedding grounds and late afternoon over water holes. This early hunt has its limitation since the bulls are not really hot and are bedding early morning, but this is a great opportunity to catch them when they have not been spooked early in the season from so many hunters chasing them. They are also very predictable at the water holes this time of year. Even though I did not take home a trophy this was one of the best guided hunts I have ever been on and the quality of quantity of elk is outstanding.

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Submitted by: Ron Blackmer

Review Submitted: Sep 16, 2010

Hunt Date: Sep 16, 2004

Species Hunted: Elk

Days Hunted: 6

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Any

Method: Bow

Price Range: 4000-4999

Hunter success for archery in this unit is 15%. We found out that is probably accurate even when using a guide. Our 4 hunters on a 1x1 guided hunts and no shots for any of us. Lots of walking, substandard guides, hard to locate elk. Food was good but is hard to savor when the rest of the hunt isn't. Also don't we were told by the outfitter that shot opportunities were 80%-100% depending on year. Our only shot opportunity was a 50 yarder on a spike elk that the guide unwittingly called in while we were killing time during a rain storm. Tags are also more expensive in this unit.

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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: Ron Blackmer on Apr 16 2004

Species Hunted: Elk

Game Quality: Fair

Accommodation Quality: Adequate

Camp Condition: 1 bow target- new

Food Quality: Good

Guide Experience: Below average

Other Personal Experience: N/A

Overall Impression: Poor

Recommend: No

Reviewer Comments: This hunt is advertised as being in a unit of 350+ bulls. We took four archery hunters in mid-September. No shot opportunites for anyone. Not even close. Before we booked this hunt I asked Ross about what opportunities he averaged each year and he answered 80-100% shot opportunity. On kill rate he said about 50%. According to our guides actual rates are about 15% or about the unit average. We had trouble finding elk most days and when we did find them the guides didn't seem particularly optimistic about getting them or even pursuing them. I did see a 370 the first day but my guide said, "no way we can get to it." So we left after we watched it bed. One guide had never been in the parts of the unit he was guiding. Since this was his first time guiding for Ross he felt he had to do what "the boss" said. One of our group hunted a water hole one evening only to be kicked off by a local an hour before dark. Another evening the guide took him to another water hole where there was no activity so they left. That was it for the evening hunt. The guides explained that our hunt was pretty typical of most archery hunts. And according to them the other camps didn't fare much better. Even the Double H ranch where hunters pay 10k+ to hunt had one kill in two weeks. Ross visited our camp the night before our hunt started and never showed again. He never called or did any follow up with us. I finally sent Ross a detailed letter on our experience. I still had a little hope that we may find a way to salvage something from this fiasco. He wrote back saying he would look into it but I haven't heard anything since. If you're thinking of hunting this unit or with Ross don't hesitate to contact me.

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outfitter review submitted by: Ron Blackmer on Feb 25 2004

Species Hunted: Elk

Game Quality: fair

Accommodation Quality: Adequate

Camp Condition: Adequate

Food Quality: Good

Guide Experience: Poor

Other Personal Experience: none other seen

Overall Impression: Poor

Recommend: No

Reviewer Comments: We hunted archery elk. Four hunters no shot opportunities. Plenty of nature walks. The biggest problem was the guides were substandard. Three of the guides were not hunters of any sort. The one guide who was a hunter had never been in the unit before this hunt. The guides went where the outfitter told them to go but when they couldn't find elk at that spot they were out of ideas. The outfitter showed up the night before the hunt and we never saw him after that. One guide took his hunter to a waterhole only to be kicked off it by a local an hour later. Another night they walked to another water hole and when there was no fresh activity they left. Each time that was it for the evening hunt. One guide couldn't see very well and couldn't hear either. The hunter would hear a bugle but the guide could not hear it or tell which direction to go. The most excitement usually came in near collisions with cattle while driving. Watch out for the black ones after dark. Even the locals have trouble seeing them.

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