Upper Canyon Outfitters

Submitted by: Steven Shealey

Review Submitted: Jun 26, 2011

Hunt Date: Nov 1, 2008

Species Hunted: Elk, Mule Deer

Days Hunted: 6

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Mountain

Method: Rifle

Price Range: Any

I hunted Elk and Mule Deer for 6 days in November of 2008 with Upper Canyon Outfitters and had a great time. I did not get an elk on this trip but managed to take a nice Mule Deer on the fourth day of the hunt. The guides worked extremely hard and the hunt was exactly as advertised. The lodging and meals were great and Donna and her staff were wonderful to be around. I was able to return to UCO for a three day hunt the second week in December when the State exteneded the season and was able to take a nice cow elk in spite of temperatures that stayed below 0 for the entire hunt. Once again the staff and guides worked extremely hard to make the hunt successful.

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Submitted by: Ivan Tinder

Review Submitted: Aug 25, 2010

Hunt Date: not provided

Species Hunted:

Days Hunted: 0

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain:

Method:

Price Range:

NOT AS ADVERTISED !!!

Not as advertised, at least as far as ''private land''...and ''experienced hunting guides'' are concerned. The people that work at the lodge are great. The food was good and there was lots of fun with playing cards etc. at night. However, I think this place is more of a ''Dude Ranch'' than a Big Game Outfitter. The celebrities that they brag about visiting would fit right in. A serious hunter however, is out of his element here.'' So I would say save your money and frustration and choose another outfitter. These folks said they have private land to hunt. BUT, we hunted 2 canyons on public land for 5 days right along side local hunters and out of staters as well. We failed to even get a shooting opportunity at either Elk or Deer. We saw a few Deer and I never saw an Elk. I tried to get partial credit . Donna agreed to at first but the reneged. No luck there either. If you do choose this outfitter make sure they guarantee that you will be hunting PRIVATE LAND...and with an experienced guide.....we didn't and it costs us. I hope this review saves some other hunter from the same experience that we encountered. Thanks ,

Outfitter Response: Ivan takes advantage of outfitters. He was running a scam in the state. He would go on the hunt and than call you and say he was unhappy and if we didn't refund his money he would post bad things about the outfitter on the internet. He did this to us and I looked into it and found two other outfitters in the state who he did the same thing too. I turned him into the state of Mt. Fish and Parks, informed Board of Outfitters about him and evne have the FBI looking into this. His statements are untrue and if you want to call me I will forward you the legal case on this. Remove his post it is very untrue.

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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: ROBERT FLYNN JR on Apr 28 2009

Species Hunted: ELK MULEDEER ANTELOPE

Game Quality: EXCELLENT

Accommodation Quality: EXCELLENT

Camp Condition: EXCELLENT

Food Quality: EXCELLENT

Guide Experience: EXCELLENT

Other Personal Experience: GOOD

Overall Impression: EXCELLENT

Recommend: YES

Reviewer Comments: GREAT PEOPLE THEY GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO GIVE THE BEST HUNT POSSIBLE LOTS OF GAME ALSO

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outfitter review submitted by: GEORGE AUSTIN on Mar 18 2009

Species Hunted: ELK

Game Quality: POOR

Accommodation Quality: GOOD

Camp Condition: POOR

Food Quality: GOOD

Guide Experience: VERY POOR

Other Personal Experience: POOR

Overall Impression: UNSATISFACTORY

Recommend: NO

Reviewer Comments: TWO OF US HUNTED THE FALL OF 2008, NEVER VENTURED MORE THAN 2 MILES FROM THEIR LODGE, WE HAD A GUIDE WHO WAS NOT LICENSED, EXCEPT FOR FISHING, SPENT EVERY DAY WALKING WELL WORN TRAILS AND NAPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. NO IMAGINATION BY OUTFITTER, PROMISED A REDUCTION ON ANOTHER HUNT AND THEN RENIGGED ON THIS PROMISE. CAN'T RECOMMEND THIS OUTFITTER.

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outfitter review submitted by: GHI Engineers And Surveyors on Mar 10 2008

Species Hunted: Elk

Game Quality: good

Accommodation Quality: Excellent

Camp Condition: Excellent

Food Quality: Good

Guide Experience: Very Good

Other Personal Experience: Very Good

Overall Impression: Great Experience

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: I've done 5 Elk hunts,2002-2006, in their tent camp. I've taken 3 bulls, (2) 5x4 (1) 5x5 and 1 miss on a 6 point. This is a great back country horse back hunt in an area with a very good elk population. The staff is professional and knowledgeable of the area. Take your hiking boots and go in good shape. I killed my first bull at 10,500 feet. You'll be hunting above the tree line, 7,500 feet and up. The scenery is rugged and breath taking.

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outfitter review submitted by: John Wilson on Mar 9 2008

Species Hunted: Elk and Mule deer

Game Quality: Excellant

Accommodation Quality: excellant

Camp Condition: very good working order

Food Quality: excellant

Guide Experience: unguided hunt

Other Personal Experience: experienced and friendly

Overall Impression: very satisfied

Recommend: Yes and have already.

Reviewer Comments: My experience with UCO has been limited to unguided hunts. I have been very pleased with the help and their knowledge of the area and their recommendations on where to go to hunt. I was successful with getting a bull but passed on cows opportunities. I have been 3 years and hope to get there this archery season if successful in the draw.

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outfitter review submitted by: Kevin P. Henrichs on Jul 11 2006

Species Hunted: Mule Deer

Game Quality: One day we saw 3 180+ mule deer

Accommodation Quality: Excellent

Camp Condition: Very Good

Food Quality: N/A stayed in a cabin and cook

Guide Experience: Donna McDonald knew the patter

Other Personal Experience: good

Overall Impression: good

Recommend: yes

Reviewer Comments: I was able to draw a limited mule deer tag (only 50 given in the zone) in the area of Upper Canyon Outfitter's camp. After filling my elk tag, Donna helped me utilize my mule deer tag based upon her knowledge of the area. We started the morning by staking out an area were we had seen a thophy buck the night before. Just as she said, the buck showed up between 7 and 8 am and I ended up missing a 125 yard shot. After a trip to the shooting range, I discovered my scope had been bumped and we had to resighted the gun in. Then after an early lunch, we drove to and area and she spotted a large buck about a mile up the gulch. After a two to three hour stalk up to the top of the gulch, I missed an even bigger buck at 350 yards. After all this we ended the day by glassing a valley and just before dark, I filled my tag with a 185+ point mule deer buck at 175 yards. I would not have be able to complete this great day without the help of Donna McDonald and Upper Canyon Outfitters

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outfitter review submitted by: TONY MARTINO on Apr 1 2005

Species Hunted: DEER ELK

Game Quality: VERY GOOD

Accommodation Quality: EXCELLENT

Camp Condition: EXCELLENT

Food Quality: EXCELLENT

Guide Experience: EXCELLENT

Other Personal Experience: EXCELLENT

Overall Impression: EXCELLENT

Recommend: YES

Reviewer Comments: FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I DO NOT TOTALLY JUDGE A HUNT ON WHAT I SEE OR SHOOT. I HAVE HAD JUST AS GOOD A TIME ON HUNTS I DIDN'T SHOOT ANYTHING ON, AS I DID WHEN I GOT MY ELK OR MULE DEER. I HAVE HUNTED OUT OF THIS CAMP SINCE 1988. I HAVE DONE 4 GUIDED AND 7 UNGUIDED WITH THE SAME COUPLE OF FRIENDS.THE QUALITY OF THE ELK HERDS HAVE IMPROVED 10 FOLD IN THIS AREA.IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIANCE TO SEE ELK HERDS OF UP TO 60 HEAD OR MORE MOST OF THE YEARS I'VE HUNTED.I MAY NOT GET A SHOT EVERY YEAR BUT I KNOW I WILL HAVE A GOOD CHANCE IF THE WEATHER COOPERATES.THE LAST TRIP OUT I SAW LOT OF GOOD MULEYS AND ALOT OF ELK.WE GOT 1 BULL AND 2 MULEYS. IT IS NOT AN EASY HUNT WETHER YOU GO GUIDED OR UNGUIDED. YOU WILL DO ALOT OF WALKING TO GET TO THOSE ELK ONCE YOU FIND THEM.YOUR GUIDES WILL DO THE BEST THEY CAN ,YOU CAN COUNT ON THAT.YOU WON'T FIND A NICER BUNCH OF PEOPLE WETHER IT IS IN CAMP IN THE MOUNTAINS OR THE KITCHEN. I WILL BE GOING BACK THIS FALL 2005 AGAIN.I HOPE I GET A NICE ELK OR MULEY BUT THE ONE THING I DO KNOW IS THAT I WILL HAVE A GOOD TIME EVEN IF ITS SITTING IN THE DINING ROOM TALKING WITH OLD FRIENDS.I RECCOMEND THIS CAMP HIGHLY IF YOU LIKE YOU CAN CALL ME AT 203-7432591 ASK FOR TONY

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outfitter review submitted by: Dewayne Mikel on Dec 24 2004

Species Hunted: elk/muledeer

Game Quality: very bad

Accommodation Quality: good

Camp Condition: good

Food Quality: good

Guide Experience: very bad

Other Personal Experience: poor

Overall Impression: waste of money

Recommend: no!

Reviewer Comments: very mislead for two yrs while drawing tags. almost no animals in area, while having excellent hunt conditions. below zero to 9 degrees, 2+ ft snow. guides are friends of thiers from out of state (i was not told this), they do not hunt deep into the availiable country, you hunt on top of each other which upset me when so much country there. no one killed a bull!! only 2 cows killed & it was thier friends who killed them. i feel like they concentrate more on drinking/gambling at night than hunting. they were three of us & we would never go back, even if it was free! that should say enough. first outfitter i ever hunter with & not kill my animal! i had two tags in 2002, thankgiving week. money can be spent much better else where. feel free to call me with any questions.

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outfitter review submitted by: Eric Mosier on Apr 6 2004

Species Hunted: Elk and Mule Deer

Game Quality: N/A - See comments

Accommodation Quality: Excellent

Camp Condition: Excellent

Food Quality: Excellent

Guide Experience: Fair to Excellent

Other Personal Experience: Excellent

Overall Impression: Good - See comments

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: I hunted with Upper Canyon Outfitters several years ago (1999), but I just found this site and I think that it's such a great tool for someone planning a hunt that I wanted to add my review. I have been on two rifle elk hunts out West in the past few years. During both hunts, the weather was unseasonably warm. I learned that hunting elk in hot weather (when they are not in rut) is extremely difficult. There were four in my party. My uncle saw three elk at 7:00 the first day, but those were the last any of us would see. The guides worked hard for us (particularly Donna's brother Joe), although I think that a few of the other guides may have been a little unfamiliar with the territory. We covered a lot of ground in five days, but we just couldn't get on any elk. If you go with UCO, try to get Joe as a guide and you won't be disappointed. That is a big compliment, considering I didn't see any elk. The lodge is really nice and comfortable and the rest of the staff is great. Also, the horses were amazing. I'm not a big horse guy, but they were really easy to ride, even on some pretty rough terrain. I listed this hunt as just "good" because we didn't see any elk. I'm pretty sure that was because of the weather. Considering all of the other aspects of the hunt, if we had seen some elk, it would have been an "excellent" hunt. Feel free to contact me with questions.

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