Ute Creek Outfitters
Ute Creek Outfitters
Rated 5 out of 5.0 based on 41 Outfitter reviews.
Contact: Lee Vigil
Location: Costilla, New Mexico
Species Hunted: Elk, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Pronghorn Antelope, Mountain Lion
State(s) Hunted: NM
note: The following reviews predate the numeric rating system and are not included in this outfitter's overall rating.
outfitter review submitted by: Cody Purviance on Dec 7 2004
Species Hunted: Elk
Game Quality: 340+
Accommodation Quality: Great
Camp Condition: Great
Food Quality: Great
Guide Experience: Very experienced
Other Personal Experience: Very experienced
Overall Impression: Awsome hunt
Recommend: Definately
Reviewer Comments: I only hunted one day but including the evening before my hunt I seen 4 bulls that could score around 330+. I killed a great bull the first evening and was the last hunter in camp to kill. I would highly recommend Ute Creek Outfitters to anyone.
outfitter review submitted by: Bart J Besaw on Nov 11 2004
Species Hunted: Elk
Game Quality: Very Good
Accommodation Quality: Average
Camp Condition: Average
Food Quality: Very Good
Guide Experience: Very Good
Other Personal Experience: Good
Overall Impression: Terrific Hunt
Recommend: Yes
Reviewer Comments: This was a terrific hunt, the price was slightly above average but with the number and quality of the animals I saw it was well worth it. My hunt was Sept 9th thru 14th and to have four archery hunters kill four Pope & Young bulls was very impressive to say the least. Also there's no need to apply for tags the outfitter is part owner of close to 90,000 acres so landowner tags were what we used. I'm already signed up for next year looking forword to another great hunt.
outfitter review submitted by: Steve Foster on Oct 29 2004
Species Hunted: Elk
Game Quality: Excellent
Accommodation Quality: Good
Camp Condition: Good
Food Quality: Very Good
Guide Experience: Excellent
Other Personal Experience: Excellent
Overall Impression: A Wonderful Experience
Recommend: Most Definitely
Reviewer Comments: After much research, reference checking, etc., I settled on Ute Creek Outfitters and the Rio Costilla Park Ranch as perhaps the best opportunity within my means for me to harvest a trophy 6 X 6 Elk. I sure was not disappointed. Not only is the ranch well managed for elk, but the people (outfitters, guides, community of Costilla, NM) are extremely friendly and courteous making you feel most welcome and at home. Add this to their experience and familiarity with the 82,000 acre ranch, and you've got a winner. They will give you the opportunity, the rest is up to you. The accomodations were good and convenient to the ranch. The food was too good and too plentiful. For those who have not been to the mountains in the west, the views are breathtaking. There is no way you can take a picture of this and capture what you are feeling and experiencing as you stand there in awe. With a good network of trail roads throughout the ranch, Ute Creek Outfitters can accomodate many physically challenged hunters and help them with reasonable opportunities for success. If I sound biased, I am because I truly had a wonderful experience, bagged perhaps my 6 X 6 elk of a lifetime and met some wonderful people whom I sincerely hope to see again. Great place, great hunt, great people. You can't go wrong.
outfitter review submitted by: Greg Jimerson on Oct 17 2004
Species Hunted: Elk
Game Quality: excellent
Accommodation Quality: excellent
Camp Condition: excellent
Food Quality: excellent
Guide Experience: excellent
Other Personal Experience: excellent - great knowledge
Overall Impression: first class--excellent
Recommend: absolutely
Reviewer Comments: I have been on at least 2-3 outfitted hunts for over 10 years and by far this was the best outfitter and hunt I have ever been on. I highly recommend UCO and the experience.
outfitter review submitted by: Judge Stanely Bird on Apr 19 2004
Species Hunted: Merriam Turkey
Game Quality: Mature Toms
Accommodation Quality: Lodge Facility
Camp Condition: Good
Food Quality: Good
Guide Experience: Great
Other Personal Experience: Great
Overall Impression: None Better
Recommend: Yes I would
Reviewer Comments: I hunted with Lee and Baba on the Rio Costilla Park for two days. I saw lots of elk and mule deer in our turkey hunt, but no turkeys. We found lots of sign, but on day two in the afternoon, Baba spotted some turkeys and Lee and I made a successful stalk. I've never done spot and stalk turkey before, but the gobblers were just not responding. I think it's just a bit too early for them. I just came back from a 13 month deployment in Iraq and Lee promised when I got back he'd take me on a turkey hunt. He made good on his promise and I can't thank him and Baba more for having me. These guys know exactly what needs to be done and they really are professionals.
outfitter review submitted by: Steve Purviance on Mar 16 2004
Species Hunted: Elk
Game Quality: Above Average
Accommodation Quality: Good
Camp Condition: Good
Food Quality: Good
Guide Experience: Great
Other Personal Experience: Great
Overall Impression: See Details
Recommend: Yes
Reviewer Comments: Lee and his Uncle Louis have a long history on the Rio Costilla. Without a doubt, they know the best areas and animal patterns. 2003 was the second year I've hunted the ranch and I definitely plan on hunting again next year. I enjoyed an archery hunt in September of 2002, saw 5 bulls over 300 and passed many smaller bulls. I had one encounter with a 330+ bull at 20yds. In 2003 I enjoyed a rifle hunt and again saw and passed many bulls, including a couple in the 300-class. We were chasing a 360 bull, but due to unseasonably warm weather, this herd bull spent little daylight in the open. Great time, Great people and scenery second to none. U.C.O. hunters will have very good chance at tagging a trophy bull.
outfitter review submitted by: Norbert Nebe on Mar 3 2004
Species Hunted: elk
Game Quality: good
Accommodation Quality: good
Camp Condition: good
Food Quality: good
Guide Experience: best darn guides
Other Personal Experience: good
Overall Impression: good hunt with good people
Recommend: yes and have
Reviewer Comments: this is a fine operation on an ranch that has invested into their wildlife. we saw plenty of game, including some big bull in herd as we hunted the late season. i'm booked for the following year and hope to make this a yearly consideration. only problem with the late hunt is the animals are spooked and bewildered making it a tough hunt. you have to really get on them. i highly recommend this hunt and the outfitter. everyone from the cook to the guide worked very hard to make sure we had a good hunt. i killed a nice 6x6 that i'm very proud of. thank you.
outfitter review submitted by: Frank Staropoli on Dec 17 2003
Species Hunted: Elk
Game Quality: Very good
Accommodation Quality: Very good
Camp Condition: Very good
Food Quality: Very good
Guide Experience: Very good
Other Personal Experience: Very good
Overall Impression: Very good
Recommend: Yes
Reviewer Comments: I was out hunting the same week as Tom Miranda and after he got his bull I figured I would be next, but as is with all fair chase hunts their are no guarrantees. I saw three HUGE bulls and had some close encounters with some others but things just fall my way. Lee demonstrated that he knows what it takes to get in bow range and that is why I will be going out again in 04
outfitter review submitted by: Jack Vigil on Nov 3 2003
Species Hunted: Antelope
Game Quality: Excellent
Accommodation Quality: Hotel in Springer
Camp Condition: Excellent
Food Quality: Resturant in Springer
Guide Experience: Excellent
Other Personal Experience: N/A
Overall Impression: Exceptional
Recommend: Definately
Reviewer Comments: I hunted with Elias in September on a large ranch near Springer, NM. I was the only hunter in the area. The day before the hunt we went scouting and I couldn't belive the number of large bucks we saw. We decided on one buck and opening morning we made our way where we had seen him the night before. I took my first shot at him at about 100 yards and wounded his front leg. We spend the rest of the morning and afternoon watching the buck as he seperated from the herd, and once he bedded, we circled him with the wind in our favor and snuck-up on him. He stood braodside as we approached and I hit him solid at 230 yards. The buck was a good, thick 15 3/4". My first big game trophy. The hunt was exceptional and Elias is an excellent hunter and outdoorsman. I'd highly recommend this hunt to anyone who wants a trophy antelope.
outfitter review submitted by: Mike Rex on Oct 26 2003
Species Hunted: Elk
Game Quality: Excellent
Accommodation Quality: Good
Camp Condition: Good
Food Quality: Great
Guide Experience: The best!
Other Personal Experience: Top notch
Overall Impression: Very Good
Recommend: Yes
Reviewer Comments: This was a post-rut blackpowder hunt, but the weather did not agree with the hunt! Very hot the entire time (unusual), which caused the movement of the elk to be rather low during the day. I passed on a nice 5X5 the 2nd day, could not get a shot on a very nice 5X5 that stood behind a tree for half an hour the 3rd day, and got a shot off at a 5X5 the 5th day which, well, ...it was my fault. Great hunt with a great bunch of guys. I was overwhelmed a couple of times with the amount of attention to getting my elk and the huge effort by everyone on staff to help out. The only draw back about the hunt was that I felt bad for Lee and his crew that I did not get an elk after all the work and effort they put into it. I am re-booking with him for a future hunt. If you want a really fun hunt ask for the one that Dirty Harry is the cook! And listen to what Baba (former outfitter that helps out) has to say. These guys KNOW elk and elk hunting. You will not go wrong here. Email me anytime for specifics.
Contact: J. Paul Taylor
Location: Midway, Alabama
Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer, Turkey, Quail
State(s) Hunted: AL
Wyoming Hunting Information
Wyoming is a great state for hunters! It offers a wide variety of good big game, turkey, small game, upland and predator hunting.
Quebec Hunting Information
Quebec is probably best know as an excellent caribou hunting destination. Hunters from across the globe travel to Quebec to hunt their big Quebec-Labrador caribou migration. In addition to caribou hunting, Quebec offers black bears, Canada moose and whitetails.
Manitoba Hunting Information
Manitoba is known as a top destination for avid waterfowl hunters. Huge flocks of ducks and geese can be found from the Arctic coast of Hudson Bay to the prairie potholes on the southern border of this Canadian province. There is no legal requirement for non-resident waterfowl hunters to use a guide, but many are available and a high percentage of non-Canadian hunters utilize them. In addition black bear, Canada moose and whitetails are hunted throughout the province.