Outfitter Review - Ross Johnson Outfitters

Outfitter Information

Outfitter Name: Ross Johnson Outfitters

Outfitter / Contact: Ross Johnson

Location: NM, USA

Hunt Information

Animals Hunted: Elk

Game Quality: Fair

Game Quantity: Poor

Accomodations: Adequate

Camp Condition: 1 bow target- new

Food Quality: Good

Guide Experience: Below average

Other Personal Experience: N/A

Review Information

Hunter: Ron Blackmer

Phone:

Email:

Would Recommend: No

Overall Impression: Poor

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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