Ford Creek Guest Ranch

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: Bob on Apr 30 2009

Species Hunted: Elk/Deer

Game Quality: poor

Accommodation Quality: terrible

Camp Condition: ok

Food Quality: ok

Guide Experience: none

Other Personal Experience: poor

Overall Impression: terrible

Recommend: Not a chance

Reviewer Comments: Fellow Hunters, I hunted at Ford Creek last October. When I met Travis Barker at a sportsman show the previous February he told me his ranch was private property and I would be staying in a beautiful private cabin with a queen bed as well as seeing elk and deer 'on his ranch' that were plentiful and of record book quality. Ford Creek and Travis Barker are not as advertised. Travis' ranch is approx 5 acres and all the hunting is done on public national forest land. And yes, you will see plenty of other hunters. My accomodations were in a shack and my bed was an old army cot that didn't even have a pad. Good thing I had an emergency sleeping bag in my rig or I would have been pretty cold at night. My guide was brand new and had NEVER been in the area before. He had no idea where the game was or any type of a plan at all. I did however manage to get a decent buck (no thanks to Travis or my guide) only to have the meat thrown on the dirty shop floor that was covered with dirt, oil and horse manure. It seemed to me that Travis and the guides were more concerned about getting drunk than taking care of the clients wants or needs. The week I was at Ford Creek there were 13 hunters in camp and only two aniamals were killed. Most of the hunters did not even see an elk or deer let alone a shooter. False advertising of this place should be illegal. If you are considering booking with this sorry excuse of an outfitter please feel free to email me. Bob

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outfitter review submitted by: Erick Trachsel on Jan 18 2009

Species Hunted: Mule Deer & Elk

Game Quality: Good

Accommodation Quality: Good

Camp Condition: Very good

Food Quality: Good

Guide Experience: Very good

Other Personal Experience: Good

Overall Impression: Excellent

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: My dad and I went on the Scapegoat Wilderness Hunt. We packed in on horses 10 miles to a remote location and never saw any hunters around us. We had an absolutely great time and I shot a really nice 4x4 and my dad got a great 4x5 Mule Deer. I can't really speak to the quality of elk as we made it clear to our guide who was Travis Barker that we wanted to concentrate on Mule Deer. The entire trip was something I'll remember forever and we had a great time. Everyone on the trip got at least 1 animal. In all we got 3 mule deer and 1 elk. The horses and mules that were used were the best. The other 2 guides in camp were very nice and the entire camp was easy to get along with. My dad and I would recommend this to anyone who is willing to get out and work. It is a hard hunt and you do have to do a lot of walking and stalking in addition to riding horses. In addition to deer & elk we also saw moose, sheep, mountain goats and a cougar. Travis provided everyone with a great trip and from start to finish did a great job.

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outfitter review submitted by: Pete Healy on Oct 26 2008

Species Hunted: elk,deer

Game Quality: none

Accommodation Quality: poor

Camp Condition: poor

Food Quality: poor, not enough

Guide Experience: high school kids

Other Personal Experience: poor

Overall Impression: worst ever

Recommend: only to an enemy

Reviewer Comments: 10 hunters in camp. Not allowed to use horses to get out from camp. Travis is real nice at the shows, but clams up at camp. Cook was a nasty incompetent and was quiting after the hunt. We had to sleep on pallets on the ground. Guides wanted to sleep from noon til 3pm. Never saw a deer or elk.

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outfitter review submitted by: Russ Van Orman on Jun 7 2008

Species Hunted: Elk/Deer

Game Quality: Excellent

Accommodation Quality: Great

Camp Condition: Great

Food Quality: Excellent

Guide Experience: Excellent

Other Personal Experience: Excellent

Overall Impression: Excellent

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: This hunt was "dream hunt" for my dad and myself. Our guide was well experienced and new the country around Ford Creek. We hunted from the ranch since my dad has heart condition that prevents him from riding horses. My dad and I both saw lots of deer each day. I shot 4 by 5 mulie on the seond day of the hunt and thanksgiving morning I shot real nice 6 X 6 Bull elk (scored 301) The next day my dad shot a large Whitetail buck (4X4) with hugh tines. We saw some Elk but the weather was warm so the Elk were just starting to move out of the high country hence the good rating..I am looking forward in going back.

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outfitter review submitted by: Tony Mouncer on Jan 10 2008

Species Hunted: Elk/Mule deer

Game Quality: Great bucks! Rag bull's

Accommodation Quality: Poor to say the least.

Camp Condition: Very well maintained

Food Quality: Cook was great

Guide Experience: VERY!!! VERY!!! POOR!!!!

Other Personal Experience: very friendly

Overall Impression: Not what is advertised....

Recommend: No!! Unless owners change.

Reviewer Comments: I did harvest a very respectable muley 30 7/8 wide. 4x5 and kickers on both side's with eyeguards. BC score 183 5/8". This deer was a 9 year quest that I have been on and should have been the high of my life. Not so!!! As far as Ford creek goes. Find a map. Find Ford creek. Apply. Get tag. Go!!! It is all public access right down to the ranch that sit's in a tiny land withholding through the state. Travis is a great salesman and if B.S. was a blizzard he would be the king of snow! Go sell cars Travis!! For my guide Larry Zinger Very very good. We had our out's but mangaged to get it together every time. Larry was very skilled with the wilderness,horses and did just fine. Just needed more time in the area. Lack of area knowledge hurt this hunt, but was not his fault. Travis once again say's who goes where. There is game in this area! You do have to work! It's the Rocky Mountains for Christ sake! Cold. Snowy. and did I say cold! You do not need outfitter if your willing to work and be prepare for extreme weather -12 several days. My Opinion!! This is a migration hunt only and tough country. Come prepared and Don't book with Ford creek unless it changes hand's. there is word that Barker's are selling out imagine that!

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outfitter review submitted by: Buzz Mouncer on Nov 26 2007

Species Hunted: Elk/Deer

Game Quality: Deer excellent / Elk nominal

Accommodation Quality: Below Average

Camp Condition: Excellent

Food Quality: Quite Good actually

Guide Experience: Very very poor

Other Personal Experience: Below average

Overall Impression: Shockingly disappointed

Recommend: I will spread the bad news

Reviewer Comments: My son and I harvested a 30 7/8" buck & above average 4pt on 3rd day and saw many quality bucks every day. So why are we angry? I just wrote seven paragraphs to explain and erased them all, not halfway through explaining the deceit, arrogance, misrepresentation and total disrespect of this outfitter. Over the past 40 years I've had the pleasure of hunting many regions with numerous folks and entertained outfitter friends in my home. During that time I've been to 2 County Fairs, an oyster feed at the Grange Hall and a goat roping on The Reservation. But I've never before seen such gross negligence and lack of concern for paying customers. If you want your meat thrown in the dirt, packed unprotected on a mule's back and tossed on a horse barn floor with instructions that "there it is, do what you want with it" then Travis Barker might be right up your alley. If you don't mind being sent on a Moby Dick whale hunt into an elkless basin while your outfitter takes 2 of his guides (and no clients) to the migration route, kills a bull then hides it behind his cabin then I'm sure you'll get along fine with this egomanic Banty Rooster. As for my son and I, we left two days early absolutely heartsick. Tell me how many folks you know who harvest a 30 inch buck leave camp with such low emotions. Thanks Travis for spoiling a lifelong dream. Now for the good news. Rumor has it that the Barkers may be selling out. Watch for that to occur before giving up on Ford Creek. It is indeed an awesome place with excellent stock and tack, inspirational vistas and a willing support staff. A new owner/outfitter is about all it realy needs. Contrary to prior postings - There are plenty of bucks and bulls and I have the photos to prove it.

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outfitter review submitted by: Brett Drysdale on Sep 2 2007

Species Hunted: Elk & Mulie

Game Quality: none sighted

Accommodation Quality: average

Camp Condition: average

Food Quality: good

Guide Experience: none

Other Personal Experience: very little

Overall Impression: very very bad

Recommend: Don,t go here at all

Reviewer Comments: Very bad outfitter. Ten day hunt, saw no game at all, not just bad timing. BAD GUIDES !!! All hunting on foot so guides couldn't get far enough to get lost. Our guide had to be fired in middle of hunt because he left us five miles from camp on a mountain. Get back to camp he's drunk and mouthy with a 44 on his side, Had to sleep with my 300 loaded. Please do not go here this place should be shut down.

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outfitter review submitted by: Bruce Drysdale on Mar 24 2006

Species Hunted: Elk/mule deer

Game Quality: NONE SIGHTED

Accommodation Quality: good

Camp Condition: good

Food Quality: fair

Guide Experience: not good- read comments

Other Personal Experience: ok

Overall Impression: really really sucked big time

Recommend: to Hillery Clinton

Reviewer Comments: This was a celebration hunt for my son and myself as we both had just beaten cancer. We met Travis at Iowa Deer Classic. He seemed ok, now I see he is SLICK.Travis promised us liscenced experienced guides . Our guide was also from Iowa and had only hunted Elk one week before he guided us and he was a guide that week even though he had never Elk hunted himself and never killed an Elk. He had never been there before and didn't know where we were most of time. On fifth day I ask the "guide" to take us back to camp and he blew up and left us on a mountain top 5 miles from camp. We got lost and I became dehydrated. Back at camp the "guide" harrased us as soon as we found our way back. He was drunk and had a 44 mag on his shoulder holster. WE had it out verbally. I had to stay in my tent and could not even go to cook tent! 2 more days no guide! Lots of drinking, lots of drunks daily. Travis had an aqaintence fill in for one guide and he took his hunters by horseback away and they both killed elk, he was the only experienced guide in camp and he wasn't really a guide, but nice guy. other "guides" were young. E-mail me and I'll tell you even more bad things, lots of them. Saw NO game, ten people in camp, all but two saw no game. Travis ripped me off, and he is a liar plain and simple. Also charged us $300 to pick us up at motel and return us, trip back we had to drive their old truck ourselves and leave for the sucker. I'm going to write Orvis as they are "approved" by Orvis. Maybe Orvis sucks too!

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outfitter review submitted by: Derek J. on Nov 8 2005

Species Hunted: Elk/Mule Deer

Game Quality: very poor

Accommodation Quality: OK

Camp Condition: OK

Food Quality: average

Guide Experience: below average

Other Personal Experience: OK

Overall Impression: very poor

Recommend: NO, Never

Reviewer Comments: only one elk shot for 19 hunters in 6 days. No elk in his area. Lots of public pressure. Hunt not as advertised. Stay away!! Most hunters never saw an elk and few saw deer.

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outfitter review submitted by: Jeff Starkey on Sep 27 2005

Species Hunted: Elk & Mule deer

Game Quality: 5 cows,10 hunters,6 1/2 days

Accommodation Quality: average

Camp Condition: average

Food Quality: average

Guide Experience: good

Other Personal Experience: good

Overall Impression: Snipe hunt/ worst ever

Recommend: Never, save your money

Reviewer Comments: We hunted opening week of Elk in the Beautiful Bob Marshall Wilderness. We horsebacked deep into the Bob Marshall, a 7 hour horseback ride, and stayed in a tent camp.(Hunt date, Sept.15,2005 to 9/21/2005). Ten hunters, 5 guides, hunted daylight until dusk for 6 days. The guides bugeled and cow called throughout the day.We walked/hunted 7 to 15 miles per day.The country was rugged & mountianous. Some hunters stayed in on some days becaus of numerous blisters on their feet. And aching ankles, although all were in great shape and none were smokers. A total of 5 cows were sighted and 1 small Bull 120 yrds with no shot possible. When the hunt was over we attempted to discuss our dissapointment with outfitter Travis Barker, He basically said," too bad,it's fair chase, and walked away. All hunters were in disbelief at his response. I would reccomend this outfitter to nobody. He shouldn't even be in the business! Jeff Starkey 6449 Mccandlish Grand Blanc, MI 48439

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