Western Colorado Outfitters

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: Roger Campbell on Mar 12 2007

Species Hunted: Elk / Mule Deer

Game Quality: Very Good

Accommodation Quality: Very Good

Camp Condition: Very Good

Food Quality: Excellent

Guide Experience: Very Good

Other Personal Experience: Very Good

Overall Impression: Excellent

Recommend: Yes, definitely

Reviewer Comments: My brother and I hunted with Eric on our first guided elk/deer hunt and we were more than satisfied. Being our first guided hunt we did not know what to expect except that we wanted the guides to work as hard as we did and they did. They knew the area well and knew where the game would be. We had shooting opportunities everyday. I contribute this to the fact that the guides knew where to go. We are going back this fall and are bring along 4 other friends. I have no reservations about referencing Eric Layman to anybody. Thanks and Happy Hunting.

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outfitter review submitted by: R. Brooks on Feb 6 2007

Species Hunted: Elk

Game Quality: Low

Accommodation Quality: Fine

Camp Condition: Fine

Food Quality: Great

Guide Experience: Zero

Other Personal Experience: Zero

Overall Impression: Guides do not know how to hunt bugling bulls in the rut

Recommend: ABSOLUTELY NOT

Reviewer Comments: Camp accomodations were fine. Where do I begin on the hunting experience: 1. Guides laid down and fell asleep while trying to call in an elk. 2. One guide got lost and we had to go and find him 3. Admitted to keeping us out of the dark timber, where elk live in 80 degree weather, so as not to chase them out for other hunters coming in later seasons. I built up preference points so I could go on an early season hunt. They are now wasted! 4. Guide tried to put me on an illegal stand near a salt block. 5. Had 2 hunters back in camp by 9 or 10 AM on 3 of the 7 hunting days 6. Guides had absolutely no experience hunting elk in the rut but said they did before we signed contract. 7. On the last day, we insisted on being taken to an area where dark timber was present. We hunted on our own and called in an elk and shot and hit it with a muzzleloader. It was raining and we tried to track it. The guide and the outfitter were on the trail below us and were contacted via radio. They would not assist in helping to locate the wounded game. They said they were unable to find us but we are sure they made no attempt to find us. We were able to communicate to others in our hunting party and able to guide them to us from 3 mountains away. 8. The outfitter (Eric Layman) flat out told me his hunts are designed for the once in a lifetime hunter who comes out west and is satisfied to ride horses and see game from a mile away. This is NOT what he told us when we booked the hunt at the Harrisburg, PA Eastern Sportsman Show. We were told they were experienced in calling in elk. These people will say anything to get your business. If you want a nice horseback riding vacation then this is the place for you. If you want to hunt STAY AWAY. We are experienced elk hunters that are accustomed to hunting on our own. We have killed 25+ bull elk all on our own while hunting in Idaho. All of our hunting is on foot and we pack our own game on our back. We choose to go with an outfitter because there are more elk in CO, we wanted to have someone else pack our game, and we wanted to have the use of horses to make it a little easier on ourselves.

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