Royal Trophy Outfitters – Outfitter Review –Archery Elk Hunt – NM

gtoffme5

Button Buck
Royal Trophy Outfitters – Outfitter Review –Archery Elk Hunt – NM 9-11-14…9-16-14
I am writing this review for the benefit of other hunters who save their hard-earned money and spend precious vacation time, as well as time away from their families, in order to hunt elk.
Lodging and Accommodations – Good –Met my expectations. Double wide with sufficient space and eating area. Satellite TV and all the other amenities of home. Nothing fancy about it.
Food and Meals – Good. Two large meals a day. Early breakfast is something lite (cereal, toast or oatmeal), back to the house mid-morning for a large breakfast. A large supper was served after the evening hunt. Mrs. Lynda was a great cook and hostess. Ms. Jess was her cook in training and she was very nice and helpful.
Property – 25,000 private acres near Quemado, N.M. that borders the northern Gila. Is contains a large number of NE facing slopes and draws. Lots of elk habitat and food plots. (The food plots were burnt from the drought but you could clearly see the huge effort that had been made.) Lots of water holes, which provided 100% of the shot opportunities for the 6 days I was there.
Elk Population – Very good. There were plenty of bulls. I didn’t see them but I could hear them bugling. The only 2 mature bulls I saw were trophy class animals one was while glassing and the other while hunting.
Stand Sites – Good and safe. They were generally in the best ambush point for that water hole.
Knowledge of herd patterns or movement – Good and bad. Some of the guides had their hunters in elk more than not, but if the guide wasn’t willing to work then it was easy to make excuses and head back to camp. Mine was not. The outfitter himself and other guide in camp worked their butts off to get the guys in elk. It was upsetting to get back to camp to hear stories of the other hunters being into elk miles from the truck when our guide was reluctant to venture more than 1/2 a mile from his.
Support Staff – There were 3 scouts / helpers. These guys were super nice and helpful; they did everything they could to make your stay pleasant and your hunt a success.
Guide – My guide was going through some tough personal issues as well as trying to manage his own outfitting business back home while attempting to guide us. It was clear that his mind wasn’t on the task at hand and my hunt journal reflects that. I tried my best not to hold this against him personally because we all hit rough patches in our life, but the fact of the matter is that it greatly reduced the quality of my hunt.
Outfitter - I really liked Andre and was impressed with how hard he worked personally to get the guys he was guiding into elk. I would have considered coming back to hunt with him again (different guide), but when it came time for him to do the right thing he choose to pretend that the previous 6 days had not taken place. Although I had documented my hunts and saved text messages and presented this information to him on day four and six, he was not willing to refund any of my money (I only ask for 25% of it back). I honestly felt like I was letting him off easy in my request and judging by some of the comments from the other hunters in camp, I was.
In closing, the 6 hunters had 3 shot opportunities, which converted to 1 kill, 1 miss and 1 wounded. The ranch, accommodations, support staff, and the elk in general all met or exceeded my expectations for the price. It was how the situation surrounding my guide was mishandled by the outfitter that would keep me from ever recommending or returning with this outfitter.



Link to Hunt Diary posted to Archery Talk.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2366394&referrerid=92308

I met Andre and the RTO crew at their booth at the Dixie Deer Classic.
 

treein dixie

Twelve Pointer
I wouldn't recommend them either I no they :donk:donk:donk:donk on several landowners in Wyoming that's where they started and lost their rights. Then they moved on to elk. They didn't provide any of the promises or honor what they sold me prior to the hunt. The last two years I avoided them at the classic. Then I finally chose to let them have it needless to say Andre skipped out because of some money issues he couldn't pay.. Pieces of :donk:donk:donk:donk!!!! Can't get blood from a turnip as the old saying goes. Andre partner in crime is wanted now for taking people's money. Wish I could see him just one more time because he owes me too.
 
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