Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Great Broadmouth Canyon Elk Massacre 2016

Interesting how we had two completely different experiences. Sorry yours wasn't as pleasant as ours.

Our write ups are accurate accounts from our perspective, as I'm sure you feel yours is. We knew it was a high fence area before we got there. I can say I rode, I glassed, I hiked all to my hearts desire. The first two days the only massacre I experienced were my lungs and thighs. I enjoyed the horses, and I enjoyed the stalking.

Did I see Rulon and Chase run a drive? Sure did. Did I find that alarming. No, we do it for deer in Georgia and Alabama all the time. In Alabama, it is legal to run deer with dogs. Not everybody is going to like that. In South Alabama, it is a tradition.

We had an older gent in camp, and I found him interesting to talk to. Old Skip is 78, and he has hunted all over North America in his time. He has the Grand Slam of North American Sheep. He has caribou, brown and black bear. He's been to New Zealand for Red Stag and Greenland for Musk Ox. He has a wonderful, supportive wife that shares his love of hunting.

I saw Rulon set up a drive for Skip. Old Skip hunted hard the first two days, but Skip doesn't get around as well as I do. Skip shoots his Sako .300 WSM quite well, I noted from the bench. Did I mention that Old Skip is suffering from early stages of Parkinson's? That makes hunting a little tougher. So yes, I did see Rulon set Skip up in an advantageous position, and organize a drive. Some elk were pushed toward Skip, some doubled back. Some that went toward Skip hauled ass and never presented a shot. I said many, well let's be fair. They pushed 5 elk his way I saw. 2 stayed in the thick stuff and offered no shot, 2 were in full sprint and never within comfortable shooting range, and Skip got the one that presented himself at about 250 yards. Some people don't consider a drive sporting, I have no problem with the concept.

As far as overall lodge satisfaction, all I can do is tell you this. There were 3 other couples at the lodge with us. Only the men hunted. One was from northern Idaho, and he comes every year. Seems the wolves killed off the herd in his area, once 20,000 strong. One couple was up from Denver. Skip and his wife from Pittsburg. Then our group.

To sum it up, our collective group enjoyed it so much that we have an email circulating around so that everyone can exchange photos and keep in touch. The couple from Denver rebooked for next year before they left, as did the couple from northern Idaho. That makes our bunch 7 for 7 on satisfaction.

Face it. I knew going in that this wasn't a 10 day pack in wilderness experience. I love those, but that was not in the cards this time. A good one in BC cost two weeks and about $15k the last time I looked.

I'm not crazy about paying a premium for the bigger bulls, but that's been the norm in Europe for a long time. The difference between a CIC Gold, Silver, or Bronze level trophy in Spain, Scotland or Romania, for example is extraordinary.

Again, sorry your experience was negative. I wish you had come with our group and perhaps it would have been a better time.