Lessons learned.....
Get in writing who you will be hunting with
Get in writing what will happen if no shot is presented....if possible pay for the hunt and then agree on a kill fee
I wouldn’t mind paying more for some kind of opportunity guarantee.
Ask exactly how much acreage there is to hunt and find out if there is access to elk no matter the weather
Be persistent about recent kills and what scouting is being done
A discount hunt may just be too good to be true. There was definitely a reason I could afford this hunt.
Definitely wait until you can afford a legitimate outfitter.
Redman, it sounds like you have some legitimate gripes. It sounds like the elk weren't there in your area and the outfitter didn't have a Plan B. If I paid good money for a private land guided hunt, I would expect the outfitter to put me on some elk. Or at least put me in an area with elk.
Having said that, there are no guarantees and I don't think your lessons learned are focused on the right questions. An outfitter can't always guarantee who your guide will be. His job is just to make sure you have a good one. An outfitter can't guarantee you'll get a shot opportunity,his job is to do his best to get you one. The fact that you were directed to keep hunting where there were no elk with no Plan B would have frustrated me too. But no outfitter can guarantee anything in writing, and you shouldn't expect him to.
The best you can do is talk to references, especially hunters who didn't punch their tag. If they say "I didn't get a shot but the guides were great and worked their asses off for me" that should be good enough. Assuming the area held elk in the first place.
