2017 Buffalo House Rock Ranch

[elkman]

true hunter

i have this hunt in three weeks. i would like to chat with you about it. check your pm. thx

[truehunter]

true hunter

i have this hunt in three weeks. i would like to chat with you about it. check your pm. thx

Done

[Flatlander]

 

 

I've heard nothing but bad stories from friends and clients who have used Russ. From piss poor camp conditions, buff meat lost due to broken camp freezer, to piss poor guides. It's unfortunate that AZ guides are allowed to run an operation like this if it's true..

The guy I met up there stated because he didnt pay the premium package he was left in a tent and his mountain house meals without any invitation to join conversation in the evenings eventhough he was at their camp. He felt very unwelcomed.

When I spoke to the regional azgfd manager over this area he stated that they have told Russ multiple times about his behaviour and it seems to not improve. Ill keep posted as to what if they do anything involving my experience.

Really starting to sound like you have an axe to grind and just want to do whatever you can to talk bad about the guy.

 

I mean for real, someone who didn't pay enough didnt get to sit at the cool kids table in the lunchroom?

 

Is this a hunting forum or a junior high? Good grief. We get it, Russ ruined your hunt that you did no research on and no prep for prior to drawing. So now you need to validate your grief by crying to anyone who will listen and is just as ignorant as you were before your hunt.

[tomharveyb]

 

I've heard nothing but bad stories from friends and clients who have used Russ. From piss poor camp conditions, buff meat lost due to broken camp freezer, to piss poor guides. It's unfortunate that AZ guides are allowed to run an operation like this if it's true..

The guy I met up there stated because he didnt pay the premium package he was left in a tent and his mountain house meals without any invitation to join conversation in the evenings eventhough he was at their camp. He felt very unwelcomed.

When I spoke to the regional azgfd manager over this area he stated that they have told Russ multiple times about his behaviour and it seems to not improve. Ill keep posted as to what if they do anything involving my experience.

 

That's pure BS Everybody gets together night and morning to discuss. All but 1 of the 10 hunters were non-paying and no one was left out. Brian is the guide and he is top notch as others have said. Most of you guys are badmouthing things you have only heard about from others.

[jmall]

I hunted this hunt as a DIY a couple years back. My experience with Russ was a 180 from what many of you are describing. I went in with a good attitude tried to be helpful. I woke up early helped check the meadow. I walked with Russ's brother to help check trail cams. I helped out around camp moving water and gas cans etc. Russ provided radios ground blinds salt blocks even rides to and from blinds. There were gut piles on one of the blindes he put me on so I know it was active. He had three clients on the hunt and he definitely put them first. If I were a paying client I would expect to be at the head of the line. With that being said he also helped the non paying hunters. He had his brother take me along with one of his clients to check trail cams one morning. We came across a herd of bison. I expected to be second shooter but to my surprise we were both told to shoot at the same time. My powder was wet and my muzzleloader misfired so the hunt continued. On day 11 of the hunt we got up early and checked the meadow and found a big herd. We went back to camp and got ALL OF THE HUNTERS and brought them back to wait for legal shooting light. Three of us killed that morning. One client and 2 non clients. Russ and his family were awesome. He took professional quality photos and shared them with us at no charge. Russ is walking a line where he will never make everyone happy. The bottom line is he works his a$$ off to get as many bison killed as possible. Without him the people griping about his tactics would be griping about the game and fish selling tags for bison that only exist in the national park.

[8OWHUNT247]

I had bad luck on that hunt in 2015 (19 days of it)... Now, I am starting to think it was Russ' fault too! LOL

 

That is what happens when you put in for a hunt you know nothing about. What did you expect, Russ to tie one to a tree? for free???

 

I don't know why people think getting the tag is the hard part of hunting buff. Sorry man, just my $0.02

[Coues79]

 

 

 

I've heard nothing but bad stories from friends and clients who have used Russ. From piss poor camp conditions, buff meat lost due to broken camp freezer, to piss poor guides. It's unfortunate that AZ guides are allowed to run an operation like this if it's true..

The guy I met up there stated because he didnt pay the premium package he was left in a tent and his mountain house meals without any invitation to join conversation in the evenings eventhough he was at their camp. He felt very unwelcomed.

When I spoke to the regional azgfd manager over this area he stated that they have told Russ multiple times about his behaviour and it seems to not improve. Ill keep posted as to what if they do anything involving my experience.

Really starting to sound like you have an axe to grind and just want to do whatever you can to talk bad about the guy.

 

I mean for real, someone who didn't pay enough didnt get to sit at the cool kids table in the lunchroom?

 

Is this a hunting forum or a junior high? Good grief. We get it, Russ ruined your hunt that you did no research on and no prep for prior to drawing. So now you need to validate your grief by crying to anyone who will listen and is just as ignorant as you were before your hunt.

LoL. Really starting to sound like you got a man crush for the outfitter.

 

The guy isn't crying. Opening up dialogue on what happened and informing others that may potentially want to DIY. It's obvious that some have had positive experiences and many have not, with this same outfit. Roll the dice it sounds like if you want to DIY.

[wish2hunt]

It sounds like a DIY the way he wants you too.

[Flatlander]

 

 

 

 

I've heard nothing but bad stories from friends and clients who have used Russ. From piss poor camp conditions, buff meat lost due to broken camp freezer, to piss poor guides. It's unfortunate that AZ guides are allowed to run an operation like this if it's true..

The guy I met up there stated because he didnt pay the premium package he was left in a tent and his mountain house meals without any invitation to join conversation in the evenings eventhough he was at their camp. He felt very unwelcomed.

When I spoke to the regional azgfd manager over this area he stated that they have told Russ multiple times about his behaviour and it seems to not improve. Ill keep posted as to what if they do anything involving my experience.

Really starting to sound like you have an axe to grind and just want to do whatever you can to talk bad about the guy.

 

I mean for real, someone who didn't pay enough didnt get to sit at the cool kids table in the lunchroom?

 

Is this a hunting forum or a junior high? Good grief. We get it, Russ ruined your hunt that you did no research on and no prep for prior to drawing. So now you need to validate your grief by crying to anyone who will listen and is just as ignorant as you were before your hunt.

LoL. Really starting to sound like you got a man crush for the outfitter.

 

The guy isn't crying. Opening up dialogue on what happened and informing others that may potentially want to DIY. It's obvious that some have had positive experiences and many have not, with this same outfit. Roll the dice it sounds like if you want to DIY.

Ah, the go to 'man crush for the big bad guide' response.

 

I don't know the guy, never met him, never seen him, never talked to him, never even been on his website. But I know enough to realize if I go hunt buff's up there that I am going to have to deal with him. And guess what? I know that isn't my thing and don't bother applying.

 

But come on, he didn't invite you to sit with him in the cafeteria? Really?

[Couzer]

Sounds like the guides way or the highway. I'm sure all the DYI guys that dont scout love the the guides way, go up use his equipment, tell you where the buffs might come in, gives you a blind location, radio, etc. yea that sounds great. Not my cup of tea. If I'm on the hunt I'll do what I want, if I find a spot where they are coming in, I'll be there first. If I'm the second then I leave to plan B. There's been so many times I have had to use pan B,C, and Z. Only person I'm pissed at is myself. But if someone tells me I can't hunt there, or is blocking roads, telling their clients to shoot over me, well they got another thing coming.

[yotebuster]

This whole road blocking discussion really needs to be put out in the light a bit. I'm not sure how many people have been up and seen the small hunt area but it's not like they are or were blocking a road that leads to a general area. The roads are literally 20-200 yards outside the park boundary and in general parralel the boundary. It's not that Russ only lets his guys drive in there, no one should be driving in there if they want themselves or anyone to be successful. The only fathomable reason to drive those roads is to recover a bison or to road hunt. We all can agree that road hunting is in general a shoddy thing to do and thus there's no need to drive those roads. The maintainer was trying to blade one of them as a matter of fact and Brian talked him into holding off on it since it was in good shape and didn't want the activity in there. This isn't like a guide blocking a main access road to an area. This is literally just protecting the one and only chance anyone and everyone has of getting the bison to come off.

[wish2hunt]

He is still blocking a national forest rd. It doesn't make it ok because he thinks it's the right thing to do.

[Flatlander]

Someone else ruining a hunt for others by driving into an area that they should walk into but are too lazy isn't right just because it's legal.

[Couzer]

Someone else ruining a hunt for others by driving into an area that they should walk into but are too lazy isn't right just because it's legal.

I agree, maybe these roads need to be a closed during Buff hunts??? These are changes Game and Fish need to get with FS to improve on while hunts are going on. Road blockers aren't cool either!!!

[wish2hunt]

Someone else ruining a hunt for others by driving into an area that they should walk into but are too lazy isn't right just because it's legal.

Driving into an area isn't always the best thing to do but it is your right and shouldn't be taken away because he wants to block it.