Outfitter Reviews - Bump

[Indian Summer]

1/20 Just wanted to bump this thread up in case anyone is still up in the air on this year's elk hunting plan. About 10 days to go to the Wyoming app deadline so if you're thinking about a hunt there and need a place to go let me know..........


Phantom I was over on Bowsite this morning and I saw another review for my Headin West Hunt Consulting business. So naturally I thought hmm, I wonder if we can start a review section here. It's a pretty valuable thing for hunters searching for a reputable place to hunt.

Anyway here's the most recent one posted for me. I talked to a nice gentleman from the Carolinas yesterday and so there will be more to come. It's been a good year for my clients.

"Headinwest sold us a hunt plan I believe we will be using for several years to come. I found Joe on Bowsite last winter researching for a new area to elk hunt. I contacted Joe and explained what my hunting buddies & I were looking for he told me he had a spot that would fit what we were looking for. He told me what he would do and what it would cost and we decided to buy a hunt plan. Everything Joe told me the several times we talked and emailed was as stated. Although big country has a slightly different meaning to everyone I seen exactly what Joe explained & his hunt plan worked like a charm. Joe gave us info to rent horses in the area if we wanted and we decided to go on foot the first year because of our lack experience. Because of the size of the area in the plan we will get educated and have horses next year so we can cover more of the area with less effort. We did end up getting horses to pack my elk out & his contact for horse rentals worked with me on short notice and got us what we needed. I would recommend Joe and his consulting service to anyone looking for a new area to hunt. He is a straight shooter and was right on with the hunt plan he supplied us."

Now is the time to start your master plan so if anyone is interested and has questions feel free to email or PM. joe@headinwest.net

[sasquatch]

i have contacted you once on here in a pm, and twice from my personal email and only received one response back which was to my first personal email sent, you asked a few questions and I responded and that was as far as we got. I then forwarded those messages once again a few days later figuring between hunting/being busy and junk emails maybe you missed it and deleted them on accident to once again get nowhere and have basically given up now and went into just planning like I did for myself in Colorado last year. I was hoping to hit a diff state with less hunters and figured you help would go a long ways vs traveling blind, which I don't mind and have and am willing to do, I just figured at least a unit pointer would help me a lot.

[Indian Summer]

Hmm. Awhile back I almost posted a thread on here telling people that I have been having email problems so let me know if you've emailed. You're the 5th person that said they emailed with no response. What is your email address so I can do a search?

I don't really make a habit of pointing people to my units. That's like asking Colonel Sanders what the main ingredient is in his recipe. He might say chicken just like I might say Montana and Wyoming. It wouldn't be fair to my clients who pay for their hunt plans.

[Indian Summer]

Another recent one.

"I would like to start by saying I have hunted Colorado for 7 years with little to no success of getting into elk. That also includes going with an outfitter one of those years. So I started looking into different states where I could hunt without having to have 5 years worth of points. During my research I made a phone call to a gentleman named Joe Ferraro who is the owner of Headin West Hunting Consultants. The first conversation I had with Joe only lasted for hour and half. After that my confidence in Joe's plans had definitely over road the skepticism I had prior to the phone call. A few phone calls later I had purchased my first hunt plan from Joe. Little did I know how detailed this plan would really be until I arrived in Wyoming to start this hunt. Joe's details are so spot on you don't have to worry about being lead on that wild goose chase. It was an amazing hunt from the first day out of the gate we were on bulls. My partner and I hunted 11 days total and only one day we weren't into elk. My partner killed a 5x5 on day 6 and we honestly thought I was gonna kill mine while we were deboning that bull. I had several encounters with bulls but just couldn't seal the deal with my traditional bow. With Joe's plans you get years of info in which can save a guy a lot of time and money not counting countless hours of wandering where the elk are. I can also hunt this place for years to come as long as you draw your tag. We were unsuccessful on the Wyoming draw this year 2015. So guess what I purchased a Montana hunt plan from Joe and can't wait to get into elk because I have drawn a Montana tag. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any questions on Joe's hunt plans. They are 100% hard work, years of success, and dedication hunt plans. You will not be disappointed. I also must mention that after you talk with Joe you've got a friend for life we have talked huntin for hours in this past year since we have met. Thanks for your great service Joe."

[sasquatch]

Hmm. Awhile back I almost posted a thread on here telling people that I have been having email problems so let me know if you've emailed. You're the 5th person that said they emailed with no response. What is your email address so I can do a search?

I don't really make a habit of pointing people to my units. That's like asking Colonel Sanders what the main ingredient is in his recipe. He might say chicken just like I might say Montana and Wyoming. It wouldn't be fair to my clients who pay for their hunt plans.

I was looking to pay if the price point sounded right to me. I wasn't looking for freebie info I know how valuable it can be.

The email were sent from my work email which was a Valero email address. I can only see them when at work but I believe it's B.caballero@valero.net or something like that but my personal is caballeroblake@yahoo.com


I see it wont allow my company email address to appear. I guess that's something to do with the company idk, it was an @valero address though

[southernelk]

I have not purchased one of Joe's plans yet but plan on doing so for the coming year. I have corresponded with him during the past year as I am trying to plan a hunt with my brother and our sons. I must say that Joe has been extremely helpful and replied to all of my emails in a very timely manner. we have to work out a few details in the next few months, then I plan on closing the deal with him and making plans for my Wyoming hunt next year. After our hunt I will be posting one those stories with a picture of my son and I and our elk. thanks Joe and we will talk soon.

[Dr. Rx]

I used Joe's service this past season and I must say it was excellent. I loved the knowledge he provides and the attention to detail. I would highly recommend his service. If I get drawn this year I will be heading back.

Kris

[blackwolf]

Joe's maps and detailed write-ups are like scouting the area yourself for 5 years or more. Highly recommended!

[Kessler10]

Joe Ferraro, I don't know abnout that cat.....

Stand up guy and service

[Paladin]

Hey guys, this is my first time posting on Wapiti Talk but I just felt like I needed to give some credit where credit is due. And I apologize in advance for such a long post.

Last December I contacted Joe Farraro at Headin' West Hunt Consulting (http://www.headinwest.com) and told him what kind of hunt I was looking for. I had seen some of Joe's posts on Bowsite and by just reading between the lines I could tell he was a straight shooter and that he not only new what he was talking about but that his opinion was respected by some of the most passionate elk hunters out there. Speaking with him on the phone only further convinced me.
Joe asked all the right questions about my expectations, physical ability, and determination. We talked about all aspects of a hunt, from the planning to the plate. I felt that I was really able to convey to him what I was looking for and, as BB King would say, "he was pickin' up what I was layin down". Before we even hung up I was sold and I couldn't wait to get him a check in the mail and get locked in.
If you are wondering how detailed a plan he will provide let me tell you, it will be down to the "park here", "walk here", "expect to see elk here" kinda thing. Joe sent me 3 topo maps with areas highlighted and noted with not only bedding and feeding areas marked, but also best routes to access them depending on where I camped. He also sent a 4 page narrative that described the areas in such detail it was like google earth street view. He will absolutely lay it out for you to play it out.
The weather for my trip was hot. Since I was solo I had to adjust some of my strategy because I was afraid that if I got one down too far back I just wouldn't be able to get it all out in time. After a couple of days getting the lay of the land I found elk, right where Joe said they would be. I had a close encounter with a raghorn 5x5 and also a brow tine bull that would have been legal. I wasn't being super aggressive at this point because I had plenty of time and I had a good 4 page plan in my back pocket. Joe and I had talked about the mental aspect of hunting hard and after 6 days of dark-to-dark hunting I took his advice and came off the hill and went into town for a beer, a bath, and a bed.
Joe had even included some fishing tips for the area so I woke up early the next morning and, after eggs, bacon, and a couple of pancakes as big as wagon wheels at the café, I strung up the flyrod and drove to one of his "park here" arrows on the map. I had west slope cutthroat for lunch and was considering a nap but the mountain was already calling me back. I looked at the maps and saw that I was close to one of Joe's "worth checking out" spots so I headed in for an evening hunt.
Due to the heat, and being solo, I had decided that my best bet was to try to hunt uphill from the trailhead as much as possible. Joe had given me some Plan A and Plan B type scenarios. So,rather than bombing off into a hole where I knew I'd need to take a skillet in with me, I followed a trail Joe had highlighted up to some saddles and ridges that looked promising. The further I got in the better it looked but the wind just wasn't right for an evening hunt and I decided to back out and not risk pushing any elk out. The thermals would be right in the morning.
I was back in there at first light and a little further in than where I had turned around the evening before. It was an old burn and somewhat open so I didn't cow call a lot as I moved through preferring to hopefully see them first. Something told me to go ahead and nock an arrow. I hadn't gone far when I heard the most subtle chuckle or grunt or hiccup, I don't know, from the draw ahead of me. It was just enough that I knew it was a bull. I took two quick steps to get some cover behind me and threw a cow call up hill from where I was standing hoping he would take that route rather than passing below. Things happened pretty fast after that and it was almost like I was in a dream. He came over the rise about 60 yards out and was taking a perfect route to end up above me. I judged his path and picked out an opening that I thought he would hit at about 30 yds and drew. When he was about a step short I did the worst mouth cow call ever but he locked up in the opening like I had framed him and when the pin settled I turned it loose. Somehow I remembered to cow call and stop him when he bolted and I watched him drop about 50yds up the hill. I went to my knees and was thankful. The rest of that day was spent quartering and packing him out. The finest kind of misery there is. He was a big 5x5 and my first bull.
I just have to say that it really was a dream hunt in every sense. Joe put together a plan for me that gave me plenty of options and really made it my game to win or lose. Having a plan with that much experience behind it is priceless...and worth every penny.

Thanks again Joe!

Paladin

[WapitiTalk1]

Congrats on your bull Paladin! Welcome to the forum buddy. Please pull up a log by our forum campfire and chime in early and often. Oh, of course we'd love to see a pic of your bull.

[Indian Summer]

Why don't my plans work that good for me? That seemed easy! But... 7 straight days of elk hunting is never easy right. Especially solo!

Interesting thing about this particular story.... Paladin actually owns a cabin in Montana. He and a few partners had been elk hunting a fair amount in the past but just couldn't seem to put an elk on the ground. The important thing was that I knew he knew what to expect having hunted the mountains before. Plus it was obvious that he was bound and determined to kill an elk. So I gave him a plan that would fit which is the biggest part of my job. When he called to tell me the good news I can't say that I was super surprised. I could tell he was a smart hunter and would know when to be aggressive and when to back off. But that doesn't mean I wasn't excited. When I guy has been at it for several years and then finally connects it's a BIG deal.... to both of us. Phone calls like that are like a celebration!

Congrats on the bull Paladin and thanks for the kind words. Now you have a place to call home that you can continue to hunt with confidence knowing that at any minute you could be killing your next bull.

There are about 8 weeks left until the Wyoming application deadline. It takes awhile from the time you first inquire about a plan until we work through some details, get your questions answered, and see what I have that fits. It can take even longer to get partners on board. So if anyone is interested now is the time to get the ball rolling. Do NOT wait until the last minute.

[Trott2478]

I tried Pming you about a hunt plan, could you please contact me, I'm very interested in your service.

[Indian Summer]

PM sent

[Deanmac]

I tried Pming you about a hunt plan, could you please contact me, I'm very interested in your service.

I would like the same information Please

[Indian Summer]

Bump.....

After a pile of phone calls and reviewing draw odds while staring at topo maps it feels good to have finally decided on my hunt plan for the year. Have you? Let me know if I can help.

http://www.headinwest.net

Photo Courtesy of Clip-Shot

[Hot Cow]

Hi Joe,
Do your services include Colorado?
Thanks

[Indian Summer]

Sorry they don't. I've been trying to work with someone from there so I can help hunters interested in that state but so far no luck.

So for now Montana & Wyoming only. FYI Montana has guaranteed licenses and Wyoming is just about guaranteed. Licenses in those states are good for a month long bow season with no muzzle loader hunters and several weeks to a month of gun, possibly either sex elk too.