| Response to earlier letter
I thought I would respond to the outrageous untrue comments made on this site by Mark Cuilla regarding his hunt with Chama River Outfitters. I won’t respond to all of his comments as it would take too long; however there are some comments that he made that just can’t be left alone. First he stated that I did not offer them a different guide. That is absolutely not true. On the third day of the hunt I went in the bunk room and told both Mark and his friend that since both of the hunters that hunted with my head guide had already shot their elk I would let them hunt with my head guide for the final two days of their hunt. Mark took me up on the offer and went out with my head guide on the fourth morning. He failed to mention the fact that on that outing he shot at and missed an elk at 25 yards! They went to the arrow which was stuck in a tree, unscrewed the shaft from the broadhead went back to camp packed up and went back to Texas with a day and a half left in their hunt. These facts prove that his statements of not getting another guide and having a chance at an elk were both false.
Mark also stated that only one guide had any experience guiding bow hunters. Let me give you the qualifications of my guides. Mike and Jim have been bow hunting for elk in Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico for 26 years. They have both been very successful in doing that. Mike has been successfully guiding bow hunters for 14 years and Jim for 13. Billy, one of our other bow guides has worked for us off and on since 1995. Ryan, one of our other bow guides killed a monster New Mexico Bull as well as a bear, mule deer and antelope with a bow all prior to his 21st birthday.
He also stated that the new guides were not allowed to scout the ranches prior to the hunts. This is also absolutely not true. On two different weekends the new guides stayed with us and spent four days with me looking at all of the country involved in our hunts.
The guide that took Mark and his friend complained at several guide meetings that Mark had blown encounters with bulls. On one occasion Mark was set up on one side of a small park and his buddy on the other side. The bull was coming in hot and got to the edge of the meadow just in time to see Mark running across the middle of the park going to his buddy. These types of things happened on three different occasions the three days that they hunted.
Bow hunting for elk is very difficult if everyone does what they are supposed to do but impossible if the hunters don’t stay where they are put. When I read Mark’s comments, needless to say I was furious! We are very proud of our staff and have been for 25 years and I could not let this pass! After reading his remarks I called him on the phone and when I reminded him of his false statements, he hung up on me.
Should you have any additional questions, feel free to call me (575) 756-1881 and I will explain my response in more detail. I can also put you in touch with numerous other people who were in camp and witnessed what was going on as well.
Bob Ball
Chama River Outfitters |