Hey BTO Boys! I wanted to send a HUGE Thank You for an awesome hunt and a really special memory for Phil and I! I know Todd’s thinking – Oh no, Hallmark again! I know..I know.chicks get emotional and do chick things..but that hunt, and that bull, really meant a lot to me!! You guys really made the hunt come together and as Phil and I discussed on the ride home…you guys really know how to hunt those bulls! Anyway.I think you all are a great bunch of guys and you made us feel really comfortable and at home on our stay! I’d highly recommend you to anyone lucky enough to draw a tag down there! Thanks again guys!
P.S. He’s actually a pretty tasty bull! Tastes like acorns!

BTO,

Thanks for the amazing hunt! I could not have asked for a more memorable time on the San Juans. After debating on whether to use a guide or not, I was sure glad I did. The unit is so large and there were so many bull elk to pick through it was essential to have a guide. BTO knew the land, where the elk would be at what time and even had individual names for most of the larger bulls we were chasing. This knowledge and ability to score animals in a matter of seconds was invaluable. A hunter could waste days chasing smaller bulls without BTO. I hunted a total of 5 days and every day we were in the middle of screaming bulls. On the opening night, while in the middle of 13 bulls and one cow, I thought two 350-360 class bulls that were fighting, were going to run right over the top of us. If you want a great hunt, draw the San Juan elk tag. If you want an amazing hunt, draw the San Juan elk tag and go with BTO.

Thanks again for the good times,

I should have gone with you!! To make a long story short. I shot a 330 inch bull at dawn the 1st day. I took a friend along, and he kept yelling “shoot! shoot!!”. I did, and now I regret it. I had all 9 days to hunt too!! A hard lesson for sure. I should have gone with you. Even if I had killed a 380, I regret not having gone with you. I was reluctant to put money on a hunt for many reasons, I did DIY, to be in the mountains and in a wall tent listening to bugling bulls all night. Given the short distance from Grand Junction to the San Juan’s, I thought I could easily scout and prepare for the hunt myself. That would not be the case if lived more that 6-8 hours away. I figured that I spent between $600-$800 on gas alone for scouting. Two major reasons I would go with BTO settled in as I left Elk Ridge from my hunt. I just turned 60, and I cannot even apply again until 2014. For me it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I squandered. I had a great opportunity to hunt 9 days and enjoy the area and the animals, but I blew it at first light the first day because I didn’t have an expert (a real expert) with me that knew the difference between a 330 and a 350 bull. Given that people are paying $10,000 and up for a similar hunt, your rate of $4500 would have been a real bargain.

I am very fortunate to have hunted with Black Timber Outfitters every year for the past decade. Todd Black, Adam Black, and Randy Pixler, as well as Travis Black and all of the other spotters, guides, and other staff have been universally excellent. I have never had a bad hunt in all those years. These guys will show you the best hunt you’ve ever had. They know the area, and the critters like their own back yards. They are also expert at knowing the trophy potential of their area, and excel at making sure you don’t shoot an animal smaller then you should. I have taken multiple Pope and Young mule deer bucks, as well as P&Y bull elk and antelope. I am booked for the next two years with BTO, and can’t imagine hunting with anyone else. I’d be happy to answer any questions about BTO, and hunting with them. Contact BTO, and they can put you in touch with me.

Hey BTO gang! Just wanted to send out a HUGE Thank You! When luck struck me in 2013 with a very coveted San Juan Archery Bull tag with only 6 NR points, I knew I had to take advantage and find some experts to help me. After numerous web searches, phone calls and chat site messages, I contacted Todd Black of BTO. Best decision I could of made! Todd had me contact his brother Travis, who would be my guide. Travis kept in touch all summer long with updates, trail cam photos and answers to all of my questions. Though I had bow hunted Elk numerous times with some success, my biggest fear was taking “too small” a bull. Travis assured me that would not happen. Multiple times Travis would say “We can do better” or “Put your bow down”. LOL. Travis as well as the rest of BTO staff know the mountain like I know my backyard. They have the ability to know where the Elk are and where they are headed at various stages of the day and how to get bow range close. They hunt hard! On day 6, Travis let me pull the string on a Bull after an amazing 1.5 hour stalk at 1:30 in the afternoon. It does not get any better or more exciting than that! The Bull was HUGE and was way above my expectations. Scored 417 gross. Thanks again to the entire BTO staff, especially Chris and of course, Travis.

Draw the Tag.
Call BTO!
Get in shape.
Have the hunt of a Lifetime.

Jeff Musser
Sharpsville, Pa
724-866-0818

After drawing the tag in one of Utah’s best Elk units, I quickly became overwhelmed and a little bit anxious. The unit was a bit more than a 5 hour drive and with work and family obligations I was quick to realize that if I wanted to harvest the elk of a lifetime, I would need some help.
I am traditionally a do it your self kind of guy and struggled with the idea of an outfitter. BTO is not your everyday outfitter. They don’t hunt for you. They help make your hunt possible. What you get when you book with BTO is knowledge (and a nice place to sleep with good food).
The long and the short of it is this…BTO knows where the elk are. They know this unit better than anybody. BTO worked closely with me to make sure the hunt lived up to my expectations. It did, and at only 19 yards my dreams became a reality. I highly recommend their services!

Adam and the rest of BTO, Thanks for all the help. Your tactics for getting the big boys paid dividends. Your years of experience chasing and knocking down the Monster Elk for your clients is just the recipe for Big back straps and a large Taxidermy bill. This is the greatest moment of my 12 elk hunting years.

Thanks again for all the help. I couldn’t have done it without you.

I hunted with the BTO Crew in 2010 on the early rifle elk hunt on San Juan Elk Ridge. I can’t say enough about the entire crew; these guys know how to hunt elk, and lots of great bulls! Extremely knowledgeable guides that grew up on the unit and know what trophy elk hunting is all about! I was fortunate enough to take a 382” 7 X 7 on my hunt with BTO. My brother and nephew have also hunted with BTO in 2009 and 2012 and killed 373, and 385” bulls.

Marty Henline

mdhenline@yahoo.com 435-828-1873

I was drawn for the 2014 early season, limited entry San Juan/Elk Ridge bull elk hunt. After careful research, I decided to hunt with Black Timber Outfitters. I’m glad I did.

BTO is a top-notch outfitter. All guides are thoroughly knowledgeable. Travis Black was my guide. He knows bull elk. He had me on very good bulls on opening morning. We saw huge bulls, but Travis was confident that we’d see bigger bulls.

Travis found a huge bull in late afternoon of our second day. He grew to be huge because he was smart. Thankfully, Travis was smarter. After about two hours of hard hunting and a lot of bugling, Travis had me a 130 yards from a bull of a lifetime. After I shot him, I was amazed at his size and at his rack. He went better than 900 pounds and scored just shy of 374.

Travis and other BTO guides labored until just shy of midnight packing him out. Soon he’ll be on my wall.

All of BTO guides are thoroughly knowledgeable, extremely professional, and excellent teachers. I learned a lot. I made a lot of great friends.

The crucial factor of a hunting adventure is whether I’d go again. I would in a heartbeat. I hope to book a desert bighorn hunt and a mule deer hunt with BTO.

BTO is an excellent big game outfitter. I’d highly recommend booking a hunt of a lifetime with BTO.

Tom Scalisi

949-371-3293