I’ve had the opportunity to hunt with Mike Jenkins and Upfront Outfitters on several occasions. Mike does not disappoint on his efforts to put you on animals. I’ve hunted from his base camp and have been on a couple backpack hunts with him as well. Mike knows the country like the back of his hand, is a great caller and will work his butt off to see you succeed. You can tell by his excitement when you see an elk that he truly loves what he does. There is always good food and a great time hunting with Mike Jenkins and Upfront Outfitters. I will definitely be back as long as he will let me.
Tirell Kimara – Washington
Mike Jenkins (“Upfront Outfitters”) is nothing less than fantastic. He runs a top-notch outfitting service from first contact through the planning, during the hunt, game prep & assisting with game retrieval etc. All of his equipment is top notch, great prepared food, a joy to be with, very knowledgeable of the hunt area & the game being sought as well as bending over backwards to make sure everything runs smoothly & catering to whatever you need may be. If you’re looking for a WA. and/or Or. Roosevelt Elk (his specialty), Blacktail Deer he is a must to contact & to book your next dream hunt with. You’ll be glad you did. Please add this Roosevelt Elk (# 25) and completion of my “Super 25” Slam.
G.L Hamilton – Kalispell MT 2019
If a Roosevelt elk is on your bucket list, look no further than Upfront Outfitters, owned by Mike Jenkins. He was up early in the mornings and had coffee ready before your feet even hit the ground. The accommodations were warm and had hot showers (however, some of Mike’s hunts are done via backpack, since he goes wherever the animals are. I never went hungry as there was always plenty of food. Mike is more than just a typical hunter/outfitter; he’s a friend. This experience has left no question that I will return to hunt the elusive Roosevelt Elk once again with Upfront Outfitters and Mike Jenkins.
Russel Brines - California 2018
I arrived in southwest Washington on Nov. 01, 2018 for my Roosevelt elk hunt with Upfront Outfitters. It was raining intermittently and continue to do so the entire time I was there. I met up with Mike Jenkins (Owner) and his son, Mike Jr. (Guide) Friday afternoon. We were housed in a yurt that was very comfortable w/ electricity & heating. The next morning, Mike Jr. and I headed out in the misty, foggy drizzle. Jr. knew exactly where he wanted us to hunt, and we made a very slow, quiet & deliberate hike up the mountain that showcased his combat Marine training. We hunkered down in the hunt area at a perpendicular intersection of 2 saddles along 2 ridges. We heard noise and got ready. About 30 minutes later, I spotted an elk’s rump moving through the tall ferns & timber @ 35 yards. At 50 yards, I saw spike main beams as he cleared some trees. At 60 yards, I scoped him and saw he was at least 3×3. At 70 yards, I dropped him in his tracks. Opening morning, opening day, one and done. The bottom line is this: Jr and his father) know this country inside out; they scout it throughout the year with cameras and hiking; I’m still impressed and will book with them again for an elk hunt in Oregon.
David Bollschweiler, Las Cruces, NM. – 2018
If you’re looking for a real hunt with an honest outfitter, look no further. I booked my hunt with Mike Jenkins at Upfront Outfitters upon a referral from one of my hunting buddies who had successfully hunted with him in 2012. From the start Mike will make sure you get set up right and know exactly what to expect during the hunt. Maybe that’s why they call themselves “Upfront”. They know the land and they know where the good ones hide. I assure you Mike and his guides will work their tails off to put you on a great animal. Just like the monster 5×5 I was blessed with during my Unit 17 muzzleloader hunt. Upfront Outfitters – Book with confidence!
John Alexander – Oklahoma
Anyone looking for either Roosevelt Elk or Blacktail Deer should take a good look at Upfront Outfitters owned and guided by Mike Jenkins. He has top notch guides and is very well equipped to handle all styles of hunters. The area that he has in Washington State is very populated with both species. I personally have hunted Upfront Outfitters and will return in the very near future.
Tom LaVictoire, Vermont
I have hunted with Mike several times for elk in New Mexico. I hunted the 2nd muzzle loader hunt which according to the state’s success statistics is one of the toughest hunts in New Mexico. Mike had me on good bulls every day and I was able to take the largest bull I have ever taken and that was during a drought year when every other hunter I talked to was having a hard time finding elk at all. Mike is passionate about elk hunting and works extremely hard scouting for big bulls so that his hunters are into elk every day. I was also impressed with Mike’s knowledge of the unit. He not only knew where the elk were, but he knew where they would go when pressured and how to get to them. Mike works hard for his hunters and is a hardcore hunter that knows how to get it done when it comes to big bulls!
Phillip Peine – Cedar City, Utah
What's something exciting your business offers? Say it here. My name is Tirrell and I felt compelled to share my experience regarding Upfront Outfitters and owner Mike Jenkins. One day I was listening to the radio and came across an outdoors program interviewing a guy credited with being one of the best and most successful elk hunters in our state and the country. As I listened two things became very evident and crystal clear; Mr. Jenkins was an elk aficionado and openly generous about successful hunting tips and tactics. For a new hunter just getting started with bow elk hunting, spending countless hours learning, reading, studying and asking questions… hearing Mike was music to my ears. The cool part is the information shared was not about aggressive sales pitches just to get you to book a hunt! By the end of the show, curiosity had the best of me, and I wrote down his website address.
Mike, Chris spoiled me! Great guy, you’re lucky to have him on your staff. Hopefully he enjoyed my company as much as I did his. I posted a quick note on Hunting-Washington under the Elk section (4-hour Rosie). Didn’t know I could advertise you guys… but got a private message letting me know I could …. so, I mentioned Upfront Outfitters. I understand that what happened was unusual, killing out the first morning of the first day, and at the same time recognize that your scouting and preparation for my hunt made it all happen. I do need to get in better shape for carrying out the quarters though. Feel free to use me as a reference…. and look forward to hunting with you again.
John Burnette, Archery Roosevelt elk
I hunted New Mexico elk 3rd season in Sept. 2011. The rut was some two weeks behind making it more challenging than years past as the bulls were not yet in full rut. Mike is not kidding you when he says he and his guides will work harder than any other outfitter out there to get you on bulls. The scouting and time put in prior to your arrival will most definitely be apparent to you as it was to me. I was very impressed by every aspect of his operation. My guide worked as hard as one could ask to get on bulls every day and that we did. There was constant action, and I took a very nice 5×5 on the last day. I will absolutely be hunting with Mike again. He is an outstanding guide and outfitter. Having been on several hunts in the past with other outfitters I would have to rate Mike’s operation as high as possible. Do not pass up the opportunity to hunt with him. Mike went out of the way for every single hunter in camp to have the most enjoyable experience as possible. I know I speak for everyone in camp when I say Mike is truly a standup guy. Thanks again for a fantastic week of hunting.
Matt Golba- Highland, Michigan
I’ve had the pleasure of hunting with Mike for multiple big game species in multiple states. Mike is hard working, knows the land and the animals that he hunts and will work very hard to deliver a great hunting experience. I look forward to the next time I get to spend time in the woods with Mike Jenkins! “
Scott Haugen – TV Host, Outdoor writer
Hi Mike, “I just wanted to thank you for a great time and an unbelievable hunt. I have had the opportunity to hunt elk in several states with some disappointing outcomes. But the hunt I had with you was beyond my expectations. It is easy to see you have the deep love and enthusiasm of a true elk hunter and you went over and beyond to make our hunt great. Your knowledge of the area and elk patterns showed me you put in your time scouting and finding remote areas to have undisturbed elk. Your ability to move locations at a drop of a hat and have us in elk in hours was great. If I could have controlled my nerves better when I had that very nice bull come in to 18 yards bugle and stand there for me to shoot, only to shoot over his back. I would have come home with horns. Thanks to the video when I am shooting with my son, he tells me I should be practicing at 18 yards not 80”.
Thanks again,
Nate Lea hope to hunt with you again in the future.
“My hunt in New Mexico was above and beyond what I had expected!
Big Bulls, Big Bears and a Big Unit. Mike and Scott worked exceptionally hard to get me in front of some EXCEPTIONAL bulls. We had bulls within 4 YARDS of us thanks to the game calling skills of the guides. I wish I had gotten a deer tag as well, because we saw some nice deer. I was glad I had trained for the hunt, because the guides were in great shape and we scoured lots of area to make sure every day was a potential trophy day. We slept in a tent but had plenty of room and it was quite comfortable on the cots they provided. We were in bulls every day. I will be back in 2011!
Bryant Hertzog - Lacey, WA
I hunted Roosevelt elk in Washington this last year with Upfront Outfitters and it was awesome. We saw 5 bulls in four days, and I shot my 4×5 at 80 yards. These guys really know their stuff. They truly wanted me to learn and to improve as a hunter. While in the woods, they taught me little tricks as we went a long that were invaluable to me, and that information alone was well worth the price of admission…. and I got to take a bull on top of that! It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The camp was set up nicely and the food was great. I would recommend Upfront to my family and friends. I’ve been out with other guides in the past who seemed to have no passion for the sport or even any confidence that I would have a chance. However, my faith in guides has been restored. If you’re ready for the real deal, go with Upfront Outfitters.
Dan Kelly – Oregon
Say something interesting about your business here.“Returning to western WA, I really wanted to know how to hunt elk in my backyard. Hiring Mike, I learned that and more. Mike is THE #1 expert for hunting Roosevelt elk, but his knowledge doesn’t stop there. He’s professional, knowledgeable and fun to be around. He worked hard to put me in the best position to get on elk and I had a great time hunting with him. He also made my daughter’s first backcountry bow hunt enjoyable and was very attentive to her needs. We both look forward to hunting with Mike again this year.”
Tom Claps – Everett, WA 2012