Meet Our Guides

Hoss Port

 Where are you from? Where were you raised?
*Born and raised in Colorado

How many years have you been hunting?
*Since I could throw a rock hard enough to kill a bird!  (most all my life)  During my younger years I shot enough rabbits, squirrels and birds to repopulate a small country. I shot my first deer with a bow when I was 16.

Favorite type of hunting? (Tree stand, spot and stalk, elk deer, etc.)
*I don't have a specific type of hunting I would prefer over another (tree stand, spot and stalk or calling), they all have their advantages and dis-advantages depending on the time of year.  Whether I'm hunting elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, bear, moose, antelope or bighorn sheep, I feel that all those animals have the advantage in the field, and if I'm able to outsmart, harvest or have an opportunity to harvest one of these animals on my own, with a friend or with a client, in a tree stand, spot and stalk or by calling them in, all of that, that is my favorite type of hunting!     

Favorite hunting story:
*I have way too many "favorite" hunting stories but one that stands out for me personally is when I was able to take my young son on his first deer hunt in Oklahoma with his Uncle John.  He harvested a huge 143" 8 point whitetail buck with a .243 borrowed from his Uncle.  One day as we hunted, not from a blind and not really having a good plan, we hiked across the prairie and rolling hills, stopping often for rest and snacks.  It was getting late in the afternoon and we found a good overlook above a small wooded canyon.  As we sat eating beef jerky, candy bars and whatever else we packed that day, a lone doe came out of the timber heading up our way.  Immediately, Wyatt picked up his gun and asked, “Dad! Can I shoot him?” Questioning myself, I quickly put my binoculars back up, saw the doe and said “No, son it’s a doe.”  He quickly said “It’s got big antlers!” Again, I assumed he was just excited and said “Son, it’s a doe”, suddenly it hit me. I looked back down towards the doe through my binoculars and right behind her was this giant buck!  I said to Wyatt “Good eye, yeah shoot him!”  He steadied over his bipod and made a great 150-yard shot to put him down!  I’m not really sure who was more excited, but for sure that was one of my favorite hunts! 
Favorite/best hunting accomplishment:
​I’ve pretty much been hunting or guiding my entire life.  My Grandfather was an Guide & Outfitter, he packed wilderness camps in the Flattops during the 60’s.  My Dad is a Guide & Outfitter, and I followed tradition becoming an Outfitter myself.  I graduated Erv Malnarich Guide & Outfitter school near Gardner, Montana in 1989, just out of high school, then held a Montana guides license shortly after graduating top of my class.  I spent that fall guiding for an outfitter out of Enis, Montana before returning back to Colorado.  I guided for my Dad’s camp for 20 some years after that.  Just guessing, I’ve guided mostly successful, well over 200 clients and harvested myself at least that many big game animals.  Hunting was my passion, and still is.  I’ve hunted hard and still do.  I’ve hunted public land most my life, but now guide some of the best private lands in Colorado.
Over the past 32 years, I’ve been very fortunate to harvest several trophy animals.  Thinking back, I honestly can’t count how many elk, deer and antelope I’ve harvested or have had opportunity to harvest.  A personal favorite trophy of mine would be an almost full curl Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep I shot in 2000, along with several Pope & Young deer and elk.  In 2004, I joined a national hunting TV series and that brought my “local” hunting career to a whole new level.  I spent nearly a decade with the show and hunted all over the United States and abroad, including two trips to Africa, and several to Canada. We hunted from California, to Texas, to Maine and harvested more animals then I can probably ever remember.  I’ve had the ultimate opportunity and hands on experience hunting many different species and terrains all over the world!  
Among the animals I’ve been lucky enough to harvest, and blessed to have taken, include many trophy Elk, Mule deer, Whitetail deer, Bear, Cougar and Pronghorn antelope along with Moose, Bighorn sheep, American buffalo, African Cape buffalo, Eland, Nilgia, Oryx, Blackbuck, Aoudad, Axis, Wildebeest, Duiker, Blesbok, Bushbuck, Zebra, Impala, Kudu, Springbok, Fallow deer, Sika deer, Wathog, Baboon, Jackal, Javelina, Hogs, Coyotes, Turkey, Ducks, Geese and multiple small game…

Justin Cretti

Justin was born and raised on his family's ranch on the Eastern Plains of Colorado. Later in his childhood the Cretti's started an upland bird hunting preserve and it was there that he began hunting and guiding. Justin loves spot and stalk hunting but also says that hunting from a well placed tree stand is hard to beat. Archery hunting is where his passion lies, he loves the challenge of getting up close and personal with some of gods greatest creations.

Steve Durbin

Steve was born and raised in Missouri and moved to Colorado in 1984. He has been an avid hunter since he was a young child and has been guiding and fishing for the last 20 years. Steve’s favorite type of hunting is spot and stalking both sheep and elk. Now that his two sons are old enough to hunt with him he spends as much time as possible traveling to different states and hunting whatever species are in season at the time. One of the highlights for Steve during hunting season is to have the opportunity to share his knowledge and then experience the excitement of successful hunts with first time hunters.

Byron Eller

Byron was born in Nebraska moved to Colorado in 1972. He has over 45 years of experience in the field and has guided for more than 15 of them. Favorite ways to hunt is spot and stocking both Elk & Mule Deer but his true passion is bow hunting Elk during the rut. The year Byron was hunting with his Dad while he shot his best bull to date with a muzzle loader was one of the top highlights of his hunting career. Just like Steve he gets most of his enjoyment now sharing hunting knowledge with first time elk hunters and being involved in their success from the start to finish.

JB James

Born and raised in Bennett Colorado. Started hunting at age 4 with my dad in Arkansas at my grandpa's ranch.  Even though southern whitetail hunting is all tree stand I enjoy spot and stalk.

 My dad and I have always dreamed about having our own place to hunt and beaver valley made those come true. I rodeo for the most the year and live in Stephenville tx. If I'm not doing something in the rodeo world I can be found hunting. I enjoy being at the ranch and experiencing the excitements with my  family and friends what Beaver Valley Ranch has to offer.

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