HAVE YOU WENT ON A GUIDED WHITETAIL HUNT?

[WTNUT]

If you have went on a guided whitetails hunt, I would like to know how the experience was for you and what made it good, bad, or just another hunt. I will start. I have been on seven guided whitetail hunts and have killed one buck out of seven times. When you think about it, for a one week hunt where you are trying to kill trophy bucks that isn't too bad (not good, but all were challenging in their own way). My first two were on a very large plantation in Louisiana as a guest of a client. It was fun to see new habitat, but did not see a lot of deer bucks or does. That was around 1996 - 1997. Then I went to Texas twice on very very large acreage high fence hunts. I did not kill the first time, but could have shot several bucks just none like I was looking for. The next time I was back in Texas, I did kill a nice buck. A friend of mine manages a few ranches down there and I went with him. Seeing tons of deer and new habitat made it fun. The next hunt was Iowa. It was a disaster. The outfitter lost nearly all of his hunting acreage before we arrived and did not tell us. Every day but one, I had another hunter within 100 yards of me. Need I say more? Then I went to Illinois twice and the hunts were excellent even though I did not kill. I saw lots of nice bucks just none within bow range.


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[yoderjac]

For me, one of the biggest challenges of hunting is the woodsmanship involved in stand placement. While I do hunt with a muzzleloader and firearms, my passion is bowhunting where you need to get up close and personal. For me, under most circumstances, a guided hunt removes part of the challenge I enjoy.

Having said that, one year my wife talked me into going on a vacation with her to Maui. I'm not much of a sightseer, so I decided to take a day and plan a bow hunt. We were not there long enough for me to do any scouting, public land is limited and very rugged, and it is not conducive to treestand hunting. I decided to try a guided spot and stalk hunt for axis deer and goats. The cost was only $200 for the day and that included one doe or ewe. For a buck you paid by the inch of antler. Since I didn't care about a trophy and didn't have much money, I was happy just having the experience.

I had never done a spot and stalk bowhunt before. It was a real challenge for me and I didn't have the skillset. The ranch was not fenced, but is was situated such that it had the best habitat and there were lots of axis deer. I had several shot opportunities. One was at a huge buck at 10 yards. It was a slam dunk and the guide worked hard to try to talk me into it, but I had the discipline to let it walk. I got one shot opportunity at a doe, but my distance estimation skills were not well practiced from the ground and it was a clean miss. I was exhausted at the end of the day. I had no bow sling and carrying the bow in shooting position and high stepping slowly while stalking all day really took it out of me on the terrain. I found it a great experience, but not my normal type of hunting. It was not a whitetail hunt, but my only guided hunt.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Bill]

Often thought I should sell the farm, invest the $, and go on 3 guided WT hunts a year.

I'd die one the plus side $ wise.

BUT.
I won't name names. Picked up a deer mag a few years back and read an article about a fellow killing a huge Iowa deer. They went into detail about how they studied this deer. Had him on trail cams all year, knew his pattern, bla Bla.

Decided it was time to move in for the kill late season muzzleloader. Success!

My problem was the guy is an outfitter in MO and IA. Probably ran an average of 4 to 8 guys a week through 4000 acres from sept 15 to sometime in early Dec.

Funny how none of his paying clients ever saw the deer but he was blessed to shoot it after the checks cleared.

I could load my place up with stands that guys had a chance to see a shooter "out of range". But I don't have any of those.

WT outfitting is a business.

Now out west Muleys or Elk is different. I'd pay an outfitter. Tell him my effective range was 300 yards and be really confident shooting 600.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Often thought I should sell the farm, invest the $, and go on 3 guided WT hunts a year.

I'd die one the plus side $ wise.

BUT.
I won't name names. Picked up a deer mag a few years back and read an article about a fellow killing a huge Iowa deer. They went into detail about how they studied this deer. Had him on trail cams all year, knew his pattern, bla Bla.

Decided it was time to move in for the kill late season muzzleloader. Success!

My problem was the guy is an outfitter in MO and IA. Probably ran an average of 4 to 8 guys a week through 4000 acres from sept 15 to sometime in early Dec.

Funny how none of his paying clients ever saw the deer but he was blessed to shoot it after the checks cleared.

I could load my place up with stands that guys had a chance to see a shooter "out of range". But I don't have any of those.

WT outfitting is a business.

Now out west Muleys or Elk is different. I'd pay an outfitter. Tell him my effective range was 300 yards and be really confident shooting 600.

If you sell, I want first shot!

 

[Tap]

Nope. Not interested in having somebody take me by the hand to a stand someone else hung...and that stand probably had a hunter in it last week, and another the week before and so on. To me, that's not hunting, it's shooting.
I do self-guided in Ohio every year and Iowa when I can draw a tag. All private land. It's not always easy or productive but it's extra rewarding when I tag because I know I did it on my own. Never have to tip a guide either:D

 

[Baker]

I used to go on guided hunts in Canada. For a southern boy I found it a survival contest more than a fun hunt. Saw some nice bucks and had some great deer brought in to camp over the years but I never personally shot one. Like Tap, having others take care of all the details with me just hoping a buck wandered by wasn't very appealing even though I was enamored with the images of giant Alberta monsters.

Then one day I was riding on a ranch in Mexico i had control of. It was about 65 degrees, beautiful and sunny. I was in shirt sleeves. I rounded the corner about 2:00 one afternoon and caught an unsuspecting 6 yr old 175" buck grazing in the brush. I was able to sneak up on him and while filming him I decided then and there I would never hunt another deer I didn't grow myself. I shot that deer 2 yrs later at 188" typical with a 31 1/2" inside spread. was my first official B & C buck.

 

[NWWI]

No, most of the time your just the trigger man. No scouting or any knowledge of the area required. To each his own but I enjoy the work and rewards of controlling my own luck.

 

[bwoods11]

I would probably not go on a guided whitetail hunt. Possibly would go a guided elk hunt hunt.

 

[WTNUT]

For me, I really enjoy the management and habitat work, watching the bucks mature from year to year, and trying to take a 5.5 year old or older on my own. But, I don't like to travel to large cities, or travel much at all other than to a Caribbean island. So I would go for two reasons: 1. To see another part of the country (which I have really enjoyed); or 2. To have an opportunity to hunt larger bucks than I have at home. Like Bill, even a very expensive whitetail hunt is much cheaper than what I spend at home.


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[MoBuckChaser]

My buddy lined us up on a guided hunt in north texas about 8 years ago. The guide was from MN in our area. He had leased a pile of land in north texas next to the red river and oklahoma. It was only $1,500 for 7 days of hunting per person. He took us out to a 1,000 acre chunk of ground and said here you go. No hand holding, we just sat from dawn until dark every day and hunted. I shot a decent buck, 2 turkeys, a bobcat and a narly Hog with cool cutter teeth. We had a great hunt! So we booked it for the next year, and paid the guy in advance.......almost a big mistake. The guy never told us he wasn't getting any land back in Texas to hunt on. And he never gave us our money back. Almost a big mistake on his part. My buddy and I went over to this guys place who I said lived in our area and confronted him. He started making excuse after excuse in front of us. So as we were slapping the piss out of the guy in his driveway, his mother came out and paid us back, smart lady!

Never trust a guide is my motto now!

 

[Bszweda]

The bad from my perspective
Costs ( not that bad when you think about how much money goes into land management. Still feel guilty of spending that much)
Disappoint from too high expectations (outfitter last year I did 5 all day sits and didn't see a buck larger then a spike)
Extremely low odds.
Self centered people

The good
Convenience factor from a logistical standpoint
Change of scenery
Possibility of a trophy deer
The memories good or bad
The people ( highlight of my trip last year was hanging out with two brothers from new Jersey who were hilarious)

I think finding an outfitter who is genuine, trust worthy, and you get a good vibe from is key.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

The bad from my perspective
Costs ( not that bad when you think about how much money goes into land management. Still feel guilty of spending that much)
Disappoint from too high expectations (outfitter last year I did 5 all day sits and didn't see a buck larger then a spike)
Extremely low odds.
Self centered people

The good
Convenience factor from a logistical standpoint
Change of scenery
Possibility of a trophy deer
The memories good or bad
The people ( highlight of my trip last year was hanging out with two brothers from new Jersey who were hilarious)

I think finding an outfitter who is genuine, trust worthy, and you get a good vibe from is key.

My fear would be to get into a guides camp and having to sleep with a bunch of drunk kids I don't know, parting all night and raising hell, if I wanted to sleep. That would not go over well to share quarters with that crap.

 

[Bszweda]

My fear would be to get into a guides camp and having to sleep with a bunch of drunk kids I don't know, parting all night and raising hell, if I wanted to sleep. That would not go over well to share quarters with that crap.

Iol... good point I bring ear plugs and muffs to fend off the drunks or the snoring chainsaws

 

[Reagan]

I go elk hunting without guides. I don't see any reason to pay someone to hunt an animal as common a whitetail.




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[MoBuckChaser]

I go elk hunting without guides. I don't see any reason to pay someone to hunt an animal as common a whitetail.




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To hunt my area in Missouri, you either pay the guide for the access to hunt, buy property there, or you don't hunt! There is no private land left for access. Its all sewed up!

 

[Bill]

My fear would be to get into a guides camp and having to sleep with a bunch of drunk kids I don't know, parting all night and raising hell, if I wanted to sleep. That would not go over well to share quarters with that crap.

I'm old now.
But if you duck hunted 5000 acres of public salt marsh with me 20 years ago the old sober guys got to the boat ramp an hour before sun up. Us drunk kids had the good spots locked up at 3:00 AM the night before. I'll never pass out in a 10 foot sneak box with a dog keeping me warm again but I'm sure glad I had that experience before I died. And we killed some ducks!

 

[Bill]

FYI, I've been looked at funny by people who don't live on the coast when I mention sneak box.

It's a small boat that a couple of rednecks in barneget bay NJ came up with many years ago. Basically cut a small sail boat down and put on a transome for a motor.

Y

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[Reagan]

To hunt my area in Missouri, you either pay the guide for the access to hunt, buy property there, or you don't hunt! There is no private land left for access. Its all sewed up!

That is working its way into Ohio as well. Which is why I bought ground in 2004. I haven't deer hunted with permission in over 10 years.

I'm not sure I would feel the same sense of accomplishment if I killed a deer without the work of scouting, picking a spot and hanging the stand. I look at it as a chess match with mature bucks and using a guide takes the challenge away.


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[WTNUT]

I go elk hunting without guides. I don't see any reason to pay someone to hunt an animal as common a whitetail.




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I have been on many elk hunts with and without a guide. For me, the guide, in theory and with proper homework, may get you access to better ground. However, if you have the time to go knock on doors and do your homework, you are probably right. No real reason to get the guide. I just don't have the time any more. I will say that I don't run an outfitting business, never sold any hunts. I also have a good idea of what types of farms are in my state and you can't knock on doors and get access to a place that is managed as well as mine. There are places as good as mine, but you are not going to get access.


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