JoeRE

As others say, to each thier own. I prefer to do my own hunting, the whole process. Money cannot buy a great hunt IMO.

MeanV2

You guys really have to do your homework more complete. Check references, then check them again, then check them even 3 and 4 times. An outfitter is not that important to me, but I want a good place to hunt and a warm, dry place to lay my head at night. To me an outfitter is someone who provides that when I am out of state. I don't need someone to hold my hand and tell me when to shoot. Just give me a spot and turn me loose. I hunted Dec. this past year in NE. and the guy charged me $300 I stayed at the ranch house 5 nights. No one lives there full time and it's not that fancy, but warm and dry it is and a stocked kitchen where you can cook, etc. Shoot there was even Direct TVIt's kind of a weekend getaway for him and he lives in WY. Plus there is 1,000 acres I have to myself to Bowhunt. I think I did Ok for 4 days

Dan

MeanV2

Merriam Turkey bonus!

Dan

glockman55

I don't use an outfitter, and I don't have a problem with them until they make it mandatory that you must use one to hunt, like some places in Canada.

atlasman

About sums it up perfectly right there...........you are ultimately responsible for the experience of your trip. There are lousy outfitters out there for sure and some "bad" experiences will undoubtedly pop up.........the VAST majority of which are due to lack of research on the hunter's part IMO. If a bunch of references are not available then I would be concerned.......if details are not clear I would be concerned.........if communication is poor I would be concerned. A good reputable outfitter has nothing to hide.

Do your homework and decide EXACTLY what you want going in and then go find it..........just be realistic about your desires........you aren't gonna find a mansion of a lodge with 5 star food cooked for you and access to 20 stands on prime ground full of bruisers for $500. If you want to save money then do what Dan described and take more upon yourself..........the basics are someone who will give you an HONEST chance at whatever animal you are after and a warm dry place to sleep with access to food and water........your budget and personal desires will be what determines what you add to that.


For those that are irritated about outfitters grabbing up land...........the only ones to thank for that are your fellow hunters. If guys were not willing to pay to hunt they (and leases) would not exist. You can't blame the landowners for taking money for something instead of giving it away for free.

If you were approached by an outfitter who offered you $25,000/year for hunting permission on your land (and you didn't hunt)..........would you really say "No......I already have some guy and his friend hunting there who I didn't know until they pulled in my driveway 3 years ago and they give me a fruit basket at Christmas time"

They have a family and taxes to pay on that land...........farmers around me are FAR from wealthy so I wouldn't blame them one bit. They would be crazy not to take the money.

It's just the way it is...........only two solutions. Become a landowner yourself or hunt public land.......that is what it's there for.

I don't like it anymore then you guys but the blame lies solely with us hunters.......if we were not shelling out the money then this situation would not exist.

Schultzy

I understand where your coming from Atlas but where I bear hunt its public land and its over run and bullied by most of the (want to be bear guides)! Like I said in the very 1st post on this thread we need guides where I hunt, there's the folks who just don't have the time that some do or the people who do not have a clue on what there doing. Thats what outfitters are for is to help people get what they want. They need to put a limit on the amount of outfitters in an area though, It will get ugly otherwise!

tsoc

As I had mentioned in my original post I will continue to do it on my own.I am sure there are some reasonably priced outstanding hunting trips but they are by far the exception.You either have an outfitter or landowner who doesn't know what they have or they are not in it for the money.It is all about supply and demand.
The points made about research are absolutely true,it is each hunters responsibility to research their trips thoroughly.Many years ago I was naive and thought there was no way one of my "brethern" would not be straight with me.Of course like most lessons learned the painful ones have the most impact.
It also depends on what a hunter's intentions are.Are you going out of state every year to hunt the same species?Have you found country you really enjoy hunting? That's a do it yourself no brainer,provided we are talking whitetails or similar sized game.If you are only going to go every few years and you want a diversity of different hunting experiences than an outfitter is your best bet,especially so if you are hunting large game that will require Horses,mules or four wheelers to get game out.

davidmil

YUP, there is no correct response for me on this one. I've hunted with an outfitter, fished with outfitters and probably will agains some day I hope, because that'll mean I'm off to Ill. or Iowa or Canada hunting. Of course if it's the Ill./ Iowa dealit means I've succummed to the preasure and want to shoot a macho buck so bad I'm willing to pay for it. It probably won't happen. I'll just go to Ohio where I can hunt several hundred acres for free. Heck, I'm going back to the same place in Canada for the third year in a row in June for fishing with an outfitter. I think you're trying to compare an apple to an apple to another apple and another appleand they aren't the same.(I could throw in there are bad apples in every barrell but I won't). I see places where I absolutely detest outfitters. I see places where you'd be a fool not to use one. They're all outfitters but from different apple trees. Those who come in to "The Newest Hotspot for Big Bucks" and lease up all the land so they can charge thousands for chance at the next world record"... well I find it bad for hunting.I feel sorry for the local folks who lost a lifestyle and heritage to a carpet bagger. Wilderness outfitters, fishing guides etc.... well they aren't depriving others a chance really. They're using a resource that probably wouldn't get used if it weren't for them. Places like Canada and Alaska where you're required to have an outfitter/guide... well it's the law and probably a good thing.

glockman55

Places like Canada and Alaska where you're required to have an outfitter/guide... well it's the law and probably a good thing.

It's a Monopoly, Caribou hunting is on it's way to Guided only as well, we went on a bou hunt paid for the camp, boats, camp tenders, and hunted on our own. Too many Trophy hunters are shooting bulls to ground check, too small and leaving them lay to go after a bigger bull. This is why a required guide will soon be the law. And most of us won't go because of the price increase. A few always screw it up for the rest. I can still go Mule deer hunting in Wy. no guide for around $600.( most of that is gas),and have a chance and a Big Buck.

FLbowhntr

well I have used an outfitter in Il to whitetail hunt but do most of my hunting on our georgia lease. The reason outfitters are so prevalent in Il and other big whitetail states I think is because of people from places like me here in FL or GA were the chance of killing a deer in the 150" range is very slim, so we pay to gain permission to hunt good property in big buck areas as well as a nice place to stay and some decent food.