Never been on any outfitted hunts and after reading what some of you have wriiten it sounds real expensive and not much of a return...not that I want to shoot at something as one person said tied to a tree but,...a bunch of guys, 7 days and no sight of game...ouch.
Do you ever go on outfitted hunts?
- Thread starter Len Backus
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
winmag
Well-Known Member
Ya ouch. Oh well it couldve been worse.... oh ya it was, my rifle and 1 buddies were top packed when the second mule wreck of the day happened. Yep he rolled over both rifles 3 times then got stuck on his back struggeling to get up. Man I was P/Oed. Did i mention that i didnt get the 08'presidential election results till I got back to the pickup a few days after being completely skunked. Yep, just wasnt my year I guess. Actually it was horrible! Lookin back we all made the most of our time there and all of us agreed that it was an experience we wouldnt soon forget. haha On a positive note, we did see some beautiful country
No, my beloved model 70 doesnt shoot as good as it did before i left on that trip. But I feel much better after whispering in that mules ear just exactly what that rifle was gonna do to him if I ever saw him again.
gun)
All in all Im kinda glad i went when i did. Now I have 2 kids and a wife that says "well i guess you can go for a week,.....if you bring home meat." NO PRESSURE right. haha She knows my family comes first untill hunting season then the1 thing daddy waits all year for is gonna take him on another adventure, and hopefully put meat on the table.
My only analegy is "everyone oughta give it a try, untill you get punched in the face and come back for more you never truly know if youve got what it takes.'' Well no elk this year on my over the counter tag,but we saw a few! Ya, i came back for more, i love to hunt.
No, my beloved model 70 doesnt shoot as good as it did before i left on that trip. But I feel much better after whispering in that mules ear just exactly what that rifle was gonna do to him if I ever saw him again.
gun)All in all Im kinda glad i went when i did. Now I have 2 kids and a wife that says "well i guess you can go for a week,.....if you bring home meat." NO PRESSURE right. haha She knows my family comes first untill hunting season then the1 thing daddy waits all year for is gonna take him on another adventure, and hopefully put meat on the table.
My only analegy is "everyone oughta give it a try, untill you get punched in the face and come back for more you never truly know if youve got what it takes.'' Well no elk this year on my over the counter tag,but we saw a few! Ya, i came back for more, i love to hunt.
hunting with a guide to me takes the fun out of a hunt.i use to talk to hunters around burns that paid big bucks to hunt elk.they were fed all year and they went out and shot em around the feeding grounds.not much of a hunt im thinking.i really dont even call it hunting.we hunt close to this ritzy hunting establishment and usually score.we also hunt areas we dont really know but we learn as we go.we have fun regardless weather we fill our tags or not and find some great country
After answering the poll questions I got to thinking (very dangerous thing for a man my age) what the information derived from the answers would be used for. It appears like one of the surveys that you can get in trouble with when they pop up on the internet. By trouble, I mean, all of a sudden your email is flooded with emails from sellers of all kinds and your phone starts ringing off the hook from callers with undeliverable phone numbers.
I mostly just ignore these types of questions for the reasons specified above. I am, however, interested in what the benefactor of the answered questions is going to do with them now?
I mostly just ignore these types of questions for the reasons specified above. I am, however, interested in what the benefactor of the answered questions is going to do with them now?
I have been on guided hunts for elk, deer, caribou and bear. I can honestly say the only problems I have had were with the Caribou outfitters. I don't know what it is with those guys up there. Booked and paid 7 times and only left the states 5. I used even a booking agent once and we found out the issues with the outfitter going out of business (Kanguk) prior to the booking agent! I would go back every year if I could to the Artic. Not so much for the Caribou but for the bird (ptarmigan) and the fantastic fishing.
The area on the west coast which holds the Leaf River herd has the best animals by far and I've been to four different areas now. The last outfitter went belly up during the financial crash in '08 (Tuttulik) and they had only been in business 3 years but man did they have it right. They took our feedback every time and incorporated it!
You really have to do your research on any outfitter prior to booking as previously stated.
I do mostly self guided hunts and only use an outfitter when it's needed to gain access to areas or animals I cannot get to myself.
For you younger guys out there, you need to save for your future to a point where it becomes a little uncomfortable. You also need a 'Plan' to incorporate your hunting trips dollars into that financial picture just put a dollar figure per year on it and go for it. Like anything else you get out of it what you put into it.
I raised 5 kids, lost a farm, divorced, remarried and retired now. Fortunately for me my wife doesn't hunt. So I can go where I want and when I want for hunting anyhow.
Although she get hers too like the time I asked her why she thought we needed a sun-room on the back of the house after 9 months of construction estimates because I needed more info for the 'why'...... Her 4.0 answer..."I need a place to sit and wait for you come back from your hunting trips".
I now had all the needed info for my decision. I walked over to the phone, called the contractor and pleaded with him to start first thing Monday morning.
The area on the west coast which holds the Leaf River herd has the best animals by far and I've been to four different areas now. The last outfitter went belly up during the financial crash in '08 (Tuttulik) and they had only been in business 3 years but man did they have it right. They took our feedback every time and incorporated it!
You really have to do your research on any outfitter prior to booking as previously stated.
I do mostly self guided hunts and only use an outfitter when it's needed to gain access to areas or animals I cannot get to myself.
For you younger guys out there, you need to save for your future to a point where it becomes a little uncomfortable. You also need a 'Plan' to incorporate your hunting trips dollars into that financial picture just put a dollar figure per year on it and go for it. Like anything else you get out of it what you put into it.
I raised 5 kids, lost a farm, divorced, remarried and retired now. Fortunately for me my wife doesn't hunt. So I can go where I want and when I want for hunting anyhow.
Although she get hers too like the time I asked her why she thought we needed a sun-room on the back of the house after 9 months of construction estimates because I needed more info for the 'why'...... Her 4.0 answer..."I need a place to sit and wait for you come back from your hunting trips".
I now had all the needed info for my decision. I walked over to the phone, called the contractor and pleaded with him to start first thing Monday morning.
I've used an outfitter once, and WILL do it again. I hunted elk in the Bob Marshall Wilderness (West of Yellowstone) with Lake Upsata Outfitters in '09. This was a pack-in hunt into an area I would never have been able to reach on my own. I live in the East and don't have horses, mules, or the tack necessary for such a hunt. It was expensive, but it was worth every penny I paid.
I would rather pay a guide or outfitter than waste my vacation hunting (or fishing) the wrong area, with the wrong gear, in the wrong manner. When I was a kid I could hunt 30+ days each fall, and spent nearly as much time scouting pre-season as I did hunting. With that much time I could afford to take a few days to get to know an area. Now that my hunting time is scarce, the idea of wasting 5 days out of a 7-day hunt because I didn't know the area seems STUPID.
I second what others have said about researching who you will be hunting with BEFORE you book your trip. I booked a day marlin fishing with my wife & daughter once & got the WRONG boat. To say it was a dismal experience would be a huge understatement. We wasted what we paid AND a day of our vacation. When I was planning an elk hunt I did my research and quickly narrowed my search to about a dozen outfitters, then I called them to sound them out. After those calls I was down to about 5 outfitters. I then asked each what they had available that matched my schedule & the choice was easy.
If you have lots of time, know the area & know the game, an outfitter is a luxury you likely won't justify, but if your time is very limited, and you don't have the equipment or knowledge for a successful hunt, hiring help makes lots of sense.
I would rather pay a guide or outfitter than waste my vacation hunting (or fishing) the wrong area, with the wrong gear, in the wrong manner. When I was a kid I could hunt 30+ days each fall, and spent nearly as much time scouting pre-season as I did hunting. With that much time I could afford to take a few days to get to know an area. Now that my hunting time is scarce, the idea of wasting 5 days out of a 7-day hunt because I didn't know the area seems STUPID.
I second what others have said about researching who you will be hunting with BEFORE you book your trip. I booked a day marlin fishing with my wife & daughter once & got the WRONG boat. To say it was a dismal experience would be a huge understatement. We wasted what we paid AND a day of our vacation. When I was planning an elk hunt I did my research and quickly narrowed my search to about a dozen outfitters, then I called them to sound them out. After those calls I was down to about 5 outfitters. I then asked each what they had available that matched my schedule & the choice was easy.
If you have lots of time, know the area & know the game, an outfitter is a luxury you likely won't justify, but if your time is very limited, and you don't have the equipment or knowledge for a successful hunt, hiring help makes lots of sense.
MHO
Well-Known Member
Yes and plan on many more. Getting away from the public land. You see a lot more game and just a ton of fun. Well its just incredible. I still hunt a lot of public land as well but the main reason is the land / pressure. We also have started leasing property. ITS NOT as expensive as most people let on to be. You can lease some great hunting property for @ 500.00 a person if you dig hard enough.
I do every year. However I also get some AWESOME landowner tags in NM for pronghorn, big bear and elk. If anyone is ever wanting to do some LRH for either please let me know as I can get some great tags on huge ranches at an affordable price. I used to guide out there so I have great contacts for hunting.
Sorry If I offend you but seriously, if you where on a pack-in trip and didn't see any animals that's your fault. No one else to blame. Second, I have never heard of any of that crap happening. However trophy fees are one thing but taking someones trophy??? Not happening.
You also talk as if guides are only needed for newcomers? Well I've hunted 33 countries killing 152 species (pre-wife) I just think what you are saying is false.
I have had some great experiences because I do the research on all of my hunts. Don't let your friends do your research. The truth with optics and hunts...only a rich man can afford to be cheap.
Seriously, why is it a hair brained idea to pay for a hunt? I really don't understand that. You pay for guns, you pay for tags, clothing, mounts. I guess some peoples ego allows them to believe that they should be entitled to hunt for free. Not saying that all hunting should be with a guide but this is 2011 and nothing is for free. Time value money...your $2000.00 unguided hunt cost you a lot more.
You also talk as if guides are only needed for newcomers? Well I've hunted 33 countries killing 152 species (pre-wife) I just think what you are saying is false.
I have had some great experiences because I do the research on all of my hunts. Don't let your friends do your research. The truth with optics and hunts...only a rich man can afford to be cheap.
Seriously, why is it a hair brained idea to pay for a hunt? I really don't understand that. You pay for guns, you pay for tags, clothing, mounts. I guess some peoples ego allows them to believe that they should be entitled to hunt for free. Not saying that all hunting should be with a guide but this is 2011 and nothing is for free. Time value money...your $2000.00 unguided hunt cost you a lot more.
I guess its the chance you take, but the 1 and only time i ever "paid an outfitter" was to pack our huntin buddies and me into wilderness area where not 1 of us saw even 1 elk till 2 days after the season on the way out.(1 cow) These guys are all seasoned hunters ranging from 32yrs old (me the young buck) to 58 yrs old in GREAT physical condition.All of us were raised in hunting families, in the northwest.Thats alot of combined experience to go completely empty handed. This was not a guided hunt, just an outfitters drop camp hunt. I respect guides and how difficult thier job is,(hunting with all comers is something i could not do) but I will say when I shoot or dont, and at what i want to shoot. And NO IM NOT going to pay an extra $1000.00 per point for the one you have tied to the tree. Im also gonna keep my meat and horns Especially if its a record.NO I wont settle for a replica makebelive set you will have made for me so you can show off MY real horns at YOUR lodge.I wasted 5 years worth of poinst for that tag and almost $2000.00! When i couldve just hunted around home and ''settled'' for another raghorn bull.
$2000.00 will buy a nice rifle next time i have a hair brained idea like paying to hunt!
Oh well, at least i got to see some new country that i wouldnt have otherwise.
Last edited:
Groundhog guy
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2008
- Messages
- 1
I have been on a caribou hunt in 2003, and a whitetail deer hunt in 2010. I use a wheelchair, so I had to make sure that the outfitters were willing to adapt the hunting methods for me. I shot a 310" caribou bull, and a 127" whitetail on those hunts.
nmranchguy
New Member
Just got back from a great Dove hunting trip to Argentina with La Dormida Lodge, it was awesome. I would recommend it to anyone. It is pretty pricey, but the birds never stop flying. I am hoping to draw a NM Ibex tag this season. If I do I would be interested in any advice for an outfitter seeing as it is a once-in-a-lifetime draw tag. Any suggestions?
jasonprox700
Well-Known Member
I will be hunting with Circle KBL Outfitters at the end of this month in Idaho for Black Bear. I actually won the hunt through this site way back in fall of 2009! Can't wait. Hoping to swing down through Casper on the way back through and shoot some pdogs with my brother. Should be a good time, except for the dang gas prices!
- Joined
- May 2, 2001
- Messages
- 7,523
Have a great bear hunt!
