Outfitters

[BJE80]

Do any of you do outfitted whitetail hunt evens even though you own your own land? If so are they out of state? We all work hard on our land and have a lot of money stuck into it. Do you still go elsewhere?

I personally have no interest in paying for any whitetails hunts even if I would have better hunting. I am "All-in" so to speak. I have everything invested in my land and I admit my eggs are all in one basket. Curious what others do.

 

[shawnv]

Can't say I go the outfitter route but I have done DIY in Iowa and Kansas. Sometimes it's just nice to see new ground for a different experience.

 

[BJE80]

I should of added I will use my cabin as a base camp and do public land nearby. But that is about as far as I get.

 

[BJE80]

Same here...though I often wonder if I made the right choice

How so?

 

[Steve Bartylla]

It used to be that when people were talking about outfitted hunts, 3-4 places jumped to mind that were heads and tails above any other outfitter I know of. Times have changed. I'm NOT saying all outfitters treat their places like assembly lines, but I am down to only personally knowing 1 that doesn't. I'll be brutally honest. All of the rest of the outfitters I now know, I sincerely believe hunters would stand a higher chance of setting up a DIY on public grounds in the hot spots in those states than doing an outfitted hunt. Otherwise, there's 1 guy in IL that I know that is sincerely trying to balance pressure and hunter numbers in a reasonable manner and a Canadian buddy from Alberta that the grounds he hunts (and some of it is public) has absolutely no clue what hunting pressure is (can be a tough hunt in some ways when conditions are bad, but he only takes 6-8 hunters a year, has near limitless ground and every other year they kill a once in a lifetimer...202" monster already this year...by far the most ignorant deer I've ever seen). Lease prices have just gotten so ridiculous that the majority of outfitters have to run hunters through on an assembly line. Outside of those 2, I wouldn't even consider booking with anyone else I know of. Otherwise, I'd sincerely like my odds better on public grounds.

 

[MoLandOwner]

I have done the outfitter thing even owning land in several states. It was in Texas and my buddy and I had a lot of fun. Brought back some game and a great experience, so we booked another trip with the guy and paid half down for the following year. 2 weeks before next years hunt we find out the outfitter never paid the ranch owners for his hunting rights and we had no land to hunt on.

Took my buddy a week to catch up with the guy when we wanted our money back. He got a fist full of education from my friend! Funny how the guys wife came running out of the house with our cash when shit started going down! hahahahaha!

 

[Riggsgwp->]

I would assume Outfitters reserve the best deer areas to their high dollar or tv clients each year. I would never go on a guided hunt unless the big game laws indicated a guide is required like Canada. Most people are capable of putting together a better public land hunt then many outfitters can provide but are just to scared of the unknowns. I have had some fantastic elk hunts over the years all on public land and have had decent encounters with trophy bulls.

 

[West Branch]

I have though about an outfitter hunt, but I would prefer some sort of DIY. I did some research on whitetail hunts and this place seems like one the best I have found http://www.whitetailparadiseproperties.com/?page_id=484. 8 day self guided hunts for $1,500, I would assume you do your own lodging and food at that price. It looks like they have at least 9 different properties in NW MO that they own themselves, so they are not leasing. They have webpages for each one and it looks like they have limits for the number of hunters and they are bow only, which seems good to me.

I think all of their properties are in NW Missouri, Mo posted this 311 acre one a few months back that is owned by "Whitetail Paradise Properties" based on my research:
http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/the-ultimate-hunting-land-in-nw-missouri.3369/

Link to the 311 acres on their website. http://www.whitetailparadiseproperties.com/?page_id=7977

Know anything about these guys Mo? It also looks like the owners sold a software company a few years back for big $, so they might not need the money like some outfitters that are leasing, which also seems like a plus. But you never know motivations of people in the hunting business. As you can tell I did some research, but haven't actually emailed or talked to the owners.

I would like to do a elk hunt out west sometime in the next 5 years, which I need to start researching more. Luckily I have a cousin in CO that does a lot of hunting and he has said that he would help with planning, etc.

 

[bueller]

I like exploring new grounds but I want to do it on my terms so no outfitters for me.

 

[wiscwhip]

I can tell you this much, bowhunting outfitters are completely ruining the potential for B & C class bucks in Buffalo Co, WI. They run hunters through "assembly line" style like Steve was saying and take as many as a dozen bucks a year in some cases, off of properties as small as 400 acres. Their standards are still pretty high compared to many, but killing numerous 140" bucks a year doesn't leave many to reach the size needed to put one in the B & C book. Not that being in the B & C record book is all that important, but for comparison, that is the reality of the situation.

 

[j-bird]

Never have.

I would consider one if I was hunting something I had never hunted before in a place I had never been.

 

[tooln]

Never have never will.

 

[Greta&Gus]

I have never hunted with an outfitter but I have done a lot of guided fishing trips. Alaska, San Diego, gulf coast, lake Michigan, and even in northern MN. All of the trips were in situations that I would either not be able to do myself or was willing to spend a couple of extra bucks to have someone else figure it out. Then, I can go out and just have fun.

I think you could take the same approach for a hunting outfitter. We all put a ton of time, money, and energy into our own properties. Nothing wrong with treating yourself to a 'fun' hunt in a big buck area or going out west for elk. No, it isn't the same as doing it yourself but it doesn't have to be. I have told my dad when he retires we can plan a guided hunt of his choice to go on. We already do enough work on our land that I don't want to spend the time learning a new spot.

 

[SD51555]

Me? Not for whitetail. If it wasn't a pure hunt, and I know that's a wildly subjective idea, I wouldn't feel any sense of accomplishment from it. It reminds me of a walleye trip out to Montana years ago. It was crazy hot, zero wind, and the fish weren't cooperating the whole week. All of a sudden the guide hooks up with a big sauger and immediately hands the rod to my cousin to reel in. Immediately starting pumping my cousin about how he caught such a great fish. It made me feel dirty and unfulfilled. I'd rather have a pure crap experience and wait for the real thing to happen. Once the idea of the real thing is dead and gone, i'm hanging it up.

**I think there is a fine line between creating a super property with trail cameras and a feedlot with fort knox level surveillance.

 

[West Branch]

Me? Not for whitetail. If it wasn't a pure hunt, and I know that's a wildly subjective idea, I wouldn't feel any sense of accomplishment from it. It reminds me of a walleye trip out to Montana years ago. It was crazy hot, zero wind, and the fish weren't cooperating the whole week. All of a sudden the guide hooks up with a big sauger and immediately hands the rod to my cousin to reel in. Immediately starting pumping my cousin about how he caught such a great fish. It made me feel dirty and unfulfilled. I'd rather have a pure crap experience and wait for the real thing to happen. Once the idea of the real thing is dead and gone, i'm hanging it up.

I have similar thoughts. When I have went up to lake of the woods the last 3 years they are usually running downriggers when we go and some guides don't want you too touch a thing. Hardly feels like fishing when all you do is grab a rod and reel in a fish. For the guys I go with its more about sitting in the boat and drinking beer all day, still a blast, just not really fishing in my eyes.

This year we had a different guide and he had us setting the downriggers and doing a lot more. Definitely felt like I was actually working for a fish instead of just being along for the ride.

 

[j-bird]

I'm with SD - I want an experience! I want to be part of something - I want that something to be part of me. If I'm just some dummy pulling the trigger or cranking the reel then....well, anybody can do that. That's like getting a "participation" award! Nope, sorry, takes more than just showing up to give me a sense of accomplishment!

I'f I'm going to do that - I might as well buy mounts for my wall of E-bay!

 

[Brush Creek]

Never a guided hunt. Plenty of DIY before the land in KS. Have leased land before.

On a side note.....MO, you should write a book!!!

 

[Steve Bartylla]

this kind of reminds me of J Bird's thread about whether he'd feel "hollow" shooting a deer on ground that's not his. I know lots of people that absolutely love going on fully guided hunt. For me, I wouldn't find any thrill or fun in hunting stands I didn't scout & at least had a part in hanging, but that's JUST me. There's nothing wrong with my feelings on the subject, just as there is absolutely nothing wrong with those that find a thrill in shooting a slob they didn't have any more input on than climbing into the stand they are told too and making the shot. No different than one person liking vanilla ice cream, while another likes chocolate and another liking caramel and nuts in theirs.

 

[MoLandOwner]

Never a guided hunt. Plenty of DIY before the land in KS. Have leased land before.

On a side note.....MO, you should write a book!!!

With all the trouble I have had in my life. It would be the size of the books Congress has for the nations Budget!:eek:

 

[Greta&Gus]

If you do all of the work on your property, set up stands, food plots, cameras, hinging, everything. Then invite a friend or family member to hunt for a weekend and they shoot a nice buck, do you look down on them for it?