Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

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mheichelbech
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Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:26 am

Curious if anyone on here ever uses an outfitter. I'm guessing not but just curious. It seems like all you hear about are bad experiences. If you did go, did you learn anything? I was thinking about this last night and I think I'd prefer to spend my $ on the scouting workshop or having Dan come in for a scout or hunt.

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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby whitetailassasin » Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:54 am

There are quite a few guys here that do. I've heard TallTines mentioned a lot, Joe G runs it I believe. Look in the Board Index because there is a whole forum where you can book and talk to outfitters.

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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby Stanley » Mon Jan 26, 2015 4:57 am

In my opinion for what it is worth. Outfitter hunts are great for those that don't have access to good private hunting ground. You can go on unguided outfitter hunts where they just cut you lose on a certain private farm or area. Really no different than any other kind of hunting.

I think most of the bad rap outfitters get is because they do lease up the available private hunting land in an area. This is understandable to the locals for sure. You can't blame the land owners for getting paid for someone to hunt rather than letting guys hunt for free. Another thing to remember some guys want a guarantee for a big buck and that is not possible.

I personally have never been on an outfitter hunt. I have talked to guys that have been, on more than one occasion. I do hunt some ground where the adjoining property is leased to outfitters. So it's not like I am not up to speed on what is what with outfitters. I personally don't see anything wrong with a guy going with an outfitter.

I really haven't answered your question, but I hope I have given you some things to chew on.
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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby Bucky » Mon Jan 26, 2015 5:11 am

I did twice in Manitoba for $1800 tag/food/lodging for a week. It is one of the few places you can hunt whitetails in late August + you need a resident guide/outfitter to hunt as a non resident in Manitoba. The hunt was a blast... saw plenty of animals and killed a 150" full velvet 11pt the first trip. The second trip I saw a 160-170 gross 10pt in full velvet and had a 160" non typical on day #3 or 4 st 75 yards. He was coming to me on a huge grain field in a stand I hung earlier that afternoon when he stopped and went back the way he had come from after a truck went by on the gravel road.

I won a hunt st Tall Tines with Joe G too... that was also lots of fun. Met some great hunters and had lots of laughes while hunting primo ground. Saw a giant on my last day of the hunt there as well...

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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby JohnnieU » Mon Jan 26, 2015 5:26 am

I've never went on an outfitted deer hunt, but was hunting a farm in a prime area that an outfitter was also running some hunters. He paid the farmer some money and worked out a deal so the farmer's friends could still hunt a few days and he ran his hunters for most of three weeks of the rut. It was during earn-a-buck and he told the farmer that he just needed extra farms for his clients to shoot does so he wouldn't screw up his managed farms. It was a good story, but I recall seeing a photo of a "live buck" on his website that one of my buddies shot, it was a 9 point pushing 150" so I understand using its photos. But, I always wondered how many hunters were placed on that farm after being told that buck was there. Also, this operation's guides shoot the biggest bucks every year so I think their paying clients subsidize their hunting and they keep the best spots for themselves. I will say they knew how to set up stands well.

I have hunted bears with guides and had great hunts, my latest adventure was this year with NWO (Mike Foss is on this forum) and couldn't have been happier with the experience. Great hunt and great guys both at the operation and in camp.

I am sure there are great deer operations too, but do your research and look for red flags like the same guy killing the biggest buck every year. Unless you're that guy, you'll probably be hunting second class spots.
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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Jan 26, 2015 5:43 am

It isn't anything I was considering but was curious and wondering if hunters learn much in the process. Personally I would rather pay that kind of money for my own lease that I could use all year Or a scouting shop with Dan. Unless it was a high fence hunt I am not sure that my odds would be much better given all the uncontrollable variables with hunting.

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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby Stanley » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:54 am

mheichelbech wrote:It isn't anything I was considering but was curious and wondering if hunters learn much in the process. Personally I would rather pay that kind of money for my own lease that I could use all year Or a scouting shop with Dan. Unless it was a high fence hunt I am not sure that my odds would be much better given all the uncontrollable variables with hunting.

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I think finding a lease on your own is the best way to go. That said, how would you go about finding one? There is time and resources involved in finding your own lease. I don't think a scouting work shop with Dan is comparable to finding a lease to hunt. The work shop is a learning tool and a good one.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby Bucky » Mon Jan 26, 2015 7:07 am

IMO a lease is the way to go. Good luck finding a good one in WI unless you are willing to pay 2-5k+

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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Jan 26, 2015 7:23 am

Stanley wrote:
mheichelbech wrote:It isn't anything I was considering but was curious and wondering if hunters learn much in the process. Personally I would rather pay that kind of money for my own lease that I could use all year Or a scouting shop with Dan. Unless it was a high fence hunt I am not sure that my odds would be much better given all the uncontrollable variables with hunting.

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I think finding a lease on your own is the best way to go. That said, how would you go about finding one? There is time and resources involved in finding your own lease. I don't think a scouting work shop with Dan is comparable to finding a lease to hunt. The work shop is a learning tool and a good one.

Certainly the Dan workshop would be the better long term investment.

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"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Mon Jan 26, 2015 7:36 am

. I take pride in knowing I can kill a decent animal without needing to pay someone to be successful. If I did take a nice animal on a outfitted hunt I wouldn't feel like I earned it. There's Boone and Crocketts on public land also.

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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby ERICBROOKS » Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:08 am

I personally would not go on an outfitter hunt for 2 reasons.
#1 I enjoy the scouting way too much
#2 I would never pay the ridiculous prices they get for a deer

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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby Spysar » Mon Jan 26, 2015 9:38 am

Tennhunter3 wrote:. I take pride in knowing I can kill a decent animal without needing to pay someone to be successful. If I did take a nice animal on a outfitted hunt I wouldn't feel like I earned it. There's Boone and Crocketts on public land also.

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But you will pay someone to show you how to scout? ;)

I've been on outfitted hunts. They are just as fun as any other hunt I've been on. I"ve been to Saskatchewan, where it's the law to go hunting for deer. In 2010 , I won a hunt to Illy, right here on the Beast , in the Big Buck Contest. It was to Tall Tine . I hunted with our own Bucky, and it was a blast. I also enjoy leased land, public land, permission granted land, my own land, or friends land.

The people with "too much pride" usually already live in a big buck state......
A buck will see you three times, and hear you twice, but he's only gonna smell you once.
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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Mon Jan 26, 2015 9:49 am

Knowledge is what I'll gain from scouting workshop. It will still be my decision what areas I hunt what stand locations . It will be me deciding what wind to hunt that stand from and my entry and exit of that setup. With a outfitted hunt all those choices are taken away. I have nothing against those who do outfitted hunts I just feel I don't need to spend 2000 for a deer.
Tennessee isn't known for big deer but there's a few around.
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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby Spysar » Mon Jan 26, 2015 9:58 am

But you didn't "earn" that knowledge..... :think:
A buck will see you three times, and hear you twice, but he's only gonna smell you once.
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Re: Has or does anyone go on outfitter hunts?

Unread postby Dewey » Mon Jan 26, 2015 10:04 am

I did a guided bear hunt in 2006 and will be doing the same this fall. Only get a tag every 7-8 years so it doesn't bother me to use a guide.

I was supposed to hunt Tall Tines this past fall but that hunt is still up in the air for now. Maybe this coming season.

One thing I want to make clear is a guided hunt will never be as satisfying as doing it myself. The pride of doing all the hard work myself gives me way more satisfaction but I still like to keep and open mind and try other things.

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