Hire an outfitter or not?

[npaden]

Also, you have listed 3 choices for hunts here. AZ looks at everyone's 1st and 2nd choice first before ever moving to 3rd choice. Whatever your 3rd choice was, you almost certainly did not draw it since none of those hunts ever make it to 3rd choice.

Those are for me and my son. We were on the same credit card so not sure which drew.

Both of us had 13B for our first choice, I had 12AE early for my 2nd choice and he had 12AW late for his 2nd choice.

 

[CouesKelly]

Those are for me and my son. We were on the same credit card so not sure which drew.

Both of us had 13B for our first choice, I had 12AE early for my 2nd choice and he had 12AW late for his 2nd choice.

That makes mores sense. It will be a great hunt no matter what you guys draw. Hoping for a Monday portal update!

 

[npaden]

Well I know now that I drew 12AE Early. Checked with my son and he actually was somewhat interested in hunting with me even without a tag but it is going to be a logistical challenge to get him out there and back without missing too much school. Looks like I could fly him home from Las Vegas but he would have to miss at least a day of classes on Friday and then flying him home on Sunday would really only give him a single day of actual hunting so not sure that would be worth it.

Have to decide pretty quick one way or the other I guess if I want to book a good guide.

The poll went about like I am thinking in my head, actually thought about flipping a coin to decide. My wife said she would go with me if I take the 5th wheel and hang out during the day when I was hunting.

Thanks for all the input though.

 

[cgasner1]

Well I know now that I drew 12AE Early. Checked with my son and he actually was somewhat interested in hunting with me even without a tag but it is going to be a logistical challenge to get him out there and back without missing too much school. Looks like I could fly him home from Las Vegas but he would have to miss at least a day of classes on Friday and then flying him home on Sunday would really only give him a single day of actual hunting so not sure that would be worth it.

Have to decide pretty quick one way or the other I guess if I want to book a good guide.

The poll went about like I am thinking in my head, actually thought about flipping a coin to decide. My wife said she would go with me if I take the 5th wheel and hang out during the day when I was hunting.

Thanks for all the input though.

Make a phone call and talk to them. See what they got to say and how you feel after

 

[rjthehunter]

Personally, I'd DIY it, but I also wouldn't fault anyone for hiring a guide. I've done it both ways (not this tag), and doing it myself was more rewarding.

 

[rustednuts]

You have the time for the full hunt DIY. There aren't a ton of massive deer in the early hunt and they aren't migrating so you don't need to catch the wave of deer.

 

[MTGomer]

I had the muzz tag a couple years ago. I watched Arizona custom hunts kill a 200 inch+ buck and Shadow valley killed a 190s buck opening morning.

I saw a single 170s buck. That summed up my trip

I Hunted the entire season. I don’t really like the E side, but I would lean heavily toward hiring an outfitter if I were to hunt it again and did not have the time to scout it very hard.

 

[cgasner1]

I’d also add hunting with a guide you can still learn a lot to apply to other hunts going forward. Ask lots of questions what they do works and it works for a reason and some of it may transfer over into other hunts

 

[npaden]

I've called Shadow Valley and Arizona Custom Hunts and both seemed like really nice folks. Talking with both of them they said the east side was a much tougher hunt than the west side and that you really had to know the pockets where they hang out. That matches up with what Dwayne Adams said on the Jay Scott podcast.

I'm leaning toward booking with Arizona Custom Hunts after talking with them. He gave me the phone numbers of his guides and encouraged me to talk with them to help make my decision. Thought that was impressive. He only takes 3 clients for the east side early hunt so I need to decide somewhat quickly.

 

[cgasner1]

My hiring a guide experience is low but first 2 I talked with I felt like I needed a shower after. Almost didn’t bother calling a 3rd was glad I did and they were sending me the information to pay them at the end of the first call

 

[Bambistew]

You must have some sort of game plan? Or did you just apply and hope for the best if you draw and figure it out later?

I wouldn't hire a guide, even if I only had limited time to go. I can see why some would, life gets in the way sometimes. Of course there are exceptions where guides are required, but this isn't one of them IMO, when you can drive to the area, scout it, etc. Will you regret not filling the tag?

Planning it out and executing the plan are the best things about hunting. Having someone do all the work takes a lot fo the fun out of it, IMO.

Its you vs success, and if it's only measured in inches then go for the guide. But, remember if you go DIY and kill a giant, the success will be that much sweeter.

 

[npaden]

I really didn't have much of a game plan, it was a 1.9% draw odds so I never expected to draw it. However I did actually think that this might be the kind of tag that would be worth hiring a guide if I ever drew it. Inches aren't the #1 thing to me but I would be disappointed if I ended up shooting a 3 year old 150" buck DIY or guided. I would probably rather eat my tag than shoot a 3 year old 150" buck on this hunt whether I was guided or DIY.

If this was the only tag I had then I would most likely go DIY all the way. The problem is that I have way too many tags in September already and there is no way I'm going to have a chance to do any scouting. One option would be to just not hunt those tags in September but I would rather hire a guide to help me with the Kaibab hunt than to skip the September tags.

Really in my head the main reasoning behind hiring a guide is to help me do the tag justice. Not sure I would feel significantly better if I just lucked into a giant DIY vs. lucked into a giant guided. Sounds like on this early hunt it is somewhat of a crap shoot on finding big deer even for the guides.

I'm very proud of my single B&C animal but I'm not going to kid myself into thinking I'm some great hunter because I killed it DIY. It was pure dumb luck and being in the right place at the right time. I had no idea when I pulled the trigger how big it was.

I appreciate the input, I'm struggling with the decision for sure. Leaning toward the guide right now just from a logistics perspective and the fact that my first time to step in the unit is going to be the night before the season opens.

 

[Keep on]

OIL tag and a busy calendar, if the money isn't a deal breaker I'd go with the guide. The old time vs money conundrum, sounds like your limited on time and have the cash, I'd go with the guide you feel best about and not look back.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Hunting with a guide who specializes in hunting a limited entry area when you draw a OIL permit seems reasonable to me.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

well,i now know i didnt draw my 12 aw choice,but now drew my 2nd choice units 7 and 9 rifle tag,still pleased with that,its still in kiabob nat forest,just on south side of gcnp,,super good elk unit they say,,a bit unknown for deer though,,im all ears if anybody has unit 9 or 7 deer info please p m me as this will be my first time in that areas for deer d i y

 

[npaden]

Well, I waffled around but ended up deciding to go guided. Thanks everyone for the input. I will update everyone as things progress and might do some kind of busy fall type thread with all the hunts together.

This is going to be a crazy year as our first hunt starts in less than a month when we head to New Zealand for my sons senior trip and are going to mix in a red stag hunt for both of us.

Then my son has a guided pronghorn hunt in Nevada. I have a private land only bear tag and a landowner archery mule deer tag in Colorado. Then a decent Wyoming pronghorn tag, then I’ll be archery hunting whitetail and mule deer on our property in Texas then the Kaibab mule deer hunt and finishing up with rifle whitetail and mule deer in Texas if not tagged out during archery.

Somewhere in there I need to get some work done to pay the bills!

 

[brownbear932008]

Sounds like a busy fall is lined up for you guys. I can't wait to see how it pans out. Hope you find a giant or two!