Swapping hunts. A lost art.

[Thumper007]

From living and working overseas for more years than I really want to admit, I accumulated 1.3 million frequent flyer miles. The truth is as much as I have to fly for work the last thing I really want to do on my off time is travel. One day the idea came to me was I would never use the miles on my own regardless how much I fly to hunt. So the idea came why not swap flight tickets for private land access, semi guided or guided hunts of equil value. Well I started to advertise on a few hunt swap sites and I provided tickets of equal value for access to some great private land, semi and guided hunts. To show good faith after an agreement was made, I provided tickets upfront before taking the trip. Over the years went on some great hunts and had land owner tags or access to land that no one except friends and family could hunt. In all the trades I only had one deal that did not pan out. I am not mad about it as the guide I traded tickets with for an Oklahoma waterfowl and whitetail hunt fell on hard times. But all the others were as promised. Took some great trophies, made some life long friends and experienced several adventures that I would not of had the opportunity to do. Fact is many folks have forgotten how to deal square or lust the art of the swap. I still swap air tickets from time to time or gator hunts in Louisiana or fishing trips but now that I am not working a month on and a month off it is harder to line things up when you live overseas and only get 60 day a year off. I am normally running charters or fishing the tournament circuit for redfish to keep my sponsorship with Skeeter. But it is something to consider as i am sure someone has posted this before but everyone has something they would consider swapping for something they want. One of the other original members here Bcat Aja Doug Boykin just introduced me to another outfitter in AZ. I found out in the process of booking an elk hunt that his sons dream was to kill a gator. I told him that as that was his sons dream I would be proud to give it to him as to be able make a kids dream hunt come to life was more than payback for what others had done for me in my youth. Told him the only cost would be to get over. As I tell most it cost me the same to go out solo as it does to take others. He surprised me back with an email today telling me that it may take me 10 years to draw a sheep tag but if I did he would take me no charge. He told me he wish he could have sent me a picture of the excitement on his sons face when I told him to bring him down and we would not only get him a gator but also put him on more fish than they would want to carry back to Arizona. I have no idea if I will ever draw that sheep tag and don’t care. Would be great and since I am building up my AZ points, well who knows. But I can assure you that boy will get a monster gator in the next summer. So that goes far beyond a trade as this is oaying it back as regardless of how long I live to be I will never forget the men that have passed long ago that did something like this for me in my youth. And just to think this kid will remember this old Coonass taking him on his dream gator hunt long after I am gone brings a smile to my face. What made it more special was I found out later this kid is also autistic. Not that that matters. But I plan to meet him in AZ this fall with the OTC bow tag and actually see the smile on his face when I hand him a gator tag.
sometimes great things come when you are not really planning a swap. To wack another sheep would be great but the thought of taking this young man the son of an outfitter I came to know by word of mouth has turned into what looks like a great lifelong friendship and possibly a sheep hunt.
so when you start thinking about swapping hunts also remember that sometimes just paying it back can turn into something special. Worth thinking deeper about. I figure long after I am gone maybe this kid will turn into an adult that will be able to offer another kid a hint of his dreams.
worth a thought. Thump

 

[Thumper007]

Oh and not to brag but I do catch a few fish from time to time. At least enough to keep my sponsorship with skeeter boats

 

[Thumper007]

This is dedicated to my dad w
ho passed away this past fall. This was a picture from our last fishing trip. RIP dad and thanks for raising an honest man.

 

[the nikster]

Excellent points.
I have hunted with a dozen or so members of this forum. I took a fella elk hunting and another fella took me moose hunting, both great guys. A bunch of years ago I took some guys from NY elk and mulie hunting. Then I went back there and got a turkey and some fantastic fishing.
I still talk to most of them or at least rub shoulders via social media.
If you get a chance, give it a try. Just be careful of the regs as they relate to swapping, that can be confusing.

 

[KipCarson]

Those are great looking piles of trout! My brother and I go down to hackberry almost every year and we can pretty much always get on the reds but when I go the trout always seem to elude us.
I could see how trading hunts could have a lot benifits, kudos on taking that kid gator hunting l!

 

[Thumper007]

Those are great looking piles of trout! My brother and I go down to hackberry almost every year and we can pretty much always get on the reds but when I go the trout always seem to elude us.
I could see how trading hunts could have a lot benifits, kudos on taking that kid gator hunting l!

Thanks I have a camp in shell beach so fish Brenton for meat. When I was working 28 and 28 things were easier as now with two months a year off, I have to focus April and May on traveling the coast on the redfish tour. This is my 3rd sponsorship with Skeeter and Tito’s and getting 5 top 5 or 10 top 10 place wins is harder than it sounds. I normally fish gulps under the cork, too water or different jugs on a 3/8 lead head but when I go in a nest run I will stop by Campos pick up some live shrimp and usually back to the camp cleaning trout by noon. I tune in with other guides and we share spots so usually not much running. Usually when I go out west or up north I always bring a cooler or trout fillets and shrimp as most folks only know what the get at Captain D or red lobster.
I will probably get back into swapping a bit more as I can get gator tags, have plenty of places to get hogs and not to sound obtuse but catch reds after I have limited out on trout. Best thus far is this 8.69 that won me a boat in 2004 CCA.