What is your best outfitter experence?

[Otto Matic]

Went on a guided waterfowl hunt in Katy, Texas. It was ok. Killed a few ducks and geese but it wasn't a "barn burner" day.
Went on a "drop camp" hunt up into the "Weminuche Wilderness" for elk.
Weather was beautiful when we packed in on Thursday. Set up a pretty nice camp on Friday.
Got up Saturday to hunt opening day and was greeted by 18 inches of snow!
We're camped at nearly 11,000 feet. The deer and elk had migrated down to 8,000 feet!
About a 50 mile horseback ride to sleep in a wet, frozen sleeping bag and eat crappy food for 3 days!
Real dud!
Two "bay boat" trips for sand trout on Galveston Bay. Basically, you paid $20 to ride around on a party boat bobbing around on the bay. No bad, just not good! LOL!

Three trips to Kodiak Island, Alaska!
Same guide.
Same boat!

The guide could be a jerk, but he knew where to find fish and how to catch them.
His equipment (rods and reels) probably wasn't the newest or best, but it was clean and well maintained.
Crew was aces and tended the party admirably.
I tipped as best I could, but I did still have to pay for processing and have at least ONE meal on the way home.
If I went back, I would look up the same guide.
I'm still not wild about the guide, but he has proven to be reliable, capable and his equipment is clean and well maintained.

 

[geetar]

A question could be is what could you reasonably expect from an outfitter or guide service? What would make it a good experience?

To me if they put forth a solid effort to put you on the species you are holding a tag for and provide a decent camp that’s all that counts. For those that can’t be satisfied with that there is canned high fence hunts. I went on an outfitted elk hunt that I didn’t punch a tag on and the camp atmosphere + the fact that we hunted hard till the very last light of the last day made it a good hunt to me.

 

[one ate E grain]

What is your best outfitter experence?​

One time I camped at an oft used NF campground but instead of walking up the creek or the road like most I cut steeply 2500 feet up a brushy hill walking through a blow down from a wind event of a few years before. All the trees were blown down in one direction for quite an area. No way to get horses and hard enough to hike unless you kind of anticipated the worst bits. Quite a hike, but saw no one for the four days I was there.

 

[kansasdad]

My only guided hunt was remarkable

Alberta Bear Adventure

Early in April, in the middle of my Sunday afternoon nap (observing the 11th commandment: Thou Shalt Nap on Sundays) my brother called to tell me about the possibility of getting to go to Alberta on a Black Bear adventure. He warned me to not get my hopes up, as the circumstances of this trip...

www.hunttalk.com

My only guided fishing trip was worth the coin as Dan Shannon at Grand Lake area in Colorado asked us as we were leaving the dock “what kind of trip did we want?.....lots of fish, or a chance at a big fish? Did we just want a day on the water, and did we want to learn how to catch lakers?”

Watching him interpret the fish finder, and maneuver the boat was very educational. And he also did a fine job of schooling my brother in law on Colorado hunting options as well.

 

[jt13]

I forgot one in my post earlier- Guided duck hunt in Chesapeake Bay, MD.

Man, that was a blast... literally. Friendly guide, ducks everywhere, fancy blind, great location. Awesome experience. Buffleheads, Black Scoters, Common Scoters, Redheads, Canvasbacks, and Long-tailed ducks. It was all of our first time in the big water and were pulling a lot of triggers prematurely and did a lot of missing/wounding. A humbling experience in marksmanship and a testament to the toughness of those critters as it took nearly a case of shells for 6 of us to kill limits.

Highly recommend it if anyone is in the east and wants a sweet trip. I will be going annually from here on out.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

How could I book something like this?

Get a wyo Gen elk tag, a hoochie mama and some national forest and consider yourself booked.

 

[BuzzH]

I've been on one guided hunt, went with a transporter twice for hunting. Have done a number of guided fishing trips, about 10 or so with the same guy.

The dall sheep hunt I went on was great...but the guy I went with isn't your typical outfitter and the guide I hunted with isn't a typical guide either.

I think what guides get tired of quickly is hunters that act like clients and need to be pampered. I caped my own ram, cut up some of the meat for packing, and packed my share out of that place. I also showed up ready to hunt, had good gear for the time, and had a good attitude.. I wouldn't allow my guide to do all the work, wasn't going to happen, and didn't happen. I WANT to do my share and that includes the work.

Even the transporters I've used in AK, I didn't expect them to do all the work. On the blacktail hunt we used the transporter for, the captain and deckhand job was to do all the cooking, etc. My buddy Tom and I flat told them to sit down and relax and we did the dishes, cleaned things up, helped clean blood off the deck of the boat and anything else that needed to be done. Trust me, they flat told us that wasn't the norm...at all. Most guys wouldn't lift a finger is what they told us, saying that's what they paid for. I reckon that's one way to look at it...but IMO, its bullshit to not pull your weight even on a guided deal. I will say that I think on that trip, we got treated much better because we helped out the whole time instead of being lazy turds.

Same with our annual trips to AK for fishing. The guy we go with, we've become friends, and we know what's going on with boat, deck, etc. and he trusts us to do things that he wouldn't with most of his clients. In fact, for some of the trips he doesn't even have a deckhand. We've helped out getting fishing gear out of the anchor line, harpooned big halibut, rigged gear, pretty much all of it. I know that's not how most of his trips are. We have an absolute blast on that trip every year and so does our "guide".

But, for a story related to an outfitter was 2 years ago on my ram hunt in Wyoming. My buddy Eugene used to guide hunters quite a bit but hasn't for a long time. The day I killed my ram, we ran into an outfitter that was looking for elk for a client. Eugene asked if he'd seen any sheep and he said he hadn't. We rode another 5-6 miles and found 2 rams, and I killed one of them. We got to the bottom and situated everything for the ride out. About 3 miles back toward the truck, we run into a guide and a client with 2 mules and a camp. Undoubtedly they had some information from a guide with a goat hunter that was in there and the guide was intending to hunt the 2 rams we found. The look on the guides face, I'll never forget...like he'd been punched in the gut. He asked Eugene if the ram I killed was with another ram, he said, yes it was but it ran off up into the rocks toward the park line. Then Eugene said, "well, but there's plenty of ewes and lambs around to look at". I really had to keep from laughing. Eugene is a pretty serious guy and we just took off, knowing we had about 10-11 miles to go. After we'd ridden about a mile or two, Eugene turns around just laughing and says, "that made the whole hunt for me, getting that ram before that outfitter did". I told him, I couldn't believe he kept a straight face when he told the guide there was still plenty of ewes and lambs around. Still makes me laugh...

This picture was taken about 45 minutes before we ran into the guide and client...saw 3 grizzlies on the ride out that night, what a great day.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Only been on one real outfitted hunt. The guide and wrangler/cook were dating, on day 2 she came out of the main cabin in tears and slammed the door while walking off in to the woods. The rest of the week was icy between them and just flat out uncomfortable. That was probably the best part of the experience with them.

Years later I was telling this experience to someone else that hunted with an outfitter in the same area. Turns out they were still together, and he, at the campfire with everyone, including her, was bragging about his menage a trois exploits (with girls that didn't include her). They were a dumpster fire for sure.

Went on a cat skiing trip with my wife.

We got picked up by one of the guides (guide 1) over the course of the hour drive in we learned that she had moved to the area and had had a kid with one of the other company guides, he had left that guide service and started working for another one. They had split up, but where coparenting well and now she was currently dating the guy who would be driving our cat.

When we arrived we met guide 2, a 11 yr old was with her and she introduced him as her son and ask if it was ok if he skied with us for the day as it was his birthday, and his first time going out with mom. We said absolutely, cool kid awesome skier. “Thank you so much, he asked us this morning if he could ski with us today, he said all he want for his b-day was to ski and hangout with mom and dad.”

Dad?

... dad was the cat driver, boyfriend of guide 1 and apparently ex and baby daddy of guide 2.



@SaskHunter I’m telling you Real Housewife’s of Canmore, you are sitting on a goldmine.

 

[Europe]

Wow, in reading this thread, two thoughts came to mind. I am sorry so many of you had bad experiences with guides/outfitters and that we must have been very, very lucky.

All or most would be dead at at least retired now, but the only real bad or possibly the right word would be "creepy" , was in Kamchatka. I honestly thought I was going to be gang raped and could not wait to leave that group of men.

On the other hand in places like Spain and Argentina, the guides were very gentlemanly and helpful, almost to a fault.

Most "John Wayne" types were encountered in Namibia

But the two that always seemed to be the best in my mind were in The Northwest Territories and Central Africa Republic . The guides that took us on the Mackenzie river hunt were superb AND very possibly the most beautiful scenery in the world. If you guys ever get the chance to float hunt the Mackenzie --You will not regret doing so.

The CAR was something my husband had to talk me into, but I am glad he was successful in doing so. The rain forest, the Lord Derby, and the pygmy guides were VERY good, as well as friendly, helpful and fun. Wonderful people. After the hunt they took us fishing for the Goliath Tigerfish which was also unusual.

Happy Myles has also hunted there, as well as many, many other countries in Africa. Hopefully he will give us his impression of the Pygmy's as well as his outfitter experiences. Like me he is now struggling a bit, but I will contact him and see if he is up to making a post.

I sincerely hope that you fellows have better experiences with outfitters and guides in the future than you have in the past.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

@SaskHunter I’m telling you Real Housewife’s of Canmore, you are sitting on a goldmine.

But they're all hippies in Canmore?! What would the housewives fight over? Locally sourced IPAs? Wearing the same Pit Vipers? Who drives the most expensive Subaru outback?

 

[Panda Bear]

Some folks who have left The Territories with complaints about their guides sometimes stem from them asking to be allowed to do things illegal, or because they are use to room service at the Four Seasons, because they are not in the type of physical condition required for a specific hunt.

When you go on a ten day horseback hunt, one needs to be able to actually ride a horse for ten days. " I thought riding a horse would be easy, but I am sore all over" from people who never sat on a horse before the ten day hunt. I always liked " I dont want to ride a horse today, what are my other options ?

On the other hand, I have witness outfitters who should NOT be in the people business. Guiding is not just knowing how to find the prey .

P.S. If any of you fellows are looking for a guided fishing hunt in Alaska, look no further than, Salmonchaser, right here on this forum. Excellent guide, good accommodations and you will see a few brown bears as well.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Personally, for me less is better when being guided. I have always been into hard hunting and roughing it. Rougher it is, the happier I am. I'm not much for setting around at campfire, sipping whiskey, and bullshitting. I'm happier spending the whole day out hunting. I don't mind setting up my own decoys but not thrilled with a guide who drives off without helping. Don't mind looking after my own grub or cleaning my own birds. In fact, I prefer it. Also prefer using my own dogs. But I don't like paying outfitter priced at catered meals, someone dealing with birds for me, and providing dogs.

The outfitter in Africa was relatively small potatoes but a very nice facility. Intimate without all the distraction of frills. Good food but not extravagant. My PH asked me what I expected for lunch and boy did he smile when I said keep it simple. Ham & cheese sandwiches with bottled water and a candy bar. More than I eat when I'm hunting birds all day at home (= nothing).

I think the problem for most folks, as mentioned above, is they really have no concept of what is real hunting. For those who have lots of money, a five-star fake reality awaits, but most of us are buying into a 5-star dream with only the funds for two and a half stars. And those funds are precious and irreplaceable. Expectations are high and usually on a budget that's not that great. Tough to provide a satisfying experience in that situation.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Some folks who have left The Territories with complaints about their guides sometimes stem from them asking to be allowed to do things illegal, or because they are use to room service at the Four Seasons, because they are not in the type of physical condition required for a specific hunt.

When you go on a ten day horseback hunt, one needs to be able to actually ride a horse for ten days. " I thought riding a horse would be easy, but I am sore all over" from people who never sat on a horse before the ten day hunt. I always liked " I dont want to ride a horse today, what are my other options ?

On the other hand, I have witness outfitters who should NOT be in the people business. Guiding is not just knowing how to find the prey .

P.S. If any of you fellows are looking for a guided fishing hunt in Alaska, look no further than, Salmonchaser, right here on this forum. Excellent guide, good accommodations and you will see a few brown bears as well.

This reminds of many years ago when I happened to be in the local Montana gun store as a group of NR "dudes" were buying their licenses. I asked them where they were headed. "We're booked with Roland X and leaving tomorrow." Where will they spend the night on the trail? "Oh, were riding all the way in." Jeezus, Roland's camp is 30 miles in the Bob! You guys ever ridden horses before? "No, but we're just riding down USFS trail. Shouldn't be a problem." Tell that to your arse after you get there! You fellas won't be able to walk for two days and I guarantee you won't want to look at a saddle for the rest of your hunt. Better tell Roland to stop for the night after fifteen miles, twenty at most. Thirty miles might kill me and I ride my own stock and sit in a custom saddle. Nope. Roland knows best. Purely by accident I saw them on their return at the airport. Boy, were they pissed. "We should have listened to you! Can you take us out next year?" No, not licensed or equipped for that. And no desire to be. I had a family to support.

Edit: I should add that Roland was busted twice for starving his horses. He was the definition of a cheap slipshod outfitter. Pun intended.

 

[MTGomer]

I’ve only been on one outfitted hunt and it was a hunt that i won in a raffle. It was an exceptional hunt and the outfitter and staff and pilot was phenomenal. But it was a $30k hunt, so that would be expected.

 

[Nameless Range]

Never paid someone to take me hunting, but this morning I pro Bono guided this fellow to a ling.

The gratuity was nonexistent , but it was analogous to a lot of my finest experiences as a guide.

 

[geetar]

I've been on one guided hunt, went with a transporter twice for hunting. Have done a number of guided fishing trips, about 10 or so with the same guy.

The dall sheep hunt I went on was great...but the guy I went with isn't your typical outfitter and the guide I hunted with isn't a typical guide either.

I think what guides get tired of quickly is hunters that act like clients and need to be pampered. I caped my own ram, cut up some of the meat for packing, and packed my share out of that place. I also showed up ready to hunt, had good gear for the time, and had a good attitude.. I wouldn't allow my guide to do all the work, wasn't going to happen, and didn't happen. I WANT to do my share and that includes the work.

Even the transporters I've used in AK, I didn't expect them to do all the work. On the blacktail hunt we used the transporter for, the captain and deckhand job was to do all the cooking, etc. My buddy Tom and I flat told them to sit down and relax and we did the dishes, cleaned things up, helped clean blood off the deck of the boat and anything else that needed to be done. Trust me, they flat told us that wasn't the norm...at all. Most guys wouldn't lift a finger is what they told us, saying that's what they paid for. I reckon that's one way to look at it...but IMO, its bullshit to not pull your weight even on a guided deal. I will say that I think on that trip, we got treated much better because we helped out the whole time instead of being lazy turds.

Same with our annual trips to AK for fishing. The guy we go with, we've become friends, and we know what's going on with boat, deck, etc. and he trusts us to do things that he wouldn't with most of his clients. In fact, for some of the trips he doesn't even have a deckhand. We've helped out getting fishing gear out of the anchor line, harpooned big halibut, rigged gear, pretty much all of it. I know that's not how most of his trips are. We have an absolute blast on that trip every year and so does our "guide".

But, for a story related to an outfitter was 2 years ago on my ram hunt in Wyoming. My buddy Eugene used to guide hunters quite a bit but hasn't for a long time. The day I killed my ram, we ran into an outfitter that was looking for elk for a client. Eugene asked if he'd seen any sheep and he said he hadn't. We rode another 5-6 miles and found 2 rams, and I killed one of them. We got to the bottom and situated everything for the ride out. About 3 miles back toward the truck, we run into a guide and a client with 2 mules and a camp. Undoubtedly they had some information from a guide with a goat hunter that was in there and the guide was intending to hunt the 2 rams we found. The look on the guides face, I'll never forget...like he'd been punched in the gut. He asked Eugene if the ram I killed was with another ram, he said, yes it was but it ran off up into the rocks toward the park line. Then Eugene said, "well, but there's plenty of ewes and lambs around to look at". I really had to keep from laughing. Eugene is a pretty serious guy and we just took off, knowing we had about 10-11 miles to go. After we'd ridden about a mile or two, Eugene turns around just laughing and says, "that made the whole hunt for me, getting that ram before that outfitter did". I told him, I couldn't believe he kept a straight face when he told the guide there was still plenty of ewes and lambs around. Still makes me laugh...

This picture was taken about 45 minutes before we ran into the guide and client...saw 3 grizzlies on the ride out that night, what a great day.

percent agree with you on this. If clients would pull their load and pitch in and do stuff to help out they would have a better trip and feel better about themselves too. I’m pretty sure me doing this is why I end up feeling more like a friend of the guide than a paying client at the end of the hunt.

 

[OntarioHunter]

percent agree with you on this. If clients would pull their load and pitch in and do stuff to help out they would have a better trip and feel better about themselves too. I’m pretty sure me doing this is why I end up feeling more like a friend of the guide than a paying client at the end of the hunt.

Get ready for a whole different experience in Africa. They will NOT let you do ANYTHING. It's a source of pride for trackers and staff to do all the work and they get quite hurt and indignant if you try to "pull your own weight." PH explained that to me when I tried to insist on dressing my own animals. And again when they were packing out the kudu.

 

[ashersdad]

My first guided hunt was in 2010 for dall sheep, moose, and grizzly. Great experience. Had a great guide that I'm still friends with today. Let me do as much of the work as I wanted which was great and this was a no frills hunt. We slept under a tarp for 6 of the 10 nights.

After that I got the grizzly bug and did 3 guided grizzly hunts in Alaska. The first 2 were fabulous experiences even though no bears were even seen. The 3rd hunt which ended up being successful in taking a bear was probably my least favorite guided hunt. The outfitter had a great set up but acted like an immature teenager. Real a**hole. The guide was ok, we just didn't have much in common and 8 days in a 2 person tent got real old, real fast.

Have since done a guided mountain goat hunt on Kodiak which also was great.

Haven't been on a guided hunt for several years now and don't have any planned at the moment.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I've never used a guide for hunting, but my oldest hunting partner now in his 80s
has had half a moose donated to him from a guide in Healy. Nice guy....

 

[Trap]

Get ready for a whole different experience in Africa. They will NOT let you do ANYTHING. It's a source of pride for trackers and staff to do all the work and they get quite hurt and indignant if you try to "pull your own weight." PH explained that to me when I tried to insist on dressing my own animals. And again when they were packing out the kudu.

I had same experience and my dad who is really “old school” couldn’t believe that we weren’t going to do any skinning or packing. It was hard to get used too for a day I went to Africa once for ten days and harvested 11 animals. It honestly could ruin you for normal diy western hunting. It was like being on a relaxing vacation where you also get to hunt amazing variety of animals. I have always just hunted mostly my home states of Idaho and previously Montana so no reason for a guide to do what you always have. But Africa for me was amazing. I had no idea how much of our potential hunting time we use at home just getting elk out etc. it’s pretty nice to harvest a great animal and then just start hunting again. I used outfitter for a hunt where it was required by regulations. Those experiences were ok. Africa was excellent I want to go back but I’m scared too for 2 reasons. One when I got back I hiked way up to one of my favorite deer spots and thought about all the boning and packing that would follow the shot and decided to head back home ha ha. 2 I don’t want to mount anything more from Africa! I am probably going to hire Alaska guide for mountain goat if anyone has references unless I draw Idaho soon. I have a few points in Montana but my odds are still almost zero