Choosing the right Outfitter

[Billinsd]

I'm DEEP in thought about next fall and future fall hunts!!! I'm on the phone, emailing and PMing people, looking at maps, looking at stats, and loving it!!!

Several states, north and south all West. Guided, DIY, public land and private land.

How do you all pick an outfitter for a hunt? I consider is this a bucket list hunt? Or say for elk I'm getting too old or too smart to do it alone, mostly I need the elk packed out. Mule deer I could pack out. When I look for an outfitter, the quality of the animals and reputation jumps out at me first and foremost!! It's hard to beat lots of great references and opportunity at quality animals. Then I look for possible show stoppers or things I really won't like, which is easy, because that's what I do for a living as an engineer, look for failure or problems and try and avoid them.

Has the outfitter been around for a long time, what's his reputation, what do average joe clients like me have to say? Does he have great guides? What are the accommodations, does each hunter get their own room, is everyone in a tent, a trailer? I hired a great guide for a sheep hunt and the accommodations were ok, but could have been alot better, but they were good enough and he was such an excellent guide it didn't matter. We got on each others nerves, because we were both intense. I'd hire him again and strongly recommend him!!

I look for an outfitter with great reviews and great opportunities on quality animals. Then I look at cost, is it one on one guide to hunter, and last but not least am I going to get along with the guide good enough.

Then the difficult part, you could pick a great outfitter, but how do you ensure you get his best guide or one you are most compatible with? Do some outfitters have access to great land and are so good that the guides aren't critical? Seems like the best guides want to work for the best outfitters, but that's not the only case. Lastly it seems like the great guys are super busy, so you have to be real patient and the whole process takes a long time.

What does everyone else do that hires guides? Thanks Bill

 

[Scoutman]

That's a tough one. When I first started elk hunting, I went semi guided for first few years to get my feet wet, so to speak. I loved it, always hunted whitetails on public, so I started going out every summer for a week of scouting in different units. I realized early that the price of a hunt usually represents a realistic expectation of results usually. If a guide guides on public and charges 5k, you should see elk, and have a reasonable chance for a opportunity,etc, for the most part. If the guide charges more than that and has private ground to hunt in the way of over a few thousand acres to much more, then expectations are usually higher, which is understandable. Primos has filmed to my knowledge almost all of their elk hunts from the beginning on private ranches like the Cielo Vista in Colorado as an example,etc. Can't sell videos or products if your not laying down great footage,etc. I actually inquired about a hunt out there and was over 9k for basic hunt then a trophy fee for extra inches over 300,etc. Then you see the Born and Raised guys doing it on public consistently, but they hunt for 60+ days, so opportunities will be greater due to time spent. All this being said, do your research and just do it and decide if it's for you. I guided hunters for 2 years in Colorado, I saw guys that elk hunting completely overwhelmed them physically and mentally, then I saw guys who loved those same aspects of it. I realized that I was never gonna shoot one in South Carolina,lol. Hope this helped a little, I was completely hooked in 05 and haven't missed a season since.

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