advice on which hunt to go on

[tyler15]

I am graduating from high school this year, and my dad said as a graduation present he will take me on a big game hunt.
he gave me the choices of:
Elk or mule deer out west.
Caribou in quebec
Or big whitetails in ontario at lake despair lodge where he was successful in harvesting a large buck.

If any one has any good stories or know where to go to be successful please let me know.

[DARKSIDE55]

First of all, congratulations on your graduating from High School. Now you've only got about 8 more years of school so you can make the big bucks in life.

Now for the hunt part. I would pick one of the two animals that not everybody gets to hunt and that would be caribou or elk. Both species are an excellant challenge for hunting. You are a lucky lad to have a Dad that will give you a graduation present like that. Good luck on whatever you choose.!

[Champlain Islander]

I don't know where you are from but I would vote for a woodland caribou hunt in Newfoundland at Snowshoe Hunting and Fishing located about 2 hours from Millertown NL which is right in the middle of the best area of Newfoundland. Woodland Caribou are larger than the Baron Ground Quebec bou and they don't migrate like the Quebec/ Labrador herd making seeing them more likely. It is more like elk hunting than anything else due to the stalking aspect. You have to hunt with guides but that is really a lot of fun and they are real characters. The food there is great and the outfitter is a family run business with mostly repeat clients. Newfoundland is really beautiful and the most remote place to hunt I have ever been to. If you are located from the mid west to New England it is drivable with a great ferry crossing that lasts about 7 hours. Caribou are really spectacular animals andthe stagsamong the most beautiful animals on earth. Good luck with your decision and congrats on graduation. Sounds like both you and your dad have it on straight with a gift of a hunt. I wish more people thought that way. For the record I have been to snowshoe 3 times in the last 5 years with 100% success on great stags. Last trip we were in camp with 2 father and son teams that were there as graduation presents. Hard hunting though and certainly not a slam dunk. Miles and miles of stalking for each animal. If interested you can contact Ron Hicks at snowshoe@nf.sympatico.ca.
Tell him Hi from Frank D in Vermont. Good luck.

[Clinty Poo]

Elk/Mule Deer combo. Trust me you'll never find another hunt like it.. Especially if you're hunting elk during the rut, which most the time means hunting archery, but thereare some Rut rifle hunts... If you want a hunt of a lifetime go chase around bugling bulls and call them in. Caribou would be OK, but no comparison.. Look at the antlers on some elk and mule deer.. HUGE. Better trophy and altogether.

[PaJack]

Elk...

[nchunter54]

Tyler15,

I have hunted mule deer in Wyoming in 2001 with Rocky Niles of Rocky Outfitters, click on http://www.montanawyomingdeerhunts.com Check out the deer hunting page, I am the one in the orange hat. I also wrote the "Sixty Minute Buck" story. Great trip, top notch outfitter and beautiful countryside.

I hunted with Mirage Outfitters in Quebec in 2005 and came home with two great caribou, click on http://www.pourvoiriemirage.com Super trip, got to hunt with Michael Waddell from Realtree Roadtrips andRalph and Vicki Cianciarulo from Archer's Choice that week. My picture is Number 21 under the Stories and Photos, somewhere.

Hunted moose with Serpentine Valley Outfitters this past October, took a 32", 16 point bull the first day. The web site for them is http://www.serpentinevalleyoutfitters.comgreat people, trip and hunt.

Best items to look at are : success rate, price, extra chargesand distance from home.

Hope you have a great senior year and good luck looking for that special trip, that is half the fun. Email me if I can be of any service.

nchunter54@embarqmail.com

Don

[Woolywag]

ELK!!!ELK!!!ELK!!

[tangozulu]

Go with the elk.
A trophy bull from public land may take a life time........so get an early start.
Success on deer or caribou is much higher though.
Mostly have fun and do it fair chase.
Good Luck