Topgun 3006: first off I'm not looking for sympathy I only want to save other hunters who work insane hrs to make a living honestly and don't have the time to call three years worth of clients for references. We run businesses that restrict our hunting time. More often than not I go do it yourself. If this wasn't a spot n stalk I would have never went guided and have only been on one other guided hunt ever. We went with This outfitter after calling some references asking lots of questions and observing who was hunting there. Thing is you can't do enough to know for sure and I'm not the kind to just buy an animal. Some hunters get so self ritchious. It great to do it yourself and it's fine to go with an outfitter if you want to for whatever reason. I'm plenty capable of hunting and scouting on my own I've done it all my life. Today if you want good chance at a high quality mule deer you most likely have to wait years and years to draw or spend up to $15000.00 which I would never do, but I don't sit on my high horse and judge someone who does if it's legal ethical hunting. Besides with all the character flaws in people nowadays like ignorance...., I am not concerned if someone goes on a guided hunt or pays a mortgage on one as long as it's legal and ethical hunting. Naive??? Maybe, I wouldn't cheat anyone so sometimes it's hard for me to think someone could be so dishonest when your in direct dealings with them and they seem genuine. I would also bet that a lot of those hunters bashing guided hunting or paying for a hunt would be doing the same if their budgets allowed. I find a lot of satisfaction in hunting on my own and I might do a guided hunt where the guide is limited in the amount of involvement they have in the hunt. This is why I went for deer in the sand hills but I'll say that the guide was involved more than I expected. Like I said though I'm just trying to save honest hunters a lot of aggravation. I'm not looking for sympathy and sure as heck don't need it. Lastly I'm also not looking to be scolded for the way I hunt or look for an outfitter. Your missing the point here and you have no idea of the circumstances that went on or the type of hunters that we are and I could care less about what kind of hunter anyone else is as long as your ethical. If you don't want burnt stay away from deer meadows. Maybe hire top gun 3006 as your guide, he seems to be the equivalent of Chuck Adams and Jim shocked rolled into one perfect hunting machine