Ramhunter71

I would like to comment on mrbb's position on guided hunts as opposed to DIY hunts. He makes some excellent suggestions concerning the need to do thorough, in-depth research before booking an outfitter or guide. And DIY hunts can offer a sense of satisfaction and achievement that can be missing on guided hunts. However, some of the comments on guided hunts were troubling. These comments included:

- "not sure why folks rather ante up and pay a guy to sit with them to hunt?"
- "sounds like cheating to me?"
- "or lack of willingness to do some honest hunting!"
- "might as well just go to a high fence and shoot a pen raised critter? , if all
you are after is a kill?"

I have been hunting big game for over forty years and have taken over seventy animals in North America, Canada, Africa, and New Zealand on both guided and DIY hunts. Some of my guided hunts have been far more difficult and challenging than DIY hunts: lung busting climbs at 6,000-8,000 foot elevations for mountain sheep and goats, overnights on freezing mountain tops with just a space blanket for shelter, 10 hours straight of tracking through thorn brush for cape buffalo, etc.

There are some excellent reasons for hiring guides and outfitters. If you are a non-resident and want to hunt Dall or Stone sheep, mountain caribou, woodland caribou, grizzly, and many more species, by law you must be accompanied by a guide. This is especially true across most of Canada, and Africa. Even in the U.S., Wyoming, for example, requires non residents to have a guide when hunting in designated wilderness areas even when hunting common species such as deer or elk. If you insist only on DIY, you will be foregoing the opportunity to hunt many species and many prime hunting areas.

Further, guided hunting offers some excellent learning experiences. Beginners can often gain enough hunting knowledge through reading, local experience, the internet, etc. to be successful on species like whitetails and antelope. But on many other species it is difficult to pre-scout hunt areas and learn game habits if you live a thousand miles away. In these cases, going on a hunt with a competent guide will allow you to watch, ask questions and learn firsthand from an expert with years of experience. After you have such a hunt under your belt you will be in much better position for a successful DIY.

Guided hunts may have other attractions. Often they are held on private land or exclusive use areas. Strict harvest practices can yield a much higher quality experience without competition from mobs of "if it's brown it's down" hunters. Also often guides have horses and pack animals to access remote areas and pack out your game. If you are on a DIY hunt, you'd better think twice before you drop that 700 pound elk several miles from where you can get to it with a truck or atv. Back packing game in road less terrain is an experience only for the extremely fit.

In summary, by all means consider DIY hunts; but if you can afford them, don't write off guided hunts. They are definitely not cheating, dishonest, or akin to hunting a high fenced, pen raised critter.