Windog1

Try looking at it from a differnt profession.

If a mechanic showed me how to fix my car and the next time I fixed it on my own would that be wrong?

If a travel agent showed me a good place to vacation and I told my buddy to take the same trip on his own would it be wrong?

Its the way we live. We learn from others actions. My first argument would be why is the outfitter showing you hot spots on public land? If that's how he operates, then he has to know that the he is exposing his "trade secrets" to youand he can't protect them. If I did pay a outfitter for hunting knowledge on public land, it would be very minimal.

npaden

Thanks for the input everyone. Not sure if it changed my thoughts much but it was good to seehow some others feel on the subject.

A few of the outfitters that I looked at in New Mexico offer drop camps and scouting services. If I paid for a scouting service one year, I probably wouldn't feel like that was sacred information and wouldn't feel bad about hunting that area over again in future years without paying for updated information.

I still wouldn't feel right paying for a full guided hunt with an outfitter one year and then turning around and doing a DIY hunt in the same location andhunting the same spotsthe next year. I realize it is public land, and that doesn't give them exclusive rights to it, but something seems wrong about it to me.

crenshaw

Well if your not a Wyoming resident and your hunting public land, im pretty sure your required to use an outfitter, dont qoute me on it, but im pretty sure its some sort of law.

Also, the forest land in western states is huge, and depends on what your hunting. for instance if your hunting deer in the mountains, you can hunt the same migatory routes as outfitters and never see the outfitters due to the make up of the mountains and the sure size.

npaden

I'll quote you on it!

The Wyoming regulations requiring a guide are specific to designated wilderness areas, not public land in general, and you can use a "resident guide". Each Wyoming resident can guide up to two people each year but they have to get a resident guide license that is free of charge. They have to sign an affidavit saying that they aren't receiving any compensation for it.

They say it is for the safety of the non-residents out in the big bad wilderness, but if you are just camping out in the wilderness areas, youaren't required to havea guide.

One little trick that they use to lock you down is giving you a "free" fishing license when you get your non-resident big game tag. Even if you fill your big game tag (I shot my Elk on the first day) you legally have to stay with your guide the rest of the time because you have the fishing license. It really put a crimp on things a few times when we hiked in several miles on one trailhead and my friend and his son wanted to bushwack across and come out another trailhead. I volunteered to go back to the truck and drive it over to the other trailhead but I couldn't because technically my friend was my guide and had to be with me. Kind of a pain but rules are rules.

crenshaw

see i knew there was some kind of catch in wyoming. thanks for clearing that up for me.

MTMountainMan

tsoc, I meant no offense my friend.

thndrchiken

Why would you pay someone for that service on public land. Do your homework, get an idea for where you want to hunt and give the wco for that area a call. May take a little time for him to get back to you but it's free and unbiased. He would give you better options and may even suggest better areas that would improve your odds of filling your tags.

sss5358

I've used guides before when I don't know the country. Twice now it's been on public land in states I don't live in. I was up front about the public land thing with both the guides. They had no problem with it as long as I respected them and their clients when hunting, as I would any other hunter. To me the question is not ethical, it's comes down to a question of paid hunting. Here in Washington it is a big problem. Many people buy land and charge a lot of money to hunt on it.Free access on private land is dwindling so access to public land is essential. Due to this pressure I have no problem in utilizing any public land. Hunting cannot become a domain for the rich as it is in Europe.I think we as hunters need to make sure that doesn't happen. Ibelieve good guides will always find land that is productive. Often in hard to reach places or on private land not open to the public. That is the way it's always been as far as I know.

tsoc

MTMountainMan,thank you.I did not take offense to any thing you have said.I just wanted you to be clear that my comments were not directed at you specifically.

salukipv1

You won't hunt your friend's honey hole on public land without your friend there or his permission? He shouldn't show you his honey holes ever then, unless you're both actively hunting together with each other...

As to a guide/outfitter, my thoughts are more of you hire a guide/outfitter, for that, outfitting more than anything, getting you deep into the wilderness, and providing you food/lodging....the hunting/guiding he's there to help/call, but you could just do that with a buddy, but not having horses, what's a guy to do?

Personally I'd rather hire a outfitter than rent horses etc....I'd be coming back with dead horses, lol, or without em completely, ha. And that leads to another point, you go out hunting all day are tired, you're paying for a service, horse wrangler can service the hrses etc....to do everything by yourself, means you can't do anything great....just like in business etc...., sure you may be able to do it all well, but to do it all by yourself.....is not practical at all. I wonder all these hunters who have a ethical dilemna hiring a guide/outfitter, if they have an ethical dilemna, hiring a lawn service, or plumber, or whoever to do whatever around their house etc....? I mean if you can do it yourself, why hire someone? That's their choice though. But if spending a little bit of cash means having an enjoyable experience vs. not having an enjoyable experience, well then I know what my choice would be.