Deer Meadows Outfitters in Nebraska
01-01-2013, 02:46 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 7
Deer Meadows Outfitters in Nebraska
Has anyone ever hunted with Deer Meadows Outfitters in western Nebraska? I have looked at their website and Facebook and seen all the pictures of what appear to be big mule deer and some nice whitetail. I have also seen Deer Meadows on TV with big named hunters they seem to love their experience out there, but after speaking with some of the local landowners I got a completely different view on how they operate. Sounds like most of the locals don't like Deer Meadows.
Was just curious if there was anyone here that had hunted there and if the locals were right or whats shown on TV?
Another thing I can't figure out is why the owner appears to have shot a huge mule deer early in the season before his rifle clients ever got a chance to hunt. I wouldn't want to book a hunt with them,then find out the owner already killed the biggest deer they had.
Thanks in advance.
Was just curious if there was anyone here that had hunted there and if the locals were right or whats shown on TV?
Another thing I can't figure out is why the owner appears to have shot a huge mule deer early in the season before his rifle clients ever got a chance to hunt. I wouldn't want to book a hunt with them,then find out the owner already killed the biggest deer they had.
Thanks in advance.
08-07-2013, 06:05 PM
#2
Spike
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
Yes I booked an archery hunt with them September 2012 and had the best time. I saw the other post on this site and can honestly say that was not my experience. Deer Meadows is the real deal, Scott gave me everything he said he would and his guides gave me and the other guys in camp great hunts, I saw lots of deer and they put us onto big mature deer. I took a 6 1/2 year old Mule Deer you can see the pictures of it on their website under Archery 2012. I had such a good time I booked another hunt for the second week in October 2013. I highly recommend Deer Meadows if you want a great, fun spot and stalk Mule Deer hunt.
Definitely recommend
05-22-2014, 05:17 AM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Allegan, MI
Posts: 8,019
***How much did you get for coming on this website and making two posts saying how great this outfit is when there are so many negative posts all over the internet about Scott?!!! Maybe you're a guide that works for Scott or are Scott himself! Anyway, these types of posts out of the clear blue by newbies are a sure sign that something negative is up with an outfit like that.
Topgun
05-22-2014, 12:05 PM
#7
Spike
Join Date: May 2014
Location: WV
Posts: 54
I'm not being paid. I've never worked there. There's the answer. Don't appreciate the implication! Oh, also, if someone didnt have a good experience, voice it, just be truthful and honest. Not condescending and dishonest.
Last edited by ctiller4; 05-22-2014 at 12:27 PM.
05-22-2014, 02:45 PM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Allegan, MI
Posts: 8,019
***Please tell us how you just happened to find this website and just happened to find these two old threads so you could give your great unsolicited review of this outfit that has so many negative posts all over the internet. We're all ears and it should be a real good one, LOL!
05-22-2014, 02:52 PM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Allegan, MI
Posts: 8,019
***So why are you saying that the people that posted about bad experiences are being condescending and dishonest? That statement just lends itself more to what I stated in that it sounds like you have something to gain by posting on here!
09-23-2023, 05:52 PM
#10
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2023
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 2
Another bad experience with Deer Meadows
Openly, new to the forum and specifically joined because I want o share my personal experience. Hopefully it has an impact for others. My review below was mostly discussed directly with Scott before I left, I wanted to be fair to his perspectives as well. I can summarize the below to say, my experience was pretty poor due to a lack of preparation by Deer Meadows, inexperienced guides, inability to take action under bad weather and a focus on ensuring success for the more valued wealthy clients. If you would like details, I’ve provided below. For anyone considering a hunt with Deer Meadows, I would seriously consider our experience and consider something else. I’m not saying you can’t have success, but for the money you are spending you will be better served to keep looking.
Definitely true what the other reviews say, if you’re one of his rich repeat clients, you will have a great time. Repeat customers get the first choices.
New people get brand new guides. My guide, guides 3 wks a yr with DM and was in his second season. He had about as much clue as I did on how to mule deer hunt. He had no binoculars and was using a long range camera as his spotting scope. Maybe somebody is skilled enough to do that, but 90% of the deer we saw, were spotted by me. He was a really nice guy, but not the skill level I had expected for a trip this price. He will be a great guide with some experience. His notes as we learned were copious and when he guides next in this area, he’ll be waaay more knowledgeable. Scott’s justification was that he can’t find enough people to guide, but for a client laying this kind of money, it’s his job to find a better solution than a poor experience.
The quote of 80%-90% opportunity rate at 40 yds or less isn’t in any way true.
The pre-scouting was limited to some night time pics of two bucks on 5,000 acres. Guide had little to no prep of the area we were headed to. He had never guided the area and no additional intel on deer patterns in the area. For a trip of this caliber, I would have expected a knowledge of patterns and pre-planned areas for hunting based on previous scouting. Night time pics at feed buckets is inventory, not scouting.
The hunting conditions were tough while we were out, hot and little to no wind. This is still a hunting trip and I expected to work for it. However, when the entire group (5 hunters in camp) were struggling to find deer and specifically bucks, there was no action taken by the DM team to help locate animals. No work to put additional scouts in the field and locate animals, no urgency on checking game cameras. Scott did go check cameras, but didn’t bother to look at or share what he saw until AFTER the next hunt. There was plenty of time to view the photos before the next hunt. I will say, late in the week he did allow us to move areas, but the guides were now starting over with an even more blank slate. The guides had never even visited the areas…..
What DID happen is a hunter on a “management deer” hunt bumped a hit-list deer and Scott’s repeat client was moved INTO ANOTHER HUNTER’S AREA to harvest the hit-list buck. Despite the target list buck traveling with other potential shootable deer, client was moved to a different part of the property to make way for Scott’s more valued repeat client. Who was successful. It got even better when my guide told me about another instance from the last few weeks where a hit list buck was seen but not pursued because “that buck is bought and paid for buy another client.” Another example of, if you are wealthy enough, you’ll have the best experience at Deer Meadows.
Overall, my experience was nothing like it was built up by Scott and was overall completely disappointing. I hope this review helps someone else make a better choice of outfitters.
Definitely true what the other reviews say, if you’re one of his rich repeat clients, you will have a great time. Repeat customers get the first choices.
New people get brand new guides. My guide, guides 3 wks a yr with DM and was in his second season. He had about as much clue as I did on how to mule deer hunt. He had no binoculars and was using a long range camera as his spotting scope. Maybe somebody is skilled enough to do that, but 90% of the deer we saw, were spotted by me. He was a really nice guy, but not the skill level I had expected for a trip this price. He will be a great guide with some experience. His notes as we learned were copious and when he guides next in this area, he’ll be waaay more knowledgeable. Scott’s justification was that he can’t find enough people to guide, but for a client laying this kind of money, it’s his job to find a better solution than a poor experience.
The quote of 80%-90% opportunity rate at 40 yds or less isn’t in any way true.
The pre-scouting was limited to some night time pics of two bucks on 5,000 acres. Guide had little to no prep of the area we were headed to. He had never guided the area and no additional intel on deer patterns in the area. For a trip of this caliber, I would have expected a knowledge of patterns and pre-planned areas for hunting based on previous scouting. Night time pics at feed buckets is inventory, not scouting.
The hunting conditions were tough while we were out, hot and little to no wind. This is still a hunting trip and I expected to work for it. However, when the entire group (5 hunters in camp) were struggling to find deer and specifically bucks, there was no action taken by the DM team to help locate animals. No work to put additional scouts in the field and locate animals, no urgency on checking game cameras. Scott did go check cameras, but didn’t bother to look at or share what he saw until AFTER the next hunt. There was plenty of time to view the photos before the next hunt. I will say, late in the week he did allow us to move areas, but the guides were now starting over with an even more blank slate. The guides had never even visited the areas…..
What DID happen is a hunter on a “management deer” hunt bumped a hit-list deer and Scott’s repeat client was moved INTO ANOTHER HUNTER’S AREA to harvest the hit-list buck. Despite the target list buck traveling with other potential shootable deer, client was moved to a different part of the property to make way for Scott’s more valued repeat client. Who was successful. It got even better when my guide told me about another instance from the last few weeks where a hit list buck was seen but not pursued because “that buck is bought and paid for buy another client.” Another example of, if you are wealthy enough, you’ll have the best experience at Deer Meadows.
Overall, my experience was nothing like it was built up by Scott and was overall completely disappointing. I hope this review helps someone else make a better choice of outfitters.
