Andy is a good man Huck.. you'll enjoy him.

He's one of a kind.

I went on a guided pronghorn hunt this past August. I had the time of my life, loved the people I stayed with, and would reccomend them to anyone. Great people with a great setup. I plan on hunting with them again sometime, and if I am ever even close to their area, you can bet the trip Im heading out tosay hello. They were more of a ranching family who took in hunters than a full blown hunting lodge outfitter. Don't get me wrong, they knew their stuff...but ranching was their bread and butter, and it comes first.

I was successful. All that said, I will never do another guided pronghorn hunt, mainly to save money. I feel extremely confident I could kill a pronghorn on public land, and in fact, a buddy and I are planning a WY mule deer/pronghorn combo DIY archery hunt in early october for 2010 or 2011. Still checking into dates. I did the whole waterhole thing for most of my hunt, and figured out its not my cup of tea. I cant sit in a blind from 7 to 730 every day in and out..drives you insane. I had one day where me and the guide got out and spot/stalked all day due to extremely high winds...I would give up 3 days of sitting in a blind for one day of that. i LOVE that style hunting. The day I was successful (last day), I was at it solo (even drove the ranch truck out to blind), and stalked up ona nice buck on my way back to the truck that late morning. I was supposed to meet a guide at the house at noon to go stalking, turns out I didn't need help spotting..I needed help dragging!


Im not against guided hunts, and will certainly do more throughout the years.....but when it is possible, I will likely try the DIY way. Have quite a few hunts planned and lined up for the next several years, all are public land DIY hunts at this point. If I can find reasonable access fees to private land I will be more than willing to switch to private land while there though.

My next hunt will be Alaska Blacktail, DIY bowhunt.

I really do not care to be guided (per say), just pointed in the right direction (instructed to a degree maybe). If it was not for safety issues, I would always rather be hunting alone (with God).

LT

I choose to stay away from the guided hunts, but if I'm the only one going on the trip its hard to do a DIY camp trip with only 1 person. Whitetail deer: I'll hunt my own. ELK or Caribou: I'm going with an outfitter unless I could find a couple of people who are willing to go .

I've done the same thing and helped a good couple handfuls of friends get there 1st bear or there 1st deer but I don't call It guiding. I just call It me being a good friend. It was my privilege to do this and In most of the cases It was more rewarding then getting my own bear or deer.

Good stuff Gri22ly, I'm sure you made some good memory's that your friends will never forget. Well done!!

i have never been on a guided hunt. I dont have a problem with it really but it seems much easier to kill a big buck on a guided well managed farm. DUH. I dont think i would or could be nearly as proud of a nice buck if it came from a guided hunt.

Now, if someone offered a free guided hunt with an outfitter I dont think I could turn it down...just would not feel as acomplished

Non guided on private ground in NE.

Dan

I like to DIY. There are many situations where a guided hunt would be a good and fun adventure. I'm not at all interested in a guided hunt where the guide says " theres your tree stand get in and I'll come get you later"[:'(]

I prefer non-guided. But I have had great experience on guided hunts. My frusteration to land a 140+ white-tail has got me lately...I've been thinking guided in another state...but can't bring myself to find the right place yet.

Still committed to land one on or QDM land in Huron County, MI.

By the way...I already have Turkeys on the brain again. It's almost time...I think.

Good post Schultzy!
I've been on two guided/outfitted hunts myself.

1st - Alabama a few months after my Pop died (11/17/93), I went in Jan. 1994, as there season is longer than NH
Call it therapy.

2nd - Texas last year for my 40th b-day present from the Wifey.

Both trips were great and had a blast, in which we met some great folks.

My personal feelings of achievement are far greater by my own hard work in the DIY hunts.
After I killed my deer I had a feeling of "good shooting" and not "good hunting"??!!
But too each - too own, and this is the grand ole' US of A, so no ill feelings either way.
However, I really want to try Canada soon, just the sound of 250-300 lbs. makes me CRAZY!