Guided hunts
 

I didn't get a chance to weigh in on the guided hunt threads.

I have never gone on a guided hunt and probably won't in the future because my funds are too limited. Nevertheless, it seems that a guided hunt could be both an ethical hunting experience and a challenging hunt. The fact that in some cases this is not the case is not determinative of the nature of guided hunts.

I took my son deer hunting for the first time last year on hunting ground I have hunted several years in a row. I placed him in picked spots, spots I had good reason to believe -- based on past experience and intimate familiarity with the ground -- were good ambush spots. My son's role was to sit still, be alert, and shoot a deer when it materialized. He was 14 years old then. Is this substantively different from some guided hunts? Should my son's experience be diminished because he didn't get out and learn the ground himself without assistance? I was coached and walked over the ground on my first hunt on this land by my host (guy leases the land for cattle, his son hunts deer on the land and invites me on to hunt deer -- this son showed me around the property). Does this diminish my experience?

The ideal hunting experience is to discover virgin hunting ground and solve its hunting problems entirely yourself. Unfortunately, many of us can't have this experience commonly. For Dall Sheep in Alaska? For Bighorn Sheep in a limited entry unit in Wyoming or Montana? Should we just hang it up if we can't hunt in this purist fashion? I hope the sport provides a bigger umbrella than that.

Some kinds of hunting don't demand a guide. I want to go elk hunting and don't plan to get a guide. I'm going after cow elk on public ground in territory I have reports suggesting elk are relatively common. Maybe I can have a good experience without a guide (I've backpacked in this area and am familiar with the terrain, the weather, and the physical demands) and have a fair chance of getting a cow elk. If my ambition were to bag a bull elk with a big rack -- and I had invested big money in a limited entry permit and maybe many preference points -- I might want to increase my odds by hiring a guide. Maybe I can't take eight weeks off to go scout this area effectively -- because I have a job, because I have a wife, because I have children. Is hiring a guide optimal? No, scouting on your own and doing it yourself is optimal, but some can't do this. Again, I hope the hunting umbrella is big enough to include this guy.

If some people shrug off the hard work of hunting that comes with the territory just because they can hire a guide or really don't have any interest in engaging themselves in the hunt but just want to be placed in shooting position and have a shootable beast run past them, this is not hunting as I know it. This is missing some necessary element of hunting and decays into shooting rather than hunting. But surely every guided hunt does not devolve to this.

I have a fairly clear picture of my hunting objectives and what hunting means to me. It is different from what a lot of other hunters have in mind. I don't push my views on others, however, and I want the sport to be big enough for everyone not just a select few. If only a select few hunt, you can bet the farm that in a fairly short time hunting will disappear as a legal activity. The anti's and the gun control crowd will cut us to pieces. Hunters, engage yourselves in the hunt: it is more than just shooting, as most of you already know. Guides, respect your "sports" because they help keep a noble activity alive, an activity which is putting food on your table for you and your wife and your kids. If need be, guides, try to exercise influence on your "sports." If they can't shoot for sh!t, recommend that next year they find a shooting range and work on their marksmanship. Suggest they read some books on woods lore. Don't assume that since they are 40 years old they can't learn new tricks or grow.

RE: Guided hunts
 

AMEN ....you hit the X on this one !!

DD

RE: Guided hunts
 

Alsatian,I agree whole heartedly with your comments! When I read that thread first thing this morning It really took me back. I had to force myself not to respond right away.There are certain posts that I have read where as a result of the tone or content of the post I will no longer read anything that that particular poster has written.I have no desire to encourage people who go out of their way to instigate others or who try to assert some sense of superiority over other's.It is never justified to think that!
Those types of exchanges are embarrassing to all of us as hunters.I hope that the individual who was posting all the demeaning and argumentive posts get's some help!If in fact that is how he chooses to live his life,it is incredibly sad to me!
In my opinion there is nothing wrong with going on a guided hunt,it is not something that I choose to do but I would not condem others for doing it.Of course to hunt certain species of animals it is a necessity.I know of people who have had a desire to hunt a particular type of animal and have saved their money for many years to be able to take such a trip.If someone does that and presuming that it is a fair chase situation does that make them less of a hunter?They may be an excellent hunter in their home area but don't have access to species of animals that are not native to that area.Does that make them any less a hunter then the guide in a distant state? Of course not!
I can think of few things that would bring me more pleasure then to guide a passionate hunter to a trophy of their life time or better yet an aging hunter who had saved for a once in a life time trip and to have played a part in bringing them success! As hunters and ambassadors of our sport that in my opinion is what it should be all about!

RE: Guided hunts
 

Very true AL!

RE: Guided hunts
 

Whew found the right thread this time. This one is much better! tocs I agree with you. I live in FL and for me to hunt alot of big game species I would have to choose a guided hunt. This is for lack of the ability to scout prior to the hunt. And not knowing anyone in any states that offer big game hunting (speaking of elk or sheep). I am not saying I want a guide with me everystep of the way. But someone that knows the area and can give me a clue as to where to begin. A dropcamp would be better for me. But do not disagree with guided hunts unless they are high fenced!

RE: Guided hunts
 

Alsatian.. Nice work..
Your a great problem solver..Great ideas..
From a personal standpoint Case Closed..

RE: Guided hunts
 

I NEVER made a claim on this forum that I was a "Top notch hunter" ....however I have been deer hunting Alabama and Tennessee for over 20 years ...taken a number of deer with a bow and rifle ...however I always wanted to hunt BIG Whitetail so decided to go to Canada and give it a try .... now the fact that Canada REQUIRES a visiting hunter to hunt with an outfitter ...and a visiting hunter like me has to hire a guide ....does that make me any less of a hunter then I was before I visited Canada? I remember when I was a kid there was a bow hunter by the name of Howard Hill who was a hero of mine ...I watched him on ABC's Wild World of Sports go to Africa and hunt Elephant ...now he paid for that hunt or someone paid for it ...did that make him a "SPORT" or less of a hunter ...I beg to differ ..when he shot that bull elephant with a recurve bow I THOUGHT HE WAS THE GREATEST hunter alive

RE: Guided hunts
 

precisely

RE: Guided hunts
 

Alsatian,
You nailed it man. Excellent post.

RE: Guided hunts
 

my sentiments exactly