Last minute Hunting Trips

[Woodsman20]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering what you guys you use to book hunts or if anyone has experience booking last minute or cancellation hunts. I was thinking of trying something out this year and just wondering if anyone has any experience good or bad - does it save you money, were you successful etc.??

Any recommendations:

Black Bear

Mountain Lion

Elk

[papabear]

I hunted back bear in Maine use    Dennys River Guide Service Rates & Info

[BizCT]

I've been on many guided hunts.  Not all have been successful (most were), but all have been pretty much what I expected. I do a ton of research. It's amazing what the internet can provide these days.  These are my suggestions:

 

Step 1 - Choose your species (Bear, Lion, Elk)

Step 2 - Choose where you want to hunt and what kind of hunt (For Bear, you want to pick spot & stalk or bait or hounds, for lion you want to pick snow or dry ground, etc.)

Step 3 - Start researching on google ("Black Bear spot and stalk hunt in British Columbia", "Dry Ground Mountain Lion hunts in Arizona", etc.)

 

You will soon realize there are tons of options. Some will look horrible and eliminate those, some are out of your price range and eliminate those, etc.  Then when you get down to a list of 10 or so, start sending emails with lots of questions.  Once you think you got an outfitter picked out, try googling his name, his outfitting company, etc. You might find some reviews on other states forums, etc. Try bowsite.com, etc.

 

Remember everything is negotiable whether its $ or an extra day or free pickup/dropoff from the airport, etc. DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS!!

 

FEEL FREE TO PM ME.

 

Below are just a few of the questions I always ask:

 

1. Are all hunts 100% fair-chase (No Fences)?

 

2. How much do you charge for airport pickup/dropoff?

 

3. I see the [ SPECIES ] combo hunts are [ ] days. I assume we would fly in the day before and sight in our files, then fly out the day after we hunted [ ] full days?

 

4. How much are licenses for non-residents?

 

5. What form of transportation would the guide be using with us? I assume 4x4 trucks and walking?

 

6. What would the success rates be for both my Dad and I hunting with the same guide?

 

7. What could we realistically expect to get a shot at ( species name )? We have no problem passing up smaller [ ].

 

8. Can you describe the lodging setup?

 

9. Do you offer a father/son discount?

 

More:

-How far are you from the airport?

-Approx. how much is meat processing? Can we donate the meat? We would be interested in bringing back the hides and antlers/horns for taxidermy work by a guy near us.

-What are the dates for 2014?

-How long have been you in business for?

-Would you be our actual guide?

-How many others are in camp at the same time?

 

- What if there are other hunters at your ranch when we are there? How does it work with guiding, do you have other guides? Would we still be guaranteed to have you as our guide?

- Can you describe the lodging/accommodations setup?

- are you licensed by the state of [  ] to be a guide? Also, just curious as to how old you are?

- Do you handle the paperwork for the license draws?

- Is your operation a "non-smoking" one?

 

THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.

 

I have only been on fair-chase hunts.  I have been wolf hunts, deer/antelope hunts, mt lion hunt, bobcat hunt, and soon to be a Lynx Hunt (2013), and another deer/antelope hunt (2014).

 

Only unsuccessful trips I ever went on were both wolf hunts, but thats to be expected.  My lion hunt, I passed up smaller ones and didnt get one, but went back a few months later and got one. I hunted dry ground, not snow. Lastly, back when I was like 16 I had an unsuccessful deer hunt in texas, the scope and jarred and I didnt know, I missed 4 times at a 130" 8 pointer before my Dad killed it with 1 shot.

 

 

[BizCT]

Lastly, recommendation-wise. I never hunted Elk, never hunted Bear.  Here's my Mt. Lion Hunt > http://huntingny.com/forums/topic/12749-arizona-trip-and-pics/ If you want to try a dry ground hunt, this is the guy to use. If you want to do it in snow, go to Colorado, Idaho, or British Columbia.

 

Regarding bear, although I never hunted them, Babine Outfitters in British Columbia if you want an awesome spot & stalk hunt, I think you can shoot 2 bears.  My Dad hunted wolf with them, but their bear hunts have great reviews on bowsite. Many guys see 40-50 bears in a week.

[Woodsman20]

Thanks Biz - great information. I have been ona cpouple and do very similiar items when researching for longer term hunts. I was wodnerign if anyone has ever done a last minute cancellation hunt. There seems to be a few sites that offer them which is one path. The other is have a list of outfitters you researched and call them to see if they have anything available.

I remember reading about your lion hunt - that was cool.

Your list of questions is very comprehensive - I will use those for some future hunts.

I have some extra ime off this September and have some cash set aside and was thinking if the right hunt worked out I would be up for it.

I would even consider a DIY hunt - still thinking it over.

Thansk again - much appreciated.

[BizCT]

I've never done a cancellation hunt, but they can be good deals. Usually you get the guys deposit put towards your hunt. The flight could be expensive if its really last minute.

Unless you have trained dogs, a DIY lion hunt will be tough. Regarding elk, if your going this September it probably has to be a state that has over the counter tags, since I'm sure you missed most drawing deadlines.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

Edited July 23, 2013 by Biz-R-OWorld

[Pygmy]

I never took advantage of a cancellation hunt, but a buddy of mine got a great deal on a goat hunt in BC a few years back...Seems like it was around half price, and he and his partner both got nice billys. He only had a few days to prep for it, however..Luckily he keeps in good shape year round..

He said it was the toughest hunt physically that he has ever been on, and he's been on lots of DIY hunts in rugged country.

[Pygmy]

One negative for me regarding a cancellation hunt would be that I would miss out on the preparation, planning and anticipation, which to me is nearly as enjoyable as the hunt itself.

[Woodsman20]

Pygmy, Mountain goat hunts are tough but at 1/2 price that is a steal. Yeah the prep is fun, I agree. Thanks guys.

Biz - what made you choose dry ground over snow for mountain lions and are the cats typically smaller for dry ground? I have seen the pictures of the cat hunts up in Alberta, Montana and Idaho and they look huge - or midgets are holding them.

[BizCT]

Pygmy, Mountain goat hunts are tough but at 1/2 price that is a steal. Yeah the prep is fun, I agree. Thanks guys.

Biz - what made you choose dry ground over snow for mountain lions and are the cats typically smaller for dry ground? I have seen the pictures of the cat hunts up in Alberta, Montana and Idaho and they look huge - or midgets are holding them.

 

My goal is to complete the North American Cat Slam.  At the time, I had already booked a bobcat cat in snow in Minnesota and knew I would have to go to British Columbia to shoot a lynx in the snow as well.  My Dad got a lion in Colorado in 1996 in the snow.  The success rates are pretty high in snow conditions. However, I honestly wanted to see a different part of the country. When I started doing research about dry ground hunts, it was tough. Found that many outfitters suck at it, but still take clients.  The guy I went with (Wade Eckel) is known as 1 of the best dry ground guys there is. He only guides for lions and does so year round. His dogs only track lions, no bobcats, no bear, no deer, nothing.  My first trip out there (Feb 2012), I passed on many females and smaller toms and came home empty handed. I worked a deal with him and went back in October/November (2012) and got a nice tom. After getting my tom, we went calling one morning and I shot 2 nice gray fox.  Wade is diehard, he is obsessed with lions. He spots lion tracks on the dry ground while driving the quad like 10-15mph, its crazy.  He is a machine in the woods and I couldnt keep up but did my best to do so. He said not to feel bad, as no client has ever kept up.  He saves his lion tag each year so he can constantly train his dogs. He trees lions, then lets them go. He literally hunts every single day for the most part. His family homesteaded out there in that area.  His setup is really cool, you stay in his house with his wife and daughters, its beautiful out there.  Regarding size, lions are measured by their skulls for the record books. Arizona produces many big lions. They might be smaller in weight because of thinner coats, but they still have great coats.  Surprisingly, so do the bears out there. The black bears in Arizona have beautiful coats I am told. My taxidermist said my 2 gray fox had the best coats he ever seen on gray fox.

 

Lastly, pictures can be very decieving regarding lions and wolves, etc.  My lion was 110lbs, completely empty stomach, he was pretty thin. Wade said he could have been 120lbs easy if he was bigger. My lion was 3-4 years old, a 5-6 year old could go 150lb in Arizona.  A lot of those Bristish Columbia lions that are "200lbs" are probably more like 170lb.  My dad shot 2 giant wolves, both top 5 in British Columbia history ever and they were 125lbs and 135lbs and look much bigger than pictures I see of wolves that are supposedly 200lbs!

 

Let me know if you want more info/details.

Edited July 23, 2013 by Biz-R-OWorld

[Dinsdale]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering what you guys you use to book hunts or if anyone has experience booking last minute or cancellation hunts. I was thinking of trying something out this year and just wondering if anyone has any experience good or bad - does it save you money, were you successful etc.??

Any recommendations:

Black Bear

Mountain Lion

Elk

 

I interupted one hunt to go take advantage of another for a good once in a lifetime type deal; all with in the context of the original outfitter who had me in country and able to make a snap decision.

 

Was a blast and worth rearranging airline and backhome schedual to add days and such (backhome was easy, called the vet and said hang onto the dog for another week.LOL).

 

Most of the time it comes down to airfare savings as close up tickets can blow a budget pretty quick.

 

If you get one and find yourself in a camp of other hunters, you'd be wise not to brag up what you paid among hunters who paid full fare. I know more than a few guides and that'll make for some bad blood in camp right quick. YMMV.

[BizCT]

If you get one and find yourself in a camp of other hunters, you'd be wise not to brag up what you paid among hunters who paid full fare. I know more than a few guides and that'll make for some bad blood in camp right quick. YMMV.

 

+1. I always negotiate before booking hunts, but when it is a hunt where other hunters are present, I don't talk about anything. If they ask me, I say I paid full price.