After 75+ hours in a treestand this week, I arrived home from Ohio empty handed. I'm a little bummed for myself, as I had a great hunt other than that. I hunted several farms and saw 4 shooters of 135" or more. One of which, I believe to be a 160+ monster that I had right directly under my stand before legal shooting light. I was also at full draw on a deer which I thought might make the 135" minimum the outfitter puts on his deer. But after looking him over a bit more, decided to let down and it turned out to be the right decision. The best news, my hunting partner arrowed a great 135" deer they called "stickers 13". Lots of mass, double brows and a kicker off his right G2. I couldn't be happier for him as he had an encounter with that same deer two days before he actually killed him. Now, I want to put a plug in for the Outfitter. We booked with Kish Creek Outfitters, located in Muskingum County Ohio. He's a one man operation, leasing 8 different farms and managing it by himself for the last 5 years. When we booked, he began sending us picture after picture of trailcam photo's of the deer he was seeing. He had stands pre hung and never hesitated to move us if we didn't see deer, or he found a hot scrape or evidence that dictated us to move. He has a beatiful little camp that was comfortable and had everything we needed. It wasn't a Hadley Creek lodge by any means, but we were there to hunt, not hang out at camp. This man works his tail off for his hunters and its very evident that he's passionate about trophy deer and bowhunting. This is not a "hold your hand to the stand" hunt. You WILL hunt. Something I was concerned about when booking. I don't want my hand held, just pointed in the right direction or offered suggestions and options. Now the bad part. He's struggling with getting hunters booked. The last couple years, he was stricken with guys who wanted to sit around camp, get drunk and then go to the woods the next day without showering, or putting in any effort, only to complain about not seeing deer. He has strict policy of being as scent free as possible and hunting the right winds. We had two other guys in camp who didn't want to leave camp until almost 7AM (it was getting light enough to shoot at 7:30). Our outfitter made sure he took me and my friend out and dropped us off at our locations at 5:30, then drive back and get the other two yahoos. He never once left their issues affect our hunt. If anyone is looking to book a hunt in Ohio, in the triangle region of prime big buck country, please give him a look. I was skeptical about this at first, but everything I worried about turned out to be unfounded. He's an awesome guide and he'll bend over backwards to make sure you have a good hunt and chances at outstanding deer. This coming from someone who came back with an empty tag. My only complaint was that he made me hunt around these two chicken barns a couple of times. I still can't get that smell out of my nose.
If anyone wants additional info, let me know and I'll send you a PM. Would love to help this guy out as he's got a really good thing going and just needs to "get over the hump" so to speak. He needs REAL hunters, not camp hunters.
mm88, any plans on going back... as I would love to join you in the woods/camp someday and this might be a possibility. . . .
Rob, I will be making plans to go back next year. This time, I'll wait till second week of November next time. I believe we were there a touch early. Would love to share a camp with ya bud. That and I'd love to help this guy out. Can't say enough for what he has going there. He just needs real hunters putting bone on the ground. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
Man, if we could get him a camp of 4-6 good hunters for the second week of November, he'd be thrilled. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
I'd also be interested depending on the price. Nevermind I see his price on the website, curious that he still has Nov. 10-16 open for this year.
All, I've gotten an overwhelming number of messages about this outfitter. I've been texting back and forth with him, and he doesn't have a ton if info yet for next year of course. His price this year was 7 days for 2k. This included lodging. Food was not included. He just does a helluva job on the hunting part, which if course is most important. He only ran hunters for three weeks this year as he doesn't like to pressure his deer with early season, hot weather hunts that only stink the places up. Hi contact number is: Shane Bender - Owner/guide Kish Creek Outfitters 1 717-248-6334 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
sounds like my kind of hunting. wish i had that kind of money. might start saving up for next year though if a few people are going to get together and go.