Expectations from a out of state hunt

I just got back from a 4 day muzzleloader hunt in Ohio. I wasn't and still not looking for a canned hunt. I was just looking for the opportunity to harvest a deer bigger than what we have on our properties (we have 1500 acres in NC). My expectations were the opportunity at a 130"+ deer.

I started looking this summer, found a outfitter in Ohio and called them several times. Called references, checked for reviews online, asked for trail cam photos, farm photos, etc etc. I was told the owner, owns/leases 25+ farms, 4 hunters/week, no farm gets hunted at least 2 weeks prior to another hunter that will hunt that same farm. No shooting coyotes during gun season, very little pressure. I can go on and on about the conversations I had.

To keep it short. Weather was perfect, temps in the 20's, no wind, a little snow Tuesday morning; prime weather. In 4 all day sits sun up to sun down, I seen exactly 8 does, zero antlered deer. When I asked to hunt another of the 25+ farms, I was told the cameras on the farm i was hunting had a ton of buck activity and to stay put. From the stand I was in on that "farm" I could see three other stand locations from mine, I could see 500+ yards east and west, and at no point did any bucks cross those areas. I checked the camera my self on day 2, all it had was the 2 does I had seen, a guy walking his dog, and a house cat.

I am working stiff like most of you folks on here, it took some penny pinching, and the wife being OK with cutting back to allow me to go. After, the hunt, I'm finding out that alot of the harvest photos are friends and family of the owners and quiet a few of the guide himself. 3 hunters in camp last week not a single shooter, to my knowledge and definitely no deer on the ground. This was not a guaranteed hunt, nor could i afford or want a canned experience. I wanted the opportunity to hunt some ground that held the caliber deer I just don't have access to here.

Am I way off base in thinking that I should get some kind of compensation for the lack of "hunting experience"? I seen the guide on the first day, when I found out the club house had no heat (out of propane), after that I never seen him again which I was OK with had I been seeing ANY deer activity. I asked to see some other farms, in which i was told there just nothing going on anywhere. I'd be OK if the BIG BOYS just weren't moving, but I literally seen 8 deer, and I'm pretty sure 4 of them were the same deer. I can't help but feel like I got swindled out of my hard earned money. Anybody else experienced this?

 

I would agree that you got took. As far as getting anything back, I would say that you are just out of luck. I feel terrible for guys that this happens to and I am afraid it happens a lot. I know what it means to save for a hunting trip and cant imagine how I would feel if I was in the same situation. The fact that he would not allow you to move says a lot about his operation. If you dont mind me asking, how much did you have to pay for this hunt? Was food and lodging included?

 

Wow, it sounds like you did your appropriate homework. Someday I would love to attempt out of state hunts, but getting skunked would be my biggest fear.

 

What outfitter?

 

A buddy and I went to Ohio this year for the same reason, just to get an opportunity at a buck in the 130" range and just for the experience. We hunted public land (wnf) and had only gas, license, and food to pay for. The trip cost very little. We had the freedom to hunt and scout where we wanted and learned fast. We saw a ton of bucks, several shooters. My buddy killed a 8 the last day and I ate my tag only because I was passing on 100-120" deer waiting for the right one.

I'm not trying to make you feel worse but to help. If you would like I can give you more info on the area we were in for next year. I would be upset to spend the money on an outfitter and have an experience like that, especially with the quality of hunting that can be had in Ohio for free.

 

Thanks for sharing the info, sorry that the experiences wasn't up to par.

 

The hunt was $2100, lodging was included but food was not. License was $150 which for Ohio I think is very reasonable. To some $2100 isn't much, but wife and girls wanted this for me so bad that we adjusted so I could go. Losing the money sucks, we are blessed beyond what we deserve, but can't help but feel guilty that wasted 5 days vacation normally used as time with family at Christmas.

 

I'll PM you, as this is not a attempt at a public flogging.

And to anyone that might be considering, I'd be more than happy to discuss further my hunt.

 

Send me that pm also

 

Pm me also

 

Sorry you had a bad experience and didnt see many deer. Once you write that check for a hunt you realize it is still hunting and killing a deer is never a gaurantee, but a lot of guys think they should kill a deer because they paid for it deep down. It sounds like you had a bad guide so that didnt help any and you should have been able to move to a different farm if you were not seeing deer. I hope you have good luck in NC and if you ever go on another guided hunt I hopoe you get on a huge buck!

 

You are exactly right, deep down that is the feeling. I also looked forward to passing a deer that really got the heart pumping, the real "big" buck experience. We pass deer here in 110-120" range, but seeing those deer much, just doesn't happen. I knew there was a very real chance I'd come home without a taxidermy bill and I can live with that. Thank you for the future wishes, I'm not sure that I'll do another "guided" hunt just to many variables out of my control. But I do look forward trying to make it happen on a big buck.

 

An Ohio out of state archery tag is $150?

 

Yes..

 

Boof that is a great price for a non resident buck tag in the Midwest unfortunately.

 

I know! I am surprised how cheap that is! In South Dakota it is $280.

 

That is one of the reasons that I hunt at least week every year in Ohio....not for nothing I think reasonable out of state tags in the long run bring in more money to that states economy.

 

$2100 is plenty to anyone when you consider that you had zero opportunity to even see a decent buck. I have often considered offering a couple of hunts each year and the fear that my hunters might hit a bad week has been the primary reason that I never have done it. I would feel terrible if I guided someone and they did not at a minimum get an opportunity to shoot at a P&Y buck. But, I guess some of these guys are just in it for the money and really dont give a crap about the sacrifices some guys make to take this type of trip. Again, really sorry to hear about your terrible experience. Best of luck in the future.

 

That is exactly the reason you would be a great outfitter. Worrying more that your hunter has a chance at a great buck than how much $$$ can you fleece some one out of. The problem is no matter where you hunt there are so many factors that can make it a difficult hunt that you have no control over.

 

From reading the original post it's clear that the gentleman is a hunter and understands its hunting...if the outfitter made more of an effort, changing stands..farms ect ect...things are not working try something different...anything different. The guy would chalk it up as a bad week hunting, and he wouldn't be making a post on here. honestly I think it happens way too often in to many places.


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