DIY Sonora Hunt

[joedawjes]

Hunting for Sonoran white tails is at the top of my list, and I'd like to save some costs if possible. I speak Spanish, have experience working with Latin American government agencies, and am fairly confident that I can take care of the paperwork/register firearms with their military with enough lead time. I also feel comfortable handling the travel logistics.

However, I'm unsure about a few things:
- I don't know if it's required to conduct a hunt through a licensed outfitter
- I don't know how I would purchase deer tags without an outfitter
- I don't know the best way to get in contact with a land owner
- I'm sure I'm missing a few big considerations

Does anybody have experience planning a DIY Sonora Mexico hunt without an outfitter/have any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Tannerb80]

You need a hunting contract with a Mexican outfitter/landowner and you need tags that are acquired by the landowner. To my knowledge everything is private land in Sonora MX

 

[Tannerb80]

We’ve got a place with solid Coues on it, usually see at least one 120”+ per hunt. They’ve killed some 130s and 140s in the past

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I’d recommend going through an outfitter.

They take care of the firearms permit. They handle the paperwork to import your rack, cape and meat. They typically take care of the prep work on your cape (no ticks). They take care of the vehicle registration and insurance. They speak the language. They provide the transportation on the ranch; side by sides, trucks, horses, mules, etc. They handle all issues with the various groups (official and unofficial). They handle getting the required landowner permission and tags. They handle all food and lodging.

If you screw up on a DIY hunt in Mexico, are you comfortable with potentially losing your rack, cape, meat, firearm, ammo, money, etc? What about potentially spending some quality time in a luxurious Mexican jail where they take extra special care of their beloved neighbors to the North?

There’s a time and place to cut back on hunting costs. This isn’t one of them. Pay the price for piece of mind.

 

[Tannerb80]

This ^^

 

[BBob]

I know a couple of people that do DIY. They initially went through an outfitter that offered semi DIY. The outfitter handled everything except guiding on the actual hunt. Once they went through this a couple of times they knew the system and went on their own. They now buy out a ranch of all tags and have that ranch all to themselves.

 

[actionshooter]

I just got home from an outfitted coues hunt in Mexico and I can see where you could do it yourself and unless I knew a landowner, I don't think I would..... If I spoke the language and had friends there maybe. Realistically, the prices aren't bad vs the risk on a DIY.