Signing up with guide services: What questions to ask during the phone call.

[orhunter1]

I am looking for guide services to hunt Elk in 2023, I've a few leads with whom I would like to talk to. Please post some tips that will help me to select someone credible.

 

[wapitibob]

Google for bad reviews if you haven’t already.

 

[Jaquomo]

Ask for a list of customers who weren't successful and call them. Then ask questions about aspects of the hunt you expect in order to meet YOUR expectations, skill set, diet, and physical considerations.

A good friend just canceled a high dollar Utah guided archery elk hunt because the outfitter told him at the last minute that he needed to be able to shoot out to 100 yards. This was never mentioned before.

 

[jdinville3]

I'd say listening to them is likely more important. Are they over selling? Do you feel like a used car salesman is talking you into it? Are they talking genuinely or something else? You should know if it feels right if you listen as much if not more than you ask.

 

[ganngus]

List of references and call them. Outfitters are trying to put food on table and are business men. They’ve probably talked to hundreds of potential clients and know nerve to hit. Call the references provided and ask them your most important questions.

Also, if someone is selling a 4500-5000 otc elk hunt and claim they regularly shoot 320+ Class elk, be skeptical. If any outfitter is legitimately only harvesting big bulls, odds are they will be charging 10k at a minimum…

 

[orhunter1]

List of references and call them. Outfitters are trying to put food on table and are business men. They’ve probably talked to hundreds of potential clients and know nerve to hit. Call the references provided and ask them your most important questions.

Also, if someone is selling a 4500-5000 otc elk hunt and claim they regularly shoot 320+ Class elk, be skeptical. If any outfitter is legitimately only harvesting big bulls, odds are they will be charging 10k at a minimum…

Is it normal to pay for non-refundable deposit.

 

[ganngus]

Is it normal to pay for non-refundable deposit.

I think it normal, but most reputable outfitters will refund if something out of your control came up.

 

[Texasbuckeye]

My impression from most reputable outfitters is they charge a fee whether it is a successful harvest or not. There is no guarantee in hunting.

It is also my understanding that most reputable outfitters will take reasonable measures to give a client that had no reasonable chance for success options for a repeat hunt at reduced costs or something to that extent.

There are plenty of folks who are not successful in their hunt at no fault of the outfitter and there are costs involved in time, food, shelter, etc, that should not be expected to be “eaten” and if someone wants a spot reserved, a non refundable portion of that can be expected.

 

[keystone112]

Ask about the “wounding policy “. Some guides have rules on this kind of thing.

I hunted with one guide who had a “48 hour rule “. If you hit an animal and it wasn’t immediately recovered, you had to spend the next 48 hours chasing that animal and only that animal. I respect that… until the animal goes over to an area we didn’t have permission to hunt.

I have a hunt booked with a guide with a “you draw blood and you’re done rule “. It can be the first hour of the first day. Doesn’t matter. If I draw blood, and we can’t find it, my hunt is over. Again, I respect it, but it seems unreasonable to me.

Whatever the policy is, better to know up front instead of after it might happen.

 

[orhunter1]

thanks, this is good to know.

 

[streetdoctor]

Ask about the “wounding policy “. Some guides have rules on this kind of thing.

I hunted with one guide who had a “48 hour rule “. If you hit an animal and it wasn’t immediately recovered, you had to spend the next 48 hours chasing that animal and only that animal. I respect that… until the animal goes over to an area we didn’t have permission to hunt.

I have a hunt booked with a guide with a “you draw blood and you’re done rule “. It can be the first hour of the first day. Doesn’t matter. If I draw blood, and we can’t find it, my hunt is over. Again, I respect it, but it seems unreasonable to me.

Whatever the policy is, better to know up front instead of after it might happen.

If the guide DIDNT have that rule I would be skeptical.

 

[ganngus]

If the guide DIDNT have that rule I would be skeptical.

This x100. 99% of outfitters have a blood on the ground policy. The animals are a resource that the outfitter depends on. Outfitters can’t afford to let every Tom, Dick, and Harry go into the field wounding animals.

 

[dtrkyman]

If it sounds to good to be true, run! Quality outfits do not need to "pimp" out their services!

Bowsite has a pretty solid outfitter review forum, check it out.

Write down a list of questions, once you get to BSing with someone you will forget half of them otherwise!

You can not ask too many questions, if they have an issue or are bothered by any questions run!

Lot's of good outfits around, the hand full of bad ones are really bad unfortunately.

Call a local game and fish agent, they know a lot about the folks in their areas!

I am all for references, however keep in mind lots of them are hand picked and will not speak poorly in any way of the outfitter.

Checking photos on their site make sure half of the pics are not owners and guides posing with their personal trophies!

 

[Doc Holliday]

How many hunters do you take at once?
How many hunters do you take per year?
What is percentage of shot opportunity? And what qualifies as a shot opportunity?
What size bulls are typical for this area?
Who would be my guide and how long have they been guiding for you?

I would have some additional questions for a backcountry hunt on public land, and some additional questions for a private land hunt.

 

[Mojave]

I’ve been on lots of very average and low quality hunts also been on very good hunts and I don’t think that you could necessarily always know from the outside. One of the most common things it’s not understanding what you’re getting into. If it’s a ranch hunt on a cattle ranch and you’re staying in a lodge your food is probably going to be whatever they think it is pretty good food. If you’re staying in a backpack type of a situation or horseback and your food is going to be really dependent on them and you I always bring enough food to get me through the Hunt just in case. Because I don’t want to trust my nutrition to somebody else . Mostly I will eat whatever they put in front of me. Another thought is that a lot of people talk about opportunity shot opportunity. Which may or may not equate to actual success. If they take a bunch of new hunters not killed very many animals like kids. And it takes him a long time to get set up and they’re gonna lose your opportunities . One of the biggest differences I see is what someone else said about wound loss. I don’t actually have a problem with someone telling me that my heart is over if I were to lose an animal. That animal represents a piece of wildlife the third interested by the state through some kind of regulation to manage as an outfitter. In Africa or in Europe if you wanted and lost an animal you would pay for it full price. I think Americans need to get into this mindset I know it is very common in white till world in the bowhunting world to think that this is OK. It is not. It is not good management. It is not good public trust resource using.

 

[Gorp2007]

Ask how many guides and hunters are in camp at a time. You may end up with six hunters and two guides, which may not be what you’d envisioned.

 

[DAOutfitters208]

Ask if top ramen and day old egg muffins are on the menu.