What should a guided hunt be?

[ncstewart]

So just honestly asking some of you guys that have done guided stuff. As this was our first guided trip. What should you really expect?

We got back a few weeks ago from a guided archery hunt in BC. I won’t go into the details of the disaster that in my opinion it was. But after receiving an email from them saying they felt it was a good moose hunt then I was kinda floored. So now have to plan another hunt a few years down the road so as we can save again and don’t want something like that to happen again. My background also is I hunt and fish and that is it. My life is hunting and I’m very serious and passionate about it.

1)So first off how do you sort out the money making outfits vs the hunting outfits?

2) should you except scouting ahead of your hunt?

3) should you expect them to have a game plan? Or is all moose just kinda random luck?

4) at what point in the hunt do you say fu** this and say something? Or do you just ride it out and hope the owner makes it right in the end?


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[AntelopeEater]

Don't know about moose hunting, but what I look for when hiring a guide is numerous word of mouth references, failing that, lots of independent seeming online reviews.

 

[Laramie]

No clue your experience but moose can be tough. Even the best guides, in the best areas, can struggle if the moose aren't cooperating. "Scouting" for moose isn't like other animals.

As to expectations, many go into these hunts expecting way too much. Some of the best camps in the world don't go 100% opportunity on moose.

 

[ncstewart]

No clue your experience but moose can be tough. Even the best guides, in the best areas, can struggle if the moose aren't cooperating. "Scouting" for moose isn't like other animals.

As to expectations, many go into these hunts expecting way too much. Some of the best camps in the world don't go 100% opportunity on moose.

I’m not talking expectations as to opportunity even. I’m talking about effort expectations. Like we hunt a lot and public ground on everything. So we game plan and hunt hard.
On the moose we were just randomly doing stuff with no rhyme or reason. We also never hunted the mornings which I thought was really weird. We wasted over 30 hours of morning hunting. Is that normal for moose to not morning hunt?


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[Laramie]

I’m not talking expectations as to opportunity even. I’m talking about effort expectations. Like we hunt a lot and public ground on everything. So we game plan and hunt hard.
On the moose we were just randomly doing stuff with no rhyme or reason. We also never hunted the mornings which I thought was really weird. We wasted over 30 hours of morning hunting. Is that normal for moose to not morning hunt?


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That does seem odd. I love mornings for moose personally.

Without the full story, hard to comment further though.

 

[WMR]

I would expect the outfitter to deliver whatever he promised. I’d expect the best efforts of a safe sober guide with knowledge of his craft. The hunter should know, ahead of time, how the hunt would be conducted (calling, spot/stalk, etc). Some flexibility based on current conditions would of course be needed. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. How did you choose this particular outfitter?

 

[Rich M]

Its tough cause outfitters have their own style and dont get into the little details too much.

If you had acquestion or desire, then was the time to bring it up. We bugged our fellow a bit and that was that.

Moose are tough, they cover a lot of ground daily.

Use this trip to figure out what questions you need to ask.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

So just honestly asking some of you guys that have done guided stuff. As this was our first guided trip. What should you really expect?

We got back a few weeks ago from a guided archery hunt in BC. I won’t go into the details of the disaster that in my opinion it was. But after receiving an email from them saying they felt it was a good moose hunt then I was kinda floored. So now have to plan another hunt a few years down the road so as we can save again and don’t want something like that to happen again. My background also is I hunt and fish and that is it. My life is hunting and I’m very serious and passionate about it.

1)So first off how do you sort out the money making outfits vs the hunting outfits?

2) should you except scouting ahead of your hunt?

3) should you expect them to have a game plan? Or is all moose just kinda random luck?

4) at what point in the hunt do you say fu** this and say something? Or do you just ride it out and hope the owner makes it right in the end?


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All those question are what you should have asked when you were planning the hunt. before I set up my elk hunt I made a list of question I was going to ask the guide. We talked for some time and I came up with more question for him. I told him in no uncertain terms what I expected for my money. I didn't expect him to guarantee a successful hunt, in the terms of filling my tag, but I wanted to see him put in 110% to try to make it happen. This was a Elk hunt.

 

[HornPorn]

Not sure who you went with, but I’m familiar with many top shelf outfitters in NWT, Yukon, and BC who offer moose hunts. With any of them, if you show up mentally and physically prepared (including ability to shoot), you will get a chance to harvest a close to 60 inch bull, if not better. Only reason you might not is due to snow storms, etc or some other related act of God. I’m guessing you went with a budget outfit. You get what you pay for. 99% of these posts is either you went with cheap instead of the best, or there is a significant “other side of the story” you are not sharing. Prove me wrong

 

[Scottf270]

Most outfitters are not totally honest about the numbers, quality and size of animals in their areas. If they were, most would only be half booked. They have bills to pay and most will never cut their own throat.

I know hunting is hunting, but everything that is in the outfitters control should be as good as it can be. Good camps, good food, knowledgeable guides familiar with the area etc.

Weather, animal movement, hunters attitude and fitness, etc are out of his control. I do believe most outfitters over promise. I think most hunting is in sad shape, with too many hunters, too many tags and to many small animals being taken. A hunter who kills a small animal is happier than a hunter who doesn't kill at all.

When I see the size of some animals guys are paying 5 to $15,000 to hunt, I realize how bad it really is. In short, if a prospective outfitter has anything less than stellar history, I look elsewhere. Also price isn't always an indicator of success but the very best comes at a cost.

 

[gbflyer]

1. Stay clear of most of the Canadians
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Early on. No need to let it fester.

 

[AKDoc]

Disclaimer: I've never been on a guided moose hunt. In fact, the only guided hunt I've even been on is with a PH in Africa. However, I've hunted moose for over thirty years.

That said, in answer to your questions:

1. Not sure your criteria for sorting a "hunting" outfit versus "money making" outfit. I suspect they are not mutually exclusive.
2. I would expect the guide to have very recent advanced scouting field observations prior to my arrival. I would also do some advanced "scouting" of my own. Prior to booking, I would have already checked with local state biologists regarding the the following data: (1) moose densities for the area (GMU) where I was considering to book my hunt; (2) prior year(s) harvest statistics; (3) size of moose harvested, etc.
3. There had better be a game plan...and I would sure want to know (prior to booking) what their typical hunting game plan looks like...otherwise how would I know if "their" way of hunting fits "my" expectations? As with all free-range hunting, taking an animal or a giant animal is never guaranteed. That said, moose hunting is not just random. If you are dropped in an area with good moose densities during a time in the rut when bulls respond to calls, then the only thing that is random is the size of each bull that comes to your guide's calls.
4. I would want to see my guide working his ass off...but doing it smartly. Hiking all over the place and stinking up the area is working hard, but to me that's not always working smart. I'd want to see my guide doing good calls, so I'd make sure to watch/listen to a lot of examples of moose calling prior to the hunt. Also, I'd want to see my guide not over-calling, so I'd want to know in advance recommended calling intervals and time of day. Given the money I'd be spending, I'd want to be up early every morning, and we are calling at first light. Lastly, I'd never want to see nor suspect that my guide was drinking alcohol on the hunt...perhaps joining me for a celebration sip after I harvested and we got the animal responsibly back to camp.

Again, I'm responding as a person with zero experience moose hunting with a guide.

 

[ncstewart]

Not sure who you went with, but I’m familiar with many top shelf outfitters in NWT, Yukon, and BC who offer moose hunts. With any of them, if you show up mentally and physically prepared (including ability to shoot), you will get a chance to harvest a close to 60 inch bull, if not better. Only reason you might not is due to snow storms, etc or some other related act of God. I’m guessing you went with a budget outfit. You get what you pay for. 99% of these posts is either you went with cheap instead of the best, or there is a significant “other side of the story” you are not sharing. Prove me wrong

I went with Beaverfoot. So for goat no issues at all. But for moose it was night and day difference. This was my first guided hunt and it was a learning curve for sure. It wast lack of not being prepared on our end. Like I said all I do is hunt and prepare to hunt. And there isn’t a other side. We just flat farted around for moose instead of hunted.


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[ncstewart]

Disclaimer: I've never been on a guided moose hunt. In fact, the only guided hunt I've even been on is with a PH in Africa. However, I've hunted moose for over thirty years.

That said, in answer to your questions:

1. Not sure your criteria for sorting a "hunting" outfit versus "money making" outfit. I suspect they are not mutually exclusive.
2. I would expect the guide to have very recent advanced scouting field observations prior to my arrival. I would also do some advanced "scouting" of my own. Prior to booking, I would have already checked with local state biologists regarding the the following data: (1) moose densities for the area (GMU) where I was considering to book my hunt; (2) prior year(s) harvest statistics; (3) size of moose harvested, etc.
3. There had better be a game plan...and I would sure want to know (prior to booking) what their typical hunting game plan looks like...otherwise how would I know if "their" way of hunting fits "my" expectations? As with all free-range hunting, taking an animal or a giant animal is never guaranteed. That said, moose hunting is not just random. If you are dropped in an area with good moose densities during a time in the rut when bulls respond to calls, then the only thing that is random is the size of each bull that comes to your guide's calls.
4. I would want to see my guide working his ass off...but doing it smartly. Hiking all over the place and stinking up the area is working hard, but to me that's not always working smart. I'd want to see my guide doing good calls, so I'd make sure to watch/listen to a lot of examples of moose calling prior to the hunt. Also, I'd want to see my guide not over-calling, so I'd want to know in advance recommended calling intervals and time of day. Given the money I'd be spending, I'd want to be up early every morning, and we are calling at first light. Lastly, I'd never want to see nor suspect that my guide was drinking alcohol on the hunt...perhaps joining me for a celebration sip after I harvested and we got the animal responsibly back to camp.

Again, I'm responding as a person with zero experience moose hunting with a guide.

Thanks for the post. Ya man honestly I have hunted my whole life and know what it should have been. Just whining to some degree I guess. I really think this done me in on guides though. I’m think Alaska should of been where we started for moose and hunted it our self.


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[ncstewart]

1. Stay clear of most of the Canadians
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Early on. No need to let it fester.

Thanks man. Ya I’m really just whining/venting I guess. Ya it festered for sure. Lesson learned just an expensive one. Definitely going Alaska next time and hunting on our own.


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[Outside]

I imagine that was a long trip home feeling like the hunt wasn’t at all what you wanted. After a few guided hunts, my opinion is that expectations can only be made of specifics discussed and agreed upon before signing on the dotted line. 50/50 responsibility between outfitter and hunter to do due diligence.

 

[2five7]

My.questuom would be this; why did you book with this particular outfitter? Recommendation from a friend? Excellent online reviews? Lowest price in town?

I'm wondering what expectations you had going in, and why it ended up falling short of those expectations. Most of your questions should have been discussed previously with the outfitter before any money changed hands.

 

[ncstewart]

My.questuom would be this; why did you book with this particular outfitter? Recommendation from a friend? Excellent online reviews? Lowest price in town?

I'm wondering what expectations you had going in, and why it ended up falling short of those expectations. Most of your questions should have been discussed previously with the outfitter before any money changed hands.

Ya man to be honest I found reviews online and then started calling and talking to people that had hunted with them. But my mistake in hindsight was I was asking about goat. Which the goat was fine. Moose I just assumed would be on pair. Which was a major error on my end. Being my first guided hunt I definitely didnt ask the right stuff.


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[ncstewart]

I imagine that was a long trip home feeling like the hunt wasn’t at all what you wanted. After a few guided hunts, my opinion is that expectations can only be made of specifics discussed and agreed upon before signing on the dotted line. 50/50 responsibility between outfitter and hunter to do due diligence.

Hell ya it was. 3 days drive was rough after that. Ya man we learned a hard lesson. Only hunt in my life I have ever road home feeling like I couldn’t even talk about the next hunt. Just kept going over the cluster. I have done plenty of hunts also where we failed. I’m fine with that but I’ve never felt that lack of effort was a problem.


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[2five7]

Ya man to be honest I found reviews online and then started calling and talking to people that had hunted with them. But my mistake in hindsight was I was asking about goat. Which the goat was fine. Moose I just assumed would be on pair. Which was a major error on my end. Being my first guided hunt I definitely didnt ask the right stuff.


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Lack of effort can be subjective, but not hunting in the morning seems very odd to me, now I've never been a moose guide, but seems like they would have similar habits to elk and deer.

Did you have the same guide for the goat and the moose?