Buckmasters Magazine

Advice for getting the most from an outfitted hunt.

“Oh my God!” I had been in the stand just 15 minutes when I saw the buck. I actually said that out loud, but the stiff wind on that November afternoon covered the sound. The giant had its head down — it was probably cruising for does — and quickly closed the distance. I had just enough time to stand, look to my right, pick an opening and draw the bow. In slow motion, I saw hair part and reform on the deer’s chest as my arrow zipped through its boiler room.

That buck’s BTR composite score is 206, and the mount is a thing of beauty I get to enjoy every day I come to work. A deer like that makes an incredible trophy under any circumstances, but the way the event unfolded, especially for an outfitted hunt, makes it extra special. That I shot it from my own climbing treestand, in a tree I selected, provides more ownership of the achievement than would a typical outfitted hunt. That’s one of the reasons I was there.

Not everyone wants that much leeway on a paid hunt. In fact, I had recommended the outfitter to a friend in the hunting industry, and he left after just one day. He didn’t like the lack of pre-hung stands, and the accommodations and food weren’t up to his standards for a paid hunt.

All I need is somewhere dry to sleep and a bologna sandwich, especially when the ground has such great potential. That doesn’t mean my friend was wrong. There are hundreds of outfitters, and you have a decent chance to shoot a buck with many of them. To get the most from a paid hunt, though, you must select an outfitter who offers the type of hunt and amenities you like. In addition to choosing the right outfitter, other key factors can make or break your experience.

The Dating Game

Finding the perfect outfitter is a lot like finding a spouse — or at least a fun first date. The more you get to know the outfitter beforehand, the more likely you are to have a positive experience.

Never book a hunt directly from a website without talking to the outfitter on the phone. Recommendations from friends are beneficial, but just because your buddy had a great experience doesn’t mean you will.

One of my favorite outfitters is small operation in southern Illinois. I like the way Doug Doty approaches his stand setups, and he’s fun to be around. What made hunting with him really stand out, though, was getting to know his family. We stayed in his house, ate dinner with his wife and three kids, and it was a wonderful, home-like atmosphere. At the same time, it’s not the ideal environment for wining and dining a group of business clients.

I drew blood on a 180-ish giant while hunting with Illinois Whitetail Services and enjoyed getting to know Doug and his family. But those accommodations might not be your cup of tea. Those details are something you would never know unless you talk to the outfitter and ask questions beforehand.

Also tell your outfitter if you have special needs or preferences, like hunting only from ladder stands or ground blinds. Some can accommodate those needs better than others, but there isn’t much they can do when they find out at 5 a.m. in the pitch black during the drive to the woods. You might laugh, but I’ve seen it happen.

Size Matters

Besides asking about atmosphere, it’s important to know what caliber of deer to expect, and whether there are minimum scores for bucks. Most bow outfitters in the Midwest ask clients to hold out for bucks at least 3 1/2 years old, and some impose fines for bucks below a certain score or age.

“Educate yourself on aging and scoring the animals,” said Harrison Lane, owner of Hollow Ground Guide Service in Illinois. “Be familiar with the outfitter’s management plan.”

That’s an important issue for Lane, who specializes in mature bucks. At Hollow Ground, bucks with 10 points or more must score a minimum of 150 inches. Nine-pointers have a minimum of 140, and 8s must measure 135. If you’re not comfortable judging bucks quickly, you could make a big mistake, and you’d be anxious the entire hunt.

“Most outfitters allow clients to harvest bucks that are 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 years old,” Lane said. “Hunters started coming to Illinois in search of 160- and 180-inch bucks. It takes a buck at least 5 1/2 years to get that big. Our operation is based on quality, not quantity.”

Generally, the higher an outfitter’s minimum score, the less likely you are to fill a tag. Not only are mature deer harder to hunt, there aren’t many of them. Conversely, if you’re after a truly mature whitetail, go with an outfitter who has a system like Lane’s.

Even for outfitters with a minimum buck score of 125, the odds of shooting one with a bow in the Midwest run about 25 percent. For a much higher chance of getting a buck, look to states like Texas or Alabama.

A Matter of Trust

Once you’ve selected an outfitter who matches your personality and desired buck potential, there are other things that can increase your odds for a successful hunt.
Foremost, trust the outfitter.

If you’ve done your homework in making the selection, trust your instincts and let the hunt play out, even when unexpected things happen.

Because it’s part of my job, I’ve hunted with an average of three outfitters every year for the past 16 years. With one or two exceptions, I believe every one of them truly wanted me to shoot a deer. That doesn’t mean I thought every stand was perfect or every one of my beliefs about deer hunting and behavior were in unison with the outfitters, but it’s critical to share basic trust.

“Client success has become my personal trophy and my obsession,” said Bryan Dawes, owner of Brushy Fork Outfitters in Ohio. “When I started this business, I pledged to put clients first. I see outfitters and guides killing 200-inch deer on their leases, and that doesn’t seem right to me. I didn’t even hunt last year. I’ve learned to live vicariously through my clients, and my trophies are the pictures we take of clients with their deer.”

You don’t always get that kind of feedback, but give your outfitter the benefit of the doubt. Their success depends on your success.

Don’t Do It

One thing guaranteed to ruin your hunt and could get you sent home without a refund is getting out of your stand.

I cannot stress this point enough. Don’t do it. Don’t even think about it.

Having tracked many bucks with outfitters, both mine and those shot by other hunters, I was shocked to learn how many bedding areas are located within spitting distance of tree-stands.

For hunters like me who grew up hunting huge blocks of public-land timber, it’s hard to imagine deer bedding within sight of crop fields and other food sources, but that’s often the case. If you get out of your stand and bump those deer, it’s game over.

Yes, the outfitter wants to keep the stand huntable for future clients, but he’s just as worried about your hunt.

The stipulation to remain in the stand applies even if you shoot a deer. Of course you want to get down and check for blood, but sit tight. If you bump a wounded deer and it runs onto a neighboring property, there’s a good chance the outfitter won’t have permission to go after it. Outfitters often are not popular with neighbors who are likely hunters competing for the same bucks.

Don’t Guide the Guide

I’ve yet to climb into an outfitter’s stand and think it was perfect.

That said, there’s usually a good reason for a stand’s location, even if it’s not readily apparent.

A great example is a hunt I enjoyed with Grandpa Boone’s Cabin in Milford, Kansas. Co-owner Jan Kissinger put me in a 12-foot ladder stand in a strip of hardwoods about 20 yards deep. I didn’t think I’d see anything in such a small patch of timber, but it ended up being the most active day I’ve ever spent in the woods. By the time I shot a 135-inch 10-pointer around 2 p.m., I’d seen six other shooter bucks, including a beautiful 160-ish 10-pointer that came right to the stand. I wasn’t able to get off a shot on the bigger buck, but the experience taught me a lesson about questioning the guide.

Share Information

While you shouldn’t guide the guide, don’t withhold information. I’ve known many hunters who saw lots of deer, including bucks, but back at camp told their guides they didn’t see anything. I don’t know what they hoped to gain by lying, but I’ve benefitted from sharing detailed information.

Sometimes deer aren’t doing what the outfitter thinks based on his trail camera information. He won’t know that unless you tell him exactly what you see. The more details you provide about movement patterns of every deer is that much more information he has to help you shoot a buck.

I’ve had guides move me or set up new stands based on information I gave them. Good communication goes a long way to build that all-important trust factor.

While it can be difficult to return to camp and admit you missed a deer or got busted by a buck, it happens. If you tell your guide, at least he won’t try to put you back in the same stand thinking the deer he had patterned so well just didn’t show up that evening.

Common Scents

The next time I meet an outfitter who encourages using calls and scents will be the first.

We might like to think otherwise, but outfitters use stand sites multiple times through-out a season. As we’ve documented in several Buckmasters articles, bucks learn to avoid stand locations. They don’t leave the area, but they shy away from stands after detecting humans.

Improper calling and scent use alerts bucks that a human is in the area. Always assume the last person to use a stand was a fanatic who used every call and scent made, putting bucks on high alert.

Also consider that younger bucks are more likely to respond, which results in close encounters with hunters. Those young deer don’t get shot. Instead they associate certain sounds and smells with danger. By the time they’re big enough to wear a shooter rack, they turn and run at the sound of antlers clacking.

The caveat is you should always carry a grunt call. Use it if you see a buck has no intention of coming within shooting range. You might get lucky, and you can watch the buck’s reaction to see if he’s intrigued.

If you drive to the hunt, take a set of rattling antlers, just in case. There are a few days every year when rattling is effective, but consult your outfitter before breaking them out. You might get a gar hole if the outfitter thinks you’ll be raising cane and stinking up his stands.

Be Prepared

When hunting with an outfitter, take a page from the Boy Scouts and be prepared.

Show up with the right clothes for the conditions, bring quality gear and have your licenses and tags printed and ready to go.

Bowhunters especially should practice often before going on a paid hunt. Hitting a pie plate consistently at 20 yards is not sufficient.

Most outfitters set up bow stands for shots inside 30 yards, but hardly anything goes exactly as planned, especially when a mature buck is involved.

I hunted with a large outfitter who gave bonuses to guides whose hunters shot bucks. It wasn’t a coincidence those who demonstrated better shooting ability while checking our equipment got better stands.

Besides, if you’re spending several thousand dollars on a paid hunt, shouldn’t you be able to seal the deal when your outfitter provides you with the opportunity?

Also, be prepared to succeed. Many outfitters don’t pay as much attention to what happens after you shoot a deer. Know whether a walk-in cooler will be available, and have a plan to get your meat and antlers home.

Finally

Thanks to the outfitters who took time to get back to me for this article. I’ve included only those whose hunts that were good examples for the various points made, but there are plenty others not mentioned that I could recommend. But those recommendations would be based entirely on my tastes and not yours. There is no one perfect outfitter for every hunter, so it’s up to you to find the one that is right for your wants and needs.

Whether you’ve saved up for years to afford an out-of-state hunt or you go somewhere new every year, you expect and deserve a great experience.

There are many factors an outfitter can’t control, so judge your hunt based on how he handles the manageable variables and not whether you get a deer.

A friend once summed it up perfectly: “I don’t expect to shoot a deer when hunting with an outfitter, but I want to feel like I’m in the game.”

Maintain a positive mental attitude and focus on the experience more than filling a tag, and you’re much more likely to have a great time.

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