Hey, I'm not looking to start another contentious thread. I'm tired of readin' 'em and real tired of bein' involved. If you read too much into the question I'm about to pose, than go eat some turkey sandwiches or something.

Long hunting career or short, well-to-do or otherwise, whether Dad was a hunter or a collector of Lionel trains, how many self-guided, do-it-yourself hunts have you been involved with, as compared to outfitted hunts? What's your percentage?

My first "legal" big game hunt was November of 1961 at age 16 (barely). My first outfitted hunt was a spring bear hunt in Maine, circa 1968 and then, we drove to and from our own stands after the first morning and spent our days alone. Since that time, I've not used an outfitter or guide for any hunts in the U.S.A.

Other than hunts where I've been required by law (Africa and British Columbia) I've been on exactly 3 outfitted hunts. The first was a Mtn Goat hunt in my native Colorado. When I finally drew a tag, it was in an area that I had no knowledge of and was unable to properly scout due to navy business. For the hunt to be successful I had to go with a guide. The other outfitted hunts if you want to call them that were for bison on a ranch in Mt (meat hunt) and some exotics in Tx.

I'd say %98 of the hunts I've made have been "do it yourself" hunts.

Mac

My big game hunting career started in 1978 at age 8, mule deer hunting with my Pa. We travelled about 6 hours from home and stayed in a cabin for a week. Was with my dad when he shot a fork-horn buck. I can still remember trying SO hard to be quiet.

I shot my first big game animal in 1981. It was a calf moose and I was 11. I was shooting a brand new Win 94 30/30 Trapper model. One of the proudest moments of my life.

The only guided hunt I have ever been on was my trip to RSA this spring with Don G. So I'd say 99.99% of my hunting has been self-guided. Living in B.C. I can hunt just about anything in NA without a guide. As a resident, I have been fortunate enough to have hunted Moose, Elk, Bighorn Sheep, Stone Sheep, Mt Goat, Grizzly Bear, Mule Deer, Whitetailed deer, Bison, Black Bear and Caribou so far.

Canuck

Ditto as with Canuck my only guided hunt was my trip to Africa.

Take care
470 Mbogo

100% unguided for now but have yet to cover anywhere near the ground I hope to so who knows, if a guide is a logical choice on a future hunt then my average will come down.

I've been guided in Manitoba (black Bear), Labrador (caribou), South Africa (2X, plains game) and Namibia (1X, plains game).

There is a ton of hunting here where I live and have been out for deer alone and unguided (except 7 days) since October 1. Do lots of small game and varmints every year self guided and alone (sigh).

One comment about the two, at least in my situation. All of the guided hunts I've been on were highly successful. Unguided, hunting where ever I can get permission, not so successful as far as filling tags. Good property does equal better success in that respect. Hunting time is always quality time for me whether I fill a tag or not.

Both are just as satisfying ways to hunt for me. Guided hunts just offer me the opportunity to hunt game animals I don't get in Michigan. I usually get a good looking guide too. Oh, and they can always cook. You guys can't say that in most cases. So it is double the fun for me.

I grew up on a West Texas ranch and one in Mexico, hunting javalina, Mule Deer, whitetail deer, Coues Deer and bear..I guided a lot when in High School and afterwards....I have owned and leased several ranches in my life for cattle and hunting...We hunted elk in NM and Colorado on our own for many years...I have hunted a lot in Idaho on my own and on our lease in Texas for whitetail...I suppose most of my USA hunting has been non-guided with about 15% as guided...Most of my guided hunts have been show me hunts by invitation....

Most all of my African and Foriegn hunts have been guided and most, not all, have been show me hunts by invitation..

I have been in the booking business for many years on a part time basis, with a full time load..After retiring in about 198? I started booking full time, but nothing really changed except I now work during the day and hunt a heck of a lot more...

I've been around hunting to long to sum it up accuratly on a post, but that's about it..You'll have to read my book if I ever finish it, "Saddles, Heroin, and Buffalo", I've managed one chapter so far....you can do and see a lot in 69 years. A few more must die before I can publish it and there younger than me.

Nick
Every hunt I go on is self guided. I would like to hunt deer one day, so I think a guided hunt will be in my future. I kinda like the idea of doing it all myself. I've just got on to a property that has some scrub bulls. Next dry season I'll have a go at them, I'll have to learn their ways, but thats the challenge of being self guided.

Bakes

I'd say 99% of my hunts have been non guided. The only guided hunt I've ever been on was in Africa.

Before that my hunting was limited to hunting deer in Texas and 4 trips to Colorado. Out of the 4 trips to Colorado I was lucky 50% of the time.

I'm hoping to go on more guided hunts in the future.
Terry

Nick,

98% of all my hunts have been self-guided, only a very with a guide. I've hunted mostly alone for myself except with my childhood best friend whose Dad let us hunt together but with only one gun. When I hunt for my self, even now, I usually do it by my self.

Joe

I appreciate the honest and thought-provoking responses. While I value the lessons learned, I truly wish I could have struck a better balance, early on, as I struggled mightily, with very little success, for a long, long time. The occasional quality guided hunt would have really helped take the edge off.

[ 11-30-2002, 17:10: Message edited by: Nickudu ]

I have about 90% self- guided. our then the 3 African and 7 B/C hunts for bear,moose,and Mt.goat. all of the others are hunts are W/T,Elk,Blk.Bear,Muledeer,and preditors.

Doc in Texas

With the exception of one black bear hunt in Canada (Blind River, Ontario) which was semi-guided, and a few wild boar hunts with my buds down in Tennessee, all of my 45 years of deer hunting has been self guided. Learning has been pretty much trial and error, with an emphasis on the "error" part... Wonderful memories and friendships along the way.... Dave

100% unguided. That said, when money and opportunity present themselves, this will change! Alaska and Africa are calling - "very loudly"! -memtb

100% self-guided in Australia. One hunt guided in NZ. Two trips to Zimbabwe and one hunt in South Africa guided.

Using a local who has local knowledge sure cuts down on non-existent scouting time. I know one hunter who once said. "I can spend X thousand $ on a guided hunt for a week and be successful for a trophy stag or spend the same amount of $ over several years not to get the same result."

Either way is fine. One way you get the goods and have fun. The other way you spend a lot more time hunting for the same cost but are often tempered with less success.

Outfitters also provide a lot of gear the travelling hunter just can't take with as well and increasingly are a legal requirement when hunting OS.

Hey Ann, I will hunt "varmints" with you one day. I missed out hunting in Michigan in 1988 but will get there one day.

1 guided hunt in Texas for wild hogs, he is a work acquaintence, on his land, payment? I bought the beer, after.

1 Black bear hunt in Canada, required, and I had to force him on the 3rd. day to go to where I had seen bears for years, while on fishing trips.

The only guided hunts for me have been in Africa. I have been lucky to be able to hunt unguided in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. Usually, except for here in Oregon, those have been when I have been in the area for work and managed to arrange some hunting as well.

Joel Slate
Slate & Associates, LLC
www.slatesafaris.com

7mm Rem Mag Page www.slatesafaris.com/7mm.htm

I never been on a guided hunt of any kind in my life.

Montana (1 - Guided) South Africa (2 - Guided) Colorado (1 - Semi-guided - transportation, food and lodging)

Rest self-guided.

As Ann said quality land is a premimum and getting the opportunity to hunt it takes a while. Time spent in the outdooors is more important than a harvest but that is nice too!

When I lived in good hunting country it was almost always on my own with maybe an outfitter or bush pilot to get me into the bush and hopefully out with my game...but that was in good country and I was a younger pup.....but as my family grew and I had more responsiblity (and started living in big cities) I found that I didn't have the time to scout country and the equipment needed to do it on my own sat idle in storage most of the time. The net result being if I wanted to hunt someplace interesting or with a reasonable chance of getting into game (or even drawing a tag) it was either guided or at least semi-guided. The tough part was that many times except for their ability to out walk and out climb me plus their knowledge of the area I knew a heck of a lot more than they did about setting up a camp, spotting game, field-craft etc.

Living in Sunny Southern California can be rough on someone who likes to hunt but the thong bikinis do help make up for it.

I have not been on an outfitted or guided hunt yet .

Nickudu you are an old fart. I started hunting big game two years later than you at age 16 which makes me ........ not as old as you.

All my hunts, and there were a bunch of them, between 1963 and 1997 were unguided. My work now doesn't allow me the proximity or time to "do my own thing".

I had great guided hunts in 1997 for pronghorn near Alpine, Texas; in 2000 for elk west of Springer, New Mexico; in 2002 in South Africa. I'm aiming for dall sheep in NWT Canada in 2004 and back to Africa RSA or Zambia for buffalo in 2006. Then I may be toast as far as the expensive guided hunts go.

I'd like to retire in New Mexico or Texas, get my own place, and guide grandkids (if my kids ever decide to give me any).

Only have been on one payed guided hunt. that was this fall for elk. I guess I got tired of freeze dryed food coming back to cold tent. A warm lodge bunk house some one to cook for me. A heck of a lot differant then what I am use to heavy packs cold tents my own cooking.. As far as the hunting goes if I could have axcess to the same ground owned horses ect I could have been just as suscessful. I payed for the axcess the horses the good food and warm dry place to sleep.

DB Bill, 100% - It's tough to have hunters' blood when you live in an area far removed from good hunting ground. Makes for much extra effort and added expense, over time.

Kensco,
Yes, I am an old fart and that, in tandem with a littany of tough, cold weather hunts in younger years, makes me accutely aware and highly appreciative of all that is done for me on a guided hunt with a good outfit. When I first experienced Africa, I found that one of the most difficult things to adjust to was not diving in to help at every opportunity!

P Dog Shooter,
I couldn't agree more.