After several years of do it yourself WY muley hunts with mediocre results, my buddies & I are considering dropping the coin for an outfitted deer hunt on private ground.

We know and understand WY licensing, etc. but are open minded to other states. Also open minded to whiteys or muleys. Just looking for a good hunting experience and high odds of success for better than average deer.

Any suggestions, based on first hand experience ?

Consider Jack Cassidy out of Colorado. Plenty of references. He can get you a decent mule deer or elk on the western slope, or a whopper mule deer (southeast Colorado). www.cassidyoutfitters.com or call him at 970 487 3378

In Utah:

Mike McFarlane of Big Dutch Outfitters

Jed Waymont of J&J Outfitters

Kim Bonnett of Bucks & Bulls Outfitters

Doyle Moss of Mossback Outfitters

All these guys will put you on good animals and allow for you to have a great hunt. They are all pricey. I don't have phone numbers, but you can find the info somewhere on the web. Good Luck and remember those mediocre results on a self guided hunt are worth as much as great results on a guided hunt. Nothing like doing it yourself.

There is also a guy in Colorado that scouts all summer and then gives you GPS coordinates of the deer he finds. It is cost effective and you do the hunt on your own. I don't have his info right now, but I can dig it up for you if you want to learn more.

www.ishawooaoutfitters.com

Monte Horst is the NW Wyoming outfitter. They hunt the migration out of Yellowstone. It's a pack in hunt, a first rate operation.

The sucess rate is generally high, and if you time the migration right, I have personally seen a couple of 200" BC bucks come out of there.

Hey Steiny,

I recommend Triple Three Outfitters in Buffalo.
This is a region C tag and a 100% chance of drawing. Get doe tags and a Pronghorn tag.
There pricing is in line with everyone elses and they do a good job.

ED

Since you were doing it yourself before, I'm guessing you want to keep the price under control. The past couple years I've hunted in S.D. with Paul Teel. Go to www.huntfind.com and look up South Dakota hunts and select Whetstone Creek. He charges $1700 and you have about a 90% chance at a 140"+ deer. An excellent hunt for the money. Last year 3 of us shot a 145" or so 12pt, a 150" or so 9pt and a 130" range 8pt. This year 2 of us shot a 145" 10pt and a 115" non-typical 8pt. Chalk the 115" deer up to my inability to judge a running deer at 150yds with 10 minutes of shooting light left

Kerry Chadwick, East Table Creek
http://www.chadwickoutfitters.com

Tim Haberberger, Sheep Mountain
http://www.sheepmountainoutfitters.com/index.htm

Justin Wright, Mule Shoe
http://www.muleshoeoutfitters.com/index.htm

Gary Amerine, Greys River Trophies
http://www.greysriver.com/default.html
http://www.clarkhorses.com/index.htm

www.mossbackmulies.com - Doyle Moss, he is a nice enough guy to give you other ideas if he can't help you.

J&J - Jed Wayment (435)-336-4146

Big Dutch Outfitters - Mike MacFarlane (801)467-2003 (801)-430-1307

Bucks&Bulls - Kim Bonnett (801)-785-5050

I got their numbers out of the Utah Proclamation. All are pricey, but they do produce.

MGC/MHO/Steiny, as I've posted previously, I've hunted in Utah with Jed Wayment of J & J and with Mike McFarlane with Big Mountain Outfitters; they used to be partners in Big Dutch Outfitters, which no longer exists; I hunted in 2002 and this year at Big Mountain's primary ranch, the Big Mountain CWMU. It is pricey, but my business partner killed an approx. 215" 33" buck this year, and another 204" buck was killed there in the new late hunt, for which I am booked for 2004.
Jed with J & J also have several good CWMU's, and runs a good operation.

My buddies buck from this year will be in the Eastman's Mule Deer issue this spring, along with his dad's 181" 28" buck that I passed up (dumbass, I realize...)

Feel free to email with more questions,

Regards,
Craig

hunted with Mike Watkins www.tropiesplusoutfitters.com in 2001.Mike has hunts in MT, WY, and SD.

MGC, Craig

Thanks a bunch for sharing the additional info. Much appreciated!

- mike