T
Tuskhunter
Guest
What an Experience!
Spoke with SO many times regarding quality of deer they had to hunt.
I explained I had been to Sonora before and have already killed a deer in the 180's. I expressed my desire to hunt a ranch that has been managed for big bucks in the 190 - 200 range. I was assured that there were several bucks in the 180 and up range on the ranch I was hunting.
Booked hunt and was excited, sent flight info.
And gun permit info and was excited to go.
Week before heading to Mexico Sonoran Outfitters (SO) called requesting for my gun permit info again saying the Mexican Military had lost it. Sent gun permit info again.
Day before leaving SO ask what flight I was on again.
Day of arrival in Sonora many Hunters on flight booked with SO cking guns in Mexico, my gun permit is not there, have to text SO because they weren't sure when I was flying in, they bring permit in no problem.
Load stuff in SO trucks sit around in airport for 1 1/2 hours waiting to find out what happen to several hunters luggage not SO fault.
Arrive at ranch then SO explains I will be going to another ranch, no problem.
Arrive at ranch I will be hunting, very nice accommodations.
Day 1 of hunting see a few does right of the bat so far so good 1 hr into hunt see buck in the 160 maybe 170 range but I'm there to hunt 190- 200" deer. Hunt the rest of morning see 1 small buck and a few more does.
Lunch then rest till 3:30 because they say deer won't move because it's hot. No Problem.
Food was off the hook best ever.
Hunted the next day high racked in the morning then after noon climbed up on hill to glass see a few does then coming down ranch road to bottom of hill were glassing from is another high rack not from our camp call SO speak with Todd Rice he explains that is another guide of his from the ranch next door coming to hunt over on the ranch were on, and that the more trucks we have moving around the more deer we will see. THIS IS WHEN I KNEW THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO SEE THE DEER HE PROMISED WERE HERE.
Day after day we hunted all over the place glassing high racking orange piles you name it we did it. Nothing like guides not communicating ,high racks hunting the same fence line one on one side of fence one on the other side of fence heading same direction. Driving down road only to see a guide an hunter from a different ranch coming from the direction your heading.
Speak with Todd Rice w/ SO he assures me the more pressure on these deer the more we will see. FEELING INSULTED we all know most big deer leave an area when pressured.
14 hunters hunting 3 different ranches with SO 3 bucks killed 180, 160, 150, I shot the 150 a 180 deer was never even seen. The Rut was in high gear our group saw deer everyday but nothing even remotely close to 175
No wildlife tags or documentation to take our deer home for anyone in our camp also spoke with hunters that have not got there horns back from the previous years hunt.
Wondered why we were not seeing any trophy deer, Found out that last year the ranch I was on they shot 16 mule deer the year before not one scored over 189 BC.
We all work hard for our money so I just want my fellow hunters to know what there getting into.
Most all great hunts I've been on no matter where have been with outfitters who only guide one small group at a time.
I rated the following things on a 1 to 10 scale 1 being worst and 10 great
Food 9
Lodging 8
Deer numbers 5
Trophy deer quality 2 (did see antlers some hunters didn't)
Organization of outfitter 1
Guides 8
Expectations promised by outfitter 1
Lessons learned
Don't go with outfitter who runs big number hunters
Make your own contract for outfitter to sign regarding ranch your hunting and paper work for bringing your trophy home
Spoke with SO many times regarding quality of deer they had to hunt.
I explained I had been to Sonora before and have already killed a deer in the 180's. I expressed my desire to hunt a ranch that has been managed for big bucks in the 190 - 200 range. I was assured that there were several bucks in the 180 and up range on the ranch I was hunting.
Booked hunt and was excited, sent flight info.
And gun permit info and was excited to go.
Week before heading to Mexico Sonoran Outfitters (SO) called requesting for my gun permit info again saying the Mexican Military had lost it. Sent gun permit info again.
Day before leaving SO ask what flight I was on again.
Day of arrival in Sonora many Hunters on flight booked with SO cking guns in Mexico, my gun permit is not there, have to text SO because they weren't sure when I was flying in, they bring permit in no problem.
Load stuff in SO trucks sit around in airport for 1 1/2 hours waiting to find out what happen to several hunters luggage not SO fault.
Arrive at ranch then SO explains I will be going to another ranch, no problem.
Arrive at ranch I will be hunting, very nice accommodations.
Day 1 of hunting see a few does right of the bat so far so good 1 hr into hunt see buck in the 160 maybe 170 range but I'm there to hunt 190- 200" deer. Hunt the rest of morning see 1 small buck and a few more does.
Lunch then rest till 3:30 because they say deer won't move because it's hot. No Problem.
Food was off the hook best ever.
Hunted the next day high racked in the morning then after noon climbed up on hill to glass see a few does then coming down ranch road to bottom of hill were glassing from is another high rack not from our camp call SO speak with Todd Rice he explains that is another guide of his from the ranch next door coming to hunt over on the ranch were on, and that the more trucks we have moving around the more deer we will see. THIS IS WHEN I KNEW THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO SEE THE DEER HE PROMISED WERE HERE.
Day after day we hunted all over the place glassing high racking orange piles you name it we did it. Nothing like guides not communicating ,high racks hunting the same fence line one on one side of fence one on the other side of fence heading same direction. Driving down road only to see a guide an hunter from a different ranch coming from the direction your heading.
Speak with Todd Rice w/ SO he assures me the more pressure on these deer the more we will see. FEELING INSULTED we all know most big deer leave an area when pressured.
14 hunters hunting 3 different ranches with SO 3 bucks killed 180, 160, 150, I shot the 150 a 180 deer was never even seen. The Rut was in high gear our group saw deer everyday but nothing even remotely close to 175
No wildlife tags or documentation to take our deer home for anyone in our camp also spoke with hunters that have not got there horns back from the previous years hunt.
Wondered why we were not seeing any trophy deer, Found out that last year the ranch I was on they shot 16 mule deer the year before not one scored over 189 BC.
We all work hard for our money so I just want my fellow hunters to know what there getting into.
Most all great hunts I've been on no matter where have been with outfitters who only guide one small group at a time.
I rated the following things on a 1 to 10 scale 1 being worst and 10 great
Food 9
Lodging 8
Deer numbers 5
Trophy deer quality 2 (did see antlers some hunters didn't)
Organization of outfitter 1
Guides 8
Expectations promised by outfitter 1
Lessons learned
Don't go with outfitter who runs big number hunters
Make your own contract for outfitter to sign regarding ranch your hunting and paper work for bringing your trophy home