I have been on one guided hunt for elk and everything else has been do it yourself. I have found that my kills on the hunts I have done myself were more rewarding. There is just something fulfilling about doing everything yourself and having success at it. Have a great day!
Haven't gotten to the point to where i need that 330" bull so bad i cant stand it, although i will one day. Still happy going out and chasing raghorns and spikes on my own. Although a little extra cash could change this too
I've been hunting out of state for about nine years, and whent on my first guided hunt this year for a AZ elk hunt. I would do again if I draw a good tag again.
Talk to you later.
Jay
Why risk spending several grand on only being able to shoot a rag bull or dinky deer, when you can do it yourself every year and run the risk of harvesting a monster??? Never went on a guided hunt in my life, do it yourself is more rewarding.
Although, if I could afford it, I wouldn't hesitate a trip to the San Carlos to hunt moster bull elk!
DIY is my preference. Much more rewarding that way!
Swaps are good too if your unfamiliar with an animal or the country. There's lot's of good, friendly, and knowledgable hunters that are willing to help each other out.
LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-05 AT 05:25AM (MST)[p]I guess that I am too much of a tightwad to pay somone else to drag me through the woods. I would rather spent a couple of grand on hunting gear than on a guide. I do well on my own on all public land. My only exception would be a polar bear or dall sheep hunt, otherwise it's just me.
I've done both and both can be enjoyable. My western hunting is long distance (from Mississippi) so there are times when I want the most out of my trip.
Thanks to all who replied...that is very interesting to me...looks like more and more are going to self-guided hunts but they are difficult to find on private land. Most everything private is locked in by an outfitter.
LAST EDITED ON Feb-12-05 AT 09:08PM (MST)[p]I have always hunted self guided hunts for 30 years from Florida to Nevada and many places in between. I have never gone with an outfitter or guide and don't plan on it. I don't have any wall hangers but I don't want one unless I can get it myself. I don't want to be held by the hand and babied. Just my opinion.
fatrooster.
I forgot to mention that all of my hunts have been on public land.
Been hunting for a couple of years and like many of the others who posted in this thread I prefer to do it myself. I like the one on one challenge of trying to figure out new areas, the movements of whatever animal you are pursuing and if luck meets opportunity you score, if not you have a tag to post on the wall.
Definitely DIY, not to take anything away from the folks that use guides. I like the thrill of figuring it out myself and if I am successful knowing I accomplished the task on my own makes the trophy twice as nice.
i have never even thought about a guided hunt but if i did it would have to be in alberta or b.c. i'm a poor boy who cant spend that kind of money when i got great hunting here at home.
I know that being guided is very ligit and I dont mean to dog out any man hiring a guide, but for me the love of hunting is exactly that--- hunting. A harvest at the end of a hunt is grand but without the hunt I dont think I would get the thrill that I do. Hring a guide to me is hiring the hunter and I do the shootin.
I know, I know, there is always the guy that dont have the time to scout or hunt or whatever and he does need a guide but not me.
So my answer is self guided all the time every time