If you’re looking for a great hunting experience then hiring hunting guides could be good idea.
A good guide can help you become a better hunter
Experts in their field with great knowledge of the area and herds, they will often be able to find a buck of your chosen class far quicker than if you were to search alone.
As you’re no doubt aware, tracking and locating mature bucks is very difficult even if you’re familiar with an area. If you’re heading to a new location such as a reserve in another state getting familiar with the landscape and local herd movements will take a significant amount of time. If you have limited time for your hunting trip then hiring a hunting guide makes sense.
There are numerous articles on this site about how to use drawing techniques, scent eliminators and attractants etc, and I do recommend you read them prior to going hunting, but simply reading about them doesn’t compare to having an experienced huntsman showing you exactly in front of you.
If you want to read up on some great tips before you go, check out the STRATEGIES & TIPS section here.
What’s more, different topography requires different tactics. The spot and stalk technique may be the only way to assure a shot opportunity in certain areas, whereas in another setting up a stand would be better. Again, hunting guides would be able to show you the best methods for the particular area you’re hunting in.
Get taken straight to the target, and learn how to find it yourself.
You can usually access the best hunting guides through outfitters, as naturally these companies want to hire the best in their areas. Although keep in mind that some don’t permit their guides to be privately hired. If this is the case you can usually find someone at a local hunting club, or by doing a search online. I don’t want to promote any one guide in particular here, but if you do a quick search on Google for ‘hunting guides in your state’ you’ll be able to find someone for sure.
What you can expect and how much you’ll pay varies hugely from person to person. A guy who is just a good hunter and is willing to take you along on his trip will generally charge a lot less (or may take you for free!) compared to someone who has turned his passion into a career and will tailor a package especially for you.
Good hunting guides should be able to tell you the best times to hunt the species of deer you’re after, a few good locations for shot opportunities as well as best practises and techniques. Many will make a detailed plan especially for you and include meals, specific locations to go at certain times and provide much of the necessary equipment.
You certainly don’t need to hire hunting guides to succeed and harvest a trophy buck, but generally it will speed up the process and increase your skills a lot quicker too. It’s also recommended that you don’t go out into the woods or country alone, and so if you don’t have a hunting partner then hiring hunting guides could be a way to share the experience – both for safety and to have fun!
