For 2 days I emailed outfitters for a Pronghorn Antelope Hunt for my Daughter. I also made a few calls and left voice mails. Haven't heard back from one of them. Be advised, none of them were from Texas. In fact, I did get 3 return calls from Rick that post s on here. But outside of Texas, not a one of them. Sorry to be ranting on and on, but I don't understand it. "Book with me, I am the best." Balony, tired of wasting my time. Wish she would hunt hogs, I know I would get calls back from you all in Texas. Okay, I am done now. Sorry for so long.

It's amazing how poorly many businesses are run. The most expensive thing in the world is getting a customer to walk through your door. Ignoring one is just .... stupid.

I will say this: if you really want to hunt out of state, you should attend the DSC Convention in January. It's amazing and you can talk to the outfitters and the guides directly which is great for finding a good personality fit.

If your Daughter is in the Texas Youth Hunting Program age group, they are trying to get a Prong Horn Hunt up at Dalhart. Last I talked to them they were still working with the wildlife Biologist to get Tags. Ya might want to Holler at them at their head quarters in San Antonio to see how that is going. We had already booked a hog hunt for that weekend or we would be looking at it.

http://www.tyhp.org

How long has it been since you contacted these outfitters?
When I was looking for a deer hunt in Kansas 11 or 12 years ago, I e-mailed about a dozen or so outfitters, wanting all the info I could get from them. A lot of them took a week or 2 before they got back with me. But out of all those, only one called me. But the catch was, I didn't leave my number. This guy took the time to find me via phone number and I've been hunting with him ever since.
Good luck on your search. I know how hard it can be.

It has been about 4-5 days since I emailed and called. One called me today finally. I talked to one today making the call myself and found out they are booked up next3 years and stopping after that. I have been selling cars for 21yrs. To not contact a prospect is like opening my wallet and burning all the money in it.
just like syncerus said, just stupid!!!!

I have a balanced perspective about this. I do a bunch of outfitter trips and talk to a bunch of outfitters. Many aren't internet savvy, but those usually answer their phone. Outfitters get a BUNCH of tire kickers though. Hanging out with outfitters their phone rings off the hook and they may only catch up on emails couple times a week. It is so easy for us to just casually blast a bunch of outfitters we find email online, but think how many hundreds of contacts they are receiving. I have also found that the website will usually answer 90% of my questions. I try to do a better job now I only email and call the outfitter when I'm ready to sign the deal if my remaining questions and the feel check out.

Wheat harvest started about three weeks back in the panhandle so any where north of Texas are running combines night and day. But something I've learned is most outfitters that are good are usually booked a year in advance via repeat customers there for most of the western hunts you see posted are cancelation hunts.

Id rock a Texas PH hunt over anything but a AZ or top end NM ranch

A good website should answer most questions, a lot of outfitters have bad sites imo

I've also found communication with an outfitter to be a struggle at best. Seems like they are either on the road somewhere, or out in the field. The good ones are always busy and usually booked up a year or two in advance. If one has openings this late in the year, I would be wondering why. To me, that's a red flag. If you want to book a hunt in a quality area with a good outfitter, you really need to do it right after the season has ended.

For me, I like going to DSC in January and talking to them in person. Getting a brochure, making notes on it and then researching them online. Most have been pretty good at replying to my emails, and the ones that don't, I lose interest in.

When looking for a hunt, I tend to find as many reasons not to give that guy my money as I can find. The one who I can't find anything wrong with, tends to get my business.

Eddie

WARNING - do not drink beer while walking around DSC talking to outfitters!

I have been on over a dozen "guided" hunts with about 50% success rate. I use to think services like Outdoor Adventures from Cabelas were way over priced. Using a well known service company for guided hunts is well worth the money to me (know that I learned the hard way). I don't want to bash this forum, but I have had most of my unsuccessful hunts with outfitters on here or people that gave recommendations on here. Unsuccessful to me is not see any game, unsanitary conditions or rude guides. Again, lot of reasons we chose less than great outfitters is not our fault, it is the info we get. Service companies make sure you get what you pay for and actually go on the hunts before recommending them. There is a big difference between seeing game, but not a trophy Vs. not seeing anything because your guide runs as many people through his operation as possible. You can also call these service companies as much as you want and they will answer the phone and answer all your questions. Again, I am not saying the guides on here are not good or that any percentage are bad. There are bad outfitters everywhere and the best way to really weed out the bad and get a good one is through well known booking services. You will pay about 20% more for the hunt on average, but the piece of mind you get is well worth it.

I even mentioned it was going to be next year and a youth hunt. With everyone having smartphones and all the other technology, it should not be a problem to get back to someone. Guess they have enough repeat business or enough money.

I emailed one in Texas about charging a Trophy Fee depending on size of horn. Free roaming wild animals and he is charging a Trophy Fee.??? I sort of let him know how this makes no sense. Haven't heard back. I just need to buy some property and not worry about so so guides trying to steal my money.

I been on guided hunts for years too and it is hit and miss. Used the big draw service types down to individual outfitters. If I am going on one of these hunts I want to hunt trophy level animals only - I have no problem going home empty handed as long as I had a fair chance to see truly trophy level animals. Been with some really great outfitters and some not so great.

One reason I like to book at live shows like SCI, Texas Trophy hunters, etc. is because not only can I physically see and talk to the outfitter and guides but I can hang around their booths and watch and listen to what other people are being told - once I was at a booth getting ready to book an expensive mule deer hunt and literally filling out the deposit check. Two guys walk up who hunted with this guy the year before and wore him out - his guides were lazy, his equipment broke down, etc. Closed my checkbook and quietly slipped away.

Good advice from tlk, especially for the hunter who is trophy-minded.

Ha, I was on one hunt with you Bob. That was a tough week on the mountain. You were on a "budget" hunt though where you could tag out deer, elk, and bear for a great price. If you want higher opportunity hunts you have to pay for them. Plenty of clients have taken nice Elk, Deer, and Bear on the mountain, but if your expectations were high opportunity for that budget price, then that was part of the problem. I still would recommend that hunt for that price. I did the exact same hunt this year and the THF'er in camp took a Muley 2nd day on mountain. The week I shared with you is one of my better outfitter trips, so funny our opinions exact opposite for the exact same week.





It was certainly tough on the mountain that week, but that's the way transitional areas are for Elk, feast or famine. Going home early doesn't help your opportunity either. I hear for most of your budget or public Elk hunts you can only expect to tag every 3-5 years, I believe that. I tagged out last year Idaho Archery, but other guy in camp had been for 5 years and only tagged out once, he didn't get a single bull in range that week. You have to start paying $6k+ for private land Elk hunts that give you an opportunity for nice bulls past 50%.

I guess my perspective on sanitary conditions is opposite yours, the less sanitary the more rugged the hunt and the more I like it. The nicest lodges I hunt are all less back in the woods and less opportunity, seems the outfitter tries to make you forget about the poor hunting through fancy lodges.

About rude guides, I've had some great, some marginal. What I have found more than anything doing 20+ outfitter trips is I have to be flexible and adapt to both the guides and other people in camp. Nothing will make your camp and experience worse than if you rub the guides or other hunters wrong.

Outfitter hunting isn't for everyone. You need realistic expectations, be willing to light your money on fire for nothing, and be a chameleon with the guides and other hunters.

In regards to opportunity and success.

public < outfitter < leasing < owning

I have done at least 5 hunts with outfitters/landowners from this forum and have had a very high success rate. The one time I didn't get game I still had a great time. I ask questions up front, and keep my expectations in line. Granted, these aren't trophy hunts but they sure were some great times.

I don't know how many outfitters are booked for 3 years. If that is the case maybe they are bot hungry enough.

willhunt, that is what they told me. maybe it was he fact that I am bring a youth. not really sure. I crossed him off.

I'm about ready to dump the $2500 and go with someone from Texas. At least they call me back. Only thing, would need a water Blind spot for the Daughter. Believe it would be better using a crossbow.

From an outfitters point of view I have had many hunters from the forum both good and bad. Answering calls and email is part of the business and should be done in a reasonable time frame. The biggest problem I have had is "hunters" who don't understand what hunting is all about and what western hunting is all about. If all you have ever hunted is high fence in Texas you have never hunted. You should go into a hunt knowing it is going to be a learning experiance. There is no western hunt where we let you pick a tagged animal that we know the measurement on to the 1/4 inch. We don't shake a grain bucket and see what comes in to your heated stand. In the west animals move alot I mean tens of miles at a time. It can be hit and miss. Weather can affect your hunt tremendously. If you can find an outfitter that has about 50% success archery for elk and mule deer you are doing good. 70% for rifle is really good but you have to do your part also. Realize the reason these animals are considered trophies is because they live in rugged country and are hard to get. I realize I might have wondered off topic a little but in answer to your question yes I believe any responsible outfitter should return email and call promptly its just good business and courtesy. But last of all I would like to stress as has already been stated many members on the forum think they can get the greatest hunt in the world while choosing the cheapest one they can find. Doesn't work.

Here's a situation I recently had happen. Know a guy who drew a coveted tag, pointed him in the direction of a great outfitter for the species he drew. A couple days goes by and I'm told he's heard nothing back, a week goes by, nothing, now almost 2 weeks and nothing. Told him a week in that regardless of what was on the outfitter's schedule he could magically make a slot open with the right referral. In the past cpl days the guy decided to book with an outfitter who promptly returned his call that does more elk hunts than anything in other units. Got word today, finally, that the outfitter I'd tried to set him up with had been living with the sheep since before the guy started trying to get ahold of him and just had a satellite phone on him to talk to his wife/kids. Kicker to this is he said he found 10 quality rams and was looking for a giant for the gov tag holder...in the unit the guy drew...smh.

Guides are like doctors - the majority of them are not going to be business-oriented or selling machines. And, from their perspective, the hunting industry's customer base is full of, what an African PH friend called, "whistling gofers" ("How much does that go for?" Then when they're told, they whistle. :D)

Trophy fees for wild, free-ranging animals are charged in many, many parts of the world.

If you hunt enough on outfitted trips, one of them is bound to disappoint a little.

I'm afraid there are outfitter and non-outfitter capable hunters, outfitters get bothered 75% of the time by non-outfitter capable hunters. The outfitter capable hunters know how to stand out and get bookings done, I'm sure it is obvious to the outfitter the first 10 seconds of call or email.

That same THF'er took an elk the year before also.

if he is talking about the same mountain and think he is I've hunted it 5 years in a row (with last year being straight up lease)
While I've been there it has been 20% kill success on archery elk and 100% kill success on archery mule deer. That number jumps a lot higher on archery opportunity

I've measured 6 elk and 5 mule deer in camp in five years.