Guided vs Unguided

[JoshT]

I'd rather shoot a doe on a DIY public land hunt... than a 180" buck that someone else found for me.

I don't have anything against guides... except for the above mentioned locking down of land... or those that act like they own a particular part of the wilderness. I don't have anything against guys hunting with guides... except for the high fence bull schitt. That just ain't why I'm in the woods... I don't want anyone doing any part of the hunting for me, unless it's a buddy that I can repay by doing the same for him.

I'm sure you can learn a lot from a guide... but for 4k-6k I can take a month off work and spend that time learing a couple square miles of wilderness. Just becuase you run around with a guy whos job it is to find critters... doesn't mean you'll learn a whole lot. Learning is a state of mind... and that state of mind is a lot easier to aquire when it's you doing the work... rather than just tagging a long.

[Blacktail99]

I went on 2 guied hunts in the washington area and was not happy with either if i pay you to guide me to a deer i should be the one choosing the one i want dont you think and if i ask for a whitetail don't take me to a mulie and not show me one whitetail.  then the guy asked me to be a refrence for his guide service. then i went on a hunt on public land with my buddy's and had a better time than i did paying for a hunt.  SO I SAY DO IT YOUR SELF HUNTS ARE THE BEST WAY.

[Gutpile]

I have no problem with guides or guided hunts. I have a HUGE problem with high fence Bullchit. It makes me sick when some guy shoots a "record book" animal at a damn electric feeder from a blind. These deer are really nothing more than livestock. Then all of the sudden he is an "expert". That really sticks in my craw. IMO any wild 130" whity is a far more impressive trophy than a managed/protected/genetically engineered 200" animal. I think that all of these hunting shows have made me this way. I loath canned hunts.

Now that said, if a guy wants to do it, fine. But it shouldn't be ranked with a truly wild deer.

[Alan K]

I've never been on a guided hunt, and don't plan to until I have the cash to hunt the animals that are in places I can't legally hunt without a guide. 

I'd rather shoot a doe on a DIY public land hunt... than a 180" buck that someone else found for me.

Amen to that.  If people are fine with doing it though, more power to them.  It wouldn't be rewarding to me but if it is to them so be it. 

It does however irritate me a bit that the record books are flooded with private land and leased land animals.  I like to look at the monsters that people have taken doing it the same way I do.  100% open to public land.

[Alan K]

Oh also whenever I do go on a guided hunt for stone sheep, or the red stags, I hope the moron guides don't walk in front of me when we're moving in for the kill.  Get the fk out of the way so I can shoot!  If the thing bolts I don't want to have to worry about the guide getting behind me first! 

A guy I hunt with went on a meat hunt in Canada for moose a few years back, and they were putting a stalk on a decent little bull (great bull on a meat hunt) in some reprod.  The thing busted 'em and they had about 2 seconds to get a shot off. Unfortunately he couldn't because the guide was ahead of him, and they never saw the bull again for the rest of the hunt.

[lokidog]

Have to agree with Alan.  There should be an asterix in the record books for private land and/or guided "trophies". 

Did one guided hunt in WY.  I worked hard for my deer because my guide was a bit lame, and I wanted to work hard.  My mom wasn't having much luck finding a nice deer so near the end she was brought over to an alfalfa field and waited for them to come in to feed in the eve.  She picked out her buck like sorting through the packs of bacon at the store.  She enjoyed her hunt.  I enjoyed my hunt but would not have as much had I gotten my deer like she got hers.  I had done a DIY doe hunt in WY years ago and am as proud or more of that deer than the buck I got guided.

[fc2038]

interesting. To be honest I could care less about guided or unguided. I personally prefer unguided. I like to do all the foot work myself. I like gathering maps and talking to the biologist and wardens, I believe you learn more that way which in return makes you a better hunter. Not to say hunting with a guide you would not learn anything. To me my hunts are more fulfilling when I plan and scout it myself.