Thoughts on guided deer hunt for 2014

[slap shot]

I've never hunted deer and a few of my shooting friends (non hunters) have expressed interest in doing a guided hunt next season. I've looked into a few places in Maine and it looks like about $500 a person for 3 day hunt or $1,000 for 7 day. This is primarily a tree stand hunt including lodging and meals.

I'm looking for input on any experiences doing this, positive or negative. The group that i'm going with has little to no experience deer hunting.

Thanks

 

[RichLec]

Little to no experience? And you don't know anyone to take you out? Get a guide.. Get a good guide. Good luck too!

 

[Fixxah]

Little to no experience? And you don't know anyone to take you out? Get a guide.. Get a good guide. Good luck too!

Kind of why he is going on a "guided" hunt.

-Proud to be dad every day, a licensed plumber most days, and wish I was a shoemaker on others.

 

[slap shot]

Just wondering if anyone here had experience with any of the established guided hunts. That's all.

If i had a location or someone willing to take me along, i'd do that.

 

[StevieP]

It might be a good way to get into it. I'd take the (free) hunter's education class offered by the commonwealth, and get a hunting license. Guides are great, but (for me) I get a lot more satisfaction going it alone. You can buy a lot of kit for $1000 that you can use forever.

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[slap shot]

It might be a good way to get into it. I'd take the (free) hunter's education class offered by the commonwealth, and get a hunting license. Guides are great, but (for me) I get a lot more satisfaction going it alone. You can buy a lot of kit for $1000 that you can use forever.

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Thanks, Good point on the class. I've done a good amount of duck and upland game hunting but that was 20 yrs ago. Looking for a low stress way to get a few guys in the woods. If it were just me, i'd park on the side of the highway and walk in.

 

[Biscuit]

I think part of the fun of it is learning the ins, the outs, the what-have-yous. I mean, I guess you can pick some of that up from a guide, but I love going out in the woods to scout. I mean, if the guys are just looking to jump in and maximize their potential success from the get-go, I suppose a guide is the way to go. Hunting is kinda like golf (if you've ever played.) You go to the driving range (scouting) and try to get everything perfect. Then you go out and play a round of 18 holes and NOTHING goes right; you suffer seemingly endless defeats, setbacks, and mistakes that make you want to throw all your damn clubs into the next water hazard you see... until you hit that one shot that is so perfect, you swear that you should be touring on the PGA Tour. Then you're hooked and relish the punishment. lol

 

[MAGG]

im not a hunter...but my step bro did a guided tour . hes from NH and flew out to Utah in october...was pricey but he got a 970 pound Elk..he went out with a guide on an atv. i know your looking local but sounds like a good plan to get a guide

 

[slap shot]

LOL, Ive played golf for hmmm 43 years and i'm 50. Grew up on a golf course...

Not new to hunting per se, i do understand what makes it special. Frosty mornings, woods, rivers, all of it.

really wondering if anyone here has used one of these services and what their experience was.

 

[RB101]

I've done a few guided hunts over the years. They are good for a few things...mainly comradery and a few laughs. Certainly can be used as a (general) learning tool. Statistically I think NH/Maine guides are running at maybe 15-20% success rate for whitetail. So, don't go with aspirations of everybody tagging out, but you will have a few laughs and some good food and meet some characters. Generally they are ease of use situations where stands are hung, trails are scouted, and the outfitters know where the deer are running. It's just getting them to come out. I've always found the atmosphere in a good camp to be relative to a cleaned up version of a bachelor party event.

 

[Biscuit]

im not a hunter...but my step bro did a guided tour . hes from NH and flew out to Utah in october...was pricey but he got a 970 pound Elk..he went out with a guide on an atv. i know your looking local but sounds like a good plan to get a guide

Those elk hunts are REALLY pricey, considering some states charge $500+ for just the tag (if you're not hunting on a ranch or whatever.) Once you throw in the guide and all the fixins... yikes.

 

[slap shot]

I've done a few guided hunts over the years. They are good for a few things...mainly comradery and a few laughs. Certainly can be used as a (general) learning tool. Statistically I think NH/Maine guides are running at maybe 15-20% success rate for whitetail. So, don't go with aspirations of everybody tagging out, but you will have a few laughs and some good food and meet some characters. Generally they are ease of use situations where stands are hung, trails are scouted, and the outfitters know where the deer are running. It's just getting them to come out. I've always found the atmosphere in a good camp to be relative to a cleaned up version of a bachelor party event.

thanks, any of them better or worse in your experience?

 

[RB101]

Yes, definitely. Had good and had just OK. But there are a few dozen once you get North into Maine. Best just to check around, most good ones will volunteer references and are booked well in advance. I can PM you a few names once I dig out who we went with.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Talk to Goomba. I think he was a Maine guide, and I know he has family that are guides.

 

[GunGrey]

Southern New England has a much denser population of deer than Northern New England

New York state has good hunting as does PA.

 

[MAGG]

Those elk hunts are REALLY pricey, considering some states charge $500+ for just the tag (if you're not hunting on a ranch or whatever.) Once you throw in the guide and all the fixins... yikes.

yeah, I believe he paid close to 5 dimes for the whole trip. he took home either 200 or 250 lbs of elk and left the rest for food shelters there etc..

 

[chuckster]

There's a sportsmans show in N.H. this weekend, should be some outfitters there you could talk to. http://www.rockinghamexpo.com/

 

[Mark from MA]

If your into shooting deer go south. Think carolinas, virginia etc. deer are small but youll see lots. Midwest has a lot of deer and bigger bucks. Think ohio kentucky illinois. More expensive than the south. One of my friends did semi guided kentucky for a week this year for 1500. Group of 4 came back with a 150,140, and two 130 class bucks and as many does as they wanted to shoot.

Maine does not have a lot of deer compared to the southern and midwestern states. A good maine guide will get you on deer but you wont see numbers and will be in thick brush all the time most likely. Like someone said harvest rate is likely 10 percent in maine. You go there for camp atmosphere and woodsmanship. Thats what some people like.




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[Tommy2Gun]

If you can swing it, try Anticosti Island in Canada. You will get a good chance at buck or two, better than chances for a Me/NH/Vt deer. Not record book animals but, you'll see good deer.

Sepaq Anticosti is who I have used in the past.

T2G

 

[Cerfur]

Really for your first deer do it yourself! In mass especially SE Mass its not to hard.. I took a lot if guys for there first hunting trips this year from the forum.. Mostly pheasants and ducks.... However I stuck Rick1987 in a tree and he got his first deer second day out! Another first year hunter I took around this year To show a few spots got I think 3 deer this year! Public land and not even the land I showed him lol.. He did it all in his own! Guided hunts are awesome don't get me wrong.... But for your first there's a lot to he said I did it myself or with the help of some friends! My own experience folks will also post poo your trophy if you get a nice deer.. "Yea billy got a nice deer on his wall.. But he got it on a guided hunt.. He paid for it... I get my deer myself...". Will be said... Send me a message next fall I will be happy to show you some ropes!

 

[mrjones]

I went with a buddy to a camp near Jackman, ME a coupla years ago. Place was crawling with moose, but no deer. The guys told me when we left that it's just too hard to zero in on the deer in the thick cover of the northern Maine logging country trees.

Had a good time out in the sticks, but as has been suggested previously in this thread: go South for deer.

 

[Berkshooter]

I have done a couple hunts and I would suggest that you do alot of research. I know for a fact that Maine's deer population has been hit hard and its numbers are down. I heard that NH and VT were the same. Hunting whitetail deer can very costly! If you can't travel then I would suggest looking into hunts in NY, PA, CT where the deer population is much larger. I know there are some heavy populations in certain areas of Eastern MA, but there are just to many houses to find a area to hunt. If you want a semi close area to hunt and are willing to drive my suggestion is Ohio. The state has been pulling out some great deer. If money is not a option then saskatchewan is the place for a giant deer. If you want to stay in the US then pike county Il or WI would be my suggestion. If you guys are serious about bagging a monster the best show in the Northeast is going to start in Feb. It is in PA and you need several days to view it! It is the size of the whole "Big E" buildings combined. http://www.greatamericanoutdoorshow.org/ There will be outfitters dealers and guys trying to sell you everything that has to do with hunting there. Be warned though, bring your pocketbook if you have big plans! You will leave the show though with a better knowlegde of what things cost and who to contact if you want a certain hunt! If you need any further info please feel free to PM me! I wish you luck!!!!!

 

[OIFer]

I went with a buddy to a camp near Jackman, ME a coupla years ago. Place was crawling with moose, but no deer. The guys told me when we left that it's just too hard to zero in on the deer in the thick cover of the northern Maine logging country trees.

Had a good time out in the sticks, but as has been suggested previously in this thread: go South for deer.

If you want to go for the scenery and good times w buddies, then yeah, go to Maine. While the deer are scarce and spread all over the big woods up there, it is beautiful country.

If it were me, i would mix it up: the mornings and evenings spent deer hunting, and in between i would grouse hunt - that way you can definitely get some shots off and have fun trying to sneak up on wild birds if the deer are shy. I bird hunt up maine only and deer hunt here at home.

There are infinitely more deer per sq mile here within 495 in Mass than anywhere in Maine, so i would get out in the woods right here at home if you really want to get a deer.

for around home, I would get a bow, and enjoy the peaceful and quite lengthy archery season. Shotgun season is chaotic, and brings out the yahoos and amateurs that are frankly pretty dangerous to be around.

 

[PatMcD]

People here have got it pretty well right.
Unless you spend a lot of time pre-season in the woods up there, it's pretty much a low success rate. There are guys who haul a big one out every year, but they use techniques that most of us can't fathom. No, I don't mean poaching, either.

Now, coastal Maine is a different story. You can't swing a dead cat to the East of Rt. 1 without hitting a deer.

 

[arlow]

Ohio or Indiana would be excellent choices for a guided hunt where you don't have to drive too far. Great numbers and great trophy potential.

 

[BlackwaterFence]

Not to talk you out of a guided hunt, but maybe another option.

Ask at your local gun club if anyone is looking for additional hunters.
If you explain that you want to learn, I bet someone would be willing to take you.

 

[CdP]

I used Baymen Charters out of Duxbury for some time and teaching in the woods. Learned how to spot sign, how to sit still (or rather the absolute need for it!), and generally how to prep for the hunt. We didn't spot any dear, despite his camera evidence of deer before and after the hunt, but overall I was very pleased and I think it helped me get better to learn on my own.