Guided Hunts,....What do you want?

[GobbleNut]

I want a good description of where the birds roost, move and the property lines and let me go.

This brings up another interesting point.  I haven't been on that many private property hunts, but I have been amazed at how often the landowner/outfitter has failed to provide maps,...or even a half-way clear description as to where the property boundaries are.

A  couple of us got in "hot water" once because the landowner told us that we were good as long as we stayed inside his fenced boundary.  With that information, two of us went one direction and ended up on an adjoining property,...never crossing the proverbial fence. 
After the suspicious looks and condemnations, we went back to the landowner and told him there was no fence where he said there was.

His response,..."oh, yeah, now I remember,...I had some guys doing some work on that side of the property and they took the fence down". 

...Uhhh, do you think it might have been a good idea to remember that and tell us before we were accused of being trespassers?....

[Gobble!]

I wouldn't be apposed to them tagging along with me but I don't want them calling. I would prefer to be turned loose but if I was guiding people on my private or private land I leased I'd want to make sure they were not doing anything stupid. Continually busting birds, leaving trash, things along those lines.

[762hunter]

Depends, I've done the pay for private access and I've hunted public on out of state trips.

If it's a seasoned hunter That's really knows their stuff I'm ok to sit back watch and try to learn something from the "paid professional"

Typically though I like to try it out myself


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[Dtrkyman]

Guiding hunts for years I see all the I just want turkeys to hunt and a place to eat, sleep, that all goes out the window after 2 days and the property they are on has "no birds"

Then they all want the inside scoop for where every turkey in a 100 mile radius hangs out once they go a day or two without a bird.

See it often in Nebraska, birds there do not act like birds from the east, very nomadic and can be unpredictable. But often can be called in from a long way off. Biggest issue there is often times they hit the ground and put on there running shoes and guys think the day is shot.

Over all guys are great but some get in a panic pretty quick.

[mtns2hunt]

Never had a problem with a guide refusing to let me hunt on my own. They have always been accomodating. As for hunting two days and then panicking because I ani't seeing birds? Does not happen. Its not called hunting for nothing. Just because you pay money this is no guarantee. I also like older birds so there is also a good chance I may go home empty. I have on several big game hunts.

[RiverRoost]

I've got an outfitter I have hunted with for the past 6 years almost every year and have had fortune to tag out almost every year I've been. One reason I keep going back is because with my line of work he lets me and sometimes one or two friends come out spur of the moment because we have come to know each other and he knows I respect his land and his rules. I've come to know the guy and his son very well and so when I go out, sometimes it's by myself and sometimes it's with his son who is about my age and he pretty much let's me run the show he just wants to see some action and enjoys the hunt and we enjoy each other's company as much. So my guide expectations are let me "prove" myself on a morning or two and then let's just go at it together and get some birds on the ground having fun while doing it

[Bolandstrutters]

I think you need to be up front with the outfitters when you book your hunt.  You've gotta remember, most guys that are paying for guided hunts DO want to be guided.  And a lot of guys who don't turkey hunt are using guides to complete their grand slams because there isn't a chance they could do it without.  A perfect guided hunt to me would be show up mid afternoon.  Get a tour of the property and get general areas that birds commonly roost in.  Maybe have the guide help me roost birds that evening and then let me go.  Make sure i've got a hot plate waiting for me and a comfortable bed.  Other then that, leave me alone. 

[mtns2hunt]

I think you need to be up front with the outfitters when you book your hunt.  You've gotta remember, most guys that are paying for guided hunts DO want to be guided.  And a lot of guys who don't turkey hunt are using guides to complete their grand slams because there isn't a chance they could do it without.  A perfect guided hunt to me would be show up mid afternoon.  Get a tour of the property and get general areas that birds commonly roost in.  Maybe have the guide help me roost birds that evening and then let me go.  Make sure i've got a hot plate waiting for me and a comfortable bed.  Other then that, leave me alone.

Not sure I would stereotype all hunters "that don't hunt turkeys as using guides to complete their grand slams because there isn't a chance they could do it without." One, if you don't hunt turkeys why would you be interested in a grand slam to start with. Two I have been hunting (and harvesting) Easterns for over thirty years. As a business owner I do not have time for DIY hunts where I need to scout, arrange lodging and meals. Other than that I agree with the rest of your post.

[howl]

Does the average customer visit oldgobbler.com? If I were to buy a bird, I would do it because I wanted to avoid sleeping in a tent and eating tag soup.

[Uncle Nicky]

Guiding hunts for years I see all the I just want turkeys to hunt and a place to eat, sleep, that all goes out the window after 2 days and the property they are on has "no birds"

Then they all want the inside scoop for where every turkey in a 100 mile radius hangs out once they go a day or two without a bird.

See it often in Nebraska, birds there do not act like birds from the east, very nomadic and can be unpredictable. But often can be called in from a long way off. Biggest issue there is often times they hit the ground and put on there running shoes and guys think the day is shot.

Over all guys are great but some get in a panic pretty quick.

[eggshell]

if I book an outfitter then i set the ground rules before I book/pay. I will only pay half through the first day, if he doesn't honor the agreement after the first morning we have a serious talk. I have never had to have this talk but once and I still had to pay, but I at least got some of what I wanted. Outfitters are usually pretty cooperative as return bookings and word of mouth is how they survive and stay in business. I have no problem with them sending a guide along to keep me on property and give me tips on bird movement. It is their land and their right to see if I am ethical and play fair. I have had guide stay with me for an hour or two and then turn me loose, this is ok. I have to honestly say I have never met a guide I couldn't out hunt (on turkeys that is), most of the ones I've encountered just aren't that good. Below is my list of what I want and what I won't do:

I want:
Controlled land and enough of it to hunt
a good population of birds
to do my own hunting
my own calling
It's ok if they manage kills in zones
I decide if I am shooting a bird or not
A dry warm place to sleep
Meals are good, but good food and a poor hunt is bad
To hunt alone or with who I came with

I will not tolerate:
arrogant asshats
Feeders
Blinds
lied to about how many birds they have
being asked to team up with a stranger
being told when and what I can shoot( I'm ok if they don't want jakes shot, that is not what I mean)
a guide that will not honor my request to do all the calling
Riding around in a P/U road spotting
a guide who wants to quit before I do

[LI Outdoorsman]

These days I just want to be able to self hunt ...Just put me where the birds might be and I'll do the rest.
A clean room and some grub when I get back would be nice too or I can prepare my own..
These requirements arent as easy to find as one might think so when you find an outfitter that allows DIY hang on to him as most outfits have pressure to produce a bird for a paying customer so you have to use a guide for locating and calling a bird. They need high success rates to boost business.
Luckily I've finally been able to snag access to some private properties in Florida near where my Dad lives and I have have a boyhood buddy who's moved to NM and I will be chasing Merriams with him for the second time this season on thousands of acres of public land by camper.
Plus i have my own hunting camp in upstate NY for easterns,
So no guides needed there just air fare / food / licenses etc.
BUT...
When I take my wife on a guided hunt which she prefers from time to time I expect a comfortable room, clean sheets and pillows,3 meals a day, a fair amount of birds, friendly capable guides, and above all nice folks running the place.

[eggshell]

So, here's another question:  How many of you have paid for that and ended up with the outfitter/guide insisting on being "in the way" on your hunt?  Surprisingly, I/we have had that happen,...even after clearly explaining to the landowner/outfitter that we not only were not wanting that, but that we expected to be left alone to do "our own thing".

I had this once. we made all the arrangements and when we arrived got the it's my way or the highway talk and we were livid. Fortunately our assigned guide signalled us to hush up and then when outside he told us he had our back. We had a great week. The guide led us to birds and stayed in the back ground and never called or created any problems. Why such a nice guy worked for an asshat I don't know. I know one thing we took care of that young man, he got quite an impressive cash tip.