Guided hunt, hunt club or public land?

[Pheroze]

The question is really how best to spend your hunting dollar to enjoy all this sport has to offer. And, also, how best to gain experience.

When I first got my licence I joined a club that gets me access to several farms areas. I also went on guided hunts and researched public lands. I was pushed away from public lands as I was told that there are always issues with access and conflicts with other hunters. Also, the idea of hunting them was intimidating to this novice. (just walking in with a loaded firearm...really!! lol)

I am now trying to decide whether to keep with the club. I find the hunting to be limited as there is not much to scout and it is generally a sit and wait kinda game.

On the.other hand, guided hunts get expensive but maybe the effort and cost with hunting public land makes them worth it? Maybe I am not maximizing the club experience?

I would really appreciate what you all feel the best way is to enjoy this sport and why. Thanks

 

[gizmo]

Have you thought of buying a small starter farm somewhere? It doesn't take that much of an investment to buy a small place to start out with. If your willing to do your homework you can buy a very nice place in an area with whatever game you'd like. Then with sweat equity you put the work in and raise spectacular animals that you have the oppurtunity to take. One of the most satisfying things is to take a deer that was born on your own place, that you fed and essentially raised (figuratively speaking) and take him as a mature stunner of an animal. You don't always have to spend a lot to get a lot. Just make sure it's in the right place with the right habitat. Even small 20 acre farms can produce some monster deer in the right areas.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Pheroze, you find yourself in a different situation than I have.
I have hunted public land and managed the other hunters my whole life.
There are huge tracts of public land within an hour of my home that can be hunted and if you are willing to do some climbing you will not be seeing very many people. One ridge back and you are alone.

The properties with easy access, by which I mean, on a public road, will have the typical conflicts people fear.

Hunting private land here requires plenty of foot work to ask permission and then scout the animals afterward. Like Gizmo says, the right small property in amongst a whole bunch of "non-hunting" properties can be a Bow hunters dream. It's like having a hunting spot inside a park. Not a lot of adventure here either. but you might have success.

If you have some pieces of public land that are a good hike from a road you may be able to find yourself alone and enjoy it.

 

[LivingTheDream]

So I do a combination of all of the above. I am a member of two hunt clubs, that I really like. It took a while to get here as I tried many and sometimes politics and just crappy areas I gave up on them. We own a 28 acre farm, and we have gotten great deer, but it requires coordination and a management plan that other neighbors need to be on as well. We had some bozos lease the place next to us and they shot everything, trashed the place and essentially ruined the deer hunting. We leased that farm and it took 3 years but we now have bucks back around. It's work and there are factors you can't control.

Public land is tough, scout before the season and hunt archery. Not sure the conditions of the land you are looking at but if it is an over the counter everyone can hunt public land hunt I wouldn't do it with a firearm. I have been very close to being shot twice and said enough. I will sneak out during archery season but I know where the animals will be and have had great success.

Guided hunts are hit and miss. Good guides that are reasonably priced are hard to find. I spend more time research hunts then I do hunting (4g in a tree stand helps). It also depends on your expectations. Want a lodge or tent, back country, representative trophy or record book. I have had great luck with outfitters, and some where I got my game but after I left the guide at the lodge. They can be expensive but I would use a guide if I was going cross country or some place completely new. They are definitely worth it!!!

Just like the anything success will be determined by how much work you put in. The more effort the more likely you will have success. I wouldn't limit myself to one way to get access.

 

[Pheroze]

I think there is interesting crown land about three hours from me. I guess I just gotta take a look and see what develops?

@gizmo When you say "farm" you don't mean raise the animals do you? Or are we talking about plots of land with stuff deer like to eat?

 

[gizmo]

I think there is interesting crown land about three hours from me. I guess I just gotta take a look and see what develops?

@gizmo When you say "farm" you don't mean raise the animals do you? Or are we talking about plots of land with stuff deer like to eat?

I mean plots of stuff deer like to eat. Say you buy a small place that's right where u want it etc... You go in and plant food plots etc.... If you do it right u can do some small agriculture that works for both and get the ag exemption and have the place essentially come close to paying for itself if not pay for itself.

 

[Pheroze]

I mean plots of stuff deer like to eat. Say you buy a small place that's right where u want it etc... You go in and plant food plots etc.... If you do it right u can do some small agriculture that works for both and get the ag exemption and have the place essentially come close to paying for itself if not pay for itself.

I never thought about incentives that may be available...hmmmmm... The land I have looked at on line are vacant lots. I had not thought of looking for working farms.

 

[Pheroze]

So I do a combination of all of the above. I am a member of two hunt clubs, that I really like. It took a while to get here as I tried many and sometimes politics and just crappy areas I gave up on them. We own a 28 acre farm, and we have gotten great deer, but it requires coordination and a management plan that other neighbors need to be on as well. We had some bozos lease the place next to us and they shot everything, trashed the place and essentially ruined the deer hunting. We leased that farm and it took 3 years but we now have bucks back around. It's work and there are factors you can't control.

Public land is tough, scout before the season and hunt archery. Not sure the conditions of the land you are looking at but if it is an over the counter everyone can hunt public land hunt I wouldn't do it with a firearm. I have been very close to being shot twice and said enough. I will sneak out during archery season but I know where the animals will be and have had great success.

Guided hunts are hit and miss. Good guides that are reasonably priced are hard to find. I spend more time research hunts then I do hunting (4g in a tree stand helps). It also depends on your expectations. Want a lodge or tent, back country, representative trophy or record book. I have had great luck with outfitters, and some where I got my game but after I left the guide at the lodge. They can be expensive but I would use a guide if I was going cross country or some place completely new. They are definitely worth it!!!

Just like the anything success will be determined by how much work you put in. The more effort the more likely you will have success. I wouldn't limit myself to one way to get access.

You certainly work very hard at this! Despite the fact that I appear to spend all my waking hours on AH, I actually don't get a lot of opportunity to get out of town. However, that may change as the kids get older.

 

[gizmo]

I never thought about incentives that may be available...hmmmmm... The land I have looked at on line are vacant lots. I had not thought of looking for working farms.

I doesn't necessarily need to be an established working farm. You can buy vacant land. Stick a handful of cows at a super low stocking rate and plant a few acres of alfalfa and viola, working farm. Or not mess with cows and plant a little bit of just crops and you got the same thing.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Yeah I'm saying this pre kids. I spend roughly 80 days a year hunting and probably another 40 scouting, planting food plots, trees, whatever the property needs. This is also due to long seasons and hunting multiple states. I'm not 100% sure what will happen post kids but I am guessing we will take plenty of "nature" walks.

 

[Pheroze]

Yeah I'm saying this pre kids. I spend roughly 80 days a year hunting and probably another 40 scouting, planting food plots, trees, whatever the property needs. This is also due to long seasons and hunting multiple states. I'm not 100% sure what will happen post kids but I am guessing we will take plenty of "nature" walks.

Ah yes, kids! You will find that new borns, quite deservedly, take over. I call that first few years the "fat years" Get some sweaters and don't worry. You will get back into the game after a decade or so.

 

[bluey]

clubs and orgs, for experience , knowledge (give and take ) ,advice and friends (greta place to meet hunting mates)
guided hunts to be able to hunt the animals you dream of that you wont be able to get accsess to otherwise
and public land hunting , as its the best hunting there is , you come and go as you please or as time /life allows .
this is where you learn to hunt , sometimes you work hard for along time to achieve this , then it all comes to gether .
the only time that ive had any sign of conflict on public land , is when there is a hound team up where I/we go for a week end stalk .
2 of the 3 times , this has happened , ive been welcomes to hunt one day with that crew .
no biggie
every time ive met another stalker in the bush we just co-operates and wore blaze
onre time I came across 3 different hunters on the one hunt , that congested , no one seen a der , (strange )