How to define a bad hunt?

[mark-hunter]

So, some hunters go for a hunt, collect the animals and are not happy.

On the other hand, sometimes hunters go to u hunt, especially on a single animal hunt, do not connect and are not complaining.
Sometimes it is delivery or non delivery of trophies, that cause complaints, or other logistic mishaps.

I dont have bad experiences, but I have seen number of complaints on the forum, and many times I cannot find a general rule.
I do have hunts when I did not get animal (back at my home country) but I do not consider that to be anybody's fault, in free range unfenced areas. Its hunting.

It is all about expectations I think.
experienced hunter will less likely complain then non experienced hunter having too high expectations.

So, how do you define a bad hunt, and decide the outfitter or other related logistics company is not recommended?

 

[R eight]

I’m yet to have a bad one.

 

[Badboymelvin]

I define a bad hunt probably in a few ways...

When I've hunted bad...
By that I mean when I haven't followed the rules I've set myself and haven't hunted the way I have planned.
An example would be not setting a landmark every 50m or so and, when reaching that landmark, checking my compass to make sure I'm trekking in the direction I want to go. I've often neglected to do this, and I've deviated off track and not hunted the areas I set out for.
I didn't follow my plan...
When I'm lazy like that, I consider that a bad hunt.

And another example would be when I return home and I'm not revitalised... I'm not renewed... when I don't come home feeling that – for whatever reason, I consider that a bad hunt.

And lastly, another example would be when I come home and don't talk the ear off my beautiful wife; that's a bad hunt.
On a good hunt (once again, for whatever reason that might be) when I get home, I literally don't shut up for hours; I'm talking about every single minute detail like an excited schoolboy.
If I ever return from a hunt and I'm quiet or a little reserved, that's a bad hunt.

Of course I could probably go on and on, but these 3 I've mentioned would be at the top of my list.

Russ

 

[R eight]

I’m yet to have a bad one.

I reckon if everyone comes home in one piece and well then it’s been a good hunt. I’ve had a couple of hunts that were memorable for every thing that went wrong. But, whilst it didn’t always seem so at the time, they were adventurers that I can now look back on with fondness. Character developing incidents are best appreciated when aged.

So, so long as no one is injured it’s all good.

 

[375Fox]

I expect an outfitter to be honest and give me straight answers. If there is a different reality on the ground I’ll be upset. There is no recovering from a lie regardless the final result of the hunt. I’m upset about two hunts I’ve done. One the outfitter way oversold the area and were putting no money back into it. I only learned after the hunt they hadn’t been on the ground there in several years. I believe they are currently living on a past reputation. Another example, I was having a general discussion about pricing and the outfitting business. I remember the margins he told me. I believed him until he was discussing trophy fees with a landowner and until I saw a hunt he tried to sell me offered through a different outfitter. It’s difficult to have a positive opinion of a hunt once that trust is lost.

 

[coreydb]

My only bad hunts are unproductive hunts. No bad outfitters, PHs, hunting SNAFUs....just returning empty-handed.

 

[SwampTrooper]

It's sort of an abstract and subjective thing that's hard to describe. You're right. A good hunt doesn't mean things go well and a bad hunt doesn't mean everything fell apart. It's the sort of thing that when it happens to you, you just know it.

 

[analog_peninsula]

It's unpleasant when part of the experience leaves a bad taste in your mouth, but that's part of life sometimes. Success is always nice, but you can also have hunts that feel too easy, and not very satisfying. I had an unsuccessful black bear hunt in Idaho in 2024 that was an absolutely terrific trip and which I enjoyed greatly. No regrets there.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I reckon if everyone comes home in one piece and well then it’s been a good hunt. I’ve had a couple of hunts that were memorable for every thing that went wrong. But, whilst it didn’t always seem so at the time, they were adventurers that I can now look back on with fondness. Character developing incidents are best appreciated when aged.

So, so long as no one is injured it’s all good.

I was going to respond to this thread, but your response is spot on.

 

[Twraska]

It's unpleasant when part of the experience leaves a bad taste in your mouth, but that's part of life sometimes. Success is always nice, but you can also have hunts that feel too easy, and not very satisfying. I had an unsuccessful black bear hunt in Idaho in 2024 that was an absolutely terrific trip and which I enjoyed greatly. No regrets there.

My best hunts were those with the kids, luckily most resulted in an animal to take home but even when we were vegetarians I came home happy.

 

[375Fox]

Success is always nice, but you can also have hunts that feel too easy, and not very satisfying. I had an unsuccessful black bear hunt in Idaho in 2024 that was an absolutely terrific trip and which I enjoyed greatly. No regrets there.

I had an unsuccessful brown bear hunt in SE Alaska. The outfitter did everything right by me and it was a great experience. Spring just came way too early and grass started growing too early. I went on two more very successful hunts with him for deer and black bear after that. I think good and bad comes down to the people you hunt with not just taking animals.

 

[deewayne2003]

One of the most fun hunts I've ever been on was a goose hunt in Skyler Nebraska; me and 7 buddies loaded up a Winnebago and drove to Nebraska from DFW and never fired a shot... but it was fun!

Things that have ruined trips for me........
1. Arriving to camp in another country and only then does the outfitter tell you that they had tags decreased and your camp of 3 hunters only has 1 bull moose tag!

2. Being stuck in camp with people who CONSTANTLY give you updates on their stock portfolio.

3. In camp with people who are more worried about getting drunk to the point of vomiting.

4. In camp with a married couple who hate each other and decide to express it at dinner each night.

5. Having to listen at dinner as 60yo+ men go into nauseating detail about their Viagra fueled exploits at houses of ill repute.

6. Being in a beautiful remote location with excellent food only to listen non stop to a 67yo American Doctor bitch and moan because the lodge doesn't have his specific brand of Canadian piss water whiskey that is only drank by people who spend lots of time attending funerals.

@375Fox
"I think good and bad comes down to the people you hunt with not just taking animals."

No truer words have ever been spoken on this forum!

 

[SETH RINGER]

GUESS I HAVE BEEN ON A COUPLE "BAD" HUNTS. NEVER REALIZED IT TILL I GOT HOME AND THOUGHT ABOUT IT, WAS HAVING TOO MUCH FUN IN THE MOMENT TO KNOW.

 

[PARA45]

I've been to four safaris, and they all have been excellent. However, the bad part came at the end of the hunt when I the PH gave me the non-verbal when I gave him his tip, like if it wasn't enough when I gave to him. Bad taxidermy from the same hunt by the taxidermist the outfitter highly recommended and worked with. Then the outfitter not helping with the taxidermist issues and telling me it was between them and I and they had nothing to do. Even though they recommended this taxidermist.

My last three safaris have been excellent even dealing with the taxidermist those outfitters recommended.

So, "bad experience" can be after the hunt, not just during the hunt.

 

[Muskox]

Here is my rules for hunts.

1. I feel like I am getting jerked around.
a. I.e. no game, just driving or walking for no reason
b. We are not hunting game we are seeing
c. The guy takes me on a "walk"to test my physical abilities
d. There is some communication barrier that causes more than 1 animal to get away

2. Food and accommodation can suck, but if the game is there and the place is safe I am all in.
a. I got put in an unsafe "new" high seat here in Germany once. The thing started shifting and I rode it home because at least it fell up hill.
b. I don't do hunts anymore to somplace I wouldn't take my children. Doesn't have to be romper room, but if the chance of getting abducted is not nearly zero. I am out.

3. I don't want to be held captive, or hold someone else captive.
a. If the hunt is over and I am done, I am done. I am headed home. I don't need to hang out with you, I have shit to do that doesn't include waisting time, burning vacation days.
b. If it is a group hunt and we are enjoying ourselves, I am happy to stay around.

In 2024, I did a group hunt I stayed an extra day on. I had two hunts finished early and went home. I also had a hunt I fired a guide on for playing all the games on rule one on a chamois hunt. I had a driven hunt go just ok. Five "guided" hunts, one shit show. Result was 3 roe deer, a black grouse, and two fallow deer.

In 2025, I had an epic red deer hunt, but the guide wasn't really interested in me killing anything. So I didn't. I hunted the entire trip, but the last night in camp I went home empty handed. If it wasn't for the quality of the experience with the wildlife I would have went home. I had another guy jerk me around on a roe deer hunt in eastern Germany. 3 driven hunts all of them good to amazing, and a roe hunt I left for a family situation, and another chamois hunt that got cancelled because I twisted my ankle. A fallow deer and red stag hunt I was done in a day on. So 8 hunts, one of them cancelled and 1 shit show, and 1 hunt that I loved but didn't like the drama. So 6 out of 8 not too bad. Result was two red stags, a fallow deer, a badger, a wild boar, and a red hind.

2026 hunting starts next Friday for me. Wish me luck.
Trophy red deer Germany
Roe bucks in Czech Republic
Roe bucks in Slovenia
Chamois in Slovenia once in summer and once in Winter
Chamois in Austria in late summer, hopefully so I can find a marmot
Ibex (female) in Austria in the fall

Should be great.

I am slowly finding out who I should not hunt with.

 

[steve white]

The British may have said, "There are no bad soldiers, only bad officers." If the officers--the outfitter, PH, staff are unprofessional, you can have a bad trip. As in, they promised to bait leopard in advance but never got around to it....and even afterward did not bait with PG animals you shot because "the meat belongs to the farm." (Namibia) That is attrocious IMO, and the lions share of why I never spotted a cat. Bad, unserviced equipment can cost you serious hunting time as well. The same PH was forever having to get out of the vehicle and pump up diesel from the tank to the motor as it would stall on upgrades.
One good reason to hunt Zimbabwe is that their PH's have to undergo rigorous training to be certified. Then things are wonderful and all is right with the world.
I definitely see a trend wherein the solidly recommended, seasoned outfitters are cheap when compared to what you end up getting with the lowballed offers one encounters.

 

[Beck]

An obnoxious guide will kill a good hunt every time.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

So, some hunters go for a hunt, collect the animals and are not happy.

On the other hand, sometimes hunters go to u hunt, especially on a single animal hunt, do not connect and are not complaining.
Sometimes it is delivery or non delivery of trophies, that cause complaints, or other logistic mishaps.

I dont have bad experiences, but I have seen number of complaints on the forum, and many times I cannot find a general rule.
I do have hunts when I did not get animal (back at my home country) but I do not consider that to be anybody's fault, in free range unfenced areas. Its hunting.

It is all about expectations I think.
experienced hunter will less likely complain then non experienced hunter having too high expectations.

So, how do you define a bad hunt, and decide the outfitter or other related logistics company is not recommended?

@mark-hunter
To me there's no such thing as a bad hunt ( unless the guide/PH is an ass).
To me anytime in the bush is good even if I don't fire a shot. Getting an animal is an added bonus.
Now I prefer hunting with my son and my mate and his son and get great enjoyment out of teaching them skills to improve their outcome.
Watching young hunters mature and improve is a great gift.
My son has become a good hunter in his own right and now wants to teach is girlfriends brother to hunt so the pupil has now become the teacher.
I still love to hunt and harvest game but that's only part of the experience. Sitting around the campfire with a nice meal and a few drinks with friends increases the experience. Even getting bogged on a track and getting out of it is part of the learning curve and gives another story to tell of stupidity and Triumph.
Hunting to me isn't just about shooting an animal, it's the whole experience.
The joy of eating something you harvested and processed yourself seems to make the meal even more enjoyable as well.
That's my perspective on hunting. It's the whole experience not just the kill.
Bob

 

[Beck]

@mark-hunter
To me there's no such thing as a bad hunt ( unless the guide/PH is an ass).
To me anytime in the bush is good even if I don't fire a shot. Getting an animal is an added bonus.
Now I prefer hunting with my son and my mate and his son and get great enjoyment out of teaching them skills to improve their outcome.
Watching young hunters mature and improve is a great gift.
My son has become a good hunter in his own right and now wants to teach is girlfriends brother to hunt so the pupil has now become the teacher.
I still love to hunt and harvest game but that's only part of the experience. Sitting around the campfire with a nice meal and a few drinks with friends increases the experience. Even getting bogged on a track and getting out of it is part of the learning curve and gives another story to tell of stupidity and Triumph.
Hunting to me isn't just about shooting an animal, it's the whole experience.
The joy of eating something you harvested and processed yourself seems to make the meal even more enjoyable as well.
That's my perspective on hunting. It's the whole experience not just the kill.
Bob

Well said

 

[Andrew62]

To me there's no such thing as a bad hunt ( unless the guide/PH is an ass).

If the day ever comes that you do hunt with an asshole, believe me, you'll know full well the meaning of a bad hunt!!

On 3 occasions I never received my trophies, that sucked, especially when my bongo hide never made it home!