Some can accommodate those needs better than others, but there isn’t much they can do when they find out at 5 a.m. Those details are something you would never know unless you talk to the outfitter and ask questions beforehand.Īlso tell your outfitter if you have special needs or preferences, like hunting only from ladder stands or ground blinds. But those accommodations might not be your cup of tea. I drew blood on a 180-ish giant while hunting with Illinois Whitetail Services and enjoyed getting to know Doug and his family. At the same time, it’s not the ideal environment for wining and dining a group of business clients. We stayed in his house, ate dinner with his wife and three kids, and it was a wonderful, home-like atmosphere. What made hunting with him really stand out, though, was getting to know his family. I like the way Doug Doty approaches his stand setups, and he’s fun to be around. One of my favorite outfitters is small operation in southern Illinois. Recommendations from friends are beneficial, but just because your buddy had a great experience doesn’t mean you will. Never book a hunt directly from a website without talking to the outfitter on the phone. The more you get to know the outfitter beforehand, the more likely you are to have a positive experience. In addition to choosing the right outfitter, other key factors can make or break your experience.įinding the perfect outfitter is a lot like finding a spouse - or at least a fun first date. To get the most from a paid hunt, though, you must select an outfitter who offers the type of hunt and amenities you like. There are hundreds of outfitters, and you have a decent chance to shoot a buck with many of them. He didn’t like the lack of pre-hung stands, and the accommodations and food weren’t up to his standards for a paid hunt.Īll I need is somewhere dry to sleep and a bologna sandwich, especially when the ground has such great potential. In fact, I had recommended the outfitter to a friend in the hunting industry, and he left after just one day. Not everyone wants that much leeway on a paid hunt. That I shot it from my own climbing treestand, in a tree I selected, provides more ownership of the achievement than would a typical outfitted hunt. A deer like that makes an incredible trophy under any circumstances, but the way the event unfolded, especially for an outfitted hunt, makes it extra special. That buck’s BTR composite score is 206, and the mount is a thing of beauty I get to enjoy every day I come to work. In slow motion, I saw hair part and reform on the deer’s chest as my arrow zipped through its boiler room. I had just enough time to stand, look to my right, pick an opening and draw the bow. The giant had its head down - it was probably cruising for does - and quickly closed the distance. I actually said that out loud, but the stiff wind on that November afternoon covered the sound. “Oh my God!” I had been in the stand just 15 minutes when I saw the buck. Advice for getting the most from an outfitted hunt.

Deer ladder stands