Guided Hunt

[sparetime]

Ok, I have been thinking of going on a guided hunt for year, since I'm not getting younger, 2006 is the year.

What do's and don'ts can you suggest? I am thinking of either moose, caribou or sheep. I will be hunting with a Thompson Center .50 cal muzzleloader.

[MNpurple]

I have been on two guided hunts in the last 2 years, one here in MN and one in TX and although good, both left something to be desired. Picking a quality guide can be the hardest part of the whole hunt.

1. The best tip I can give you is to go someplace that someone you know and trust has already been and can attest to you the service the guide gives. If not then..

2. Imagine in great detail everything you would want on a hunt and everything you yourself would do on a hunt and ask questions pertaining to that.

3. Refences: ask the guide for refrences, both succesful and unsuccesful (these are very important ones) hunters. Ask for as many of these as you can get, if he is only willing to offer you five refrences, thats not enough, they could all be brothers/cousins/friends etc who will say good things...

4. Ask him to run you through a typical day in camp, what happens, what techniques, what accomodations, food,

5. Ask for success rates, and NOTE: some guides consider a shot (kill or not) at an animal a successful hunt.

6. Many places will allow you to miss a shot, but there are quite a few services that if you shoot and wound an animal, that is your animal and your hunt is over, dont want to pay $3000 because you had moose fever and just clipped a leg.

7. Get all of your costs out in the open. Some will have a regular fee for a hunt but then hit you with a trophy fee, or a handling fee, etc... Get every possible cost you can think of out on the table.

8. If you get your trophy, do they have freezers and things to store it in for you.

7. How much is the guide involved in your hunt, will there be others in your camp that he also needs to take care of, does he hunt with you or are you on your own.

8. When a guide says probably to something, get that cleared up, is it yes, or no.

Ask as many questions as you can think of because its your hard earned money and you deserve a good hunt.