Guided Whitetail hunt?????

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Deerhunter

New member
So my GF/ fiance knows I have been wanting to go on a hunt for years. She has now told me to start planning a trip for 2011. Told me I could go where ever I want. I am going to limit myself to a place I can drive to (I live in Northern VA, near DC). I also want to keep this at a reasonable cost. $3000 or less for the hunt. I am not counting in gas and tags.

Anyone have any info on a good place for an archery hunt in PA, OH, KY, WV or some other place that I can drive to?

Thanks in advance for the info.
 
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Deerhunter

New member
Wow, noone has been on a guided hunt for whitetail? Maybe I was a little too picky about what I am looking for. Has anyone been to a place that they really liked? What were the chances of seeing deer that were over 130 class?
 
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davlandrum

New member
Well, I just googled "whitetail guides by state" and that seemed to work...

Once you narrow it down, a good guide will be willing to provide refences of previous clients. A great guide will provide references that were not successful on thier hunt.

I have only done one "guided" deer hunt and that was in KY. It was planned on the fly, as I was attending an Army school at Ft. Knox in the middle of a permanent change of station between Korea and New York. This was about 100 years ago, so don't even remember the name.

The reason I put quotes on the guided, was he would drop me off, point to the flagging tape, tell me to follow it to the tree stand and he would see me at whatever time. Never saw a deer, but there was a brutal cold front so that could have been a lot of the issue. Sat there in the freezing rain for 3 days... But it was a cheap hunt, if I recall $200. Basically I was paying for access and pre-hung stands.
 
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Deerhunter

New member
davlandrum

I have been on google doing searches. I started there first. I just thought that maybe someone on here had a great experience somewhere. I have looked at places in KY, IL, OH, PA, WV and KS. There are a lot out there and they all claim to have great sucess rates. I didn't want to get into calling a bunch of references just yet. Again thought I would start here first.
 
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horseman308

New member
Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas may be your best bet for really big bucks if you're driving from DC. Kentucky has some good ones, but most of the people I hear about having huge deer have to go to the mid-west and plains states.

If you're willing to travel farther, you might check in to a Canadian hunt. It's a long way from the East Coast, but Saskatchewan is supposed to have some of the most enormous white-tails on the continent.
 
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Deerhunter

New member
I hate to say this in fear of someone taking it the wrong way, but............

I have searched google and I have an idea of where I want to go (States), I know what part of North American have big deer both body and antlers.

I am trying to find someone / anyone that has gone on a hunt and really liked the place they went to. Maybe people are trying to keep the place they go to themselves. Anyway, just looking to hear about good / bad experinces with guided hunts that you have been on.

Thanks
 
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davlandrum

New member
Deerhunter - no offense meant or taken.

Hope you find a great guide and have a great time.

Part of the lack of response might be because the states you listed are not "deer hunting destinations". If I was spending my money, I am going after big racks, or super-nice accomadations (like a nice lodge).

You are lucky to have a signicant other happy to foot the bill. I have to save all my pop-can refunds just to buy gas to hunt local...:eek:
 
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Deerhunter

New member
My hunting buddy is going on a trip to Ohio next year. From what his dad and him have heard it is a real nice place. I have looked at hunts in all of those places and they seem (at least from the pics on their site) to have nice deer.

Yeah she knows I enjoy hunting and she likes when I get lots of meat for the freezer. I have to make sure I get enough spicey sausage made. Butcher up in PA that I have been going to for years makes some great stuff.
 
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davlandrum

New member
That is one thing I seriously miss from back east - good processors. I cut my own, but having a good sausage maker handy is a treat. There was a butcher down around Frederick, MD that made awesome bologna....hhhmmm

Of course, here I am limited to 1 buck and maybe (draw tag) 1 doe, so don't have near enough to sacrifice making sausage or bologna.
 
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moosemike

New member
Go to Ohio. Much better trophy buck opportunities than in PA. Unless you really like extreme hunter pressure then by all means come to PA. You'll meet plenty of hunters to talk to while afield.:rolleyes:
 
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VaFisher

New member
I would save a few more dollars and go to Albert myself. I have hunted with Alberta Native Guide service and highly recomend them to anyone. When I can go again that's my choice, got a nice ten pointer that weight was over 350lbs and a 43 inch moose that was around 1500lbs.
 
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Daryl

New member
Sorry, I can't help east of the Mississippi. The farthest east I've hunted was Colorado, and that's always been for mule deer and/or elk.

The only "guided" hunt I've ever been on was to Mexico a few years back. At the time, I would have recommended it highly. It was truly one of the best hunts I've ever been on...anywhere...bar none. Sonora has some great coues deer, and some truly great people.

Unfortunately, it also has several drug cartels, a corrupt governmment, and a very high risk involved with going there right now with all the crime related problems in that country. I doubt Brad is doing any hunts down there, but he might be. Knowing what I know of life to the south of me, I would not recommend it at this time.

But perhaps things will change by 2011. Who knows? If you're interested, I can give you the contact info to inquire about a hunt.

I did take a really nice coues deer buck while on that hunt, and the hunt was worth every penny.

Daryl
 
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Deerhunter

New member
moosemike.....I grew up in PA. Been hunting in Montgomery and Chester county for 22 years now, other than the years I was out of the country with the Army. Different hunting private land on a guided hunt than the public land or small track of property in Southeastern PA.

VaFisher....Thanks for that one. That is what I have been looking for. Someone to name a guide service that they use. I have been waiting for someone to say, hey I went here and hunted with who ever and it was great or even someone to say I went here and it sucked. At least that would give me a good idea of who to look into more or who to not waste my time on.

I wasn't looking to go to Canada but may be an option.

Thanks again
 
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Dr. A

New member
I'm not from a state that you're looking to go to, but with the structure of the way our tags are distributed, people now come to our state and lease the land more often than getting a guide. Guiding is not what it was even a couple of years ago. Whether good or bad, folks that have been coming here have the one up on others new to the game. You can now apply and get out of state permits easily, and lease your own space. I leased my father in laws place to out of staters the last two years for $7,000. Would have been ideal for two folks and could have gotten several does and two bucks. Guess this keeps some money in the landowners hands, and decreases the guiding potential. There isn't much guiding needed in Kansas.
 
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Buzzcook

New member
If you have to stay relatively close to home, I'd suggest you look South.
The Carolinas and Georgia Have large deer populations and fairly liberal hunting policies.

I don't know the specifics of how large the deer grow, but I suspect on private land were they are fed, they probably grow pretty big.
 
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