Paid Predator Hunt??

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StarFox_64

New member
I have the opportunity to do a one-day paid hunt with a guy who is really good at killing coyotes. I've been struggling with success since I've gotten into predator hunting. It'll be $500 for the day.

Do you guys think it's worth it, or should I spend the money on something else like more gear or waterfowl hunting etc?
 
If you like the coyote hunt and would enjoy going out with somebody that can teach you something... Well, enjoy
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Some people go to college and spend a lot more money and learn less
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We pay our goose hunting guide $225.00 per day per hunter and he has pit blinds and hundreds of decoys.

$500.00 to hunt coyotes sounds like about $300.00 to much to me.
 
I don't care how good you "think" you are, there is always someone better. I learn something new every day, just chatted with a fella who makes high end precision equipment for Thermal and NV gear, I love soaking it up.

Fortunately for me I have been self taught at most everything (hunting) except for certain techniques and training regarding D1 athletics. I paid to have professional athletes teach me certain drills whether it's for strength, agility or endurance, they certainly gave me insight that I could have never taught myself or learned in this lifetime.

If you have 500.00 to learn from someone superior to you, why not, you will probably learn a lot. Not to mention your actually out there, with feet on the ground learning from someone with experience (hopefully), unlike most who just want to know what buttons to push on an e caller.
 
I don't know. I guess if you're just wanting reassurance that you get the jest of it,it could be worth it. But I know that it's always a hit and miss deal no matter who you are. What if y'all go out and don't see anything? Then you're out $500 and you really don't know much more than you did when you started.

I'd ask him if the ground he's got has been hit hard being this late in the year. In my opinion you'll be paying to hunt on land that holds a bunch of coyotes on private ground that hasn't had anything except real rabbits screaming and real coyotes howling on it all year. For that kind of money you should be anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: derbyacresbobWe pay our goose hunting guide $225.00 per day per hunter and he has pit blinds and hundreds of decoys.

$500.00 to hunt coyotes sounds like about $300.00 to much to me.

That's about what we paid for our goose hunting as well, but it's a little bit different because typically with goose hunting there is a few more people to guide at the same time. So the guide makes a little bit more. I imagine with a guide for coyotes it's more of a one-on-one... So I imagine it would be a little bit more.
 
Most guys here will laugh and say its a waste of time...its only coyotes and they are easy and you are stupid to hire anyone..but honestly, if you dont have anyone to really show you the ropes, and you want to cut your learning curve in half, then its worth it to a lot of guys. I "guided" for predators for 3 years. Hated it....but I did learn that there are guys that dont have the time nor the coyotes to get confident. It might take them years. If you find a guide that will actually talk with and teach you about what they are doing then its really worth it imo. There are guides that just put animals in front of you for you to shoot, with no explanation of what is happening and why. Dont expect them to hold your hand and spill all their hard earned secrets...but they should point you in the right direction, if they can tell thats what you want. There are clients though, that simply want to shoot a few and go home, period.
So be up front and let them know what you are looking for.
Mark

EDIT: What OKRattler said is money.
 
If he is sure enough good then it might be worth it, of course everyone thinks they are sure enough good.
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I run hunts for a buddy. We supply everything but the tag. Room, food, gas to haul you around, guide etc for $400 a day. 3/day minimum. We show folks lots of coyotes and bobcats. We have all the hunters we want, so Im not advertising. Just giving you an example of what hunts cost.

I would be very hesitant to run a hunt this time of year and expect a guy to pay much for it.
 
Personally I think that is totally your decision. Many of us have spent hundreds to thousands of hours over our lifetime to gather the knowledge we have now and we are still learning. Years ago I was willing to pay the price for a guided coyote hunt & the guy was full of bs in my opinion, he never took me.

I say go for it !!! Pay close attention as to how & why he does certain things !

I payed wayyyy more than that on elk/ mule deer hunt.

Enjoy !
 
Originally Posted By: LONEHOWLAnd if he is a legit guide, ask for references. If he is a local yahoo with public ground, negotiate lower.
Mark

Yes!

I see folks come on here after hunting with some of the guys running hunts. They hunt 3 or 4 days and kill one or two coyotes. They brag about the great time had by all. I would be asking for my money back!

Also, if he is guiding you on public ground I would say, not just no, but heck no!
 
I wouldn't, but I'm sure my situation is different than yours. Its your money, you're asking the wrong folks, did you check with the wife?
 
I'm not one to pay for any kind of a hunt, but I did win a two day hunt with Tony Tebbe, he put me on coyotes in the worst of conditions, very high winds foot prints in the sand were filled in 20 min and I spent the day chewing on grit from the wind. We got on coyotes but I didn't learn anything new, but I'd been doing this a long time before I won the hunt.

Tony's two disc DVD is a great one to learn from, he is very informative as to how to select stands and call.

Hiring a guide is a crap shoot, I'd want a number of references with contact info before spending the money and a clear description of what he is going to provide.
 
I have thought about going on a guided predator hunt different times. I have tried coyote hunting different times and never saw one while trying to call them. A few years back we sure could get into the gray foxes at night though. Seems like there are growing numbers of coyotes in my area but I think they travel a large area here and I don't think they stay anywhere long. The terrain here is hard to set up and call because they can cut the wind on you so easily. I know of a few guys that get on them occasionally but even the guys I know that trap don't catch them consistently. Seems like the Midwest and western states lay better for predator hunting than here. I killed one coyote with my bow and 2 while deer hunting. I think I can hit them I've just not been successful at getting them in front of me while trying. If he gets you on a few in a day, it would be worth it. Whatever you can afford is what I say. Cant put a price on fun anyway.
 
Based on going on numerous guided duck/goose hunting trips in different states and countries I've learned to ask a few questions. Find out how successful your guide has been. Ask for references, but don't expect to get any bad ones. Be sure to find out if you'll be hunting one on one. Some guides like to bring along a couple buddies, just to help out. Of course they'll be carrying their guns. Discuss what your hunt's itinerary will be: are you getting a two hour hunt or an eight hour hunt?

If you have a good feeling about your conversation with him and $500 doesn't put you in debt, go for it! Good or bad you'll have a new experience and you can come back here and make a report.

Good luck.
 
At a good time of year with a competent guide you might get a return on investment.
I don't think a new hunter would learn enough in one day.
A possible approach would be to watch some good videos and make attempts afield then go on a proven paid hunt.
Even then you may not identify the scientific reasons for success or failure and they may not divulge reasons.
 
$500 seems like a lot.

Is he a professional guide or some guy that will take you out for $500....

I have often get some guys asking me to take them out. I am not a guide, just a hunter so when (and it's not very often) I have taken someone out, the most I asked for was a coffee.... but if I were doing this for a living, a coffee wouldn't cut it.
So is he a professional guide or just a hunter taking you out, thats how I would look at it... and if he is a professional guide, I want some expectations to be met before the deal can be done...
 
Come to Colorado!!

I have been known to take people out for FREE!


I would suggest waiting until late October when the Coyotes are worth something and the majority are dumb from the summer.
 
I've had guys offer to pay me to take them out. I haven't ever done it. A few of those guys, I have taken out, for free. Enjoyed those hunts, glad I did them, but don't think I'd do anything like that again. Times have changed and are continuing to change rapidly. Ain't much of the good life left to get, it's disappearing fast. I'm less into sharing...

But if I were to get paid, I wouldn't do it for less than $500 a day and I'd probably have a three day minimum. Just being realistic about how many days a year I could actually get paid, $500 wouldn't make me enough to live on. It's less than my regular job would pay for 16 hour days. If I'm taking time away from my family and working for you, from before light until after dark, feeding you, entertaining you, keeping you safe, tearing up my vehicles and equipment, and I'm not getting paid enough to cover my bills and feed the family, I figure I'm doing you a favor. $500 a day is totally reasonable. I'd gladly pay that. For the right guy, of course. And it wouldn't be about how many animals I saw, either. For me, it would be more properly be called paying for instruction, not a guided hunt. Might not even care if I killed anything.

- DAA
 
Everyone is different. If it's worth it to you, go ahead. Personally, I wouldn't. Especially if the guy is just taking you to public land. The truth of it is, it's not that complicated. I kind of enjoy figuring stuff out, seeing what works and what doesn't. There really is no secret techniques that guarantee success. Calling good land is #1. That is why a lot of guys drive hours away to hunt. If technique was that important they could just pull off the road anywhere and bring em in.

Some things require instruction, this isn't one of them.
 
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