Paid Predator Hunt??

Originally Posted By: StarFox_64I 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?

One thing I'm interested in is how long have you been predator hunting, and how much time have you spent out in the field?

This is kind of like the give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll eat for life...or whatever.

I'm going on my second year and have learned a TON in just one year. Mainly by getting out and hunting as much as I can, learning from my mistakes, and meeting other hunters who are willing to share some knowledge. I take their information and I apply it to my territory. Going on a guided hunt for one day might put a few coyotes under your belt, but you're still going to have to figure out all your stands on your own, locate your own packs, and learn to call them in to kill them...unless you just want to keep paying for guided hunts any time you want to put one down. See what I'm saying?

Now, for me, I'd pay for a guided hunt for wolves or mountain lions, but I have neither of those in my state. I wouldn't go into this thinking that once you're guided, you'll be dropping fur left and right. This isn't an easy sport.
 
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Originally Posted By: DAAI'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

+1k Can't argue with that.
 
I agree with Dave's post except one thing. You better show me some coyotes. If you are good enough that I would pay you, then you should be good enough to show me some coyotes. Aint that kinda the litmus test of a good coyote caller? It is for me. If I just want to have a good time visiting I can go to the coffee shop and shoot the bull for free. If a man spends a bunch of his hard earned money, took time off work, drove or flew a thousand miles he deserves to see animals.

I require two guys come and I sure as Heck show them coyotes. You will learn how to call coyotes when I take you, and the proof is in the back of the truck at the end of the hunt. If nothing comes in then how can I feel the hunt was a success? How can I feel I showed the guy anything? He already knows how to make blank stands.

I always tell my hunters that if the only thing that makes a hunt a success is dead animals then they will be disappointed on most hunts they go on. That is truth, but for me as a guide I would be mighty disappointed in myself if I didnt not only show them a few tricks, but also show them animals, and that is also truth.
 
Originally Posted By: LONEHOWLB, are you saying no kill/no pay? Sometimes, even with good ground, they dont cooperate?
Mark

Thats a real good point. There are sure times for anyone that it gets tough. I had a day this year I only called one. I was sweating bullets. Ended up with 7 and 3 bobcats. Thats why I do 3 days. Calling coyotes can be a crapshoot at times. I know weather etc can have a major toll on a hunt, but usually you can salvage it in 3 full days of hunting. When booking a hunt a full year in advance you cant always pick good weather. Sometimes it can be nice and they still won't come. I struggle just like everyone else, but usually can pull out 5 to 7 dead coyotes with a few cats every hunt. Thats dont count the misses and gimps. Believe me, there are lots of those.
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Just for me personally, I'd be paying for instruction, really. Not a guided hunt. I'd have to be expecting really huge numbers, to be willing to pay for the hunting/shooting part. Really huge numbers.

But the guys I know of I'd be willing to pay for instruction, keep the coyote numbers pretty low in their area of operations.

Have been lucky enough to hunt with several of them, and also lucky none would take any money from me. I learned more killing one or two a day with those guys than I could possibly learn from anyone in an area that you could kill ten a day. Know what I mean?

Hunting with them is never going to be much of a body count deal. Hunting from the ground, anyway
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- DAA
 
Originally Posted By: DAAJust for me personally, I'd be paying for instruction, really. Not a guided hunt. I'd have to be expecting really huge numbers, to be willing to pay for the hunting/shooting part. Really huge numbers.

But the guys I know of I'd be willing to pay for instruction, keep the coyote numbers pretty low in their area of operations.

Have been lucky enough to hunt with several of them, and also lucky none would take any money from me. I learned more killing one or two a day with those guys than I could possibly learn from anyone in an area that you could kill ten a day. Know what I mean?

Hunting with them is never going to be much of a body count deal. Hunting from the ground, anyway
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- DAA

I think I know one of whom you are describing Dave, and thats a different deal. Thats one I would pay to hunt with and not even take a gun. Ive hunted with some good ones too, and what I learned was worth its weight in gold.

Im talking about some of the guys I see selling guided hunts. I want to give people good hunts. I could sell 10 more than what Ive done already this year, but I dont have the ground to give 10 more good quality hunts. Yes, guided hunts can be a good learning experience, but watch out for the shysters is all Im saying.
 
When I decided to get into coyote hunting I bought a 22-250 tikka some camo and a foxpro fury. A busy and I went to a place that had sagebrush and accidentally called in a coyote to about 50 feet and I got such bad coyote fever that I somehow missed it because I couldn't get my rifle positioned with clunking around and it took off like it was on fire. I was hooked but that coyote was beginners luck because I hunted for almost a year before I called in my next coyote. It was frustrating because I felt like I was doing things right but it just wasn't working. I happen to live close to a guy that hunts for Foxpro and I set up a hunt with him. It was well worth it because I learned several things bout stand setup, call volume, sequence... I also learned that I was doing things right enough that should have been having better luck. The confidence gained from seeing it work did wonders for my sucess because confidence plays a huge factor. I am now friends with him and we keep in touch which was a added bonus.
 
I'm guessing you are in Southern Idaho? If so, there are places that even this time of year one can see over 50 different coyotes in one day(driving around in the right places) on public ground no less. Most here dont realize how different many areas of this country are. With the right guy, that $500 can be a great way to learn.

Having said that, $500 sounds way too cheap for somebody who knows what they are doing to share these things with a stranger.
 
This is an interesting post for me because I'm doing research now. There's allot of reasons to hunt with a guide and it's different for each I guess. Several have been mentioned. One that hasn't been is being out of state for a once in a lifetime. That's my reason anyway. I've never used a guide or an outfitter before but I plan to next November or December. Probably in one of the Dakotas. I just don't know the land and probably allot of other stuff so a local guide and outfitter makes sense to me.

My expectation for a guide is to have someone to hunt with me rather than for me. I think I can learn from that. What I'm not looking for is someone to tie one to a fence and say shoot it or to have his buddies hobble one and send it out in front of me for a guaranteed hunt. That just doesn't appeal to me. The way I look at it is it's the hunt that I'm after. Seeing game and getting a shot makes the hunt successful. Getting a killing shot means I win and the work starts. It's all fun for me but it starts with the hunt.

I guess you have to know what your expectations are. What ever they are, are exactly the right reasons for you to hire the guy. If you just want to hunt with him because of his reputation that's good enough. If you're looking for more than reputation then talk to the guy and let him know your expectations. Ask questions and if you get the right answers, and if you can afford it I say go for it.
 
Originally Posted By: chuckeye This is an interesting post for me because I'm doing research now. There's allot of reasons to hunt with a guide and it's different for each I guess. Several have been mentioned. One that hasn't been is being out of state for a once in a lifetime. That's my reason anyway. I've never used a guide or an outfitter before but I plan to next November or December. Probably in one of the Dakotas. I just don't know the land and probably allot of other stuff so a local guide and outfitter makes sense to me.

My expectation for a guide is to have someone to hunt with me rather than for me. I think I can learn from that. What I'm not looking for is someone to tie one to a fence and say shoot it or to have his buddies hobble one and send it out in front of me for a guaranteed hunt. That just doesn't appeal to me. The way I look at it is it's the hunt that I'm after. Seeing game and getting a shot makes the hunt successful. Getting a killing shot means I win and the work starts. It's all fun for me but it starts with the hunt.

I guess you have to know what your expectations are. What ever they are, are exactly the right reasons for you to hire the guy. If you just want to hunt with him because of his reputation that's good enough. If you're looking for more than reputation then talk to the guy and let him know your expectations. Ask questions and if you get the right answers, and if you can afford it I say go for it.

You are the kind of client I like to get. The right attitude going in will make your trip a success. Yes, its more than just killing, but it sure is fun to heat your barrel up. I have several guys come from Ohio, have liked all of them.

Just a tip to anyone going on a guided hunt. Be cool to your guide. He will work harder for you and show you more than the guy who is a jerk.
 
come on, Man! you gotta be kidden?? "50 differentcoyotes in one day"??
I hunted coyotes deer and elk in southern Idaho for 30 years, and was lucky to 10 in a day

if I were to use $500 I would buy a nice Foxpro Fusion and learn how to use it by watching the videos available and reading soooo much literture
that is from experts
 
Yeah btech You're right about heating up that barrel but you know what they say about any day out hunting.....I agree with it!

Anyway I'm in the final stage of hunter evolution now. You know the one with options like: (A) if I shoot it I gotta drag it out and dress it (B) do I chalk it up as a win and walk out with a memory (C) Stay home and watch old western reruns and think about hunting. Choose only one. I've been hunting for nearly 60 years so I've been through all of the stages I guess. I can still remember the beginning stage though when my dad pointed to that rabbit sitting in the weeds and said aim for the head to deer hunting and needing a notch in my knife handle, which was the symbol of success in my group, through the trophy stage and the others that I don't remember the definition of. Maybe that's what makes me such a lovable old curmudgeon. At least in my own mind.

Most of my hunting has been here in Ohio but I've hunted allot in Michigan and Indiana as well and mostly on public hunting areas. In that time I've met allot of hunters from here in the buckeye state as well as from out of state. I've met them out in the field as well as away from it. Most are good guys that are fun to talk to and listen to their stories. Unfortunately not all But what group can claim all are saints? I guess that's a bit windy and getting away from the original post.

Getting back on subject I'd like to know the OP's choice. Did you go with the guy or change your mind StarFox64?
 
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Originally Posted By: parkerzcome on, Man! you gotta be kidden?? "50 differentcoyotes in one day"??
I hunted coyotes deer and elk in southern Idaho for 30 years, and was lucky to 10 in a day

if I were to use $500 I would buy a nice Foxpro Fusion and learn how to use it by watching the videos available and reading soooo much literture
that is from experts No bs. I have a few friends that are hard core coyote hunters, and get 300-700 a year. They don't call much, just shoot/snowmobile hunt.
 
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