To get the most from a guided deer hunting tour, you must know how to pick the best outfitter

Most hunters aspire to bag trophy class bucks, and they might have to travel out of the state to Ohio in search of Whitetail deer that abound the place. Over the past twenty years, the population of Whitetail deer in Ohio has multiplied rapidly and is easily found in selected areas best known to the outfitters who arrange guided hunting tours. Deer hunting has a unique appeal to hunters, and the increase in its population has turned it into an attractive gaming animal.  Guided hunting tours are attractive but expensive, and you may have to spend between $1,000 and $3,500 for a three-day guided hunting tour under the aegis of Ohio Whitetail Outfitters. How much you get from the guided hunting tour depends a lot on hiring a good outfitter and considering the cost, hunters should look upon it as an investment. 

Guided hunting tours are a combination of multiple activities encompassing transportation, accommodations, and even preparing home-style meals which enhance the scope of adventure that goes beyond hunting. And by all counts, guided tours are more satisfying than unsupervised hunting because it ensures that hunters always enjoy a fulfilling hunting experience. It gives the opportunity of avoiding hunting in overcrowded public places that can often frustrate hunters as they find it challenging to achieve their hunting goals. Having the right information about what guided hunting tours can offer should help you to select between a fully guided and semi-guided hunting tour.  Some people may even like to gain access to the property only by paying the fees while embarking on DIY hunting.

Why choose a guided deer hunting tour

Hunters must travel to various places in search of game. The terrains are often unknown to them so they can benefit a lot by embarking on a guided hunting tour. For novice hunters, guided hunting tours provide excellent opportunities to learn the tricks of the trade and hone their skills. Guided tours ensure that hunters are comfortable both on and off the field, which helps them to concentrate on their core tasks without any distraction. 

Quality animals and multiple opportunities

The guides who accompany hunters on tour are highly experienced and know the terrain like the palm of their hands. The guide does much more than just taking hunters to the selected spots where they can easily find the whitetail deer. They adopt effective methods to ensure that the hunters get the best chance and multiple opportunities while aiming for quality animals like mature whitetail deer. The quality of the animal is as important to hunters as much significant is the hunting success. 

Maintain motivation

Hunting is not easy, even if the guide does all the hard work to take you to the right places, and at times, it can be quite stressful. Sometimes, frustration can also set in, especially if the weather is unfavorable, and there might be other reasons for disappointment.  The guide who accompanies you want to make sure that you get the most from your hunting trip and would keep a close watch on your behavior to gauge your feelings. He or she would ensure that you do not feel tired or fall asleep, do not waste time, and always stay on track while feeling motivated enough to achieve more.

Draw the biggest bucks

Being aware of the animal population at the place and its density across various areas, the guide who is familiar with the geography and topography of the site will direct you quickly to the right places at the right time. They would use every trick in their bag to draw out the biggest bucks, some of which could be your trophies. 

Be careful in choosing a deer outfitter

How good the hunting tour will turn out depends entirely on the choice of a deer outfitter, and you must be very careful in selecting one. It is never easy to choose a deer outfitter that can be a hard task indeed. When chosen correctly, the outfitter provides an experience that could make it a trip of your life that you might not get a chance to repeat. It can also happen that the first tour marks the beginning of a tradition that you want to repeat year after year, maybe with family and friends. But all this happens when you can avoid the pitfalls of choosing a wrong outfitter that can turn your hunting experience into a nightmare. There are numerous stories about inept outfitters playing spoilsport in fulfilling the hunter’s dream. 

Gather information during the planning stages

Having decided about the type of tour that suits you, gather as much information as you can during the planning stages only. Know about the regulations and restrictions to follow during the tour. That can be the cost of permits; if there are any bag limits and finally if there is any condition like hunter education that is a pre-requisite in some states that insist for hunter education for all ages. Consider the best season for hunting because it increases the success rate, and it will even affect the tour price, which will be higher in the peak seasons.  

Looking for an outfitter

Carry out some quality research as you go through the process of selecting an outfitter. All outfitters are not alike, and many can turn your adventure into a nightmare as many people have experienced. The internet is the go-to place nowadays to look for anything and everything, and it is the same when you are looking for outfitters. Besides, you can check at the local firearms and sporting shows. Moreover, you can go to fundraising events for conservation organizations which can provide valuable information about what you are looking for. 

Ask questions

After making a shortlist of outfitters you want to pick from, it is time that you get ready to ask them as many questions as you can to figure out which outfitter you should go with. Remember that hiring an outfitter is entirely different from hiring other kinds of services. You must gather maximum information by interacting with them to gain insight into what kind of hunting tour awaits you. Experts say that you must ask specific questions and lots of it until you satiate your hunger for information.

What to ask?

• The first thing to ask the outfitter is how long they have been in business and obtain a list of clients they have worked with together with their contact details. Check with those references to know what kind of overall experience they had, how the arrangements of food, lodging, and transportation were and above all how much game they could see.  Ask them if there are any exceptional guides they would like to mention.  

• By talking to the references, you can gather information about whether the hunt will happen on private or public lands and the number of hunters at the camp who shared space and time with them. Gathering idea about the habitat should help to decide about the kind of gear that you will need.

• Ask the outfitter about the approximate number of animal species available in the specific area that you plan to visit. Do not be impressed by the total population in the region as it can be misleading and does not help to estimate the chances of success.  If you find that the game numbers are limited, it could be a big handicap, and you must look for some other outfitter.

• Check with the outfitter about the style of hunting so that you can compare it with your preferences to see how far it matches. Some outfitters may restrict hunts to blinds and tree stands while some others might allow spot and stalk and still hunting.

Having done the investigation, you still have the opportunity of verifying the facts by calling the state wildlife agency that can shed more light about the region and counties. 

Tell them about you and your goals

A good deer hunting experience is the result of excellent teamwork between hunters, outfitters, and guides. Since the best teamwork develops from transparent relationships, it is crucial that you gather tons of information about outfitters. You must also share enough personal information with them that is relevant for the cause. You should share your hunter’s profile with them in detail to help them understand your capabilities. Also tell them about your aspirations, including the specific goals for the tour. The better both parties know each other, the higher are the chances of tasting success on tour.

 By telling outfitters whether you would like to share a room or tent with other hunters, you can define your needs more specifically so that you can pick the appropriate tour package. The packages differ in the number of guides that a person can access and the number of accompaniments allowed along with them.  To choose the right outfitter, do not assume anything but gather information by asking questions without any hesitation.