Guide for novice?

[IrishGuy]

Well, I have been reading this forum for a while and have found some great information.  I have been target shooting for a number of years and have finally gone through and got my hunting license.
Now I am ready to get out there!!
There have been many suggestions for guides, but can any of you recommend one for a complete novice to hunting.  I know my weapon(s) inside and out, but am completely new to hunting.
My brother and I are both in this situation.  Any advice (looking for a meat pig) for No. CA or Central CA. would be great!

 

[One Track]

Irish:  

Congrats!  That's cool. Glad you got your huntin' license.  I don't have the answer to your question.  However, my suggestion would be to do some self-guided hunts. Personally, I find a self-guided hunt much more fulfilling, and fun.  That's how you will learn to hunt, and appreciate the challenge.  If you really want to get down and hunt, start searching out the best public land in your area for hogs, deer, etc.  Spend some time in them there hills.  If it's in your blood to hunt, you have a lot of great times ahead.

Then again, if you just want to shoot and eat something, then hire a guide.  I guess a guide would teach you how to look for sign, and how to dress out a hog once it's down.  

For me, it's the hunt itself that makes me get up at 3am, go out on cold days, rainy days, hot days, sick days, tired days, whatever days.  The kill is a bonus.

 

[BoarExpGuide]

One Track,

I'm a guide that works for Boaring Experiences, LLC.  You can check out our website at http://www.boaring.com.  If you have any questions regarding what questions you should be asking a guide, please ask, even if you decide to go with someone else.  

Also there's a few guys on this site that have been with us that can attest to our outfit.  

Good luck with your new career as a hunter!

Dwayne
www.boaring.com

 

[Hoghunter]

 Hello Irishguy,
I can vouch for Boaring Experiences. They are a good outfit and as for Kyler (owner) and
probably Dwayne as well will teach you what they can in the time you hunt with them.
 Good Luck and let us know how it turns out
              Good Hunting Hoghunter

 

[shovelerslayer]

Irish,

Probably would be a good idea to go with a guide if you have never gutted and processed an animal before.  Many of us were fortunate enough to grow up with family members teaching us what to do.  Done right, a pig will yield delicious pork and your family will be hooked.  Done wrong, you'll have a mess and never want to eat wild pork again.  I had a good friend kill a pig a few years ago. This was his first big game animal and he had no real knowledge of gutting and cleaning it.  By the time he was done and got the pig to where a couple of us could help him (6 hours later) the damage was done.  He had smeared gut and feces up and down the cavity, and made a lot of other little mistakes.  Needless to say the pig was awful.  A guide will help you be successful in all aspects of the hunt.  After you have done it once or twice you'll be ready for the solo hunt.   Just my opinion.  P.S. I have heard nothing but praise for boaring experience...

 

[Hillbilly]

$425 is steep for a one day hunt with no meals/lodging and a meat pig. Just my opinion. Shop around my fellow Irishman. I'm sure they do a good job, I'm not knocking them. An extra kill fee is understandable for a trophy hog, but for a meat pig... i don't know. Correct me if I'm reading your price list wrong...Shoot Straight.

(Edited by Hillbilly at 7:39 pm on May 7, 2002)

 

[Speckmisser]

Hillbilly,

While there are a few hunts out there under $400, it's getting harder and harder to find a quality operation that's cheaper.  I did a bit of shopping around for this spring, until the Tejon Pig-o-rama came up, and everything I found came out over $400 for a pig.  Some included overnight accommodations, which is nice, but seems like most good guide services with decent properties can get you your pig the first day.

Even for a meat pig, you're gonna end up spending real close to that amount. The exceptions are maybe the "semi-guided" trips where the guide or landowner gives you some general information about where to go, and you basically do the rest yourself.

For those of you who haven't seen it, the California Hog Hunter magazine carries Guide Reviews every issue.  These reports don't always include the cost of the hunt, but they do rate the service from a client/hunter perspective (including negative reports).  They also have a form you can send in to rate a guide if you've been out lately.  It's pretty good info, although as I've mentioned before, it's not cheap... $20 a year for a quarterly newsletter.  But I do keep resubscribing.  

 

[Rick]

I would also suggest going with a guide for the first time or two.  The guide will help you be successful, which will whet your appetite to keep hunting, teach you a little about how to hunt and how to clean your game, and so on.   I hunted hogs for several yearswithout success, not coming from a hunting family (although my Dad did enjoy shooting a lot), before I finally got lucky at Hunter Liggett.   I then went with a guide a few times and learned a lot more.   I hunt a ranch in the same area as Boaring Experiences, and it is prime hog country.  The best advice I can give you is to determine how much you can afford, check references (both of successful clients and unsuccessful clients) to see what you are getting for your money and to decide from there.  Many hog guides do not provide food and lodging, while others provide lodging but not food and still others have you stay in a motel at your own expense.  Any of the above work well...it just depends on the experience you are looking for.

 

[Hntrjohn]

Be honest with your guide. My first hog hunt I told my guide that this was my first time hunting something bigger than a pheasant. He was very good and told me that he will get me withen 100 yards for the first. He even coached me a little bit for the shot. After the shot he told me to shoot again, something at the time I did not think about. The secound shot at a running pig was way high over him. But we found the hog dead  down the hill in the brush.

John

 

[IrishGuy]

To all who responded,

Thank you for all of your advice!  I definitely plan to use a guide for my first experience, especially considering dressing and meat care.
It looks like Boaring Experiences is the way to go.
Can't wait to get out there!