Guided hunts - are prices to high?

[SDHNTR]

IMO, it a freaking bargain. The guy I go with is $450 with no BS trophy fees. That is for 2 full days of guiding with him and his crew. Beating up their vehicles, burning their gas, paying vet bills on their dogs, etc. Not to mention the required insurance and liability issues. He ain't gettin rich. I get to go on a hunt where I will see beautiful country, see many, many different species of wildlife and am darn near guarateed to have an opportunity to kill something. Toss in a cheap motel and some fast food and it can't be beat. Have you guys seen the prices of other guided hunts lately? How about an out of state tag and fuel to get there? For this good of a chance for success, most hog hunts are a steal!

 

[hatchet1]

well said nate, the b.s trophy fee,s should be a clue to all that your huntin with the wrong
guide! i always get a kick out of the "2 inch tusk rule"if you ya take one with 2 inch
teeth ,than that there my boy is a trophy!! B.S.!! most mature sows have 2 inch teeth,
take a tape with ya and actually look at 2 inches, it aint that much

i have'nt had my coffee yet ,i,ll be back for more later

 

[rwlittle]

I agree with you SDHUNTER, If you shop right, you can find a good deal.

which leads me to the next....

I have been thinking of booking a trip to the great state of Texas to take advantage of the cheap pig hunts they offer. It may be worthwile; not necessarily cheaper, but a worthwhile experience none the less.

Let me see.. this is the cheapest time of the year to buy airline tickets.. I have heard on the news that current ticket prices are about 1/3 to 1/4 of their usual rates. I heard on NPR that airbus and jetblue are offering $20 tickets!!!!

With a cheap airline ticket, and a $200 - $300 hunt fee at most Texas hog hunting places, it could be a very "worthwhile" experience. Not sure of the cost to ship a butchered/frozen hog back home though.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[bpnclark]

rwlittle - the guy in TX that I’m hunting with Feb has unlimited hogs hunts. The only problem is you have to take every hog home. TX has a lot of unlimited hog hunts and most are from $600-$800. Which sounds great but it’s a 26 hr car ride to San Antonio.

I’m figuring I can fit two Javenlinas in an ice chest and I’m going to bring them home on the plane. 26 hrs is a long drive.

 

[leftyhunter]

Good points all. There are clubs such has Wilderness Unlimited and Golden Ram which offer access to private land and one can hunt various properties for all kinds of game (waterfowl is extra) and the cost is under 2k a year and your whole family is included. i have belonged to WU and have had two opportunities to connect to a bear and pig but I blew them but at least I had a chance. I have scored on some most delicious quail. Texas is an interesting possibility but per the AAA it costs 56 cents a mile to drive the average passenger vehicle let alone a truck or van. it would be cheaper to fly and DHL has very reasonable rates to fly home a cooler full of meat on dry ice to your home or butcher.

The above clubs have more pig properties up north and they have many not to far from the bay area. WU has two near Teachappi. it is tough to drive a few times even to Teachappi and get skunked for pig but the only alternative is a guided hunt. SD's guide sounds like a true bargain and I agree a trophy fee is not a good thing.

Leftyhunter

 

[7magHunter]

I like hunting and fishing, when I think what $500 can buy me, let's see hmmmm??????????

I know!!!! I can go back to that great beach front house right on the beach south of Ensenada for a whole 7 days. I only pay $400 for my wife, kid and me, then I can fish with the locals for White seabass, yellowtail etc. great food, cheap coronas, no city noise, just a small piece of heaven!
The total package will run me around $700 including gas, and food for a whole week of enjoyment, now that's money well expended!

PS: Did I mention bringing back home a huge cooler full of fresh seafood? "YES" seafood, shrimp,crabs,oyster smoke tuna etc,etc.. Ohh boy I can't wait till Summer!

 

[DEERSLAM]

It's called supply and demand...if hunters are willing to pay the price outfitters will keep raising it. Look what happened when Sonora, MX started crankin out monster mulies and coues=$$$$ A good friend of mine is an outfitter in MT. His lease started producing some of the best mulies coming out of the state. With the increase in inches of antler came the increases in $ and hunters are paying it. Can't say as I blame him he has a family to support. With that said there is no pig hunt worth $1000 or even $600 as far as I'm concerned. As a matter of fact as much as I enjoy huntin hogs I will never pay for a hog hunt, period. I much rather save my money for an elk, deer or other big game hunt.

 

[Valley Hunter]

I'm one too that can't afford a guided pig hunt, I hunt public land often, yesterday spent the day hiking my fat butt up Laguna Mountain, seen some sign but no piggies as I peaked the mountain I really thought that a guided hunt would be ideal but I was oxygen deprived and once I caught my breath and all the white spots disappeared I realized why I love to hunt and that is the beauty of the outdoors, its cost me $25.00 in fuel and the rest was my time enjoying the views and spending quality time with my boys, I took up my 8 year old yesterday and he carried his brand new Red Ryder BB gun and I could see him watching me the way I was carrying my rifle and he was learning to use his binocs scouring the countryside. Many say add up my time and fuel and you will spend way more than a guided hunt but I was able to be out in the outdoors dozen more times then just that one guided hunt. Over the 4 years I have been hunting pig in California I have only bagged one. But I have sat out on a ledge looking over a valley and enjoying my time. I keep telling myself more I'm out on public land the odds will eventually turn my way but I will say when you do finally bag a pig on public land its a great accomplishment.

Supply and Demand is key if there wasn't a demand then there would be lower guided prices but we must face it and understand there is a demand. Many folk only hunt once or twice a year and that is a guided hunt. I hunt every single chance I have (should be out huntin now instead of typing) and I still feel I don't get out enough. I will continue hunting public land and enjoying my personal therapy.

 

[DanV]

I'm loosing the gatherer from my hunter / gatherer designation ! I love just being out in the woods/fields , I'm not paying these inflated prices to hunt in or out of state PERIOD ! I make the quality of my hunt by where and how I hunt and as the work just begins when you pull the trigger , I've stopped pulling the trigger as often as I used too .

I put in my time , miles , boot leather amd enjoy the scenery and wildlife . If I happen upon a pig or a nice buck , I may fill my tag - if not I've still had a wonderful experience !

As long as hunters will pay the fees for tresspass or a guided hunt the price will cintinue to rise , " SUPPLY AND DEMAND " !!!

 

[7magHunter]

QUOTE (Valley Hunter @ Jan 6 2008, 11:30 AM)

I'm one too that can't afford a guided pig hunt, I hunt public land often, yesterday spent the day hiking my fat butt up Laguna Mountain, seen some sign but no piggies as I peaked the mountain I really thought that a guided hunt would be ideal but I was oxygen deprived and once I caught my breath and all the white spots disappeared I realized why I love to hunt and that is the beauty of the outdoors, its cost me $25.00 in fuel and the rest was my time enjoying the views and spending quality time with my boys, I took up my 8 year old yesterday and he carried his brand new Red Ryder BB gun and I could see him watching me the way I was carrying my rifle and he was learning to use his binocs scouring the countryside. Many say add up my time and fuel and you will spend way more than a guided hunt but I was able to be out in the outdoors dozen more times then just that one guided hunt. Over the 4 years I have been hunting pig in California I have only bagged one. But I have sat out on a ledge looking over a valley and enjoying my time. I keep telling myself more I'm out on public land the odds will eventually turn my way but I will say when you do finally bag a pig on public land its a great accomplishment.

Supply and Demand is key if there wasn't a demand then there would be lower guided prices but we must face it and understand there is a demand. Many folk only hunt once or twice a year and that is a guided hunt. I hunt every single chance I have (should be out huntin now instead of typing) and I still feel I don't get out enough. I will continue hunting public land and enjoying my personal therapy.

I feel the same way!
I don't mind if I can't kill a pig, enjoying the time in the outdoor is what really matters!
Lucky you can go with your kid, i have a small girl and she's only interested in Hanna Montana LOL!
Maybe we should get together someday for a pig chase, I'm in SoCal two and half hours driving from you.
Email me if you're interested and we can plan something?

 

[jpichler]

Thank You All for contributing with you $02 regarding guided hunt prices, I guess the take away is “supply and demand” drives cost up.

So here is my next question in this context.

I alongside a lot of other hunters walk countless miles on public land without seeing any pigs and the answer is always “the hunting pressure is too high, pigs leave or turn nocturnal”.

If guided hunts are so popular that they can charge these high $$$ amounts does that not translate into high hunting pressure as well? why is succes rate so high on private land then?

Or is the amount of private available land vastly greater than public land for pig hunting (I know Tejon Ranch is the 2nd largest private land holding in the US so that skews things a bit in our neck of the woods)

--JP

 

[hatchet1]

plant the magic bean, and they will come grasshopper.....

 

[SDHNTR]

Yes there is that much private land, but that is not so much the answer. The real issue is that private land has better food, water and cover. The animals don't need to leave and feel safer. Combine that with less traffic from hunters, dirt bikers, hikers, etc. and it's no wonder why the pigs prefer private land. When is the last time you saw a stock tank and a barley field on BLM land?

 

[bpnclark]

Buy and release - or - Raise then release

Those are your wild hogs.

 

[ksberry209]

My understanting about private vs. public land is the availablity of food and water and terrain. If you have a private ranch next to a farm then the pigs will eat all night at the farmers expense and then return to their bedding areas near the farm.

If you watch the Outdoor Network they always show deer hunting on ranches where they plant food plots. The food will keep animals near by and the private land owners will know where to look. I think in CA that could be considered "baiting" so that may not be completely legal in this state but then again what do I know.

Also, since most of the land in CA that has the ability to produce crops is being farmed it will be private and some of the "public" land that holds pigs and other animals is either bordered by private land or really is not accessible on the other side so you will not be able to get on the land even if it is public.

Thats what I understand anyways.

 

[boarhunter67]

What kills me is all the hunters who can afford these guided hunts that I can't, pulling up in brand new trucks with new Quads and equipment, bringing me their trophy pigs to mount, then complaining $475 is too much for a pig mount, $12/inch is too much for a fish, etc. These are the same guys who call in two months wondering what's taking so long and then when I rush and finish their mount six months before most taxidermists in town would have they then drag their feet and don't pay or pick it up for a couple of months. Well, that's enough of the band wagon for me. The other thing that gets me going is to hear land owners complain about all the damage pigs are doing to their land, but not want anyone to come on and take care of the problem. Some people want it both ways.

 

[sancho]

hard to fault a guy because he CAN afford something. fancy trucks, high end rifles, who cares? it is somebody else's money. they can do with it as they wish. sad that they have pushed up the cost for the regular folks. but that is the nature of the beast. money talks, even in the taxidermy business.

i think with the internet, and great sites like this, anyone can do some homework, meet new friends, and still find cheap hunts! i did this all season, for all my game. good luck people.

 

[Kentuck]

I thhink these hunts are over priced. A reasonable price to me would be $300-400 for a pig hunt. Anything over $500 and I won't give it a second thought. There are deals out there and I know a lot of folks say look at what you pay for all those empty public land hunts. I ask, how does it feel to come home empty handed from a guided hunt? Some just guarantee an opportunity, not a kill. Trophy fees???? Won't even go there for a pig.

Oh, and this is for boarhunter67, I lucked into a trophy boar in April 2005. Got it to a taxidermist in Aug. 2005 and still don't have my pig. Biggest frickin' mistake I've made in awhile. Glad I didn't give him too large a deposit. Last time I actually heard from him was my pig was mounted and just needed to be painted. That was in July! But I am going off topic so I'll stop there too.

 

[7magHunter]

QUOTE (Kentuck @ Jan 7 2008, 03:12 PM)

A reasonable price to me would be $300-400 for a pig hunt.

WHAT???

$300-400, we are back to square one again!
Pig hunts used to be free in the 80s, I say $100 to $150 for unguided, $300 tops for 1 day guided!
Now if you just want to hunt one pig and only once a year $300-$400 won't hurt I guess, but I like to go out a few times a year.
Calculator 400 x 5 times a year = $2,000 + personal expenses gas etc.

 

[Kentuck]

Good point 7Mag. I guess was thinking more along the lines of fewer times out. You make a very valid point and I agree.