I need help.

[KenR]

I checked out the guide review area. It's not really quite populated yet. So I thought i'd ask the gang in here.

I'm looking to book a guide for May or June for a rifle hunt. There will be 3 of us. I wanna spend about 3-450 per hunter with no hidden costs.

Here's the skinny, I've been on these boards for years (changed my name once) and really trust you guys. Please give contact info if you can.

 

[Freedivr2]

You're going to hear a couple names here over and over I bet; Tom Willoughby (whom I've used once and really liked) and Mustang Guide Service (who has had rave reviews). I just booked a hunt with Frank (of Mustang guide service) for 6/9 thru 6/11, 4 shooters. Maybe you can do the same and we can have him locked up with a few JHO guys that weekend..........

Anyway, most of the phone numbers you find for Frank are INCORRECT. His CORRECT phone number is (831) 386-9027

Good luck with your choice.

I

 

[AgentP]

I had a recent good experience with Twisselman Outfitters which I posted in the guide review section. Your stated preferred price range of $300-450 is a little on the low side from what I understand. Twisselman charges a guide fee of $250 and a success fee of $225 for a single hunter. Maybe they would give you a break on the guide fee for a group of hunters, I don't know. Additionally, he has a cabin/bunkhouse available so you could save on hotel charges if you used them.

If you search this forum you will see a large # of guides that various people have used and recommended.

www.Twisselmanoutfitters.com
7685 Cattle Drive, Santa Margarita, CA. 93453
Phone: (805)475-2437
Fax: (805)475-2437*51
Email: TwisselmanOutfit@aol.com

http://www.boaring.com/ (Boaring Experiences)
http://www.huntingtop10.com/guides/ca/cagd5/ (Bergman's guide Service)
http://www.huntingtop10.com/guides/ca/cagd4/index.html (Hog's Wild)
http://www.tcsn.net/crosscountry/ (cross country outfitters)
http://www.huntingtop10.com/guides/ca/cagd7/index.html (Pancho Rico Creek)
http://home.att.net/~shirley.b/ (jesse smith)
http://www.edrothhunting.com/ (Ed Roth)
http://www.pig-hunt.com/ (Jack Ranch)

I know there are others: Mustang Guide Service, Frank Morasci, Birds & Boars (Archery only) Tejon, Dye Creek, etc.

 

[Speckmisser]

Ken your price range is gonna put you on the low side of "not likely" these days... at least for fully guided rifle hunts.

I'm pretty sure you've already got an application packet for the JHO hunt at Tejon on Mother's Day weekend. For $400 and two-and-a-half days of hunting, that's a pretty danged good deal, and with the experienced JHO hunters it'll be as close to guided as you can get without actually getting a guide.

Otherwise, you can look to spend $450 plus for a fully guided hunt. Most guided rifle hunts are topping the $500 mark these days.

Mustang, Boaring Experiences, and Tom Willoughby have all been highly recommended on this site. I haven't used any of them, though.

 

[Neil San Diego]

I can suggest Tom Willoughby also. I believe that his cost these days are at $500, but he doesn't charge trophy fees. I used him for both of the guided hunts I've been on, and I was pleased with the hunts and the outcome of the hunts.

Neil

 

[larrysogla]

There is always "tipping the guides" to consider in any guided hunt. To NOT tip the guides appropriately is in my opinion, not a good way to appreciate their efforts and care. Tips should be included in addition to the cost of the hunt. If you go on the JHO Tejon Ham Slam Hog Fest, I imagine there is no tipping necessary for the JHO crew. However, I keep hearing stories on how on their get togethers, outings, hunts, etc. that the crew prefers to be well lubricated with some kind of bottled stuff. I myself is a dry person but maybe a bottle or two will be appreciated by the JHO crew. 'Nuff said.

 

[gasdocwannabe]

Check Boaring Experiences also...I've had great times with Dwayne, one of Kyler's guides.

 

[Rick]

Isn't Boaring Experiences more like $700, plus room and food at the Parkfield Inn? I think that is way over the price he wanted to pay.

 

[gasdocwannabe]

Depends on if he's going with friends...and nobody specifies where you stay! Its a class outfit and more and more these days that can be hard to find!Just my humble opinion!

 

[KenR]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I talked to Ed Roth yesterday. I like what he has to say. However, i'm afraid that our hunting weekend will turn into a hunting morning. He said the ranch he has access to has tons of pigs and he'll take us right to them the first morning.

Anybody have any experience with Ed (edrothhunting.com)?

 

[KenR]

Anybody have any info on this outfit?

www.hogswild.com

 

[larrysogla]

That is the way the guided hunt goes. The guide knows the spots where there are lots of pigs and will take you there first thing in the morning. You will see lots of pigs and you will take the shot and harvest a pig and the hunt is over.......sometimes in a matter of minutes upon parking your vehicle in a hot spot and sometimes a few hours and sometimes when Lady Luck is playing fickle, the whole day. God Bless.

 

[arizona hunter]

Like RICK, I've hunted with Kyler himself of Boaring Experiences. Nice man, lots of knowledge. We hunted in July and stayed in Parkfiedl. The day time temps hit 102. Hogs were only out right at sunrise and about an hout before sunset.

The only thing I did not like about the hunt was that our hunt times were so brief. Like 2-3 hours a day max. The rest is down time in your room. Is it any differant in the fall or winter or does the year round hunting pressure keep the hogs nocturnal?

 

[Freedivr2]

The short of it is.........................hogs be nocturnal. Get em early.......