Opinions about Big Horn Canyon Ranch

[D14Archer]

So, I was at Bass Pro earlier today and saw a brochure for Big Horn Canyon Ranch. Of course, none of the associates had any information about this place so they couldn't comment. There seems to be mixed opinions concerning Big Horn Canyon Ranch on the internet. I've checked out their website and their prices seem reasonable as compared to guided hunts. So, I'm wondering if any of you have been there and what you guys thought about it? I was thinking of giving them a try for my first hunt.

I know that it is a canned hunt and from what I've gathered, it isn't really much of a hunt. But that isn't the main purpose of why I want to give them a try. As mentioned earlier, I have never hunted for anything in my life, so this will be my first hunt. I've been practicing with my bow for the past year or so at different distances up to 60yds so I'm pretty confident about my skills as an archer. Sure, I can pack up my bow and try to find a wild pig on public land, but what if I'm lucky enough to take one down... Then what? Considering the bloodiest thing I've ever had to handle in the past was cleaning and gutting a small trout that was caught hours earlier in the day. Therefore, my main objectives are:

1. Learn how to properly dress, skin, and quarter my kill.
2. To get my first bow kill.
3. Last but not least... To have fun.

 

[T_A_K]

Given your 3 main objective bhc would be a great place to go.

Just remember, it's normally not going to be that easy and make sure you learn while you are there. Because if you take a pig out in public land or go somewhere you don't have a truck picking up your kill and skinning and quartering it for you then really all you did was pay a ton of money for a pig to eat.

 

[rem4me]

I will say don't get spoiled on your first hunt, it is a canned hunt like stated. I believe they handle all skinning, quartering, and you drop off at the butcher like tak said. Its a good learning experience for that purpose and you put some meat in the freezer, and have fun of course with your bow.

 

[SpiritWalker]

I've heard it is like shooting groceries. And the guides press you into shooting the first pig you see. This is second hand info so take it for what it is worth.

 

[flingem71]

Its nothing more than them selling you an animal to shoot. I think its a good deal if your just starting out. Remember, you paid for a hunt. Take your time, stalk the animals all day if you like, just to learn. Practice glassing, sign ect. Then when YOU are ready, stick one. Ask to do the skinning under their guidence. Most of all learn, enjoy and start looking for more challenging hunts. Hunting is about being outdoors and learning, not always about the kill....my 2 pennies worth.

DISCLAIMER: some of the things I say may be unfiltered, offensive, or even complete B.S.

 

[Hikingwithguns]

http://themeateater.com/2012/canned-hunts/

I would say if you want to learn to hunt, do it right rather than pay to target practice on a domestic pig. There are plenty of awesome guides out there that will put you on wild pigs and teach you how to hunt them and skin them, I think Asaxon has a list of guides and comments. Or you can try to get onto private land for pigs via friends, thats where I've had some success without paying ridiculous amounts of money. I can tell you its very satisfying shooting a pig on your own.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[bisonic]

I've never been to BHCR so can't comment first hand, but I'd suggest a fair chase guide instead. While BHCR sounds like it would give you a kill plus teach you at least some of the skills you're interested in learning, a good guide can do the same but in a real-world environment. Your chance of getting at least a chance at a hog with a good guide is very high, and I think you'd learn much, much more about what real hunting is about and thus would be better prepared for future hunts.

So if you want to learn how to be a real hunter, use a fair chase guide. If you just want to experience hunting, sounds like BHCR is fine.

 

[Farmerdoug]

Here’s my opinion while trying to use a taekwondo analogy. A few years back, my kids got introduced to taekwondo while in elementary school. At first, they had no idea how to punch, kick, or even defend themselves. The first belt they were issued was a white belt. Two nights a week they went to practice. A few months later they had earned the respect of their instructor to test for yellow belt. On their test night, they were both extremely nervous. My wife and I both tried to reassure them that if they did exactly what they had practiced over the last few months, they would have no problems. Test night came and went, and both passed with flying colors. Now, skip ahead 2 1/2 years. My kids have both maintained their enthusiasm for the martial arts. They have been going to practice about one to two nights a week and have progressed from white, yellow, orange, green, purple, and now to brown belt. For each belt they have mastered, they not only had to complete a series of tests for the current belt, but also for past belts if asked. Because of their young ages, these two girls knew nothing about martial arts, nor were they expected to. They both started off with fresh clean slates.

So you’re probably thinking, “What the hell does taekwondo have to do with hunting”. Personally, I think they’re exactly the same. Whether you’re young or old, if you know nothing about the sport, you have to start from the bottom. To me, the white belt would signify dove hunting. It’s pretty basic and doesn’t require a lot of physical exertion. However, while dove hunting you learn the basics like gun safety, gun control, and field dressing an animal. The yellow belt might signify smaller mammals like squirrels and rabbits. Hunting these critters requires the same skills as dove hunting except now you’re actually burning some boot leather. Also, gutting and skinning these small mammals is nothing but a smaller version of the bigger game like deer and pig. Same principals apply. Not to get too winded about which animal equals which belt, I think we get the point. The lessons learned from mastering each level carries over to the next.

So to try and sum this story up, here’s my point. I walk into a dojo and tell the master I want to test for brown belt. I tell him I have very little martial arts experience, but want to learn very quickly. He says “OK, that’ll be five hundred bucks”. I fumble around and show him that I can do an adequate job of punching, kicking, and defending. For the five hundred bucks I spent, he says keep the belt, you bought it. The moral of the story is, did I earn the belt, or did I buy it? Did I master the necessary movements to warrant a brown belt? Or, would I have been better served starting as a lowly white belt and honing my techniques. Will I ever make black belt trying to achieve success so quickly?
I’m not telling you whether you should go there or not. That’s your decision. My gut says if you’re looking to learn, I’d be skeptical. If you’re looking to have a good time, knock yourself out. I know plenty of guys who go there just to shoot with friends, family, and maybe even their old granddad. They have a blast. However, when it comes to the pure science of learning how to hunt, I know what decision I made for myself, and what decision I am making for my children. They’re going to start their hunting careers with white belts; just like their dad, and their dad’s dad. Sure, mistakes will be made along the way. However, learning from those mistakes is what makes good hunters into great hunters….

 

[KTKT70]

nice story. good way to look at it.

 

[Davio]

Down and Dirty on my trip to BCHR

Last month I did a combo pig/exotic hunt at BHCR. I would have to say that it was really a lot of fun. The hunt is what you make of it, if you want to go and just shoot a farm raised meat pig, it would probably take you all of about two minutes. However hunting wild Razorbacks on the ranch is much more difficult as I can attest. I am still recovering from last months hunt. The terrain at BHCR is very rough to say the least.

The day of the hunt there were four other hunters on the ranch, all rifle hunters, I however chose to try the method of archery. The way it worked was, we were divided up into three groups. One group was to hunt the upper section of the ranch, the other the middle, and I was assigned to hunt the lower section. At about 7 am we all set out down the hill (or up depending) toward our appointed hunting grounds. For the first hour my girlfriend Kristen and I hiked up and down hill after hill with no luck, didn't even spot a pig.

Finally we rounded a bend, and heard multiple grunting sounds coming from about one hundred yards up a hillside. Not knowing the size or temperament of the hogs I approached slowly with caution. I got to within about 60 yards of hillside and about 15-20 Razorbacks broke free from a bush and ran up the hill out of sight giving me no chance to get an arrow off. Disappointed and full of adrenaline Kristen and I spent the next hour or so hiking up and down the steep terrain trying to track down a trophy boar with no luck.

Finally we met up with Chuck (the owners) dad, he told us that no one was able to harvest anything yet, which made me feel somewhat better. He gave us a much needed ride up the hill in his truck, and said he had an idea of where the pigs were hiding, he said he had spotted them running after we had spooked them to this location. So brought us to a area were we met up with the other hunters, he then set up the rifle hunters at different locations surrounding the draw in which he thought the pigs were. After he got through positioning everyone, he stated to Kristen and I since you guys look like you are in the best shape out of the group your job is to walk down this hillside and spook them out and see if you can get a shot at one. Kristen stated there was no way she was going down there, after some convincing she gave in and we started our journey down the extremely steep hillside ( nearly vertical in some areas), we spent a lot of the trip down on our butts sliding.

After about fifteen minutes we made our way down to the bottom of the hill with lots of cuts, scraps and bruises, but no sightings of any animals. At the bottom of the hill we were met by Chuck's dad in the truck, and were told that the pigs were not were they had originally thought, they had been spotted in the next canyon over hiding in the bushes. So once again everyone was positioned in strategic areas hoping to get a shot at a hog, while my job was to try and sneek up and whack one with any arrow. Well I did my best sneek up on the steep hillside, and got within about ten feet of the bush they were holding in and lost my footing and fell on my butt. I slid for about ten feet before I was able to dig my feet into the ground and stop myself. I got up and the pigs had exited the bush and scattered.

The pigs scattered themselves to other hillsides and open areas giving the other hunters shot opportunities. Meanwhile I dusted myself off and and made my way back up to the road. I spent the next forty five minutes attempting to get into range of a razorback with no luck. Finally I threw in the towel and switched to a rifle, and made a hundred yard cross canyon shot killing a black colored razorback. In my opinion this was a pretty difficult hunt. I am in decent shape, by the end of the day my legs were killing me from hiking up and down the steep hillsides. The day after the hunt my two big toe nail turned black and blue, right has fallen off and the left is still a deep shade of gray a month later(pretty nasty).

View from up above looking down on huntingzone of ranch.
View from above looking at pigs in bottom of canyon.
Picture of steep terrian of BCHR.
Steep hilside where I slid down.
Black Razorback
Picture of Corscican Ram taken following day(theres a whole different story to that)

 

[Deleted member 33033]

I was exactly in your shoes (not quite the shot you are apparently) and here's what i took away from my BHCR execution.

1. I learned that the trajectory in archery is much more important than it is with a rifle. You must know the entry and exit points of your arrow which seems easy but isn't quite so when you are shooting into shadows in brush and your target has feet. Not like shooting targets in the backyard at all.

2. I was intimidated by field dressing but it's really not that bad. Quartering a pig is not so daunting anymore.

3. Unless you shoot one of the razorbacks, you're getting farm fresh pork and it tastes great. Odds are you'll be in and out in an hour or two. If you want a bigger ranch and a more challenging hunt that is less of a BHCR execution, there are other options. Most of em charge a bit more and/or require a longer drive. See PM.

 

[GTEAM1]

Big horn canyon ranch is great... good people run it, my family has known them for awhile.
I'm going in february with my bow to try to take a big ol' tusker

 

[Aught-SixGuy]

Never been there but plan on doing it this spring for kicks, shoot a pig and maybe a Texas Dall.

 

[D14Archer]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Farmerdoug, that was a good analogy and I understand where you are coming from. With my background as a fisherman, I have learned early on that there is more to fishing than just catching fish. That's the main reason why I've never taken my kids to fish out of trout ponds. To me, the same about fishing applies to hunting in the sense that hunting does not = killing. For now, my first kill means nothing more to me other than to learn how to field dress, skin, and quarter the animal. Sure, I could look at youtube vids all day, but I'm the type who learns more if it's hands-on.

I also like the thought of a guided hunt as I'm sure that I will learn a whole lot more about real hunting. However, if I do decide to check out BHCR, it will probably be sometime next spring.