Does anyone out there have any personal experience with Wilderness Unlimited? Is it worth the money or no? I know that there are probably some folks out there that have had some bad experiences (that's to be expected). I'm still debating joining.
- Thread starter Chadster
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BDB
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Chadster, first off welcome to Jesses, it's a great site.
Secondly, this is a pretty hot topic and is discussed about 2-3 times a year at length, far too much length. It came up this week already once. There are many strong feelings good and bad.
Use the search feature and you will find enough reading on the subject to keep you entertained for days!!!!! This is pretty much true for any topic since the board has been around so long. A good starting point is a search and then a post if nothing appears in the search.
A search in the muley and blacktail forums will get you more than the hog forum I suspect since that is where I seem to recall seeing many of the posts.
Once again welcome aboard.
Secondly, this is a pretty hot topic and is discussed about 2-3 times a year at length, far too much length. It came up this week already once. There are many strong feelings good and bad.
Use the search feature and you will find enough reading on the subject to keep you entertained for days!!!!! This is pretty much true for any topic since the board has been around so long. A good starting point is a search and then a post if nothing appears in the search.
A search in the muley and blacktail forums will get you more than the hog forum I suspect since that is where I seem to recall seeing many of the posts.
Once again welcome aboard.
Chadster:
I was a member in WU for 7 years and experienced the good and the bad, the good occurring during the first few years and the bad during the last few years. The most important consideration is where you live. If you're in Southern Cal, I'd really think twice because the most productive ranches are north and northeast of San Francisco. Most of the good Southern Cal ranches are gone now, victims of development or having been sold. The ones that do remain in the south---such as Palm, Cummings, and Montgomery---were very good 7 years ago but have now seen better days and are often difficult to get reservations to hunt on. If you have plenty of time to travel and can hunt during the week, you might consider joining, particularly if you hunt deer, pig, and waterfowl.
I gave up my membership this year because I retired and my wife and I are moving to Kona, Hawaii, the first week in October. I can hunt pigs within 5 miles of my house, goats within 10 miles, and sheep within 40 miles. I can also hunt 11 species of gamebirds and turkeys in the fall and spring. The fishing is remarkable. My wife and I simply got fed up with California and with time running out [I'm 57 now], I want to spend as much time as possible out in the field or out on the water.
Sadly, if you really enjoy hunting, California is getting tougher and tougher all the time. Public property hog hunting is virtually nonexistant and even the guided hunting is becoming more expensive. If you mainly hunt pigs, though, and you live in the south part of the state, I think you'd be better off spending your $$$ on a guided hunt and then a few more hunts at Camp Roberts and a deer hunt in Colorado or some other state where the success rate is high. It would work out to about the same as your annual dues in WU and you'd be virtually assured of a freezer full of meat.
Please feel free to email me if you have specific questions and good luck, regardless of your decision.
I was a member in WU for 7 years and experienced the good and the bad, the good occurring during the first few years and the bad during the last few years. The most important consideration is where you live. If you're in Southern Cal, I'd really think twice because the most productive ranches are north and northeast of San Francisco. Most of the good Southern Cal ranches are gone now, victims of development or having been sold. The ones that do remain in the south---such as Palm, Cummings, and Montgomery---were very good 7 years ago but have now seen better days and are often difficult to get reservations to hunt on. If you have plenty of time to travel and can hunt during the week, you might consider joining, particularly if you hunt deer, pig, and waterfowl.
I gave up my membership this year because I retired and my wife and I are moving to Kona, Hawaii, the first week in October. I can hunt pigs within 5 miles of my house, goats within 10 miles, and sheep within 40 miles. I can also hunt 11 species of gamebirds and turkeys in the fall and spring. The fishing is remarkable. My wife and I simply got fed up with California and with time running out [I'm 57 now], I want to spend as much time as possible out in the field or out on the water.
Sadly, if you really enjoy hunting, California is getting tougher and tougher all the time. Public property hog hunting is virtually nonexistant and even the guided hunting is becoming more expensive. If you mainly hunt pigs, though, and you live in the south part of the state, I think you'd be better off spending your $$$ on a guided hunt and then a few more hunts at Camp Roberts and a deer hunt in Colorado or some other state where the success rate is high. It would work out to about the same as your annual dues in WU and you'd be virtually assured of a freezer full of meat.
Please feel free to email me if you have specific questions and good luck, regardless of your decision.
I live in the Central San Joaquin Valley, around the Visalia area. My whole life I've been used to driving 2 to 3 hours, to the coast, to L.A. to San Fransisco so I don't mind driving a few hours drive. There are a dozen or so ranches within 2 hours of me. I will cough up the money next year for a full membership and use the hell out of it... and then make my decision. Thanks all! It can't be any worse than Roberts or Liggett right? Without all the people... we'll see.
Chock up one vote for WU from me
I can see the point above about Southern CA. I dont see too many properties down there. Also it depends how much you go. If you are like me and you hunt ducks, geese, quail, turkeys, deer, and pigs then it is a great all around club. If you go out once a year for pigs, then by all means go get a guided pig hunt for about half the cost of a yearly membership.
I can say that I have had GREAT waterfowl, turkey, pig and deer hunts. Pheasant has been so-so, and the same with dove.
You will get plenty of opinions. Do a search and read up on everything before you make your decision
Wild Turk
I can see the point above about Southern CA. I dont see too many properties down there. Also it depends how much you go. If you are like me and you hunt ducks, geese, quail, turkeys, deer, and pigs then it is a great all around club. If you go out once a year for pigs, then by all means go get a guided pig hunt for about half the cost of a yearly membership.
I can say that I have had GREAT waterfowl, turkey, pig and deer hunts. Pheasant has been so-so, and the same with dove.
You will get plenty of opinions. Do a search and read up on everything before you make your decision
Wild Turk
boarhunter67
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My experience wasn't good. It was hard to get reservations for ranches on opening weekends. If you pay that kind of money and can't even get on a ranch it's not worth it. I also spoke to several long time members who never have trouble getting on anytime they want even if the quota for the ranch is full. It seems it helps to know people.
I was a member for one year in 2000. Too many road hunters just cruising by without a clue. I remember on member who I ran into on the Palm ranch that told me he was upset because he hit and lost two different bucks the day before. Being that he was hunting in street shoes at the time, I dont think he looked real hard.
I would never join again. Here where I live there are too few ranches which they lease and I do not have the time to drive 4-5 hours every weekend I want to hunt.
Club reminds me too much of the old American Sportsman fiasco.
Just my opinion.
I would never join again. Here where I live there are too few ranches which they lease and I do not have the time to drive 4-5 hours every weekend I want to hunt.
Club reminds me too much of the old American Sportsman fiasco.
Just my opinion.
WU has property in front of the club I'm a member of..........some of the WU guys somehow got a key to the gate and were driving around our club.......they new they were trespassing as when my buddy seen them they high tailed it back out the gate.........hopefully we'll catch them before they can get back next time.......let the game warden have a chat with them.
boarhunter67
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The other thing I noticed when I was a member was that right before hunting season began, they would shut down the roads of most of the ranches I went to. They did this to keep the roads from being torn up, but they wouldn't let 4x4's, quads, or anything in, just foot traffic. This made it very difficult to hunt since you could only travel so far in the snow or mud on foot.
I may have some weekday opps for hunting now that i'm self-employed, so I'll be looking into this club and GR.
I have talked to lots of WU members and they all say that if you can hunt durring the week, you cant beat it.
I have talked to lots of WU members and they all say that if you can hunt durring the week, you cant beat it.
Total waste of time and money. I was a member for one year. All the property I hunted on had little game and was not managed very well. Kind of reminded me of the old American Sportsman Club
Too many rules and regs and not enough balls. Big hat, no cattle. I starting bowhunting about 12 years ago and WU advertised a 3,000 acre ranch that was BOWHUNTING ONLY. While the ranch was not a bad looking piece of property, in three straight weekends of hunting I did not cut a single deer or hog track anywhere and believe me I looked. I finally figured out what the problem was; the only water on the ranch was basically a mud hole about 50 ft in diameter right off of a shared road with a couple of other ranches. All the cattle on the ranch stayed next to the water 24/7.
That organization is so bad, You would almost be better off to not hunt anymore than to join W.U. For the amount of game you are going to see your better off hunting Hunter Liggett or go on private ranch hog hunt.
That organization is so bad, You would almost be better off to not hunt anymore than to join W.U. For the amount of game you are going to see your better off hunting Hunter Liggett or go on private ranch hog hunt.
boarhunter67
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By weekday, you must mean Monday and Tuesday. I seem to remember the ranches I went to were always closed on Tuesday afternoon through Friday morning.
outdoorplay
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Well it’s late and it’s been a long day. But you all know me and you have seen my Pictures. The nice thing about pictures is they can’t lie but people with an axe to grind, often do.
When on one hand you have the average hunter that might get lucky once in a while.
Or to have good success they have to go out and spend some big money for some one else’s expertise. But they still are not as good of a hunt as others. Yes, I am a member and ya I can say I hunt and fish A LOT MORE then 90% of the masses. And those of you that know me KNOW I am out there a whole heck of a lot.
I have been in the WU Club for 5 years and this is what I have seen.
The club has ranches form 2 1/2 HRS form my house to as far as I would like to drive and I live in S.CAL.
Now I am not like most HUNTERS and most hunters go on 1 deer hunt for a weekend or 3 days a year. I go for at less 4 to 5 days and I go on 4 deer hunts a year. (If need be)
I go on one pig hunt a year and I am done with it with in 3 or 4 days, with a pig in the cooler.
Bear I am not a bear hunter but I get a tag every year, if I come across one, it dies.
I am not going to go though all of the birds but, “if it fly’s it Dies”. And I do not work much at all daring the fowling season, and I hunt the rest of all the game birds as well.
Hears my bottomed line.
If your Looking for 100% kill Go somewhere ells, this is real hunting/real fishing/real camping Club. If that is not what you are looking for????? Look somewhere ells.
Some one brought up something about the rules in the club’
If you can not respect the rule of the club, Trust me THE MEMBERS IN THE CLUB DON’T LIKE YOU AS MUCH AS YOU DON’T LIKE THE CLUB RULLS, THAT WAY ITS PRIVET!!! I like the rules in the club because they are designed to keep the un-responsible out. And they have been around for like 20 years, with No hunting accidents, nothing ever stolen,
When on one hand you have the average hunter that might get lucky once in a while.
Or to have good success they have to go out and spend some big money for some one else’s expertise. But they still are not as good of a hunt as others. Yes, I am a member and ya I can say I hunt and fish A LOT MORE then 90% of the masses. And those of you that know me KNOW I am out there a whole heck of a lot.
I have been in the WU Club for 5 years and this is what I have seen.
The club has ranches form 2 1/2 HRS form my house to as far as I would like to drive and I live in S.CAL.
Now I am not like most HUNTERS and most hunters go on 1 deer hunt for a weekend or 3 days a year. I go for at less 4 to 5 days and I go on 4 deer hunts a year. (If need be)
I go on one pig hunt a year and I am done with it with in 3 or 4 days, with a pig in the cooler.
Bear I am not a bear hunter but I get a tag every year, if I come across one, it dies.
I am not going to go though all of the birds but, “if it fly’s it Dies”. And I do not work much at all daring the fowling season, and I hunt the rest of all the game birds as well.
Hears my bottomed line.
If your Looking for 100% kill Go somewhere ells, this is real hunting/real fishing/real camping Club. If that is not what you are looking for????? Look somewhere ells.
Some one brought up something about the rules in the club’
If you can not respect the rule of the club, Trust me THE MEMBERS IN THE CLUB DON’T LIKE YOU AS MUCH AS YOU DON’T LIKE THE CLUB RULLS, THAT WAY ITS PRIVET!!! I like the rules in the club because they are designed to keep the un-responsible out. And they have been around for like 20 years, with No hunting accidents, nothing ever stolen,
outdoorplay
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boarhunter67
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Outdoorsplay,
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Secondly, you say I didn't get game because I didn't walk enough. I guess you know it all. I should have walked 16 hours through 3' snowbanks up steep mountains instead of just walking 12 hours like I often. Often I would walk 3 hours just to get 1/2 mile from the lodge because they closed roads that my 4x4 could have driven. However, it wasn't always like that. Some ranches had no snow and when I pig hunted I drove back and then hiked in quite a ways. Still, I saw no game even though you state that walking will increase my chances a "hole" lot.
Thirdly, you mention to drawing. The drawing was BS. I knew people who would get on ranches every weekend, full or not, because they knew someone. Haven't you ever been smart enough to look around and notice that the ranch says it allows 6 hunters and there are 8 people? I often saw more hunters than a ranch was supposed to have and the people who were extra always knew the caretaker. I was a member for several years and at the beginning about 10 years ago, the properties were fair to good. Now, for whatever reason, they are poor to fair.
Everyone I have spoken to from WU who have been members for a long time have said this. The ranches aren't what they used to be. That doesn't mean a person won't get an animal, it just means not everyone does. Many people hunt hard and don't get jack. For you to suggest that if someone doesn't get a pig in one weekend is ignorant, insulting, and arrogant. How the heck do you know jack about the way I've hunted?
Lastly, learn your homophones, "you're/your, their/there/they're, buy/by, whole/hole," and you'll sound a lot more intelligent.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
It looks like you're the one who needs to get his story straight. When I spoke of the roads, I never mentioned bow hunting. Learn to read better and you'll put your foot in your mouth less. Don't criticize someone as not being as good a hunter as you because you mixed up two posts.
Secondly, you say I didn't get game because I didn't walk enough. I guess you know it all. I should have walked 16 hours through 3' snowbanks up steep mountains instead of just walking 12 hours like I often. Often I would walk 3 hours just to get 1/2 mile from the lodge because they closed roads that my 4x4 could have driven. However, it wasn't always like that. Some ranches had no snow and when I pig hunted I drove back and then hiked in quite a ways. Still, I saw no game even though you state that walking will increase my chances a "hole" lot.
Thirdly, you mention to drawing. The drawing was BS. I knew people who would get on ranches every weekend, full or not, because they knew someone. Haven't you ever been smart enough to look around and notice that the ranch says it allows 6 hunters and there are 8 people? I often saw more hunters than a ranch was supposed to have and the people who were extra always knew the caretaker. I was a member for several years and at the beginning about 10 years ago, the properties were fair to good. Now, for whatever reason, they are poor to fair.
Everyone I have spoken to from WU who have been members for a long time have said this. The ranches aren't what they used to be. That doesn't mean a person won't get an animal, it just means not everyone does. Many people hunt hard and don't get jack. For you to suggest that if someone doesn't get a pig in one weekend is ignorant, insulting, and arrogant. How the heck do you know jack about the way I've hunted?
Lastly, learn your homophones, "you're/your, their/there/they're, buy/by, whole/hole," and you'll sound a lot more intelligent.
boarhunter67
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Hopefully I didn't offend too many others. Sometimes I just get started and can't stop. Usually it's when some arrogant fool says something about the way I hunt. He's never hunted with me, but he's always sure he knows what I'm doing wrong. LOL.
