You’ve got a tag. Maybe it’s a hunt you waited years to draw. Now you’re wondering if you should hire a guide or go on your own.
There’s no single right answer. A guide can turn a tough hunt into the hunt of a lifetime. They can also be money you didn’t need to spend. Here’s how to decide.
What a guide actually does
A good guide does a lot of work before you ever show up. Most will:
- Scout the area before the season so they know where animals are
- Know the land, the roads, and where the water is
- Help you find animals and judge them
- Help you get set up for a good, ethical shot
- Help with field dressing and packing out meat
Some guided hunts also include camp, meals, and lodging. Others are just the guiding. Ask what’s included before you book.
When a guide is worth it
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime tag. If you waited years to draw a hunt, a guide can help you make the most of it. You only get one shot at that season.
You’re hunting new country. If you’re coming from out of state, or hunting a unit you’ve never seen, a guide who knows the area saves you days of figuring it out.
You don’t have time to scout. Scouting takes a lot of days in the field. If you work long hours, a guide’s scouting can be worth the price on its own.
You’re new and want to learn. A good guide teaches as you go. You’ll learn how to glass, read sign, and judge animals faster than you would alone.
You need help packing out. Getting an elk out of rough country is hard work. Some guides help with that, and some bring horses or mules.
When you might not need one
You know the area. If you’ve hunted a place for years, you may not need someone to show you around.
You enjoy the do-it-yourself challenge. For a lot of hunters, figuring it out is the fun part. A self-guided hunt you planned yourself can mean more than a guided one.
It’s an easy-to-draw or over-the-counter hunt. If you can hunt it again next year, you have time to learn on your own.
The budget isn’t there. Don’t go into debt for a hunt. Spending that money on gear, gas, and a few scouting trips is a fine plan too.
What guided hunts cost
Prices vary a lot. They depend on the animal, the state, how long the hunt is, and what’s included. A short deer hunt and a full-service elk hunt are very different prices.
Ask each guide for the full price in writing, and what it covers. Also ask about costs that aren’t in the price, like:
- Your license and tag
- Travel to get there
- Meat processing and shipping
- A taxidermist, if you want a mount
- A tip for your guide
How to pick a good guide
Not every guide is a good one. Take your time and ask questions.
- Check that they’re licensed. Many states require guides or outfitters to be licensed. Ask, and check with the state wildlife agency.
- Ask for references. Call past clients, including some who didn’t fill their tag. Ask how the guide treated them.
- Ask about success rates, and how they count them. A guide who’s honest about a tough hunt is worth more than one who promises the world.
- Ask how many hunters each guide takes out. One guide for one hunter is different from one guide for three.
- Ask what’s expected of you. How fit do you need to be? How far will you walk each day?
- Get everything in writing. Dates, price, what’s included, the deposit, and what happens if the hunt is canceled.
Be careful of anyone who guarantees you’ll get an animal on a fair-chase hunt. Wild animals don’t make promises.
Do your part too
A guide can’t make the shot for you. Before your hunt:
- Practice shooting from field positions at the distances you’ll face
- Get in shape for the walking and climbing
- Break in your boots
- Bring the gear your guide asks you to bring
You’ll have a better hunt, and your guide will thank you.
The bottom line
A guide is worth it when the hunt really matters, the country is new to you, or your time is short. If you have time, know the land, and love figuring things out, going on your own can be just as rewarding.
Either way, ask good questions and know what you’re paying for.
Run a hunting guide service? We’d like to share your hunts with our readers. See our page for hunting guides.
Next step: Read how the Arizona big game draw works if you’re still waiting on a tag.