Another Outfitter

[Spencie]

I recently found out that the guy that's been buying up a lot of properties around us is now selling hunts. He has nearly 200 acres beside us and 400 just north. He was preaching buck management to me when I met him last November. Selling hunts is the polar opposite of buck management. I want to puke! My son thinks we need to sell and look elsewhere. My dad is reluctant but willing to sell. I'm just really frustrated but for the right amount of money I'd be willing to start over.

 

[tracker 6]

Outfitters suck

 

[WoodCoDep]

I recently found out that the guy that's been buying up a lot of properties around us is now selling hunts. He has nearly 200 acres beside us and 400 just north. He was preaching buck management to me when I met him last November. Selling hunts is the polar opposite of buck management. I want to puke! My son thinks we need to sell and look elsewhere. My dad is reluctant but willing to sell. I'm just really frustrated but for the right amount of money I'd be willing to start over.

may see if that guy would be interested in your place. deer hunting is a money sport anymore and sounds like that guy has some. May get premium offer on your place and have plenty to buy another farm somewhere else

 

[Spencie]

may see if that guy would be interested in your place. deer hunting is a money sport anymore and sounds like that guy has some. May get premium offer on your place and have plenty to buy another farm somewhere else

That’s what we are thinking but not doing anything until after this season.

 

[hickslawns]

That’s what we are thinking but not doing anything until after this season.

I suppose it is worth hearing him out on an offer. It'd be frustrating to start over but maybe you could end up with a larger parcel? Better parcel? I don't know.

 

[motorbreaker]

Must be easier to find a good chunk of property in your area then it is in our area. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Spencie]

Must be easier to find a good chunk of property in your area then it is in our area. Good luck with whatever you decide.

No it isn't but if we don't find anything maybe we will just hunt out west for a while. Or find a lease.

 

[bonecollecter]

Is he selling hunts for people to just come in and shoot anything or is he managing it and putting a scoring limit on the bucks? Could work out for you if they are only shooting big deer or they could over hunt and push deer your way. Or it could just suck and that sucks.

 

[Spencie]

I suppose it is worth hearing him out on an offer. It'd be frustrating to start over but maybe you could end up with a larger parcel? Better parcel? I don't know.

We have had this property for 7 years and made a lot of improvements to the deer habitat. So yes it will be frustrating to start over but not as frustrating as finding out every 120" buck we pass on gets killed by the outfitter.

 

[Big_Holla]

Hear me out, why is this such a bad thing? If he is running it like an outfitter then they likely would only be hunting big bucks and letting young bucks walk. It wouldn't pay for him to over-hunt the properties either. I've found over the years you can only control what you do on your own place and knowing that he isn't a brown it's down person with a gang of buddies seems like a good thing??

 

[Spencie]

Hear me out, why is this such a bad thing? If he is running it like an outfitter then they likely would only be hunting big bucks and letting young bucks walk. It wouldn't pay for him to over-hunt the properties either. I've found over the years you can only control what you do on your own place and knowing that he isn't a brown it's down person with a gang of buddies seems like a good thing??

You could be right. But most guys that are paying for a hunt lower their standards the last day. We are going to let this season play out before we do anything.

 

[Spencie]

Is he selling hunts for people to just come in and shoot anything or is he managing it and putting a scoring limit on the bucks? Could work out for you if they are only shooting big deer or they could over hunt and push deer your way. Or it could just suck and that sucks.

That's a big IF

 

[Buckeye79]

The outfitters have to show success in order to stay in business. Seems like Ohio is on its way to becoming the next Illinois with outfitters. Just to give you a reference Hadley creek after the year EHD hit dropped there minimum to 130' from 160'. I know just in the past few years out there the overall deer quality has went down in Illinois and hasn't been able to bounce back since the EHD in 2012. The locals attribute a lot of that to the outfitters still needing to show success to stay in business. The other thing is it becomes impossible to find ground unless you lease because the outfitters start leasing what they can't buy at a premium. On a positive note if you own the land it will definitely increase the value.

 

[Bigcountry40]

Hear me out, why is this such a bad thing? If he is running it like an outfitter then they likely would only be hunting big bucks and letting young bucks walk. It wouldn't pay for him to over-hunt the properties either. I've found over the years you can only control what you do on your own place and knowing that he isn't a brown it's down person with a gang of buddies seems like a good thing??

I am not trying to beat a dead horse, but what happens when outfitters control 90% of central, southern, eastern Ohio? I know this isnt what the thread is about but what is Illinois actually like for a guy that makes $20 a hour with 2 kids who likes to hunt?

 

[finelyshedded]

You could be right. But most guys that are paying for a hunt lower their standards the last day. We are going to let this season play out before we do anything.

Plus, if they get hard working customers driving from states/areas where 110-130 is the top end or considered a "shooter...trophy, or whatever", they're going to shoot, unless this operation has well explained rules or a guide accompanies their clients making sure they don't.

These operations need regulated. Many customers are getting screwed I imagine. There's only so many(hit listers,target deer that live within a certain range and if they get killed(EHD,vehicle,etc....)before they even start hunting WTH are they going to shoot if nothing's left?!?! The outfitter themselves don't know what's getting killed on neighboring props?!?! Just sayin

 

[Buckeye79]

I can give you an idea on that. Last year was the most polluted I ever seen the public in Illinois. They have special public now for residents only because they can't get anywhere to hunt on private. Going rate per day is on average $100 per person it goes up exponentially depending on location and habitat. A lot of the farmers lease for farming, then for bow, then for gun, etc. I think the only way you prevent it is to be like Iowa and hold to a quota for the number of out of state tags.

 

[Big_Holla]

I am not trying to beat a dead horse, but what happens when outfitters control 90% of central, southern, eastern Ohio? I know this isnt what the thread is about but what is Illinois actually like for a guy that makes $20 a hour with 2 kids who likes to hunt?

Unfortunately that isn't for you or I to decide how big it gets. Even the ODNR doesn't seem willing to step in to regulate it.

I think before I'd even consider selling I would find out what the outfitter's plans and camp/hunt regulations are. Heck they may create an environment where giants could exist depending on how much (or how little) they pressure the land and what their harvest requirements are. Sure they could hunt the piss out of them and let hunters shoot any buck on the last day but I'd guess they'll have standards set and people will have to abide by.

 

[Fluteman]

Mike, I feel your pain (literally), and obviously understand your concerns. I have seen the effects of said outfitter firsthand this year. When a person is putting that much money into feeding deer, and doing so from gravity feeders, it's hard to compete. It's an all you can eat buffet for deer. And at 10k lbs a month in corn, he's keeping the entire herd fed.

Even if he imposes a size limit, there will still be more deer taken on that land than would be if it was chunked up like it was before. At the end of the day, $$$ will trump what's best for the herd. I don't see any positives from this particular situation.

I don't know what to tell you buddy, wish there was a good, obvious answer.

 

[tracker 6]

What would happen to these outfits if the corn dumping was outlawed?

 

[Spencie]

What would happen to these outfits if the corn dumping was outlawed?

Honest guys would stop baiting. Which would make the outlaws even more successful. Too many guys know of no other way to hunt and will do it regardless of laws.