# outfitter?



## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

looking to try and find an outfitter in ND that does rifle deer hunts for a resonable price
I know thats a tuff nut to crack, but there has to be some out there!
any advice would be great!


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## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

No such thing as a reasonably priced outfitter, espcially for big game. You'll easily pay $5K for a "trophy" buck hunt. Do like my uncle from Alaska does every year....apply for a license and take what you get. It's the experience, not the kill that makes a HUNT. Even residents don't get a buck tag every year, just how the system is supposed to work.

H2OfowlND


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I would recommend not getting a guide, there is alot of public land in ND and so much of it has deer and doesn't ever get touched.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

well I have to dis agree with you, I have been on many reasonable priced hunts in the past( last year included) You do not need to pay $5000.00 for a good hunt.
I do believe that you do not need to kill a monster buck for a hunt to be good! not need to kill a deer!period!! for a successful hunt!
But since I live so far away, I kinda need an outfitter to help take some of the degree of unknown out of putting together a hunt. as it is very hard to find a place to stay , land to hunt ( private, or land that someone has control over how many people will be hunting it, as to drive 1,400 plus miles to have guys surround me at day light is money spent foolishly) that is why I am looking for an outfitter, or someone willing to share some private land.
Like say a semi guided hunt, all the better!
I am a faitly skilled hunter, and feel I can hold my own on finding,killing a deer. its the distance and trying to find a place to hunt that I need the help with
and I have found this site to be a good resource for help, thus the post!
and you will never know if you don't ask!!


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

blhunter3
, if I lived closer to ND I would just scout and hunt on my own, but being so far away, having some help gives me a lot better odds on scoring .
I have hunted in ND 3 times on selfguided hunts, and by the time I got to figure out the der where i was hunting, I just ran out of time, so thus with an outfitter/semi guided hunt, I should do a lot better!


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## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

I disagree with you on the difficulty on finding a place to hunt and stay and there is public land to hunt. I saw you posted this summer about being in the Badlands and seeing some big mule deer. That might be a place for you to start and do a free lance hunt and save yourself money and knowing you did it all on your own. You say you are a seasoned hunter, so a hunt of that style would be right up your ally. All you need to do is research some and things will happen if you put the time and effort into it.

H2OfowlND


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

Yes, I have found some great places in the past, but I cannot go back to where I was last time due to the house i rented, is taken for rifle season, so i am looking for someplace new again to try, and , Like I said, I have been able to get into deer on every hunt, but more towards the end of the hunt, so I figure again with an outfitter I will have a jump start on things, as I am getting to the point I would like to a easier type hunt, as with gas , and the economy being what it is, spending timeand money to get into a good area, and rolling the dice on an area for the first few days, well i would like a jump start for once!
If I was a resident, or just not 1300 miles away, no big deal, I do all self guided hunts( I hunt 3 to 5 states a year) so i kjnow I can, but they are all much closer to me, and have been doing them for many years, so i got them down, But ND is so far from me!! I would love a little help!, and an outfitter is about the only way i know to go, maybe you want to take me to one of your spots, and spend some time with me, I would appreciate that!!, but if not, I guess I will be looking for an outfitter!
Plus some outfitters get outfitter tags, so I don't have to worry about drawing too!


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## Chinwhiskers (Jan 13, 2008)

What part of the state are you wanting to hunt?


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## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

mrb said:


> Plus some outfitters get outfitter tags, so I don't have to worry about drawing too!


That alone will hurt your chances of a reasonable priced hunt!!!!! Curious as to what you consider a reasonably priced hunt!


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

MRB, just a neighborly bit of info, don't know if you have gathered yet from your time on Nodak, but two words most ND guys don't like one bit are "guide" & "outfitter"...


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## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

NDTerminator said:


> MRB, just a neighborly bit of info, don't know if you have gathered yet from your time on Nodak, but two words most ND guys don't like one bit are "guide" & "outfitter"...


I've used g/o operations for bear hunts, so I'd be a hypocrite to bash them now!!!


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

I would freelance all the way. I am sure the members of this site can point you in the right direction without giving up their secret spots. I don't measure the quality of my hunts by the animals I kill, it's all about spending time outdoors.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

mrb.....

have you looked at hunting in canada? I used a guide for a bear hunt up there in the fall of 07. He also has a deer operation. The price included food, lodging, liscense, transportation, etc. It was fairly inexpensive. I say this because if you are driving to ND only about 4 more hours and you could be at this guys place. Just some food for thought.

If you would like him contact info just give me a pm. I would recommend this guy to anyone. Family owned operation. You actually have dinner with his family. Great food and great people.

Chuck


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

H2OfowlND said:


> Do like my uncle from Alaska does every year....apply for a license and take what you get. It's the experience, not the kill that makes a HUNT. *Even residents don't get a buck tag every year, just how the system is supposed to work.*
> 
> H2OfowlND


*woodpecker wrote:*


> Plus some outfitters get outfitter tags, so I don't have to worry about drawing too!
> 
> That alone will hurt your chances of a reasonable priced hunt!!!!! Curious as to what you consider a reasonably priced hunt!


There is the hard truth about using a G/O. You will pay more because thos tags are a huge source of income for them. Seeing they only get so many you will pay more for the tag/opportunity at a deer.

Freelance is the way to go! Put some extra time into reading about some areas. If you can't go back to the house you were staying at why can't you find one close to it. I am sure there is a farmer some where close to where you were hunting that can set you up for a week or so. I would call the people that you were staying at and see if they can put you on another option.

It sounds to me like you want a easy hunt! I am not calling you lazy or anything like that. I am just reading that you want a hunt that is set up for you, and that's not what the spirit of hunting in ND is about!


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## Scott LeDuc (Aug 4, 2008)

I think MRB is looking for some help on a guide service not everyone's opinion on how to hunt.

MRB - can't help you out much on an outfitter but I think Chuck has a good idea. If you can stomach another 4-6 hours of driving I would head to Southern SASK. I know there are a lot more quides up there, bigger bodied dear, and I would think more reasonably priced.

If it were me I would try a little farther north...


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

mrb,

Are you looking to hunt whitetails or mule deer?

I won't help you find an outfitter, but I would be willing to help in any other way with your hunt, free of charge.


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## MSG Rude (Oct 6, 2003)

Scott LeDuc said:


> I think MRB is looking for some help on a guide service not everyone's opinion on how to hunt.


Ditto....

You don't have to agree with the guy...he asked a question...not for opinions. Want to give him your opinion? PM him.

Can't help you on this one besides doing a Google search or by contacting the ND tourism branch for recommendations.


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

*mrb wrote:*


> any advice would be great!


Advice was given..... :eyeroll:


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## goatboy (Dec 29, 2003)

Why hunt ND when there are so many more much better places to hunt deer? And most are 1/2 the distance, since your driving you will have more time to hunt. Go to Ill,IA, KS,MO, IN some place like that.

Thats what I would do if I were you. Heck Kentucky is putting up record bucks as fast as anyone and thats really close for you to drive, If I lived where you do I wouldn't think of driving out to ND any more.
Heck I've been seeing some huge ones coming out of Maryland!


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

G/O are allowed 100 licenses here,with no more than 5 going to any one G/O.I think if there are more than 100 requests that they might have a drawing as to who gets them.Not sure about that though.Don't know when they are alloted either.I don't think they know yet how many they might have.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

thanks guys for asll the opinions, even the negitive ones towards outfitters. I'm a big boy and can take the bad.
but I am looking for an outfitter/ someone to help me . because I live far away, one!
2 because i have done self guided hunts for the last 20 years, and would like a jump start, I would like to spend more time hunting, than looking for a place to stay and hunt! 
3- I have hunted in a bunch of states, and , even in ND several times, and think, ND has some great deer, thus WHY ND>!
4- and WHY AN OUTFITTER!?
well, I don't really need an outfitter, to find deer, and all, but it takes a ton of the leg work out for me, as thay should have all the things i need already so I don't have to do it, and I don't know of anyone else that would have all that for me!! so, thus an outfitter!
5- what do I concider reasonable, well that depends on what I am being offered as a package, but I hunted in ND in 2007 , on 15,000+ acres and a house to my self, for $ 35.00 a day!!, that was super reasonable, and I offered to share that info with everyone on this site too!!! so I am a good guy!!
6- I did try to find a place to stay near where I was last in ND, and couldn't find any place open for rifle season, seems ND folks take there deer hunting serious, and rebook year after year, so no openings could i find!! thus this post!!!
7- what deer am I LOOKING FOR, i WOULD BE HAPPY WITH ANY GOOD BUCK, EITHER OR, WHITETAIL/MULEDEER!!
8- I have hunted in a lot of good whitetail deer states, and i would be willing to share what I know, even help direct others to good spots I have been. as I feel that is tha point of a web site like this, and
WHAT ALL GOOD SPORTSMAN, AND WOMEN SHOULD BE DOING FOR EACH OTHER, THEN MAYBE WE WOULDN'T NEED TO HAVE OUTFITTERS!
I am not asking to hunt in your hot spot, just help finding my own, for 5 to 10 days, and then I'm gone!!
and I too, do not think the size of the deer makes a hunt, but I have killed a lot of deer, and just find it more challanging to hunt for a certian size deer!!, I judge no one on what they want to shoot, just hope they appreciate it!!

so anyone that is willing to help me please PM me, I will get back to you as soon as I can! and thank you!


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

The best advice I can give is what one of the other guys suggested. Don't waste your time w/ ND. Travel less than a third of the way and hunt Ohio. You have a crapload of public ground to hunt if you don't find private land and many many a huge bucks are killed out there off public ground. Get in and scout for 2-3 days and hunt for 5. Get away from all the yahoo's. Means a lot of walking and a terrible drag if you shoot one, but get a deer cart. Ohio is still the biggest sleeper state and I have no idea how... No one even discusses ohio and I'd rather hunt there than anywhere else.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Every time I am hunting I am scouting..... :huh:


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Nothing wrong with wanting to get an outfitter when you live 1,000 miles away.

Its quite daunting to go into a new area, green as grass and just "start hunting" without any form of scouting. Especially from that far away.

And theres always the possibility of coming back as a "freelancer" after youve seen an area a time or two with an outfitter service.

I dont know any (as im one of the locals that doesnt really like them), but I would think a google search and some phone calls ought to point a guy in the right direction.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

I do hunt in OHIO, for the last 8 years now, and there is some monsters there( I missed a 180 class this past season!/with a bow, arrow hit a twig!
couldn't hit that twig again, if I tried a hundrend time!)
But I did do several searches for outfitters on line, for ND, and there really ain't that many on there, and the few i did find, wanted more than I can afford!
I was hoping to maybe find a small time outfitter that didn't have a web site( as they cost them money, thus they need to charge more for it)
That again was why I posted on here, thinking maybe some one on here, either does, or knows of someone that would either be an outfitter, or act like one!, or maybe some one on here has some land they are willing to rent/lease for a week or so!, and maybe a house to rent/ lodging! to offer
and then, maybe give me a tour of the place/boundries, and offer a few tips on where I should focus my efforts, and the rest be on me.
I know non res. tags are hard to get, but before i can apply, I need to knbow for what zone!!, and some zones have better odds!! for many reasons, like how much land is open to the public, quality of it, and amounts of game! and hunters numbers in the area/ or just because of how many people hunt the area!

I know there are AGAIN< places closer, and maybe offer easier tags, and chances at deer, plus even have tons of outfitters, and all.
But I like ND, think its a great state, and a great place to hunt, and I like to make a hunting trip more than juat about hunting, I make it a package deal, a vacation, an opertuniety to see new places, meet new people! and I do like the challange of going some place I have never been, and seeing if I can find a deer I like and harvest it!!

I also, have found that all the people I have meet in Nd have been very very friendly, and open to me, I have never been told No about asking for permision to hunt a property when I was out there, though I did not hunt there place , but I did ask a few and was told yes.
But the problem, is I do not, can find who these people are, what there land looks like, a place to stay near by, if i find what I like , and get permission, being 1300 miles away!,
Or I would never look for an outfitter, but 
If someone was willing to help me with the above, I would be thankful. or if someone knows an outfitter, pass on the info to me, as that is what I am looking for, THUS THE POST!!
I have a year to plan


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## deerslayer80 (Mar 27, 2007)

I've done some hunting down in the badlands for the last couple years. If you stay in Medora there is a small hotel that is reasonably priced and hunting grounds aren't to far away. You will need to scout and get off the roads to find good deer but they are out there.

The only thing that sucks about that area is that it takes up to 5 years to draw a tag in those zones. That is for a rifle, you can bow hunt it over the counter, which I prefer.

Those small towns could use the business as well. Not to mention the locals are very friendly and can be very helpfull if you treat them right.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

> but I hunted in ND in 2007 , on 15,000+ acres and a house to my self, for $ 35.00 a day!!,


Did we meet? Sounds like you have met some of my family. The video hunters are taking over around here. Everyone seems to need their five minutes of fame lately. It has turned $100.00/acre land into $800.00/acre land for us though so its hard to buy crappy land around here too.

I watched some hunts on TV that were filmed nearby, it was pretty funny how proud the TV tools were when they got a deer on land that is basically a zoo for pay hunters. Oh well bring on the money, we have the product. :sniper:

Merry Christmas to one and all!!!


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

I don't know if I meet you or not, but I was out in the belfied, ND area, 15 miles or so north, staying off of BlaCKTAIL rd.
my name is , STAN, and I am from PA>
and the area i hunted , was mostly north of it, I talked to a few local 's when I was there, mostly, property owners in the area, and they were all very very nice folks, they all granted me permision to hunt there lands for free!, though if I did, I would have given them something, MORE if I was lucky enough tio tag a deer, I must admit.
they were all pretty easy to approach, as I caught most doing chores, and just stopped and inquired, all loved to talk, not just hunting, I like friendly people, one guy was actually from, PA, found that very interesting!, and his place was where I focused most of my efforts! he told me I needed to be out there at the beginging of the season, as the crops would still be standing, and the whitetails are a lot less wary then, they go very noctornal once they get cut, he said, and that was very very true, muledeer were up and moving
all hrs of the day, but whitetails, seen most right at dark, and on the drive home, they would be jumping out in front of the truck, and BIG buck they were, don't think I would have even cared about the damage of a few!!
I came very close to a great whitetail, he came on me too fast to draw my bow, then he bedded about 200 yrds from me till dark, was a picture perfect set up for a stalk, too.
But I didn't know for sure if the landowner I had permision from, owned where it was, so i sat and watched it till dark!!, 2 days later, I was stopping by to tell the land owner I was heading home, and give him a few Pheasants I shot that morning, I told him about the deer, and where it was, and he did own it!!, but thats thet way it went, no tears, as I had a great time!
It took me 4 days to find this guyts place and get permision, the a few days to figure out where deer were hiding, and how to hunt it, and then I was very shoth on time, and when I got very close, It was time to go home!
But see that is why I am looking for a more outfitted type hunt now, as I don't think I could, or should have asked that land owner to take his TIME and show me the property lines, and since I didn't know, I just stayed where I new I was allowed, even though there was better looking place near by!( that I found out were his too!)
I can hunt, and find deer! just about any place they live!! I have in about 10+ states, for over 20 years, I am not bragging, just saying I know how to hunt.
and to drive so far, spend so much money and time , to come close !! doing all my self.going in cold, think what I could do taking out some of the leg work!
and its a lot harder to find, a GOOD CLEAN place to stay,living so far away, and not knowing anyone!
and then bringing a enough gear to hunt for 7-10 days, sucks living out of a hotel, to be honest!!, I like a house/cabin/ lodge , , as you just have so much more room to spread your stuff around , I am not aspoiled brat, but , at this point in my life, I would like to be comfortable, and enjoy my hunt to the best that I can, as a KILL is not how I judge a hunt, its a total package, and need to enjoy all of it. so why not try and find the package you want.
I have found many many deals out there, and still believe there are more, you just have to look harded, and put in more work, now to get it!

Maybe I did meet you! would need to know more to know!
STAN
'
HAPPY HOLIDAYS


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

So you are talking about bow hunting,not rifle hunting.That's a whole different ballgame.Tags are available all season except mulies as I'm sure you know if you were out there last year.


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## mrb (Aug 22, 2007)

No, I am looking for a rifle hunt now, 
did the bow thing in ND a few times, some years I killed, some i didn't. 
I would like to try my luck with a rifle in my hands this time!!

a gain, I am looking for a rifle hunt, knowing tags will be iffy at best!


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