First Pheasant Hunt Exp and Help

T

taz_gerstman

New member
My father in-law and I headed to a small town just over the Oklahoma border into Kansas on Christmas day 2016. This was the first time we had been on a pheasant/quail guided hunt for wild birds. After all was said and done yes we did harvest birds but as far as the guide part, well let us say they were horrible. Severe lack of information provided to us before hand. Rooms were not even reserved for us. No control over dogs at all nor did they seem to care or try. Dogs roamed about the vehicle freely. Talked on phone or on facebook while driving to hunting spots and pretty much all day. Dogs may have pointed 5 times in the whole 3 day hunt. What birds were flushed is because we flushed them while walking. Oklahoma went from 3 pheasants per hunter per day to two this year and we were not even told that information until we got there. On the last day our guides showed no interest, shot birds to help us reach our limit faster without asking, and didn't even try to help get our pheasant limit or any the last day. Guides were supposed to clean the birds but all they did was tore some of the feathers off and put the birds on ice. Some were not even gutted, feathers still on and no shot removed so we had to finish those up when we got home. I doubt that my father in-law will even go on a hunt now again. So I am looking for a place to go perhaps next year on in the future. I don't have to have the perfect wait on me type of hunt, which wouldn't be bad but I just want to go somewhere with a guide perhaps that lives up to their word and runs their outfit professionally and not where every other word out of their mouth is a curse word. That was disrespectful. Any suggestions anyone? Doesn't matter the state. I can be emailed at taz_gerstman@yahoo.com as well for advice. Thanks. oh and where would someone recommend for a good goose hunt? Thanks
 
taz_gerstman said:
My father in-law and I headed to a small town just over the Oklahoma border into Kansas on Christmas day 2016. This was the first time we had been on a pheasant/quail guided hunt for wild birds. After all was said and done yes we did harvestmen birds but as far as the guide part, well let us say they were horrible. Severe lack of information provided to us before hand. Rooms were not even reserved for us. No control over dogs at all nor did they seem to care or try. Dogs roamed about the vehicle freely. Talked on phone or on facebook while driving to hunting spots and pretty much all day. Dogs may have pointed 5 times in the whole 3 day hunt. What birds were flushed is because we flushed them while walking. Oklahoma went from 3 pheasants per hunter per day to two this year and we were not even told that information until we got there. On the last day our guides showed no interest, shot birds to help us reach our limit faster without asking, and didn't even try to help get our pheasant limit or any the last day. Guides were supposed to clean the birds but all they did was tore some of the feathers off and put the birds on ice. Some were not even gutted, feathers still on and no shot removed so we had to finish those up when we got home. I doubt that my father in-law will even go on a hunt now again. So I am looking for a place to go perhaps next year on in the future. I don't have to have the perfect wait on me type of hunt, which wouldn't be bad but I just want to go somewhere with a guide perhaps that lives up to their word and runs their outfit professionally and not where every other word out of their mouth is a curse word. That was disrespectful. Any suggestions anyone? Doesn't matter the state. I can be emailed at taz_gerstman@yahoo.com as well for advice. Thanks. oh and where would someone recommend for a good goose hunt? Thanks
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I think you get out of the hunt what you put into it I mean your blaming your guide for not telling you about bird limits in a state you are going to be hunting & lodging not taken care of??? That 100% your guys responsibility read the hunting regs b4 the hunt or get a hunting rules regulation book as you buy you license...

Also calling the hotel motel b4 you arrive is a good idea I've been stood up by SD game & fish cabin was not left open with key Inside key code not activated was told its all taken care of so I feel your frustration

As for the crazy dogs & no personality guides ??? Bad luck or maybe they felt disrespected with something said??? So let dogs run & shot your birds so no complaints??? Or to boost there averages???

Better luck next go round...
 
well for starters I feel that if you are the guide service and you say that you are going to take care of everything then you should. If not then tell me and I can handle the details. Don't make me try to get info out of you like pulling teeth. As far as the dogs, etc, we never said a word or anything about the dogs or how they were doing or anything. Not once did we say anything that would have made the guides feel disrespected or anything. We just did as we were told and shot birds when they flew up. Its not my place to have to do all the work if they guide says he will take care of it. Again I have no issue with doing what I need to do but I think that needs to be made clear up front. I have been on several elk hunts and mule deer hunts all guided so this is not my first intro into guided hunts. and it is hard to shoot your birds when the dogs are 50 yards in front of you and flush them up then. I thought the whole point in having dogs is so they can find them and then flush them up, etc.not saying that will happen all the time but usually that is the idea right?
 
Are you saying the guide shot some of your birds? That is both illegal and intolerable.
 
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taz_gerstman said:
well for starters I feel that if you are the guide service and you say that you are going to take care of everything then you should. If not then tell me and I can handle the details. Don't make me try to get info out of you like pulling teeth. As far as the dogs, etc, we never said a word or anything about the dogs or how they were doing or anything. Not once did we say anything that would have made the guides feel disrespected or anything. We just did as we were told and shot birds when they flew up. Its not my place to have to do all the work if they guide says he will take care of it. Again I have no issue with doing what I need to do but I think that needs to be made clear up front. I have been on several elk hunts and mule deer hunts all guided so this is not my first intro into guided hunts. and it is hard to shoot your birds when the dogs are 50 yards in front of you and flush them up then. I thought the whole point in having dogs is so they can find them and then flush them up, etc.not saying that will happen all the time but usually that is the idea right?
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You asked if dogs are supposed to flush the birds in front of you? Well if they are flushers... If pointers they point & you walk up to bird flush it & shoot it... Dogs sound like they found birds & flushed em? It'd the hunters job or guides job to tell the hunter to keep up with dog or get into position for a shot if birds getting birdy & the client is not aware... The dogs don't wait for the hunter unless told to if u pay $$$ you should be able to say hey hold ur dogs back a second or let us catch up... If they were flushing birds 50 yards ahead that'd only 5-10 yards outta range for a lot of guys late season...


If I was lied to like u say you were & I got to my destination & found no lodging & 1 bird less limit I'd have to say come on man & this was all supposed to be handled if you did not do this then you are a better man then me or hate conflict??? If you did mention this b4 the hunt etc maybe that's wear the guides coped a attitude??? I'm not justifying there un professional behavior just saying I see how it mite happen by the sound of your experience...


If you are paying the $$$ to be guided its 1 thing but you can not let a guide walk all over u unless you wanted your hand held like most guided big game hunts... Never guide the guide but you have to express when your not happy or lied to etc.
 
I TOTALLY agree with OP. Im not a guide, but have been on guided in SD. I take quite a few unskilled hunters out on occasions and explain how and what to expect when in my company. Never heard any complaints, but wow, "cant believe how well trained your dog is".
 
Again. We never told the guides how we expected or what we expected. Yes we paid money. I have been several hunts here where I live now granted they were release birds but the dogs pointed as did his a few times I don't like my hand held in any situation. I have been hunting for a long time. We just followed the lead of the guides and tried to do what they instructed because they know those birds we don't. So it's water under the bridge now so maybe a better experience next time
 
I guide for grouse and woodcock, I always have a pre hunt meeting on what I expect from the hunters and I will let them know when the dogs are birdy or to hustle if on point in front of use. I do go over the bag limits during this meeting, but not before, as mentioned hunters need to do some home work. I also give them a choice of hunting over a pointers or a lab or both. Unfortunately, you have those who take pride in what services they offer and their dogs and there are others who treat it like a job. I don't provide lodging but will recommend local places along the river to stay. I'm sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with those guides, I treat my clients like I would want to be treated. It is more stressful for me when guiding clients then when I hunt, cause I want them to have a great time.

I would check out some of the sites listed on here and give them a ring.
 
I'll weigh in. I've guided quite a bit in the last 8 years or so. You said pen raised birds correct? So why was there a limit??? If they were released birds then the place you were hunting had to have been a bird preserve...As a guide, I have carried a gun before, but only when the clients ask me too. This has happened 3 times. They just couldn't hit the birds and they were watching their dollars fly away. I would rather not carry a gun when I guide so I can make sure everyone is safe. I go through about a 20 minute meeting before hand. If there are limits (wild hunting), its a must to go through what they are. I am very respectful to all clients even if they are serious assholes. I'll listen to bitching if I'm getting paid! I also treat everyone as if they are brain dead mules wandering through the desert. Need direction. Take all of the thinking out of the hunt for them so they can relax and have a good time. I also scout and work my ass off in the mornings and evenings before and after the hunt. That way I have a gameplan for the next day. Guides have a lot of pressure on them when hunting in the wild. But zero pressure on preserve hunts. So there is a big difference there. I also pack a cooler, drinks, lunch, and each man gets a bag of deer jerky to carry in his vest for snacks. This helps give everyone that warm and fuzzy feeling. Sounds to me like you just had a bad experience. Hopefully your other guided hunts have been good and this is just one bad one out of a bunch of good ones. I had one guy not sign my waiver one time because I have a rule in there that it is $5,000 if you shoot a bird dog. Fine by me, don't hunt then is what I told him. The point to that rule is DONT SHOOT MY DOG!!! Cause not only will you pay money, you will get a serious beating. The other guys in the group hunted and had a good time. The whole time telling me that the guy is just a d!ck and don't worry about it. He went to a local bar while we hunted.
 
If guides shot birds for me they wouldn't be counted toward my limit. And if a guide got out of the truck with a shotgun I'd have some questions.

I'd also never hire a guide for simple bird hunt.
 
PheasantWhisperer said:
I'll weigh in. I've guided quite a bit in the last 8 years or so. You said pen raised birds correct? So why was there a limit??? If they were released birds then the place you were hunting had to have been a bird preserve...As a guide, I have carried a gun before, but only when the clients ask me too. This has happened 3 times. They just couldn't hit the birds and they were watching their dollars fly away. I would rather not carry a gun when I guide so I can make sure everyone is safe. I go through about a 20 minute meeting before hand. If there are limits (wild hunting), its a must to go through what they are. I am very respectful to all clients even if they are serious assholes. I'll listen to bitching if I'm getting paid! I also treat everyone as if they are brain dead mules wandering through the desert. Need direction. Take all of the thinking out of the hunt for them so they can relax and have a good time. I also scout and work my ass off in the mornings and evenings before and after the hunt. That way I have a gameplan for the next day. Guides have a lot of pressure on them when hunting in the wild. But zero pressure on preserve hunts. So there is a big difference there. I also pack a cooler, drinks, lunch, and each man gets a bag of deer jerky to carry in his vest for snacks. This helps give everyone that warm and fuzzy feeling. Sounds to me like you just had a bad experience. Hopefully your other guided hunts have been good and this is just one bad one out of a bunch of good ones. I had one guy not sign my waiver one time because I have a rule in there that it is $5,000 if you shoot a bird dog. Fine by me, don't hunt then is what I told him. The point to that rule is DONT SHOOT MY DOG!!! Cause not only will you pay money, you will get a serious beating. The other guys in the group hunted and had a good time. The whole time telling me that the guy is just a d!ck and don't worry about it. He went to a local bar while we hunted.
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I like your waiver on your dog , if I were in the guiding business I would do the same , O ya along with the Butt Whipping !!!
 
I've only hunted with a guide one time, in 40 years of hard core bird hunting.It was in South Dakota at a swanky hunting plsce.My dad paid, and the guide was good, but it was easy hunting, and a lot of birds held.I will not go to another plsce like that, unless it's on the house.
 
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