We would all live, breathe, sleep and eat hunting given the opportunity. But the simple fact is that most of us have a day job and a family which demand the better part of our time and attention. So when hunting season rolls around, we want to make sure we give ourselves the best opportunities we can while bow hunting whitetail deer. For most of us, that means finding the best outfitter we can to maximize our chances of taking a world class buck.
As hunters, we already go to great lengths and significant expense to live the sportsman’s life. We think nothing of buying the best equipment we can afford, shelling out cash for a land lease and taking time off work in hopes that fate will shine down on us and that all of our hard work and practice will pay off with the opportunity to harvest a trophy whitetail buck.
Most of us, if we’re dedicated to hunting and take the time to do the right things right, do manage to take a nice buck once in a while. But if we’re being honest, most of our whitetail deer hunting trips fail to deliver a chance to get a shot on the kind of bucks that we dream about.
World class bucks start with rigorous habitat management. Bucks which spend the year getting the right nutrients grow larger and sport bigger racks. And contrary to what some feed plot distributors would have you believe, there’s actually quite a bit of science which goes into making sure an area’s deer have access to the best mix of nutrients. We could spend our time tinkering and trying to get it right, but it makes more sense for most of us to trust those who dedicate their whole lives to bow hunting whitetail deer and providing memorable whitetail deer hunting trips for others.
There’s no doubt that working with an outfitter or guide gives you a better chance of having successful whitetail deer hunting trips. That’s why even professional hunters use their services. But how do you pick the best one for your whitetail deer hunting trips?
Don’t be afraid to shop around. Look through the record books. Which hunting ranches do you see mentioned over and over again? Ask for references. Never hunt with a guide who can’t offer you several references, showing that they’ve helped others to successfully harvest monster whitetails. Ask about more than just the size of the deer. Ask about the whole experience. Bow hunting whitetail deer should be an enjoyable experience.
Donald Hall is among the world’s most successful whitetail hunting outfitters and guides. His Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch has seen more record book quality bucks harvested than any other game ranch in the country. If you really want a shot at monster buck when bow hunting whitetail deer, plan on taking your next whitetail hunting trip to the Missouri Ozarks to hunt Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch.