Hey all, this is a bit of a community interest question based on a conversation I had with my wife recently. I've been trying to figure out a way to fund my love for elk hunting. One thing I've noticed from a lot of people on here from out of state is that they inquire about specific units. I'm not selling any services at this point, but was wondering if people would be interested in hiring a local to go scout a GPS coordinate and give a report? Do these services already exist? I definitely don't want to step on the toes of any sponsors or anything if this exists, but I've not found much when doing a google search outside of guided hunts. I know Go Hunt is a great resource for tags and tips with some great photos of most units and On X is incredible for e-scouting, but neither can give you pictures and scouting reports from specific areas you pick out. I'm just looking for a way to fund my elk season and maybe give someone else a better idea of a specific area they are interested in better than google earth satellite photos. This would be on a small scale primarily limited to within driving distance of northern Colorado. If this seems like something people would be interested in, let me know. If this sounds like an awful idea, let me know.
Boots on the ground scouting
- Thread starter Colorado
- Start date
bdubb78
Member
These services already exist but you could have a competitive advantage if you could offer it at a lower price point. I have seen hunting scouting reports go for as much as a grand or more depending on what they include. Some offer coordinates of known concentrations or you can even have people working specific animals if it is a trophy tag situation. Try googling hunting scouting reports and see what you find. Here is a quick example...
https://www.monstermuleys.com/hunt-consulting-scouting/
https://www.monstermuleys.com/hunt-consulting-scouting/
HuntTalk Freak
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
- Messages
- 1,168
Funny timing as I stumbled upon such a service yesterday while reading a thread on rokslide. I was curious and thought it was a good idea for guys like me who can't really do scouting trips, I think the cost was around $1500 though. Too rich for my blood but I can understand someone with a hard to draw tag and the extra money but not extra time would go for it.
You know that would make a lot of sense for high preference points units. I haven't even began to look at those around here since I just started elk hunting last year. That would be a good excuse to scout around in areas I'll never hope to draw. For now I was thinking more along the lines of helping folks who are traveling across the country and it would be worth of paying for someone else's Saturday to hike into an area and see if anything has ever lived there, what the condition of a burn/timber cut looks like, trail usage, camping/hunting signs, etc. I know my brother was interested in knowing whether or not the creek near the spot they wanted to hunt had trout in it. (It did.) Even seeing what the amount of deadfall is like in an area can be worth a lot just to plan a more realistic trip (and save one's shins.)
I just watched a herd of about 40 big bulls cross from 15 to 12 while on hwy 60. Each one at least a big 5 point with 2 months to go for growth...
The bill will be in mail with gps co-ords....lol
Oh,this does not count as it was butt in the truck driving to town as oppossed to boots....
The bill will be in mail with gps co-ords....lol
Oh,this does not count as it was butt in the truck driving to town as oppossed to boots....
BlakeA
Well-known member
Good Lord. It's depressing thinking about what western hunting will have become 10 years from now.
Fund your elk season? Maybe get a career that easily covers all of your bills? Shouldn't be very difficult especially since your resident tag is less than a $100.
Fund your elk season? Maybe get a career that easily covers all of your bills? Shouldn't be very difficult especially since your resident tag is less than a $100.
D
Deleted member 16014
Guest
I don't fault you a bit for wanting to make a few bucks, get in the hills, and use your skills for $. I don't think you are a bad person or would ruin hunting by doing this.
However, I do hate pay-for-scouting and animal location services in general. They cheapen the value of the resource in the long run, and should at the very least be regulated by a permitting system like guide services are. In my opinion if you can't scout and deliver on a tag you draw, you can go in blind or you've got the guide option, and that should be enough. It's regulated to maintain at least some semblance of order (to differing degrees of success). The primary defense of the practice seems to be that it's legal, which I can't argue with. Hell all kinds of terrible ideas are legal.
I don't expect my ethical dilemma to be anyone else's, but if I were in the OP's shoes I'd want to know there were two sides to the coin.
However, I do hate pay-for-scouting and animal location services in general. They cheapen the value of the resource in the long run, and should at the very least be regulated by a permitting system like guide services are. In my opinion if you can't scout and deliver on a tag you draw, you can go in blind or you've got the guide option, and that should be enough. It's regulated to maintain at least some semblance of order (to differing degrees of success). The primary defense of the practice seems to be that it's legal, which I can't argue with. Hell all kinds of terrible ideas are legal.
I don't expect my ethical dilemma to be anyone else's, but if I were in the OP's shoes I'd want to know there were two sides to the coin.
I appreciate you sharing this. I will research if something like this would fall under the required licensing of a guide as there are more similarities than differences. I can understand the ethical dilemmas for sure. Along the same line of thought, I'm not a fan of guided hunts because I agree they cheapen the resource. But I can understand people trying to get the most out of the private land they have or the experience they have on public land. Some people have time and some people have money, and most of us have not enough of either. In my scenario, I would only be able to make a handful of trips in year due to other responsibilities. That said, I view this more of a service to assist folks that are new to Western hunting and have been told in numerous instances to spend the first year making the trip and plan on just scouting without expecting to be successful. I was mostly curious if this service is really being offered to any degree outside of a guided hunt or prepared scouting report showing someone where to go. This would be limited to individuals who have done their e-scouting research and want to know if the drainage they've picked shows any evidence of elk/deer/mountain lions...
Again, thanks for bringing up the mention of guide licensing. I had not gotten far enough down this thought process to consider that. I'll have a chat with Parks and Wildlife to see if they have input to that regard.
BlakeA
Well-known member
This 100%^^^^
D
Deleted member 38069
Guest
Had to do it!
farmerboy1381
Active member
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- Jan 19, 2018
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- 107
I would Hate it as well if he was offering to go do everything and tell the person where he should hunt or to pattern bucks/bulls and sell this info to the highest bidder. However, I personally don’t see it as unethical or cheapening the resource to answer questions like “what is the growth like in this burn area?” Or “Is there decent opportunities for glassing along this ridge?” “What is the condition of the road going through this area?” Questions like this get asked an answered pretty regularly on forums like this for free if you can find someone who knows the answers. I think the O.P is offering to be the guy who knows the answers for a small cost. Anybody that has done a lot of out of state hunting has run into problems were things that looked good on google earth were ruined by stupid things that would have been obvious to a quick glance from somebody on the ground. I would not complain at all about knowing someone who could run and check if an access area is open or if there is actually food in a basin during a drought year, is a certain creek crossable or is it chest deep? I don’t know what the market would be for such info and I imagine it would be worth more in high points units where hunting time is at a premium.
genesis273
Well-known member
I'm not trying to derail the thread, but I live about as far from Montana as I can be (North Carolina), and I can't fathom the thought of paying for someone to scout for me. I just drive out 2400 miles one way every Sept, spend 2-3 weeks hunting. If elk are not in first area, I move to another. If I kill an elk, great. If I don't, it was an incredible camping trip! But, that's just me I guess.
But there are people willing to pay to not do the hunting. Cash in on said people.
But there are people willing to pay to not do the hunting. Cash in on said people.
BDH
Active member
Colorado,
You should PM everyone that starts off their first post with "Not looking for anyone's honey hole, but....." with your business plan and rates and see where it goes from there.
RLTW
You should PM everyone that starts off their first post with "Not looking for anyone's honey hole, but....." with your business plan and rates and see where it goes from there.
RLTW
genesis273
Well-known member
Good idea! But he'll have to act fast. Most never hang around long on here.
Thanks for everyone's input on this. It's given me a better understanding of what's currently available as well as the importance of being overly and abundantly clear that this wouldn't be a service to sell secrets or known locations of herds/animals. I especially appreciate those who were cordial and read through what I was asking to provide helpful feedback. I'm hopeful that I can find a way to make something like this work to save people a day or two of scouting and open up opportunities for guys to come elk hunt but have more limited time-off opportunities and would otherwise not get to experience chasing bulls in the mountains.
D
Deleted member 16014
Guest
Fair enough, but I've given info like that and more out to dozens of people by PM here over the years for free, as have many others on Hunttalk. I'm not going to tell them what ridge I intend to glass from on opening day, and they aren't asking for that info. If someone does some research and asks good questions, people are generally happy to provide some knowledge in friendly conversation. It's the paying for it, and from someone you don't even know part that is bothersome. Some of the guys I've helped with odds and ends on here have been really successful because of their own efforts. Some I may have e-mailed with once, some have become friends, and everything in between.
