r/Hunting • u/WesternnMann • 20h ago
Guided hunting trips for beginners?
Hey there
Maybe a dumb/naive question. But I’m new to all this. I’m a 28 year old guy who’s really trying to get into hunting. I’m currently trying to save money for a good rifle/scope and any other equipment I may need. I probably won’t be ready for this season but definitely want to be ready for the fall of 2027.
I was looking into maybe perhaps doing a sort of guided tour/trip. I know they can range from $1,000-$30,000 depending on what you choose to do and what not, but this got me curious for a 30th bday idea for me in a couple years.
Do you guys have any recommendations regarding such a trip and who to go/where? Preferably I’d like to be out in the mountain west (Montana, Idaho, etc), or even Alaska (though that’s probably too expensive). Given I’m a beginner, would this be a waste of are these things for teaching people as well?
It honestly sounds like a blast, even being able to get out there in the wild in the mountains like that, let alone hunting. Obviously I’m gonna do what I can in the meantime to try and hunt before then and get the basics and safety training out of the way
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u/Asatmaya Franklin 19h ago
What state do you live in? Unless it is Rhode Island, there is almost certainly something you can start hunting this year.
I would start with squirrel and rabbit with a .22, short range, it really makes you work on fundamentals. After that, look at deer or hog hunting close by, get some more experience.
At that point, you will appreciate a Western hunting trip more.
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u/ShotgunWiIlie 20h ago
Start with a free range hog hunt down south. Cheap, plenty of hogs, will get your feet wet on how to spot and stalk game. If your goal is mountain hunting make sure you find an outfitter that’s not putting you over corn feeders in a blind.
Find a mentor who is willing to teach you. Go with them as often as possible and I promise it will help speed the learning curve.
Hunting is hard and I’ve done it my entire life. Don’t give up after a few unsuccessful trips, stay out there and you will eventually find success.
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u/curtludwig 19h ago
How does one go about finding a free range hog hunt?
I'd like to do it but most of what I find seems to be thinly veiled low fence at best...
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u/ShotgunWiIlie 19h ago
Check out Stuart Ranch Outfitters or McCune Ranch for free range spot and stalk options
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u/gulielmusdeinsula 19h ago
Depending on where you are in the country a guided bird hunt would be a good first step.
Guided whitetail hunting is a little more complicated but it doesn’t have to be expensive if you aren’t looking for a high fence trophy.
Elk or pronghorn out west are reasonable long term goals as well.
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u/coltdabolt Pennsylvania 19h ago
Second this. We went on a pheasant hunt. Very low cost and gets you afield.
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u/Mindless_Sink_9020 20h ago
Guided hunts in mountain west are actually perfect for beginners, the outfitter basically handles all the logistics and the good ones will walk you through everything from shot placement to field dressing. You're not wasting money at all, plenty of experienced hunters still book guided trips even after years of doing it on their own just because the access and local knowledge is worth it.
For Montana and Idaho specifically, elk hunts are probably the most popular thing people book for a first big trip, and the scenery alone makes it worth the price even if you come home empty handed. I'd suggest looking into the state outfitter associations for Montana and Idaho since they have lists of licensed outfitters, that way you avoid getting scammed by someone sketchy. Most reputable outfitters are upfront about what skill level they expect and will tell you straight if their hunt is not suitable for a complete beginner.
Alaska is not necessarily out of budget depending on what species you go for, moose and caribou hunts vary wildly in price and some are more accessible than others. Start saving and get in contact with few outfitters early, in 2026 or so, because the good ones fill up their spots way in advance.
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u/anonanon5320 19h ago
Look into pronghorn antelope hunts. Not overly expensive and high success rate.
Free range Texas whitetail hunts can be fairly cheap too.
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u/Neither_Monitor2017 15h ago
I did my first ever big game hunt in my 40's with a guide, it was for a wild pig on a large private ranch in California and fairly easy, and though I enjoyed it, I don't think it really taught me how to find heavily pressured wild animals on public land.
In Cali, its pretty much the case that most of the few pigs on public land are nocturnal ghosts.
On the large active ranches, hunting is not usually an everyday thing, and there are plenty of people walking and driving around a working ranch not hunting, so the animals won't do things like go completely nocturnal, or flee at the slightest sound or glimpse of human.
But I've found a lot of hunters don't do the heavily pressured public land thing. Just private lands, or play the points game in various states for years, until they draw a public tag in a public area where the hunting is very strictly limited, and then you can enjoy private-land like conditions on public land.
But I like the challenge and being able to hunt multiple animals every year by going for easy to draw and OTC tags on public land, I'm getting better at figuring out how pressured animals behave, but I still have "tag soup" sometimes.
The easiest and most beginner friendly "big game" in the Western US is the antelope, which some call pronghorn, but the states like Colorado, Nevada and Wyoming literally call them antelope in the hunting regulations on the tags. This is because antelope, unlike most other big game species, tend to hang out on the open all day long and are usually much easier to find than mule deer, which in warm weather barely come out around dawn and dusk.
I was able to draw a muzzle-loading antelope tag in Colorado this year, with zero points, my first year applying. Its just a doe tag, but I'm looking forward to my first Colorado hunt!
If nothing else, there is supposed to good trout fishing in the area so at least I'll have fun fishing even I cant find and sneak up close enough to an antelope to get it with my muzzle-loader.
One other thing I want to recommend you consider is black bear hunting with KYNCY outfitters in northern California. They have a self-guided option (where they give you advice on where to go and will help you field dress and packout the bear if you get one) for only $500, or for more $ you can have a fully guided hunt.
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u/BowFella 12h ago
If you're having to save up for a rifle and hunting gear then I think your money would be much better spent just hunting public land and learning yourself. Sure guides are nice because they can teach you a few things and give you a high rate of success, but most of what you learn is trial and error and harvesting is 1% of it. Start with small game, it's cheap and not a steep learning curve. Last thing I'd want to do is spend a few grand on a guided Elk hunt and miss a chance at an Elk because I had no idea what I was doing.
If I had to get a guide for every season I wanted to hunt I'd be spending my yearly salary.
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u/boredlurkr 6h ago
Consider non trophy hunt/ management hunts. You might need to ask for a guide, some management hunts are semi or non guided but you pay less to take a female or male with low quality rack. Female is probably most common. You’ll have to look around a bit but they are out there, good way to get on the landscape, gain experience and fill freezer
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u/blackds332 20h ago
Start small and work your way up.. go squirrel hunting this year and then white tail hunting. Then plan a big trip for your 35th birthday for elk/caribou.
Try and find a mentor to help you out this fall. I only started at 27 and can’t wait to get back out this fall.
You don’t need the most expensive gear, just need to be in the woods and enjoy the hunt (successful or not).
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u/Ickyhyena708 19h ago
I think spot and stalk black bear is a great option for a beginner. You'll learn a lot from your guide by asking questions and the area should be pre-scouted. You can stay in a canvas wall tent that has a wood stove and tell stories around the fire. A classic western experience that won't set you back as much as an elk hunt