Guided hunts gives you access to hunts you would otherwise not have access to.
In some places it is not even legal for a non resident to hunt unguided, In some places it would just be impossible to create your own infrastructure, In some places it would be too risky to hunt solo, ... etc.
For me, I'd rather have hunted the Caucasus, Taurus, Alps, Carpathians, Tien Shan, Pamir, Altai ... mountains, guided, than not hunt those fabulous places.
But I notice that some people tend to look over the shoulder at hunters that go on guided hunts, not seeming to understand that these hunters may hunt solo as much or more than they do, and then hunt guided as much or more than they do unguided, too.
Also, they do not seem to understand that hunting guided does not necessarily mean sitting in a heated blind with a docen deer around a feeding machine and having your guide (?) point at the one he wants you to shoot. There can be much more than that and you can be participative and help saddle horses, set up camps, cook, glass for game, skin, load the meat, ... etc.
I am not sure if these people represent the fox's role in Aesop's fable the Fox & the Grapes.
Just my thinking.
To risky to hunt solo? Well I have a wife and a couple of backpacks but I digress.
But my real question... whats your opinion of the draw blood policy.
Yes, in my opinion, some hunts are too risky to do solo. Not that a pronghorn can shoot back at you... I am basically thinking in late season mountain hunts above 8,000ft. I just got back from the Caucasus and that can be a good example of what I mean: too remote, too treacherous, and too hard conditions to do alone. Even guided, at some stage during hunts like this, one who is there will think what the hell is he doing there!
And my opinion on the draw blood policy is that there is no other way of doing it. It can be unfair at times, and under some very special circumstances I would understand some discretionality in its application form the outfitter/guide, but the undebatable starting point needs to be that once you draw blood the hunt is over. Otherwise, everything woul be at risk of becoming an unorganized mess. May I ask what do You think?
