YHF Pic & Story Contest.....My Soap Box for the Day!

YHF Pic & Story Contest.....My soap box for the day

CONTEST for YourHuntFinder.com
Hello, this is Justin from YourHuntFinder.com. I would like to invite you to check out the newest hunting website on the internet, http://www.yourhuntfinder.com/. It is still under construction right now, but you can still do some pre-scouting. New outfitters are partnering with YHF everyday so save us to your favorites list and check back frequently to see what's new.
CONTEST: I have built trophy rooms for all the animals that we hunt. Submit your favorite picture and story of your hunt to YHF and your info will be posted on the site for all to see and read. The best stories and pictures will be interviewed live on YHF Talk Radio. The email address for these submissions is: info@yourhuntfinder.com
Be sure to add us as a friend on Myspace and sign the guest book while you there. Thanks to all you hunters out there and I can't wait to hear from you. Have a great 2008 season and happy hunting!

My Soap Box for Today 3-11-08

It may help to clarify what some of these pricings include to understand why hunts cost what they do. I will agree that some outfitters have high prices, but many times the experience is worth the money. Here are some things to consider when looking at pricing for hunts. This is not just for Turkey, but for any hunt.
1. Land - they aren't making anymore of it and from the looks of it, us humans are beginning to take up more and more of the globe. This is simply supply and demand. The lack of supply will drive up the price. Many of you may remember what it cost to lease property 20 years ago. Compared to now, these prices have sky rocketed. Thus up goes the price of available hunts. Is this greedy land owners or simple economic inflation? Compare prices for hunting from 20 years ago to real estate from the era? Now look at today......not so far off after all is it?
2. Quality of Experience: Many times outfitters have put enormous amounts of time and energy into getting a property ready to hunt. This preperation is to ensure that the hunter has a topnotch experience. this is what I call the "behind the scenes" work. Who do you think fills those feeders, repairs those blinds, marks those paths, cleans up after your visit, cooks, puts the hunter on the animal of their choice or at the very least tries his heart out? There are cheaper routes to go than to spend $500-$1000 for a three day hunt. It is called, do it yourself. There is nothing wrong with that method, but so many of us have become so busy with our family, work and friends that we simply do not have the time to manage our hunting areas. Outfitters manage these things for the hunter.
3. Today's hunts have begun to use the word "All Inclusive" as if we are going on a cruise or something. However, yesterdays hunts aren't as popular anymore. Many guys want to hunt all day and have a nice place to relax, hang with their hunting buddies and tell stories next to camp fire. In other words, it isn't just about the hunt. The overall experience comes into play. The atomosphere of the lodge or camp, the food that is prepared, the service and personality of the guide. It has turned into a mini-vacation for many hunters. Ask yourself, "How much would it cost me to stay in a bed and breakfast for 3 days and 2 nights?" and kill a nice buck or trophy gobbler.
4. Commericalization: It seems that no hobby or sport is safe from it anymore. We are breeding bigger deer, putting up high fences and even feeding the animals a scientifically developed diet. It all cost money. Then we advertise our animals to hunters, which the population of the sport is continuing to grow. More cost.....more demand....less supply! There you have it.....my soap box for the day.
I hope this sheds some light on why hunting has increased in price. These are by no means all of the factors, but these are major points. Cheap leases can still be found, but hunters have to search high and low to find those hidden gems and more often than not a good thing ends sooner than we would like due to people figuring out what they have.
So what does the hunter do with prices for hunting where they are? He plans his hunts, budgets for his hunting and researches the possibilities. Sounds just like what we have all ways done as hunters that don't own our land and manage it for hunting.
Happy hunting everyone! These tidbits of information are not meant to offend anyone. They are simply stated to point out the difference between yesterday and today.
After that long explanation or pricing and hunting, I would like to say that I know of two places here in Texas offer a fantastic experience and killer Spring Turkeys for very reasonable prices ranging from $550.00-$850.00/gun. Both are "All Inclusive" 3 day 2 night hunts. One of which I know includes 2 gobblers and free range of the property. Let me know if anyone is interested and I'll be happy to fill you in on the details. My email is info@yourhuntfinder.com.