Luxury varmint hunting lodge?
- Thread starter mainecoon
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Neighbor used to have one of those, ended up not paying out, he was full service too!
courtgreene
Member
Sometimes something doesn’t exist because it has yet to be invented, but sometimes something doesn’t exist because the market will not bear it. It seems at least in the case of that neighbor, the latter is the case here.
CapnMac
Member
Hmm, first fly in the ointment would be in the range management required to support several colonies of picket pins and the like.
Which is like to need some original Wildlife research on what are minimum colony sizes & habitat areas for varmints.
A successful lodge has to have a sustainable group of colonies so as to not "shoot itself out of business."
Mind, some protected shade and padded firing positions might be neat to have. But, part of varminting is laying in the dirt squinting through the mirage through the day.
Which is like to need some original Wildlife research on what are minimum colony sizes & habitat areas for varmints.
A successful lodge has to have a sustainable group of colonies so as to not "shoot itself out of business."
Mind, some protected shade and padded firing positions might be neat to have. But, part of varminting is laying in the dirt squinting through the mirage through the day.
Rembrandt
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Interesting idea....but I wonder why anyone would want to stock and supply varmints? Unlike Quail-Pheasant-or game ranches that produce an edible product, varmints are known for spreading disease and being detrimental to the property. Trying to maintain sufficient populations of groundhogs, prairie dogs, and coyotes for paying clients coming through on a regular basis seems unworkable. Not like you can have a breeding program and feeders to keep the population going for future guests. Then there is the property damage that comes with underground varmints. At least with a game ranch (ie:deer, elk, etc) there's no long term ground damage. Coyotes would most assuredly wipe out other small game (game birds, rabbits) as a food source. Maybe the closest thing to what you're suggesting would be pig hunts.
In all the years I've seen prairie dog shoots, only 2 things seem to come close to a permanent solution: poison and plague. Not even all the expert marksmen could wipe out a single town in 5 years, let alone the neighboring towns. Ground hogs I could see, coyotes are almost impossible to rid an area of, if the area is not well populated, other coyotes will move in, some organization did a study proving that whilst population numbers may fluctuate from year to year, there is no way to be rid of them.
Another issue not addressed yet, most states around here require out of staters get an extra permit for coyotes etc. Many shooters have a hard enough time with the concept paying a landowner to shoot a problem critter because they're doing us such a favor in the first place that they disagree with license fees on top of it. I'd point to the idea that some people have shared on this forum that landowners should welcome all hog shooters with welcome arms.....
DocRock
member
Don’t know them myself and cannot assure the degree of luxury, but they have nice lodges and plenty of p-dogs
https://spuroutfitters.com/varmint-hunting-in-wyoming/
https://spuroutfitters.com/varmint-hunting-in-wyoming/
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I don't know why people think they would have to be on site. A lodge/ranch at a good location could easily lease nearby property to shoot P-dogs on. They wouldn't have to own any property with critters on it at all.
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I’ve got plenty of places to go shoot prairie dogs on private ground within 50 miles of my house. I wouldn’t pay a plug nickel to go do it. But guided prairie dog shoots are becoming quite popular. I think it’d be worth it for a day or two for someone who doesn’t have the opportunities that we have nearby. It’s a really cool experience.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I agree. People from the east who have long dreamed of travelling west in search of prairie dogs would appreciate the opportunity to do it in style. Especially when we don't know where the hell to go in the first place.
You'd be amazed of what people are willing to pay for an experience alone. I've invited a bunch of people to hunt deer, grouse, moose and the like over the years and it's not once or twice people have tried to offer me money as a thank you, even several hundreds of bucks. I've always told them to kiss my a$$ and bring a few packs of decent beer instead, something we can share over a campfire.
Opportunities to hunt are in short supply in lots of geographical areas. Personally I like "exchange hunts" where each of the participants use their resources to provide an unique hunting experience to others. A fantastic principle and in many cases it works much better than any commercial hunt can.
Hello all,
I actually just posted asking for recommendations on guides for prairie dog hunting in SD.
I am in IL. You would have to pay for it if you are not local to the area. Unless you are retired, you wouldn't have the time to locate dog towns or get permission from land owners. Now there is a limit to how much I would pay. I am starting to see all inclusive lodges asking $600 a day.
All I ask for in this type of outfitter is clean accommodations, decent food, good opportunities on towns that have not been shot too often and good people.
I actually just posted asking for recommendations on guides for prairie dog hunting in SD.
I am in IL. You would have to pay for it if you are not local to the area. Unless you are retired, you wouldn't have the time to locate dog towns or get permission from land owners. Now there is a limit to how much I would pay. I am starting to see all inclusive lodges asking $600 a day.
All I ask for in this type of outfitter is clean accommodations, decent food, good opportunities on towns that have not been shot too often and good people.
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