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A Bridger-Teton National Forest Permittee Operating near Greys River, Salt River Range, Wyoming
Grant Gertsch, professional guide and camp manager Site updated June 14th, 2007 |
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Q: What area do I apply for to hunt with you? |
A: Region or Area G (as in Great Giant Gnarly bucks) for deer.
No Type.
Archers and rifle hunters buy the same tag. Odds on drawing: Prior to 2004
were about 50% on elk,
40% on deer. 2004 odds were about 80% for Special License, 35% for
regular license. Varies each year. |
| Q: What are your hunting season dates? | A: Deer Sept 15 to about Oct 8 (closing date varies) I
hunt deer area 144
Elk Oct 15-31 I hunt elk area 89 Moose Sep 15-Oct 31 I hunt moose area 23 |
| Q: Is Wyoming on a drawing system? | A: Yes, it is a random computer drawing system for permits. There is a higher-priced Special License and a Regular License. Once you draw the licenses, the hunting opportunity is the same. The G&F dept puts 40% of the elk, deer, and antelope permits in a special drawing at $240 extra price for deer and $480 extra for elk. Generally fewer people apply for those more expensive permits, so the drawing odds are better. Call Jonesy for your chances. Contact me to get apps and find out what to apply for. I will help you with applications. (307)886-3356 |
| Q: What is the cost of the permits and when do I apply? | A: Deer is $326 for the Regular License and $566 for the Special. Elk is $591 for the Regular License and $1071 for the Special. All is refundable if you don't draw except for a $14 application fee. Wyoming does not have a Hunting License and then buy the big game tag. It is one piece of paper. In addition there is a $12.50 Conservation Stamp which must be purchased by all hunters before hunting. Archery hunters must purchase an archery tag for $30. Elk hunters who hunt the Jackson Hole region must buy a "feedground stamp" for $12.50 (new in 2003) |
| Q: Do you have a preference point or bonus point system? | A: No. I've been working for years trying to get the Game and Fish Department to adopt a preference point system. They have it now on moose and sheep and within the next couple of years will have it on elk, deer, and antelope. We lost the legislative bill by 2 votes in 2003 to get preference points. Beginning in 2006 the unsuccessful applicants for elk, deer, and antelope will receive a preference point. |
| Q: How many hunters do you have in camp? | A: I schedule 8 hunters in camp at one time. Sometimes because of the draw I will have fewer than 8. Occasionally I may have 9 because of a group being an odd number. |
| Q: Do you offer one-on-one? | A: Yes, subject to me having a good guide available. I won't just grab an inexperienced guide off the street just to fill a 1x1 request. $1,200 extra for 1x1, which actually doesn't cover my costs. |
| Q: How long have your guides been with you? | A: The guiding profession is a transient one because of it being a seasonal occupation. A guide will do something foolish like getting married and having to get a real job with year-round employment. I count myself fortunate to have had some guides for a long time. I bought Grant with the camp in 1983. Tom has guided for me for 8 years. Aaron for 7 years. Brian for 4 years. Sparky for 14 years. Some of those, like Aaron or Darin, are temporary guides, taking some time off work to help me out for a week or two. When I have to pick up a new guide I train him well and require that he spend weeks in the area getting to know every trail and do a lot of pre-season scouting. I have a guide contract that he must agree with and sign, and it emphasizes that the hunter is paramount to my operation and the guide's sole purpose in contracting with me is to help that hunter have a great hunt in every sense. |
| Q: Do you have a pack-in camp. | A: No, thank goodness. Some guys think they want a pack-in camp because it is more remote, hence the hunting is better. WRONG! On a pack-in camp they are limited to hunting within a horseback ride from camp, thus pressuring the animals near camp and driving them away. With my drive-to camp we have a lot more flexibility to hunt farther and pressure less. I will stack my hunter success against any camp in Wyoming as far as animals seen and shot at. |
| Q: How big is the area you hunt? | A: My area is 20 miles long and 15 miles wide, 300 square miles. It is so large we don't cover all of it in a season. That is one of the secrets of my success, a very large area so that it is impossible for us to overhunt it. Frankly, my area is the envy of all the other outfitters in the Greys River. |
| Q: Who else hunts your area? | A: I hunt National Forest which is public land, so anyone can hunt it. |
| Q: What is a typical day? | A: The wrangler lights your propane heater in your tent 15 minutes before the generator comes on. When the lights come on you arise, dress, and come in for breakfast, make your lunch, and fill your canteen. Your guide determines where you go that day and you may ride out of camp (5 horse trails leave from camp) or you will put the horses in a trailer and go to a distant trailhead (12 trailheads are from 2 to 12 miles away from camp). You will ride an hour or so in the dark to be in a prime spot at daylight. You will glass the ridges, hillsides, and canyons. You may move to other spots on foot or on horseback. At times we will sneak likely bedding areas, or the guide may make a drive. All methods have been successful. You will have lunch on the mountain and maybe a nap. We hunt all day, returning to camp at dark. |
| Q: What are my chances of success? | A: Typically 90% of my hunters can kill a buck or a bull, and 50% of them will get a shot at a trophy buck or bull. If you are in good physical shape the odds are better, if in poor shape the odds are worse. Even though it is a horseback hunt, you still have to go after them when they are spotted. It is rough country so you need to be in fairly good shape. |
| Q: I've never been on a horse. Is that a problem? | A: Every year I have hunters who are either very inexperienced or have never ridden. No problem. My horses are gentle dude string horses who are used to just following the one in front of them. Normally you will just sit on them and enjoy the ride. By the end of the hunt you should be somewhat proficient at horseback riding. Because it is steep country I have a weight limit of 240 pounds. |
| Q: What caliber rifle should I bring? | A: I don't care what the caliber as long as you can shoot it straight. The biggest buck we killed in 2001 was killed with a .243 with 75gr Hornady Hollowpoint bullets. Davey Glover nailed that 33 1/2 inch buck at 250 yards and the buck dropped in his tracks, not merely dead but truly and sincerely dead. Using that same load in my .243 I have killed numerous deer, elk, two bears, and two moose. One elk hunter in 2001 hit a five point bull which could not be recovered and missed a close easy shot at another 5 point bull with his 30-06. Afterwards he was cussing himself for not bringing his .270 with which he had killed 113 animals. He brought the 06 because his friends told him a .270 wasn't big enough for elk. BULL!! You don't need a cannon to kill a buck or a bull elk, in spite of what your favorite outdoor writer says. All you need to do is shoot straight, and for heaven's sake, don't shoot them on the point of the shoulder. That is the hardest place to penetrate an elk's vitals that there is. I have tracked more wounded elk hit by a 300 mag than any other caliber. Please Please bring the rifle you are most familiar with. If you need to buy a rifle I strongly recommend a .270 Rem shooting 130 grain bullets. Great weapon! |
| Q: What airport would I fly in to. | A: The Jackson Hole Airport which is 62 miles from camp. I charge $50 for airport service, round trip, per hunter. Some groups of hunters find it cheaper to fly to Salt Lake and rent a car and drive 4 1/2 hours to camp. Flying in to Salt Lake is reasonable, the extra connection to Jackson is very expensive. |
| Q: How about archery hunting? | A: I have excellent archery hunting with usually a lot of chances at elk and deer. Of course getting with 40 yards is difficult. On elk we cow-talk the bulls in. On deer it is spot and stalk. Chances of getting a 40 yard shot at either is about 30%. |
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