Wave IM'ed me and asked if I would like to join in a ARF hunt. I think trying to hunt together as a group has many problems including members not having hunting licenses, hunting clothes, enough property to hunt on, hunting style guns, members from different states would have to buy out of state licenses, lack of hunting experience and most important the lack of games animals to shoot.
I have hunting small game on shooting preserves for many years. Although not a "real hunt" the good points include no licence required, game guaranteed and no experience required. Although fun I think this group would enjoy a big game hunt better. Birds require sporting style shotguns and wingshooting. This group is more rifle oriented and owns rifles.
There are several hunting preserves in the northeast that offer big game hunting including wild boar. This would require no licence, centerfire rifle, hunting, work or military clothes and guaranteed game. The cost would be 500 to 1000 dollars depending on preserve and size of trophy animal.
Here are three preserves:
Old Stone Fence Hunting Preserve, Rensselaer, NY
Wild Hill Hunting Preserve, West Fairlee, Vermont
Tioga Hunting Preserve, Tioga, Pennsylvania
All three can be found on the web. Wild Hill has the best reputation for the most authentic hunt and is the most expensive. Tioga has the worst reputation for fenced in game and I have no information about Old Stone Fence. If anyone has any experience or know about any other preserves please share.
I think this would be fun and something to plan in the future. Hunting is year round at these preserves. Doing it after the holidays would give time for members to save money and plan time off. Tell me what you think. MIKE.