Outfitter Review - Performance Outdoors

Outfitter Information

Outfitter Name: Performance Outdoors

Outfitter / Contact: Jake Roach

Location: Illinois, USA

Hunt Information

Animals Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Game Quality: Poor

Game Quantity: poor

Accomodations: Unacceptable

Camp Condition: Excellent treestands

Food Quality: average

Guide Experience: mine was 1st year guide

Other Personal Experience: head guide very good, others g

Review Information

Hunter: Bob Tunney

Phone:

Email:

Would Recommend: no

Overall Impression: very disappointed

This hunt began with a lot of promise, we booked as a group of 12 believing we had camp to ourselves as promised by Jake. When we pulled in to camp after driving 18 hrs one of the "senior" guides greeted us with a disdainful "you're kinda early aren't ya" and went back to working on his car. That set the tone. The accommodations were in a run down motel, paint peeling non-drinkable water in rooms (was it safe to use shower? who knows). Then a bunch of additional hunters showed up so we realized we weren't alone this week. Also we were told that with all the acreage we would have no problem with spots to choose. Well with the camp overbooked we had very few chances to move around until tags were filled. Again not what we were led to believe when booking the hunt. My guide was a kid out of guide school, polite but clueless. Generally I felt the guides were not supervised, and little coordination existed. One night i got back around an hour after dark and the guides had eaten most of the food, i settled for scraps. That has never happened to me on a hunt, guides always eat after hunters and managers ensure this. Not here. My guide would ask me where i wanted to hunt that day instead of suggesting areas that had been well scouted in advance. Around midweek, Jake showed up, we told him how unsatisfied we were and he shrugged it off. The properties i must say were great looking deer habitat, the stands i hunted out of were new and in very good condition (which i haven't always experienced elsewhere) and there was some decent sign. I saw 2 very small bucks and a doe in a weeks worth of hard hunting. My area and guide were terrible. Yes there are no guarantees in fair chase, but you want to believe that your guide knows the area well and can offer constructive advice. There were 2 huge bucks taken in my group and 2 other respectable deer but not what you come to Illinois for. I believe the properties have huge deer from the sign, but i am told by my guide we had over 100 hunters out there before us so the place gets pounded. When we pulled into the driveway, my hunting partners first words were "o my god we are at the bates motel" it looks that bad from the outside.I work hard for my money and cherish the available vacation time i get and commit to a hunt. In good conscience based upon my experience there I would never recommend this outfitter. It is too bad since the farms leased are in prime territory and have some great potential, but if they get overhunted then chances for success are greatly diminished. I realize these guys have to make a living, but other camps i have been to charge a bit more and deliver much more value for the dollar. And yes i have been on a hunt before in Wisconsin where i saw a fawn in a whole week and no deer taken but would go back there in a heartbeat as the facilities great, properties spectacular and the guides worked their butts off. So it isn't just the kill but the overall experience that makes or breaks a hunt.

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