Professional hunting guides or land managers have no real way of verifying any of these “success rates” that are advertised on websites. The reality is any farm can have a 75%+ success rate if you have low restrictions, high-fence deer, or simply choose to type “75%” instead of “35%” when you’re designing your website. I would say that the more high-end estates with $250,000+- lodging would lend itself to be credible. I say this with my lodging probably being worth $25,000 and one worth $75,000. I’m not a high-end Kentucky outfitter that offers a hunting guide and hot breakfasts cooked everyone morning. To the credit of these land managers, in addition to spending all the time working the land, they have to work the kitchen and the lodging. Undoubtedly, if I were a betting man, these people need to be more transparent because they have “employees”. Employees come and go. If employees know there is foul play going on, they would be the first to tell everyone how the outfitter is untruthful and that’s a reputation not worth to make an extra $5,000 over; especially when most Kentucky hunting outfitters are worth over a million bucks.
So, do Kentucky hunting guides factor in “doe hunts” into their success rate equation? They should with all do respect. It’s a success. It’s a deer. Here is another one you might not like. Do hunting services factor in a child during a Kentucky youth hunt that shoots and misses a buck? My opinion is that they should. A “success rate” is used to determine a value of a piece of hunting land, not the ability for someone to shoot their gun. This is where I’d say a kill rate is a stat used to measure exactly what it insinuates. This conversation is just for conversation sake because I’m certain there is no scientific evidence collected or how anyone could disprove any trumped up “success rates” or “kill rates”. There is simply no monitoring system for these claims.
If someone can afford a tractor, dozer, equipment, land, etc., then they probably have a pretty cool piece of property. Their passion started for their love of hunting and developed into an opportunity for them to fun their passion and let others enjoy it as well. When people, outfitters, land managers, guides, etc., spend even $50,000 on some hunting cabins, then they’ve spent a lot more money in the past managing the land. Costs of seed, fertilizer, excavation, tractors, etc. is pocket change to the lodging, so you know they’ve done a good job with the wildlife. I would be concerned with people who didn’t have equipment on site. I’d be considered with people who have no proof of farming equipment or a “pull-behind” trailer type of lodging set up. These people could be “fly-by-night” operations. More than likely they are real hunters trying to help fund their hobby, but they are new and the area probably has not been managed well…yet.