[fall gobbler]

Anyone have any experience with this outfitter for deer hunting. They're located on the Eastern shore in Maryland.

I think the guy who runs it is Ken Schrader.

Any info is appreciated. Thanks

 

[huntin-nut]

I think he is ok for waterfowl but I don't recommend him for deer hunting. I did a late season muzzleloader hunt with him a couple years back on a property that was supposed to be trophy only 125" or better. There were 4 of us and no one saw a deer the whole first day. Second morning we hunt another farm and soon as daylight comes we are getting pepperred with shot from the goose hunters hunting the same property while we were in our stands and needless to say we saw no deer. We finally ended up the 3 day hunt killing 4 does that we were only able to get because the guides put on drives for us and actually I think they were driving them from neighbors property but we saw nothing close to a decent buck. They had a JD Gator on this farm to get guys to the stands which was bought new in September and we were hunting Dec.28-30 and that gator had almost 400 hours on it which told me they overhunted this property big time. I never intend to go back. Look for someone else if deer hunting.

 

[Jamey Cursi]

Way overhunted........I have heard nothing but negative stuff.

 

[cwa1104sab]

Can we do it his way??? Does anyone know of a good guide in Maryland for deer?? I've also thought about doing that since its nice and close. Just thought Id ask. Thanks

Sab

 

[drewsmith]

I can offer any opinion on Schraders as I have never hunted there, but he certainly can not be as busy as he is without some happy customers??

If you run down the counties in Maryland the two best are going to be Kent and Queen Annes. Cecil in nice, but there is alot of pressure up there and it is a rifle county. Lot's of deer harvested that do not reach potential and probably the number one poaching county JMO. Kent and Queen Annes are nice as there are some larger tracts of woods but super expensive. Talbot is very developed and while it has lots of large farms, many of the mansion type, waterfront places are not hunted. Caroline is very nice as it is the least pressured and still somewhat affordable. Dorcehster, Sommerset, Wicomico are even less expensive and get less pressure, but the quality of ground is far inferior to the upper short. Pines, instead of hard woods, and soik quality (yields on farms) is much lower. Lot's of the area is marshy and while it makes for good cover, not so much to grow a dense population of big deer.

So if you look at Kent and QA counties which most are thinking of when the consider ES deer hunting, a good farm is going to run $10,000. Maybe you can get but a few 150" deer on that farm each year through some aggressive habitat programs and QDM practices. Adding on insurance, hanging stands, guides time and profit you will need at least $15,000 in revenue. At $250.00 guided hunt cost per day you will need to have 60 hunts. If everyting is perfect, you will have two happy hunters that will shoot a big buck. A 3% success rate is pretty darn tough.

Due to the cost of the leases, I think a trip to IL or OH makes more sense. The same $10K in lease cost get 5x the land.

 

[Sharkbait]

Never heard anything good about his deer operations, much of the same posted above. Heard he gets allot of business from ads and hunters that are just "city" boys and are just as happy with a doe.

 

[Cudorun]

Ditto, I know numerous guys that hunted with Ken but not one of them went back for a 2nd hunt.

 

[Big Ken]

Go to Virginia....Best kept secret in the east.

 

[fall gobbler]

Go to Virginia....Best kept secret in the east.

I was asked to go to Schrader's. I was pretty sure I wouldn't go, but I thought if it got good reports on here, maybe.

It's funny, the guy who booked the trip (whom I don't presonally know) is from Virginia, operates a big hunting website and was a guide in Idaho. I think he got his hunt for free.