What kind of hunting? Birds? Deer? Elk? What part of the country? Budget?

HI & thank you for your question. He loves all hunting so I am open to suggestions & our budget is negotiable. I want to see what is out there & what different guides cost.
Katie

does he want to kill bambi with a bullet or a bow and arrow?

This is a link to a friend of a friend who is an outfitter:

http://www.arrowfiveoutfitters.com/

@MichelleY, thank you for your time I'll check it out.

It really depends on what type of hunting he likes the most - be it Deer, Elk, waterfowl, upland game, whatever.

Check out the Safari Club and various hunting clubs/magazines for an idea as to costs, locations, etc.

I would probably lean toward the Western states - but there is good Whitetail deer hunting in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, etc, the south, and so forth.

And just a good hunt will probably suffice - not for a Trophy rack, which costs more.

I can recommend this company-

http://www.sporting-trader.com/

Depends 'way too much on what he wants to hunt and when the season is.

For a "knock his socks off" trip, I'd say Alaska. You'd have options on hunting/fishing but I'd say a fishing trip via float plane. No particular recommendations on guide/company.

Here are some options from Cabela's Outdoor Adventures -
http://www.cabelasoutdooradventures.com/trips/fishing/alaska

Oh, you said hunting. Use the same link and look for the hunting options. There's a sheep/combo hunt for $20K in Alaska. That's pretty much "knock your socks off".

If you are going to spend big time for an Alaskan sheep hunt - he better be in great shape to hump up the hills.

Stateside - most guys dream of getting a big elk - as they have already been successful at deer hunting.

And for some fishing options - check out our local radio - fish show - Let's Talk Hookup. They go all over - from Alaska down to Panama out to the Pacific, and they have links to a lot of different companies besides the trips they sponsor/take.

http://www.hookup1090.com/

And here is a collection of various outfitters for Elk hunts - and they have them in just about every western state - including where I grew up in Oregon. And if you decide on an elk hunt - preferable guided if he's not familiar with the area - it's easy to add on a fishing trip somewhere in the area.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_rn=1&gs_ri=hp&cp=13&gs_id=1f&xhr=t&q=elk+hunting+trips&es_nrs=true&pf=p&tbo=d&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Elk+hunting+t&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.41248874,d.cGE&fp=8df4279aa0fd2ba8&biw=1253&bih=660

Here's a map that shows more about hunting in Oregon for example (with both Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule and/or Whitetail and/or Blacktail deer, Antelope, etc) - and then - below that - one Oregon outfitter's page - and then a Field and Stream article about hunting on public land - but again, would pay more for a guided hunt unless he is readily familiar with an area.

Oregon also has all kinds of lake - and river and stream fishing (Trout, Steelhead - which is an ocean going Rainbow trout, Large and smallmouth Bass, Salmon migrating up the rivers - and out in the ocean - as well as big Sturgeon in the Columbia River and of course, as noteed going out to the ocean - where depending on the season - you can also catch Albacore tuna, etc.

http://plicmapcenter.org/view.php?st=OR&ag=BLM&typ=Hunting&gclid=CKfzirXg77QCFW6CQgodKHoANA

http://www.garylewisoutdoors.com/hunting-and-fishing-articles/oregon-hunting/elk/

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/big-game/where-hunt-big-game/2009/08/10-best-public-lands-elk-and-how-hunt-them

Uno mas - plenty of bird hunting in Oregon too - being on the Pacific flyway - for ducks and geese, and you also have pheasant, and upland birds - grouse, sagehens, whatnot.

But the same can be said for Washington and northern California.

Tom STOP!

A friend loved his trip here http://www.timberghost.com/

The Brooks Range in Alaska has a lot of great hunting. Take a look at BRA's website for this. http://brooksrange.com/services/hunting.htm

BRA itself it not a guide service, but they have links to credible guides in the area. When we were up there, there were quite a few groups coming back from successful hunts.

I was serious with what type of hunting he is interested in, as were others. Mine was a bit tongue and cheek but a legitimate question.

Whatever you do, don't send him out into the wilderness with Alec Baldwin (The Edge)

Katie, planning the trip and/or picking out the outfitter may be your husband's favorite part of the trip. Most hunters have an idea of what kind of trip they'd love to go on if they could. Maybe you could give him a gift certificate for the trip of his choice. Having a list of possibilites would be nice, but he may already know of a trip/outfitter a buddy used or they he read about in a magazine that he's been wanting to do. Consider giving him a handmade gift certificat and letting him make the choice.

Wow! This has been so exciting getting all of this information & thank you to everyone with the wonderful links; I truly did not know where to start.

I am keeping the links for future use also! Time & keeping this gift within reason does dictate we stay in the states.

@starrs $20k is a bit out of my reach right now; not that I wouldn't love to do that for him. He is an ARMY man & we were stationed up at Fort Wainwright so he has been hunting & fishing there. Although I know he would go back anytime. Thank you.

@Tomsd I really got excited with the Gary Lewis Outdoors in Bend. We actually live about 2 hours at the most from Bend & this means he can spend more time hunting than traveling! I think this is the outfit I am going to go with! Thank you so much.

@starrs I do think I am going with you suggestion about him picking which hunt he wants to go with now that I found a place that looks great. The kids are very excited too; thank you.

@Lookin_Glass yes & thank you. I don't do this kind of sports myself & honestly don't pay a whole lot of attention when he talks about it, so it is helpful to have details pointed out to me on what to think about; I appreciate it.

He does all types of these outdoor sports and has a bow & all the other equipment & I love the idea of him picking his choice of what he wants to do; that way we know he will really be happy.

Again I want to say thank yo to everyone for your suggestions and I am keeping all the links for future information.

Katie

Yes, Gary Lewis looks like a good outfitter. There was also a guy over in Prineville (hour or so east of Bend - as you probably know) I was planning to hunt with - and he was very reasonable - but it just didn't work out. Sorry - lost the contact info, but again, suggest you just google away and make some calls.

There are a lot of big bulls in the Ochoco mountains, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochoco_Mountains starting just outside of Prineville - plus other big game. http://visitprineville.org/vacationing/day-trips/hunting/

John Day country is also very good.

And here a guide I just found by googling and as noted - there are others. Again, suggest you contact a few of them to see what fits best for your husband. http://www.outfitterjohncole.com/mule_deer_hunts.php

I grew up hunting in Klamath Falls, further south - which also has a lot of options.