Blackwater Hunting Service

Submitted by: Darren Hilyer

Review Submitted: Oct 17, 2010

Hunt Date: Sep 12, 2010

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Days Hunted: 0

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 2000-2999

great time good hunting good food

i have hunted with terry and his guides for a few years now. everytime we go there its great. in 3 days i harvested 2 bucks and 1 hog. my wife harvested 2 hogs

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Submitted by: Mark Harrison

Review Submitted: Oct 8, 2010

Hunt Date: Oct 6, 2010

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Days Hunted: 4

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 1000-1999

whitetail hunting

Outstanding deer hunting and hospitality. I consistantly harvest good bucks and does. I see 50 to 100 deer everytime I go to Blackwater hunting lodge. I've been hunting with Terry since 1996 and it gets better every year. Food is 2nd to none. Highly recommended.

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note: The following reviews predate the numeric rating system and are not included in this outfitter's overall rating.

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outfitter review submitted by: John P. Hershey-Consultant on Oct 16 2007

Species Hunted: WhiteTail Deer

Game Quality: Excellent

Accommodation Quality: Outstanding

Camp Condition: Outstanding

Food Quality: The finest anywhere

Guide Experience: Extremely well versed in thier

Other Personal Experience: Outstanding

Overall Impression: Top-Of-Line, Best Bang for your Dollar

Recommend: Positively YES

Reviewer Comments: Terry Heirs and his workers do everything possible to make your hunt the best possible. Their stands are exceptional. Lodge and food is Top Notch. I will go there in the future and take family and friends. No one will be disappointed!

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outfitter review submitted by: Darren Hilyer on Sep 2 2006

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Game Quality: GREAT

Accommodation Quality: GREAT

Camp Condition: GREAT

Food Quality: EXCELLENT

Guide Experience: EXCELLENT

Other Personal Experience: GREAT

Overall Impression: EXCELLENT

Recommend: ABSOLUTLY

Reviewer Comments: WELL THE SAME OLD STORY,Ive hunted at blackwater hunting for the past 6 or so years things just get better.i killed 2 bucks a 10 and an 8, wife killed an 8 pointer all good shooter bucks.i was there for two hunts 1-3day hunt and 1-4 day hunt in 7 days i saw a number of shooter bucks plenty of young bucks bunches of doe's. whats nice is terry keeps from shooting young bucks so every year it seems as if ive been seeing better deer every year. i would strongly recommend blackwater hunting services to anyone that enjoys the sport of hunting (free ranging)whitetail deer.ive been hunting for along time ive been to many other outfitters some good some that are really bad i can tell you from experience this place is 1ST CLASS all the way cant wait to go back!!!!!!!!!!!!

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outfitter review submitted by: Steve Spatafora on Aug 31 2006

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Game Quality: Above Average

Accommodation Quality: Excellent

Camp Condition: Excellent

Food Quality: Excellent

Guide Experience: Excellent

Other Personal Experience: Fantastic

Overall Impression: Will Go Back Again

Recommend: Highly

Reviewer Comments: I have been hunting at Blackwater for 4 years.I lease 500 acres within 45 miles from Blackwater, and still make at least one hunt there per year.I have fair chase hunted for 34 years and FULLY understand it is called hunting for a reason. Results are based on wind,weather conditions and several other factors. I have harvested 2 excellent bucks and 4 does.I have NEVER been misled or promised anything other than the opportunity to harvest quality deer. The Guides and staff are as professional and courteous as you could expect from a QUALITY Outfitter. I strongly suggest you DO NOT let one bad apple InfLOUence your decision for a great hunting experience!

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outfitter review submitted by: Tom Collom on Aug 28 2006

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Game Quality: Up to 110"-good for SC

Accommodation Quality: Best I\\\'ve been to

Camp Condition: Excellent

Food Quality: Gained 5 lbs.

Guide Experience: Excellent

Other Personal Experience: Excellent

Overall Impression: I'll go back every year

Recommend: Even to my own mother

Reviewer Comments: Just got back from an August hunt with Terry Hiers. While I didn't come home with a buck, it wasn't for lack of opportunity. Sometimes things happen that are outside the control of the outfitter, but that's hunting (vs. killing). Anyway, saw probably 30 bucks, including 5 or so that were definitely shootable. Saw at least that many does, too. This was the 5th time I've hunted with Terry, and it's always the same. Outstanding and varied country, careful stand placement, no over-hunting, attention to wind direction and a sincere desire to help his clients succeed. Have I killed a nice buck every time down there? Nope, not every time. Most of the time I have, though, but even when I didn't, I had a great time. I will continue to go back year after year, because the Hiers family runs an exceptional operation. They're honest, hardworking, genuinely nice people. In a nutshell, I'd trust Terry with my wallet, and if I could only take one hunting trip a year, it would be to his operation.

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outfitter review submitted by: Sean Calhoun on Mar 20 2006

Species Hunted: Eastern Wild Turkey

Game Quality: Good

Accommodation Quality: Excellent

Camp Condition: Excellent

Food Quality: Excellent

Guide Experience: Excellent

Other Personal Experience: Ecellent

Overall Impression: Very Good

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: I hunted at Blackwater for an early Season Eastern Wild Turkey Hunt and had a good time. I took two trophy Birds, One weighing over 20 pounds. The weather was not conducive to a great hunt, But the Guide as well as the owner himself hutned VERY HARD with me for al three days to ensure that i had a successful hunt. This made a good impression on me and is an important factor in my recommendation. I been on bad hunts before and this was not one. I would recommend it for someone who is serious about turkey hunting...because they take it very seriously. I have been deer hunting there once as wel a couple of years ago and had a good hunt then as well. The lodge is very nice and the staff and food was great. The food was a country style of cooking and was plentiful as wel as delicious. I take it seriously when I pay to go on a hunting trip as we all should and I was treated very well and did not leave feeling that I had not gotten my money's worth.

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outfitter review submitted by: Darren Hilyer on Jan 4 2006

Species Hunted: whitetail Deer

Game Quality: great

Accommodation Quality: Excellent

Camp Condition: excellent

Food Quality: Excellent

Guide Experience: great

Other Personal Experience: good

Overall Impression: Excellent

Recommend: absolutly

Reviewer Comments: It was December 27 my wife and i and 2 children went to Black Water I figured it might be the slow time of he year for seeing deer but we figured we would try it, boy was i wrong.we saw lots of deer. we saw a few nice bucks and a lot of doe's it was a great trip because we had are 2 girls with us one is 8 and one is 12, they really enjoyed sitting and watching the deer and turkeys. my wife and I sat together on one hunt and man was that fun. I film a lot with a video camera and I was lucky I went with her on this day. we saw a really nice 8 point and she was able to take him while I got it all on camera WOW that was great. Then on the next day I sat with my 12 year old daughter and she was able to take her very 1st deer it was a nice doe.man you talk about nice memories. I've can say I've been to this lodge before and it seems like its getting better and better. They really have a nice place,they really try hard for there hunters and the food is great. I've been to some other lodges in South Carolina and they don't come close to this one this place is 1st class

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outfitter review submitted by: LOU KEITH on Nov 17 2005

Species Hunted: WHITETAILED DEER

Game Quality: TERRIBLE

Accommodation Quality: VERY GOOD

Camp Condition: VERY GOOD

Food Quality: VERY GOOD

Guide Experience: BELOW AVERAGE

Other Personal Experience: GREAT COOKS

Overall Impression: VERY POOR

Recommend: NEVER

Reviewer Comments: I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO HARVEST TWO OR THREE MEAT DEER WITHIN A SHORT DRIVE OF MY HOME IN FLORIDA. SADLY, MANY HUNTING OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHEAST ARE "HUNTING MILLS" THAT HAUL SPORTSMEN TO STANDS IN GROSSLY OVER HUNTED AREAS. AN ACQUAINTANCE TOLD ME THAT A FEW YEARS AGO HE HAD HUNTED AT BLACKWATER AND THAT AT THAT TIME THEY HAD A FAIR DEER POPULATION. ALTHOUGH SKEPTICAL, I CALLED TERRY HIERS. HE TOLD ME AT THAT HE HAD AN "ABUNDANCE" OF DEER SINCE HE DID NOT ALLOW OVER HUNTING. HE SUGGESTED A RUT HUNT(EXTRA COST), SAYING THERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF DEER ACTIVITY. BLACKWATER'S LODGE WAS CLEAN, MODERN AND WELL APPOINTED. IT HOUSED FOUR BEDROOMS, EACH WITH THEIR OWN BATHROOM. MEALS WERE A CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST, WITH A LEFTOVERS-AND-SANDWICH LUNCH AND A CLASSIC, HOME COOKED SOUTHERN SUPPER(HIGHLIGHT OF THE HUNT). LATE MODEL CREW CAB PICK-UPS WERE USED TO TRANSPORT HUNTERS TO THE WELL-MAINTAINED STANDS. THE STANDS WERE LOCATED IN PLANTED PINES AND POWER LINE RIGHT-OF-WAYS WITH CORN PILES LOCATED 100-150 YARDS AWAY. IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVAL(NOVEMBER 9,2005), TERRY HIERS BEGAN MAKING EXCUSES AS TO WHY NO ONE WAS SEEING DEER(TOO HOT, TOO DRY, TOO MANY ACORNS). TOO HOT? THE MORNING TEMPERATURES OF THIS HUNT WERE 48, 35 AND 36 DEGREES. SOUTH CAROLINA'S DEER SEASON STARTS AUGUST 15TH WHEN THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE IS 91. WHY DOES HIERS BOOK VELVET BUCK HUNTS(EXTRA CHARGE, OF COURSE) FROM AUGUST 15TH TO 31ST, IF DEER DON'T MOVE IN HOT WEATHER? TOO DRY? LO0K AT HIERS' HOME PAGE: "BLACKWATER CONSISTS OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT TRACTS OF LAND ENCOMPASSING RIVERS, SWAMPS, CREEKS..." I'VE KILLED DOZENS OF DEER IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH TEXAS WHERE IT'S ALWAYS DRY, OFTEN HOT, AND SOMETIMES THERE'S A LOT OF ACORNS ON THE GROUND. GOOD GUIDES MAKE THINGS HAPPEN, NOT EXCUSES. THE HUNTING WAS TERRIBLE. I SAW SIX YEARLINGS(45-60 LBS) IN 3 1/2 DAYS. THESE EXTREMELY SPOOKY AND WARY YOUNG DEER CONSTANTLY LOOKED AT THE STANDS, A COMMON SIGN OF OVER HUNTING. THE MATURE DEER IN THIS AREA WERE OBVIOUSLY NOCTURNAL. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, HIERS BILLED THIS AS A RUT HUNT. ONLY ONE OF EIGHT HUNTERS KILLED A BUCK. NOT ONE HUNTER REPORTED SEEING A BUCK CHASING A DOE. TWO HUNTERS EACH SHOT TWO UNDERSIZED DEER AND THUS PAID FINES TO HIERS OF $200-$300 FOR EACH YEARLING. ONE OF THE HUNTERS SAID THAT HIERS WAS ACTUALLY CONSIDERING EXPANDING HIS OPERATION FROM EIGHT TO TWELVE HUNTERS DAILY NEXT YEAR(!). I'VE HUNTED FOR OVER 45 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN ON NUMEROUS GUIDED HUNTS. THIS WAS THE WORST I'VE BEEN ON. WHILE MOST OUTFITTERS WON'T GUARANTEE A KILL, WHEN A HUNTER DOES NOT GET A SHOOTING OPPORTUNITY, MOST REPUTABLE OUTFITTERS WILL OFFER CONCESSIONS, SUCH AS A PARTIAL REFUND, A FREE HUNTING DAY OR A FUTURE DISCOUNTED HUNT. HIERS DID NOT APOLOGIZE FOR THE POOR HUNT NOR OFFER ANY CONCESSIONS.

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outfitter review submitted by: DARREN HILYER on Jan 9 2005

Species Hunted: whitetail deer

Game Quality: excellent

Accommodation Quality: Great

Camp Condition: Great

Food Quality: Excellent

Guide Experience: Great

Other Personal Experience: Great

Overall Impression: Excellent

Recommend: Absoulutly

Reviewer Comments: whent back to blackwater hunting services just before the end of the season. things went great we saw lots of deer. my wife missed a good one and i saw several nice bucks but harvested a mature doe.ive said this before this place really has it all.thanks to all the staff at blackwater hunting. cant wait till turkey season wife and i booked that hunt.

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