Grand River Outfitters Guide Service
Grand River Outfitters & Guide Service
Rated 5 out of 5.0 based on 14 Outfitter reviews.
Contact: Don Cox
Location: Hale, Missouri
Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer, Turkey
State(s) Hunted: MO
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Submitted by: Jason Carroll
Review Submitted: Oct 26, 2010
Hunt Date: Oct 25, 2010
Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer
Days Hunted: 5
Hunt Type: Semi-Guided
Primary Terrain: Farmland
Method: Bow
Price Range: 1000-1999
Number of animals seen, met expectations?
Size of animals seen, met expections?
Hunting pressure in the guides area, met expectations?
Would you hunt with this Guide again?
grand river outfitters
This is the 7th year in a row I've hunted at Grand River. This is a first class operation, good food, lodging, and the outfitter really knows the deer in the area. I've taken several p&y deer in the past.You will be hunting private farms with lots of crp and ag fields mostly corn and beans. Hunting areas are limited to very few hunters during the year so pressure it at a minimuin. All stands are scouted mostly with camaras and by the outfitter. Great place to hunt and I recommend it to anyone looking for a great hunt.Great area with a great price. Good hunting !
report this reviewnote: The following reviews predate the numeric rating system and are not included in this outfitter's overall rating.
outfitter review submitted by: Mike Carden on Nov 26 2009
Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer
Game Quality: Good
Accommodation Quality: Good
Camp Condition: Good
Food Quality: Good
Guide Experience: Good
Other Personal Experience: Good
Overall Impression: Good
Recommend: Yes
Reviewer Comments: Don is top notch and knows the land. I didn't bag the big one because he is too smart and didn't come out. I have passed on several deer up to the 140 class. The guys who complain about this outfitter are idiots and just can't be pleased no matter what. And they usually kill a buck which is a successful hunt. I can't wait until next year to get back.
outfitter review submitted by: Mike Carden on Nov 24 2009
Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer
Game Quality: Excellent
Accommodation Quality: Excellent
Camp Condition: Excellent
Food Quality: Excellent
Guide Experience: Excellent
Other Personal Experience: Excellent
Overall Impression: Excellent
Recommend: Yes
Reviewer Comments: We had an unusual Low Pressure System over us the entire hunt. Oh well, maybe next year. Don is top notch and knows the land. Most complainers are new or just can't be pleased. That's the fact of dealing with the public. You have to wait on a very big buck...PATIENCE IS THE KEY....I have passed several bucks up to 140 over the last 5 years. I missed a 180 two years ago because of a long shot while the monster was running. He came out of nowhere. Can't wait until the hunt next year. Thanks again Don.
outfitter review submitted by: Reed Hoskinson on Dec 30 2008
Species Hunted: white-tailed deer
Game Quality: poor
Accommodation Quality: fair
Camp Condition: fair
Food Quality: poor - ate out a lot
Guide Experience: n/a
Other Personal Experience: n/a
Overall Impression: poor
Recommend: no
Reviewer Comments: Our party of 5 booked a 2008 first season rifle hunt with Grand River Oufitters. This a is production line hunt with 65 hunters a week moved through. The main lodge was "smoking allowed" so we ate pretty poor food in a cigarette smoke haze. Don has lots of blinds, some in pretty poor condition, where you are assigned to hunt. Our group seemed to be assigned on the "edge" of deer country. We slept in a second cabin where there was no smoking, thank God! You transport yourself to the daily hunt, and call if someone shoots a deer. Out of 65 hunters there were several deer shot, but almost all were the 2-3 year old 8 points with no mass. This is definitely not a trophy hunt - everyone shoots the first deer they see with 4 points on one side.
outfitter review submitted by: Jay Crumpler on Nov 26 2008
Species Hunted: deer
Game Quality: good
Accommodation Quality: poor
Camp Condition: poor
Food Quality: poor
Guide Experience: below poor non existent
Other Personal Experience: poor
Overall Impression: very poor
Recommend: absolutely not
Reviewer Comments: Listed below are the misrepresentation that Grand River Outfitters presents in person and on the website. 1. no guide or semi guided hunts 2. some of the pictures on internet and at his lodge are from locals deer harvest. 3. trail cam pics are from a wildlife refuge 4. accomodations 1 bathroom to 16 hunters 5. advertises 1 buck and a doe well aftr the buck he does not want you to kill a doe 6. doe to buck ratio is way out of wack 1:10 or 15 I would guess 7. Harvest percentage is very low and will not move a hunter from a stand for 3 days. 8. Owner Don Cox first thing he ask for is your money and never has any conversation with you regarding satisfaction of any hunter. 9. hunts are over booked had 48 one week and 62 another. 10. no help at all from staff from getting game out of field or to the processor 11. had a hole in back with 15 + dead deer that the heads had been cut off. This was a total waste of good deer meat. 12. Don Cox the owner is hunting and this is the reason paid guest never see him to go over any concerns.
outfitter review submitted by: Perry Heatherly on Nov 17 2008
Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer
Game Quality: Good
Accommodation Quality: Excellent
Camp Condition: Excellent
Food Quality: Excellent
Guide Experience: Excellent
Other Personal Experience: Excellent
Overall Impression: Great hunt
Recommend: Yes
Reviewer Comments: It was unseasonably hot the first week of November all week long. We still saw quite a few deer and of the 4 of us hunting all got an opportunity to shoot if we had wanted to. I would definitely recommend this outfitter. I can only imaging what the hunting would have been like if the weather had been cooler. My son stuck but lost a 300 lb. 140 inch buck (the outfitter jumped him when tracking and got a good look at him is how I know this).
outfitter review submitted by: Mike Meigel on Mar 11 2008
Species Hunted: Whitetail
Game Quality: Poor
Accommodation Quality: Good
Camp Condition: Good
Food Quality: Fair @ best.
Guide Experience: Lousy
Other Personal Experience: Lousy
Overall Impression: Terrible
Recommend: NO WAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reviewer Comments: When we booked this hunt we were told only 12 Bow Hunters in camp. Got there and found 34 Bow Hunters. 14 of us sharing 1 bathroom. Out of 34 bow hunters only 3 bucks shot. We were there the week before rifle and all Don Cox was concerned about was working on his rifle stands. This guy talks out both sides of his mouth. If you want to go on a good bowhunt beware of this guy. He is only interested in your money. Rifle hunting is his main stay. The first 2 weeks he had at least 99 rifle hunters and only 56 bucks were shot. Go onto his website and you'll see alot of small bucks. All of his land is leased and he is hammering the land. BEWARE OF THIS GUY!!!!!
outfitter review submitted by: Kenny Hoggatt on Feb 2 2008
Species Hunted: Turkey
Game Quality: great
Accommodation Quality: great
Camp Condition: great
Food Quality: great
Guide Experience: great
Other Personal Experience: great
Overall Impression: Awesome
Recommend: Yes
Reviewer Comments: Don takes care of me when Im turkey hunting. Accomedations are great. I gain weight while IM there. I just love hunting with Don and would recommend them to anyone...
outfitter review submitted by: David Gartman on Nov 29 2007
Species Hunted: WHITETAIL DEER
Game Quality: great
Accommodation Quality: okay
Camp Condition: okay
Food Quality: ate out alot
Guide Experience: one good, others poor
Other Personal Experience: not enough
Overall Impression: very very poor
Recommend: absolutely not
Reviewer Comments: My group of five booked and paid for a bowhunt. I took a good buck. The other four in my party and members of other parties DID NOT get what they paid for, as Don and his crew were preparing for a group of 60 + gun hunters and did not show much interest in the bowhunters.Buyer beware! Probably a great gun hunting spot, but very very poor for bowhunters, even though there is great potential. Look elsewhere!
outfitter review submitted by: Kenny Hoggatt on Jul 7 2007
Species Hunted: Turkey
Game Quality: Awesome
Accommodation Quality: Awesome
Camp Condition: Awesome
Food Quality: Awesome
Guide Experience: Good
Other Personal Experience: Good
Overall Impression: Awesome
Recommend: Yes
Reviewer Comments: I've hunted with Don since 2004. He has always put me on to turkeys. The accomadations are great along with great food. I couldnt ask anymore out of a person. He's a good guy and very honest. I trust his judgement. He definetly know what he is doing. I will hunt again with him.
Contact: Matt Brewster
Location: Latham, Ohio
Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer, Turkey
State(s) Hunted: OH
Oregon Hunting Information
Oregon is not known to be a trophy big game producing state. That said they do have good quantities of animals such as Elk.
Manitoba Hunting Information
Manitoba is known as a top destination for avid waterfowl hunters. Huge flocks of ducks and geese can be found from the Arctic coast of Hudson Bay to the prairie potholes on the southern border of this Canadian province. There is no legal requirement for non-resident waterfowl hunters to use a guide, but many are available and a high percentage of non-Canadian hunters utilize them. In addition black bear, Canada moose and whitetails are hunted throughout the province.
Quebec Hunting Information
Quebec is probably best know as an excellent caribou hunting destination. Hunters from across the globe travel to Quebec to hunt their big Quebec-Labrador caribou migration. In addition to caribou hunting, Quebec offers black bears, Canada moose and whitetails.
