Water Valley Lodge

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: D'Anne Rothbardt on Apr 6 2004

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: Plentiful

Accommodation Quality: First Class

Camp Condition: First Rate

Food Quality: Excellent

Guide Experience: Knowledgable

Other Personal Experience: good

Overall Impression: Great Experience

Recommend: Yes...See Comments

Reviewer Comments: I've hunted with the Utsey's at Water Valley for the past three years. I've always seen lots (scores)of deer and hogs as well. I've taken 3 beautiful whitetail at Water Valley and two boar hogs as well. What I like most about Water Valley is the overall atmosphere there. With the exception of one other guest who was too uptight about hunting to hunt, the guests at Water Valley always seem to have a good time. I've met some really nice people there and look forward to my trip this upcoming season. The guides have always taken good care of me and I consider them to be well prepared for their job each day. They have always been right on with the information they have given me about the places I've hunted. The food is excellent and in abundance...in fact I always gain at least 5 pounds over a three day period. As for accommodations, I have yet to have to share a room or bunk with anyone other than my friends, who also hunt Water Valley each year. Their policy provides private accommodations for each party that comes there. I would reccomend Water Valley to anyone who has an appreciation for well managed property (land) and facilities. They don't like for you to shoot young bucks, get into their vehicles with a loaded gun or muddy up their rooms with nasty boots. Personally those are rules I can live with.

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outfitter review submitted by: Chip Ledbetter on Mar 31 2004

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: Bucks everywhere!

Accommodation Quality: Great

Camp Condition: Great

Food Quality: To Good!!!!

Guide Experience: Good

Other Personal Experience: Good

Overall Impression: Great place to hunt!

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: I had a great time hunting at Water Valley! I got the biggest deer of my 20+ years of hunting and my dad killed his second biggest deer in his life! Both deer scored in the 130's. I will go back and hunt with Jake & Pia again!!! Great turkey hunting also!

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outfitter review submitted by: Jacob Bunner on Jan 24 2004

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: poor

Accommodation Quality: average

Camp Condition: good

Food Quality: excellent

Guide Experience: like the other guy wrote "

Other Personal Experience: don\\\'t ask

Overall Impression: very poor

Recommend: not to my worst enemy

Reviewer Comments: I hunted here in Jan 2003 for whitetail. I wasn't frustrated because of poor weather, or other things out of the control of the Utsy's. I hunted for 3 full days and didn't see anything larger than a young five point. That didn't frustrate me. What did Frustrate me was that deer would look up into empty stands, i could see accross the fields, to see if a hunter was in the tree. This indicates that this area is over-hunted. It's hard to see mature deer when even the yearlings know where the stands are, and for what they are used. Jake told me that they had 25,000 acres or so. (I believe that is correct,close anyway)That is alot of land to have pressure this great. In my 3 days, there were around 15-20 hunters there. That was in my three days. That is a warning sign. Sell as many hunts as you can, screw hunting pressure and game management. Their entire game management philosophy is Don't shoot does, and bucks must be 17inch spread. thats it. other than that, unload the busses, pay the man, and start shootin'! yeee haaa. The guides could care less. This was my first "outfitted" hunt. I had a great time in Wyoming. Im glad i didn't give up after this scam. Any questions, please email me. I am not bitter. I wish i had found this site. before I gave them my money. I don't know who the guys that left positive info are, butI agree with the guy jake called a turd. Of the 15-20 hunters i saw, 2 took legal bucks. One was a beauty. no one even saw a hog. If you want to spend approx $400 a day to see yearlying does and spikes- give 'em a call!

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outfitter review submitted by: Morris T Yates on Dec 11 2003

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: Poor

Accommodation Quality: Good

Camp Condition: Good

Food Quality: Good

Guide Experience: None

Other Personal Experience: N/A

Overall Impression: Con Job

Recommend: No

Reviewer Comments: This is an update of my experience @ Water Valley in 2002. I have now received 2 emails from Mr Utsey this past week. In the first email he states that he transported me to within close proximity of the stand that I hunted all day and it wasn't his fault that an inexperienced hunter ( 35+ years hunting ) couldn't locate it without any problems and that I must be very inexperienced or a beginner because I didn't see/get a shot/or kill a deer from the stands that I was placed in while there. I thought that I wouldn't ever hear from him again, but I have and I have pasted his own words from his email on this website as a true representation of his character. It follows : "I forgot to mention to you mr yates that All Water Valley Hunts are semi guided. Not for novice hunters like yourself. You know damn well I walked you in to your stand the first morning you were there. I personally have been hunting for 30 years as to the "what experience" you pointy headed little henpecked turd. You are a sad man to act in the manner that you do. I bet big money you have a lot of problem relationships. For a turd like you it may seem normal. Since you are so smart pointy head-buy yourself a piece of land. That way you wont have to pay others to hunt. if you are bitter after not killing anything then you can blame yourself. You act like a fool, you look like a fool, then you must be a fool. " I rest my case against Mr Utsey, he has spoken for himself.

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outfitter review submitted by: Jeff Herrington on Oct 17 2003

Species Hunted: whitetail

Game Quality: excellent

Accommodation Quality: 1st class

Camp Condition: new

Food Quality: can I have seconds?

Guide Experience: very helpful

Other Personal Experience: very friendly

Overall Impression: great memories

Recommend: without hesitation

Reviewer Comments: I visited the lodge 2 times last season once with my seven year old son. Who took 2 deer. We saw over 10 rack bucks in 3 days 6 over 15" and we saw these 6 at the same time in the same food plot. My son still talks about that almost daily. The people are very friendly and family orientated I had second thoughts about carrying my young son thought he might not fit in or be in a rough suitition, however this was not the case. they treated my son with the same respect as myself, He is already packed ready for this years hunt. thank you very much

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outfitter review submitted by: Steve Henderson on Sep 20 2003

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer / Turkey

Game Quality: Good

Accommodation Quality: Very nice and very accomodatin

Camp Condition: Better than a lot others I hav

Food Quality: Very Good, overfed at times

Guide Experience: Good, they worked hard for my

Other Personal Experience: Good, everyone was ready and a

Overall Impression: I have been there with my son 3 times, i would not go back if I did not like it. i found the Utseys

Recommend: I would and have already recco

Reviewer Comments: I chose an outfitter that I could drive to and hunt an area thats rut is starting after our season is over. Jake and his crew showed my son and I many different types of terrain to hunt.I found the guides to enjoy seeing the clients getting a big deer. They offered suggestions about gear and wear to spot deer.My son and I enjoyed their company and enjoyed the hunt a great deal.I am currently signed up for my fourth visit.

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outfitter review submitted by: Lee Wilson on Sep 18 2003

Species Hunted: whitetail

Game Quality: excellent

Accommodation Quality: excellent

Camp Condition: excellent

Food Quality: excellent

Guide Experience: excellent

Other Personal Experience: very helpful

Overall Impression: quality hunt at a good price

Recommend: yes

Reviewer Comments: hunted at water valley in Jan 2003. Guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Saw a lot of game-hunted in trophy area-but chose to pass on several deer. Accomodations were first class and food excellent-served with a smile. Very friendly, hardworking folks that go out of their way to make sure you have a good time. Rules of the hunt spelled out in advance-no surprises and no hidden cost.I will be back and will recommend it to my friends. Lee Wilson

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outfitter review submitted by: Morris T Yates on Sep 7 2003

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Game Quality: Poor

Accommodation Quality: Excellent

Camp Condition: Average

Food Quality: Average-Good

Guide Experience: What Experience?

Other Personal Experience: What Other?

Overall Impression: Disgusted!!!

Recommend: Not without lying

Reviewer Comments: I hunted the last week of December, 2002.I was driven to within 1/4 mile of where I was to hunt and given general directions as to where the stand was located and told that if I couldn't find it with a flashlight, then wait until daylight and look some more and should be able to see it. Found it accidentally because it wasn't where I was told it would be.Saw 9 does & 9 turkeys before the so-called "guide" came walking through the woods to bring me a peanut butter sandwich for lunch as I planned on staying in the stand all day. Saw no more deer. Day 2, finally found another stand with bad directions as to where it was ( located after daylight and still not sure if it was the one that the "guide" gave directions to ). I didn't see any deer that morning but I did get to see 2 hounds running all around my stand all morning. I had planned to stay on stand all day again but didn't see the point due to the dogs. Got out and waited for the "guide" to bring my sandwich and told him that I wanted to hunt another area, without dogs, for the afternoon. He was gald to oblige and promptly took me to another stand that was located in a field that was located within 400 yards of a house. Didn't see anything except the fireworks display from the house that started sometime after 4:30 and ended just before dark ( guess they ran out of fireworks ). I was picked up well after dark and returned to the lodge at which point I decided to end my pain and just go home. There were over 20 hunters in camp during my ordeal and the success ratio was approximately 10-15%. Some of the hunters came from as far away as West Virginia and left with nothing to show for their long drive.If this had been my first experience with a "guided" hunting operation, I probably wouldn't book another, but fortunately I have had better experiences in Texas and will never hunt in Alabama again. To this day, I'm still trying to figure out where those great quantities of deer are located that I read about in a Buckmasters Magazine article about Water Valley Lodge.

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outfitter review submitted by: Rick Brake on Apr 1 2003

Species Hunted: White Tail Deer

Game Quality: Semi-poor

Accommodation Quality: Great

Camp Condition: Good

Food Quality: Fair-to poor

Guide Experience: none

Other Personal Experience: none

Overall Impression: poor

Recommend: No

Reviewer Comments: The price of this hunt is cheep, 1400$ in and out including licensing.The guides hate their boss and won't give the client a clue about what to expect. My opion is that they are trying to run 400 hunters per season. Jake is crude and his wife is not much better. They need to work on their people skills. PS If you shoot a 14" buck on their trophy section...bring extra money. Or you will have to leave. Rick Brake

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