is Wilderness Unlimited hunting club as good an idea as it sounds?

[rick1085]

Most if not all WU lease agreements with the landowners state how many big game animals can be taken. It's for the most part way less than one would expect.
Ask them how many animals can be taken in each property.
Ask them how many member are hunting these properties.
Don't think you'll get a straight answer. I didn't.
I was a member for several years. Varmint hunting was what I was mostly doing. (against their rules). Wasn't worth much for anything else.

The duck hunting properties I saw were for the most part pathetic. Recall opening day one duck season at one of their duck clubs in the north grasslands. No water!

Also: Ask them how many members are sharing all properties. There's a reason they wont answer.

[evanboyle]

Most if not all WU lease agreements with the landowners state how many big game animals can be taken. It's for the most part way less than one would expect.
Ask them how many animals can be taken in each property.
Ask them how many member are hunting these properties.
Don't think you'll get a straight answer. I didn't.
I was a member for several years. Varmint hunting was what I was mostly doing. (against their rules). Wasn't worth much for anything else.

The duck hunting properties I saw were for the most part pathetic. Recall opening day one duck season at one of their duck clubs in the north grasslands. No water!

Also: Ask them how many members are sharing all properties. There's a reason they wont answer.

Ah yes... the old Rubino blind 8 no water trick - Ive been there brother. FYI western wildlife adventures picked up Rubino after WU lost it fixed all the water issues, installed more blinds, cut the damn tules, and it shot really well this year.

Wu is a scam and I hope sharing my expeience of being duped will help save others from making the same mistake.

[Dark Hunt]

It's a high pressure sales deal, they are going to tell you that you only get to sign up one time. If you don't sign up that day you don't get to sign up ever.

Why would they put restrictions like that on it, if it's such a good deal? They'll tell you it's because they want to limit it to only the "right kind of people" but why would someone wanting to think it over before making a multi-thousand dollar decision suddenly make them a less desirable person? You'd think that thoughtful, intelligent people would be the type that they'd want to attract.


Each membership level; camping & fishing, small game hunting, big game hunting, etc. cost a different amount. There are individual membership and family memberships, you can't bring guests to big game hunt, even if they're family members. Each ranch has a set quota, many are archery only, most do not allow black powder hunting, you cannot access the hunting ranches when you want, you have to apply for access.

Expect a big game membership to be in the neighborhood of a couple of grand per year plus there is a one time joining fee of a grand or more. You'll probably be paying $3,000 - $5,000 to sign up for a family membership with fishing, and big game hunting access, with the right to apply to hunt on different ranches but no guarantees that you'll get to hunt there. What they will do is guaranty you the chance to hunt but it could be 300 - 500 miles from your house in the last week of the season after it has been hunted heavily. Anything close to the SF Bay area or LA with actual big game hunting will have every member who lives in the area applying to hunt there, so you'll be competing for very limited access during hunting season.

[james29]

[Bull Elk]

Doesn't say on the flyer, and the guy didn't mention.

I figured it would be expensive, but so is guided hunting... :-)

They won't tell you the cost until they meet with you and your wife. I remember that there was two, maybe three different yearly pricing structures. Not cheap.

[BigFatGuy]

Understood.

Thanks, all, for the feedback!

[yoteassasin]

Oh man ...... look up Ponzi scheme it's that but for acces to hunting land ... not to be a jerkus but search WU and you will see my opinion I can assure you that I am statistically much superior on public land

[RobG]

In a word, NO. Past member many years ago

[Mudlol]

I wouldn’t do it.

[XVIga_Rob]

[ACfixer]

It's like a time share for hunting. Total hard sell tactics and very few (if any) satisfied members you can verify on your own.

[tamalpias]

my best friend who introduced me to hunting 20+ years ago was initially a member. he bought the biggest package they offered that allowed a guest (me) to tag along. we did 4 hunts on various wu properties before he passed away and they all sucked. we shot 2 quail and 1 planted pheasant that flew from a nearby bird club. duck/geese hunts where awful, lots of walking and found no game etc.

for just $800 including tags and all expenditures i have managed to tag a big game animal every year in wyoming.

[JagerDog]

Seems most all of these sportsman's clubs follow the same trajectory. Lease hunting rights for some good properties as a co-op. Then add salaries for a board of directors/officers. Then add base + commissions for salesmen. After awhile, the lion's share of the $ is going to the internal infrastructure and not the properties.

Once it becomes a "business" the writing is on the wall. I watched it happen to American Sportsman's Club growing up. Was like $1500 for family membership. We found a ranch near Willits we did good at. Hunted it for say 10 years. Then it became much tougher to get "drawn". Most workaday types schedule their deer hunting trip months in advance so not knowing if you're gonna "get lucky" doesn't work. They had a provision that you could mothball your membership. Many did this and the money ran out to stay viable. Went belly up. Much of the same "brass" formed WU with many of the same properties. Lather, rinse, repeat.