Buffalo County, Wisconsin is one of the prime counties in the United States for producing record-breaking whitetails. Rolling hills covered in large hardwoods surrounded by steep bluffs give deer unmatched protection to mature. In addition to quality cover and hard-to-reach places, this landscape also provides the farmer top-grade soil for planting crops in just about any place there is bare dirt. Finally, the genetics of the deer in this region are superb for crafting giant bucks with not only length and width but also enormous mass.

Deep in these trophy hills is Bluff Country Outfitters (BCO), founded by Tom Indrebo. This camp is about the most perfect place for a true whitetail hunter. The view from your cabin door alone sells itself as the perfect place for harvesting a mature whitetail. With over 4,000 acres of well-managed resources and years of quality deer management practices, this camp has it all.

Tom has dedicated a large portion of his life to pursuing the large whitetails this region has to offer, including the legendary Mosses buck, which grossed 217 inches. In 1993 Tom purchased a homestead that was originally constructed in 1905. Today, Tom and his family live in this very farm house as they welcome guests from around the world to their dinner table. Guests are treated to some of the best accommodations and out-of-this-world meals prepared by published chef Roy Christianson. The following is my honest opinion and trusted review of Bluff Country Outfitters.

Quality

I rank quality based on sleeping accommodations, food, guide services, transportation and hunting accommodations (blinds and treestands). Bluff Country Outfitters has a number of cabins on the property which are all comfortable, well-decorated in proper décor and nicely heated. The one down side is that not all cabins have indoor plumbing, but Tom makes up points in my book because the shower house facilities are wonderful and clean. If shooting darts, pool or challenging others in camp to a game of foosball while enjoying a football game is your idea downtime, BCO has you covered with a quality recreation facility.

The food served at BCO is actually too good. Chef Roy has been in camp 16 years cooking for Tom’s guests and even though he’s a northern Yankee he can cook up some knock-your-socks-off grits. Roy also comes with side of great music and a dessert platter of stories that will keep you entertained. However, I would say that if you like your coffee on the strong side make sure you tell Roy to add an extra scoop otherwise you might find yourself napping in woods by 9am.

The guide service at BCO is about as top-notch as you can get. Besides the vast knowledge and passion of Tom you will also likely meet Dan Treanklei. Dan’s professionalism, know-how and courtesy make him one of my all-time favorite guides. During my hunt with BCO Dan was tasked with overseeing a group of newer bowhunters as well as needy hunters such as myself. No matter what circumstances he was faced with, he handled himself flawlessly. I’d hunt with Dan any day of the week and I would trust anyone of my closest friends to hunt in the stands he chooses.

The transportation around the different farms was comfortable and safe. The property had a number of very well placed hang-on stands, ladder stands and blinds. Besides being well placed, each location was prepped with tree hooks and bow/rifle hangers. Stand location, as any decent hunter will tell you, isn’t much different year after year unless there was a major disaster or the tree fell down. This is something I look at when reviewing a guide. It tells me how well the guide knows the animal or how fragmented they are in positioning hunters in natural travel patterns. In total I sat five different stands and in each stand I couldn’t find anything I would have done different. BCO has their hunters in stands that leverage natural terrain pinch points, wind current, food resources and line of sight coverage to increase the odds of success. In general the quality is excellent.

Reliability

Every morning I was the second person to the coffee pot. Dan, my guide, was already up and ready to put me on the next big buck. Another person that never failed to impress me was Chef Roy and his secret recipes. I never went hungry nor did I ever have a complaint. Roy even cooked glucose-free meals for a guest in camp in addition to keeping everyone else happy. Finally, the reliability of Tom Indrebo and his knowledge about whitetail deer on his properties never ceased to impress me.

Price/Value

I would recommend Bluff Country Outfitters to any of my friends and family. The value of retreating into these hills during the fall alone is worth every penny. You will find your soul is absolutely relaxed, except for the moment you lay eyes on the buck of a lifetime. If you truly want to understand the value I place on BCO please consider reading "What Dreams are Made Of".

Bluff Country Outfitters is not the cheapest hunting experience out there but it also isn’t the most outrageous. If you’re a bowhunter. plan on going for five days at a rate of $3,200 and if you plan to rifle hunt the rate is $3,200 for four days. Click here for more details on BCO prices.

Referability

I would absolutely refer Bluff Country Outfitters to just about anyone, including my own grandmother. I can’t speak for the spring turkey hunting, but from the amount of long beards I ran into at nearly every stand, I’m betting the experience is nearly the same.

Images by Colin Anthony