---To the staff at Chariton Valley Outfitters,
Dear Mr. Swan; 1-09-24
I wanted to send a quick note to thank you for a truly enjoyable hunt. I had a great time in Iowa! I would jump at the chance to come out again.
Shalita and Peggy were Top-Notch. The food was awesome and there was definitely plenty of it. I appreciate their hospitality.
The hunting was phenomenal. Hunting is one of the things I really enjoy, and you provided one of the best hunting experiences I have had to date! You have a very respectable operation and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to hunt your ground.
I consider myself lucky to have met you and God willing, I look forward to seeing you again this fall! Please feel free to use me as a reference if needed. It would be an honor. Please take care and God bless!
Respectfully Jon M
Erie Pa.
January 29, 2024:
Terry H from Montana: I have hunted twice with Chariton Valley Outfitters, and have a deposit down for 2025. I can assure you that CVO is one of the very best Outfitters that I have ever Hunted with! The Hunt, Guides, Lodging and the Great Food and most of All you really feel like you are at Home! I have had 2 different Guides and both where 100 %. They know their Property like the back of their Hands.
I've been Hunting Whitetails for 40 years, all over the Country and CVO is the Finest! They truly are some of the nicest People you can be around, My advice is to Try CVO you won,t be disappointed, Terry H.
December 3, 2023:
Duane S. from Texas: I had the pleasure of Hunting with Chariton Valley Outfitters here in the beginning of November 2023. I had an excellent experience with the entire staff. The ladies in the kitchen had everything ready from my bagged lunch with my sandwiches and sacks to the sit down dinners back at the lodge. My guide Butch had me on deer every day. Everyone made me feel like family and I’m looking forward to booking again next time for a gun hunt. Thank you and see you soon. Duane S.
January 29 2022
If you are looking for a QUALITY deer or turkey hunt in Iowa, you should give
Chariton Valley Outfitters in Promise City a serious look! I have personally hunted
with these folks several times for deer and 1 spring turkey hunt and can attest to the abundance of deer and turkeys ! The owner, Marvin Swan, has built a spacious lodge. The food is outstanding, the guides are hard working. The trophy quality of the bucks roaming the properties available to hunt are exactly what you have heard about Iowa deer ! I am going back as soon as I can.
Ken Sager, Pennsylvania
January 27, 2022
I have been going to Chariton Valley Outfitters now for about 7 hunting seasons. Every time I go, it is like going home for Christmas to be with my family. Marv's Lodge
is clean, warm and friendly. Home cooked meals that can't be beat, with all you can eat. There are plenty of critters to be seen and hunting blinds that are dry and spacious. The girls will pack you a nice lunch if you choose to hunt all day, or come in for a baby nap for an evening hunt. The hospitality, , hunting, and guides are all top notch. You will meet new friends and have a hunt that will last a lifetime. If I was to rate this outfitter, on a scale of 1-5, 5 stars, for sure!!!
Lenny Delycure Jr.
Dec 11, 2020: I just completed my second hunt with Chariton Valley Outfitters, and cannot wait to go back.
Thanks to the guides at CVO and their knowledge of the properties, I was able to take a great 150 class buck.
You won’t find better hospitality and the meal’s at CVO are second to none. Looking forward to my next hunt with them!
Jim Ash
Dec 11, 2020: I just completed my first hunt at Chariton Valley Outfitters and am looking forward to coming back again. I was successful in taking a nice buck and help with herd management (and in filling my freezer with delicious venison) by also taking a mature doe. The staff and other hunters (many who were repeat hunters) were friendly and very welcoming. The lodge is beautiful and the food was excellent home cooking. You will not lose weight on this trip! It didn't take long to realize that the guides really wanted us to have a successful hunt and when I got my buck on the 4th day it was hard to tell who was happier, me or my guides. I can't wait to get back to CVO.
Dick Detlaff
Dec 12, 2020: I just returned from an outstanding Iowa hunt with Scott Vanderver, Head Guide at Chariton Valley Outfitters. Marvin Swan is the owner. I have hunted at Marv's for the past 8 years. 2 hunts were in Missouri and the rest in Iowa. The Lodge is warm, inviting and decorated with great deer taxidermy and other hunting paraphernalia. The meals are very good and with great portions. The ladies in the kitchen do a great job, even this year with the Covid 19 problem. Now to the hunting. The guides are all terrific. The stands are all excellent quality. During all of my Iowa hunts, lots of deer are seen and one would see bucks virtually every day. This year I saw 16 bucks. 2 were 140 class and 1was a monster, 160 -170, 10 point. Unfortunately at 230 yards . Our group keeps coming back, not only for the great hunting but also for the wonderful experience and the great people that are responsible for providing it. I must single out Scott as a very knowledgeable and hard working guide. He recognizes a hunters physical limitations and successfully works around them.
I am looking forward to many more years of hunting at Marv's.
Bill Toth
New Jersey
Dec 13, 2020: I just came off my second trip to Chariton Valley and will return again. I have hunted white tails lots of places including Illinois and this place out did them all not only could the buck of a lifetime show up at any second in the field you are well fed and taking care of in the lodge as well. My thanks all at Chariton Valley Scott and his team.
Dean Millard Pa.
Dec 15, 2020: Attention: Scott Vandever Just finished my 7th hunt with Chariton Valley. Looking forward to the 8th! Great people, great food, and big bucks. Can't do any better.
Jim Guild, NJ
Jacob Fairbanks recommends The Chariton Valley Outfitter.
November 16, 2019 ·
Chariton Valley Outfitter and all it's employees are a top notch organization. From the Owner Marv to the cooks, the professionalism is evident. Lodge was comfortable, clean and organized. Food was great with plenty of it. Now to the guide Scott. Scott is extremely knowledgeable of all the hunting properties and his deer herd. If he puts you in a spot and tells you to be patient listen to him. I was not in love with the spot he put me in and he assured me that there was quality deer in the area. I advised him that I was in search of a 145"+ buck and that is what he delivered. Now there may not be a picture on the website showing me with my trophy but that was no fault of Scott's. He put me on the 150 + monster and I could not make an accurate shot. I would highly recommend Chariton Valley because they do what they say they can do.
Austin Fairbanks recommends The Chariton Valley Outfitter.
November 18, 2019 ·
All around a great outfitter and well worth it. Starting with what I came to Iowa for, to bag a deer of a lifetime. They definitely have those deer on their properties. Scott our guide, helped every step of the way to give me the opportunity to bag one of these Iowa giants. Scott makes it his personal mission from day one to get you in position to succeed in this. He put me on much bigger bucks than the one I harvested, but circumstances with a few different does darting left instead of right got in the way of this. I’m 100% satisfied with the hunt and within our 3 man group, each one of us got an opportunity to fling an arrow at a trophy. From Scott our guide, Marv the owner and everyone in the kitchen working hard delivering us delicious meals. They go above and beyond to make your experience one of a kind. Highly recommended and look forward to returning.
Randolph Slemmer recommends The Chariton Valley Outfitter.
November 7, 2019 ·
Just got back from a great hunt at CVO! Had a great time with the gang Marv and Scott. Hunted a great property in Missouri saw 3 shooter bucks. the game of inches beat me thou. although I did not win the trophy of a lifetime I won in so many other ways. i will return for the pursuit of a lifetime. thanks for all the hard work that went into getting that big buck. give them a call and get out there. the food and accommodations are great they treat you like family and some. thanks again I will be back🏹
W Carlton Rogers recommends The Chariton Valley Outfitter.
May 3, 2018 ·
Great properties, great hospitality, great food, great friendships, and great guides who work hard to get you on some great bucks. I have always enjoyed the wonderful experience, and I look forward to going back every year. If I draw a tag this year, it will be my 6th year in a row hunting from Marv's Lodge in Promise City, Iowa. I highly recommend Chariton Valley Outfitters.
Roger Mcmullen reviewed The Chariton Valley Outfitter — 5 star
April 30, 2018 ·
Best place I've ever hunted!! Will go every year from now on.
Russ Marsh recommends The Chariton Valley Outfitter.
November 9, 2018 ·
Awesome staff...Fantastic ground! Highly recommend.
I have been fortunate enough to hunt the whitetail deer from Canada, throughout the Midwest and across the Southeast. In my opinion the area and land that you manage and your outfitting business are some of the best the whitetail world as to offer. While hunting with C.V.O I had a great adventure, killed a buck and the food and lodging were excellent.
During the past gun season your operation had a 75-80% kill ratio on mature bucks, such success speaks for itself. Thank you for the great hunt.
I look forward to hunting with you again soon and would recommend your outfitting services to anyone wishing to hunt the giant whitetails of the Midwest.
Lynn Ketner, Author
Whitetail Data & Discoveries
"This is a 5 star outfitter. They had everything all set up when we arrived. Everyone involved at Chariton Valley Outfitters makes you feel truly at home. They worked hard to do all they could to make sure your hunt was a total success. With a 75% success rate at this hunt even the hunters that didn't tag out were happy with the effort that their guides put forth and they did see many bucks. "
I will return many more times!
Jeff Hyde
Michigan
"This is the best outfitting company you will ever find. They have great people and great hospitality. You need to check them out and get a hunt right now!"
Johnny Berg
Colorado
Chariton Valley Outfitters
Just a quick note in regards to the Iowa muzzle loader hunt I just returned from. Although I was not successful in harvesting a deer, it was one of the most enjoyable hunting experiences I have ever had. From the time I walked in the door till the time I left I was treated like family. Both guides (Curly and Scott) were attentive to all my hunting needs and put me in great looking spots where I did see a lot of deer. The farms I hunted on looked top notch, were full of deer sign, and I think if the weather would have been more cooperative the outcome would have been different. The food was absolutely outstanding as Shalita and Lavona prepared wonderful home cooked meals every night. Best of all was the conversations with everyone after the hunt, especially with Marvin. Marvin has a way with people and made me feel like I was truly part of the family.
A big thank you to Marvin, Shalita, Curly, Scott, Lavona, and the rest of the Chariton Valley Outfitter Crew for making me feel so welcome and making my hunt a memorable experience I will never forget. I can't wait to get back.
Best Regards,
Jamie Leibrandt