Outfitters are great at hunting and guiding, but many do not want to maintain websites, run social media accounts, attend shows, or spend hours on the phone talking to prospective hunters. Finding the right hunters is costly and time-consuming for them and takes them away from what they do best. Outfitters pay a consultant a commission on the regular cost of their hunt to get the right hunters in their camps.
Hunters use consultants when they don’t have time to do the research or are unsure where to go. And consultants are a great asset to help navigate tag/license application processes, schedule/coordinate hunt plans, and provide unbiased advice on gear or hunting-related questions. In addition, good consultants offer their hunters a wealth of knowledge to help them make more informed decisions on top locations and the ideal hunt and outfitter for them.
Hunters generally pay the same for a hunt, whether booked directly through an outfitter or the consultant. By relying on your consultant, you get the added benefits of having someone available to help you navigate the process, select the proper hunt with a proven outfitter, and provide support from beginning to end.
We have established meaningful relationships with select outfitters who have been consistent top performers for our hunters. In most cases, we have hunted with these outfitters, toured their operation, or thoroughly vetted the outfitter after a great referral from our hunters. When we have hunted with these outfitters, we have been there as paying clients and don’t have any obligations to fill their camps.
Our approach is to talk to you to learn more about what type of experience you want. We often have many options for a hunt for a specific species, and we can recommend the best match for you. We will typically discuss styles of hunting you are interested in, types of accommodations, trophy expectations, budget, preferred weapons, physical abilities, or any special requests. From that information, we can make recommendations. Often we will have that experience available through a proven outfitter. If we don’t, we will tell you that as well. We aim to have you return as a repeat client and friend for many years.
Once you decide to book a hunt that we recommend, we will send you a hunt contract with all the particulars. Once the hunt contract is signed and a deposit is received, your spots are reserved. Often we get asked about down payments. On most hunts, the deposit usually is 25-50% of the hunt cost, with the final balance due to the outfitter 30-90 days before the trip starts – but it can vary based on the outfitter and how far in advance you booked the hunt. Please discuss this with your consultant as you begin the booking process.
You will want to start a dialogue directly with the outfitter before your hunt begins. Doing so is a crucial step for a hunt to be successful. An honest discussion with them about your physical and shooting abilities allows them to put you in the right location with the right guide to help you be successful. The outfitter will also be able to go over the hunt details with you and coordinate arrival time and location. We will also contact you before your hunt to ensure all your remaining questions get answered and you are all set with licenses, travel plans, etc.
We are available if you have any needs during the hunt, and we will reach out to you after the hunt to hear how it went. We love receiving pictures and stories after your trip! In addition, we have a post-season wrap-up with each of our outfitters and provide feedback to them on our hunters’ experiences so they can continue to be the best outfitters in the world for our hunters.
