Picking a Hunting Outfitter

DJ  Monday, August 23, 2010

Picking a Hunting Outfitter

By Mike E. Neilson

How do you wade through the thousands of outfitters across the country and around the world to find one that fits your needs?  Well, you could simply pick one out of a hunting magazine and be done with it or you can spend a little time and help ensure that you are contracting with a reliable and responsible outfitter.  Here are some helpful hints and tips that will make your guided or outfitted hunts less painful and more productive.

Make some simple decisions about your hunt.  Answering these questions will be a big step in enjoying the outdoor eXperience of a lifetime.  These questions are in no particular order but they should all be answered to give you some peace-of-mind when spending a lot of money on a hunt.

First what species do you want to hunt? A good source of ideas for hunting wild game is from friends, family, magazines, online searches, television shows and hunting videos.  Knowing what you want to hunt helps narrow your searches.  If you want to hunt an elk, you are most likely looking to the Rocky Mountains, not east of the Mississippi.

Are hunting licenses and tags over-the-counter (OTC) or do you have to draw them, or are they landowner permits? The answer here can kill an adventure quickly if you have to draw a tag in a lottery.  (I’m still waiting on a moose hunt in Wyoming since it is a draw permit and I haven’t hit yet.)  Over-the-counter tags allow a hunter to be more spontaneous to hunt with little prior planning.  Landowner permits allow hunters to get in to some areas that might not be available otherwise.  Finally, many states auction tags for various species but those tags are usually very expensive.  On the plus side, if you buy one of those governor tags, you will probably be inundated with outfitters wanting your business!

What weapon do you wish to use? If you want to hunt with a gun, you won’t need to focus on the bow-only areas or outfitters.  On the other hand, many areas and outfitters who guide firearms hunters will gladly take an archer as long as you know what the outfitters expectations are about archers.  I’ve had many outfitters tell me that they would take me on as a bowhunting client if I was prepared for long shots or no shots.  Others didn’t want to ruin their success percentages with an archer that might miss, wound or not kill.  Finally some outfitters and guides just aren’t good enough to get their clients into bow range.

How do you want to conduct the hunt? Do you want to spot-and-stalk or sit stands, or does it even matter?  If your dream hunt is to fly out into the tundra and camp out with the critters, make sure the outfitter has the proper equipment and expertise to do the job.  I was on a moose hunt with a guide who had just picked up a new boat.  We made it upriver 2 miles before the engine died and we walked the boat back.  Not only did I lose half a day of hunting, but my confidence in the outfitter was zero.

Another important question is to ask, what is the guide to hunter ratio? You will usually pay more for a 1-on-1 hunt, but then you aren’t sharing a guide.  2-on-1 guiding is normal and it helps if you are hunting with a buddy.  In some instances, like caribou in Canada, the ratio could be as high as 6-to-1. Yep, 6 hunters to one guide! Don’t panic, just talk to the outfitter but be prepared to pay more for more personal service.

Where do you want to hunt? Some species like deer and bear or turkey can be hunted in many different states, countries and provinces.  Location, location, location, is the key.  If you want a color phase black bear look west more than east.  If you want Osceola turkeys you, my friend, are Florida bound.  Knowing where the animals live not only helps you find the proper outfitter but also lays the groundwork for all your transportation needs.

Many times I’ve searched for outfitters and then the closest airport or major highway.  Travel is costly so take that into account when you are looking to book a hunt.  Many outfits offer airport pickup free or at a reduced charge.  If it’s free, or included in the price, offering to buy lunch for the driver goes a long way into making the trip to and from camp much more pleasurable.

How long do you want to hunt? Depending on where you hunt and what you hunt and the abundance of game and the weapon of choice and then let’s not forget your own personal schedule.  I’ve done guided hunts out West that lasted as short as 3 days and as long as 10.  If your goal is Africa, give yourself 2 days travel each way, at least a week to hunt and maybe a day or two if you want to sightsee.  Personally, I would hunt 2 weeks in Africa if I could afford it and the same for Alaska, Africa for 2 weeks because of the abundance of game and Alaska because of the weather.  Both countries can be done shorter but I prefer 2 weeks because of the potential for long travel days and connections.

What kind of eXperience are you looking for in a hunt? Do you want to help with camp chores, sleep out under the stars, or do you prefer a cabin with a chef preparing your meals.  Outfits run the gauntlet from spartan to luxurious, and there’s something to be said for both extremes and anything in-between.  Depending on the game and location, and of course the amount you are willing to spend, the choices are almost endless.  Knowing what you want and what comforts you are willing to sacrifice to go on the hunt is very valuable.  If you have to have a hot shower every night before bed, some of the remote camps are not the best fit for you.

What is your comfort level with guides and outfitters? Do you want to be with a guide constantly or do you want to be left alone?  This also depends on the species.  I would not recommend a greenhorn go out after grizzlies without the aid of an experienced guide. (Some states/countries require out-of-state hunters to have guides because of location, game, and regulations).  Ask who will be your guide, what is their experience with guiding, and how long they have been guiding.

Finally, ask for references if the outfitter doesn’t provide them in their literature or website.  Once I’m narrowing down an outfitter, I’ll spend a few dollars calling up former clients and asking about their experiences with the guides and the outfitter.  A note of caution; some references might be family or friends of the outfitters and guides so take what they say carefully.  Good outfitters will also give you the names of clients that did not bag an animal.  Also several websites like Outdoor eXperience Review give recommendations on places to have an outdoor adventure.

Does this seem like a lot of questions to ask of yourself and an outfitter?  Hardly.  This is your adventure and you want to make sure you have the best time possible with the best eXperience and the best chance of success.  Doing a little bit of homework and soul searching now will pay off big dividends down the road.  And these are by no means the only questions to ask.  If you have food allergies, extreme reactions to bug bites, fear of heights, fear of snakes, fear of the dark, no desire to ride horses, and/or physical limitations.  All these categories add to the questions that should be asked.

My first outfitted hunt was an elk hunt in Idaho back in the early ‘80’s.  I had just graduated from college and as a present to myself, I wanted to hunt something none of my other hunting buddies had taken before.  Elk seemed exotic and throw in mule deer and bear (2 bear tags!) and I was pumped for the hunt.  Had I done a little more research, I would have known what to ask the outfitter, what to look for in a guided hunt and what I had truly signed up for.  I learned the hard way on that trip that the devil is always in the details.  When the guide and outfitter announced that they would be hunting alongside me and would give me first shot, I knew something was wrong.  When I passed on a 6 point that was broken off  on one side, the guide rode ahead and shot a spike elk.  Had I known that big 6X6 bulls were uncommon in area, I would have shot the first elk with 6 points that I saw.  I got lucky and shot an elk that the guides had rode their horses right past. I was fortunate to take that raghorn 4X5 bull. I also never saw a bear let alone two and the only mule deer I saw were in a unit we couldn’t hunt.  Who said anything about units?  I thought we could hunt all the land we could see.  Lessons learned!

If you don’t have the confidence, expertise or time searching for adventures yourself, consider using a hunting consultant to help you.  The consultants weed out the good outfitters from the bad.  Most of the time, you don’t pay more for the services of the consultant; the outfitters pay the fee for getting a client booked.  The consultants provide clients for the outfitters to fill up their camps.

Two hunting consultants that I have used are Cabela’s and Bowhunting Safari Consultants.  But be warned, even with their recommendations, it’s possible to get a less than stellar outfitter.  It’s always best to call the outfitter directly. I’ve had a couple of hunts that didn’t live up to their reputation.  I had supreme confidence in the hunting consultant but their job is to hook up hunters with outfitters, not guarantee a successful hunt or problem free hunts.

I like to make a list of questions to ask the outfitter and go over them with each outfitter I’m interested in.  Ask about the type of camp facilities, how the hunt is conducted, amount of game and also the quality of game.  Listen carefully to their answers.  If the outfitters answers aren’t perfectly clear, ask again or for more clarification.  Most outfitters will tell you about their success rates.  Ask them what they mean about success.  Does that mean an animal on the ground, or that the hunter saw an animal.  When contacting an outfitter, there are no dumb questions, it’s your hunt!

With a little bit of preparation, some good questions on hand and a general idea of what you want, contacting outfitters will be another aspect of your outdoor adventure that will be memorable.  Keep in mind you are the client and they will be providing you services.  Don’t settle for anything less than what you want in a hunt and you will have the eXperience of a lifetime.  Good luck and good hunting!

BTW, the same questions apply for my fishing friends as well.

Note from OXR:

Mike is one of our regular contributors here at OXR and he has a wealth of hunting Xperience and knowledge.  Mike has literally traveled the world bowhunting all types of big game. Mike is a hunting author and has 2 books for all you hunting enthusiasts.   Please pick up a copy of each of his books.  Class Dismissed:  I’m Going Hunting & We,re Gonna Need More Arrows!  These books can be purchased at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.     DJ

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