johnny2

Have you ever wondered why these hunts are so damn costly?

Well,I have and I can't figure it out..Could I put an ad in outdoor life
and tell you I have good white tail hunting here and charge up to
5000 dollars? Hell,I could feed you and put you up for 3 days or so..
Seems to me it would be legal..
There are thousands of guys out there,that would love an elk or black
tail deer hunt,but will never see their dream,because they can't afford
it with other family obligations..I say it is all a BIG RIP off....

bronko22000

Johnny - I've been on several hunts on a working man's salary. It takes me a couple of years to save up enough $ to go. But when you go with an outfitter, one who does his job, there are expenses just like any other business. If he doesn't own the land he is hunting, he has to pay for the exclusive right to hunt it. He also has to pay the camp cook, guides etc. If the hunt requires horses, there is feed and other supplies. Other costs include fuel, tents and other camp and equipment supplies/upkeep. Not to mention the cost to do preseason scouting. For most of these guys, its their living and its all they do for 3 or 4 months out of the year (the actual hunting part only). Its notthe outfitter costs that disturbs me, its the cost of some of the non-resident license fees. Some of these states are getting pretty outlandish.

joshw020

Amen to that!! I've been chasing whitetails andgobblers since I was a kid, and am justnow beginning tohunt out west. . I've got acraving for something different! Luckily, I hunt with a group thathas been there and done that. If not for those guys, I'd probably never get the opportunity. All of our hunts are DYIafter points are built up and tags are drawn. Most are achieved on a budget of $1,000 or less (per hunter).But without someone to show me the ropes. . . .[]

jd3006

It's because there are people willing to pay for them just like a $50,000 4 wheel drive truck I saw the other day. Take a look at the gun magazines and how many 2 and 3 thousand dollar rifles they are hawking as being affordable and a bargain to buy. If people would refuse to pay that, then the prices would be cheaper but there's always someone with plenty of money who will pay to play. The rest of us are left standing on the outside looking in.

the_sandman_454

Not to be a smartass, but the answer comes from economics 101: "because the market will support the high prices." You can bet if they weren't selling as many hunts as they planned to, they would drop their prices to a point at which they can fill up theirschedule with hunts. If they can't drop the prices any farther due to various costs they have to deal with, then they are likely to go out of business or change to a different business. When that happens, supply drops, and everybody elses' prices may go up to take advantageof the situation.

Regarding your business idea, yes, it would be legal provided you file the necessary paperwork with your local, state or national agency, pay the appropriate taxes, and make sure to not misrepresent the hunt, accomodations or anything else.

So, basically, until people stop buying hunts at current prices, or you significantly increase the supply of available hunts,it will remain expensive.

blaserman

For the most part , I don't have a problem with the prices that an outfitter charges. They have to make a living too. But I have a problem with no lodging ,3-4 day hunts , Trophy fee and the most Important is 2 x1 Hunts. I lost a 180 + Mule deer honoring the shot Turn on a 2 x 1 Hunt. I wil never again do a 2 x1 hunt.
The prpblem with alot of Outfitters is they take tooo many people every year that the quility of the animals suffer. so the first Question that you should ask is how many people a year do you take each year and then chech refrences check ,check,check ask what you liked and disliked , also ask for people who did't take animals and talk to them too. For the most part do a 1x1,I will not pay $1000 more to hunt 1x1 thats crazy.

muley699

With a little research and planning, you can enjoy a great western expierence w/o paying an outfitter. You and a couple of buddies can bring a camper out west and have a week of fun for a fraction of the cost you pay on an outfitted hunt. The web has changed a lot, and you have the best possible resource right at your finger tips. Seems to me your complaint is that outfitted hunts are expensive, get out and do it on your own.

txhunter58

As stated, you can do a DIY hunt for $1000 or less. Is that too much? Then if it is a priority to go, you have to do what it takes to save up that money, work toward a better job, etc. No, I don't think it is a rich mans sport yet. As stated, tag prices are going in that direction though.

And no I don't think outfitters are fleecing anyone. They work hard and get what they can for the hunts. Just like the grocery store, hardware store, they get what they can for their product, as would you if you were an outfitter.

srwshooter

yes ,you pay thru the nose to hunt a animal that doesn't belong to anyone. i don't think they should be able to charge those high prices either. some places i've seen ,private land feed all the game so it stays on there land instead of puplic land ,then charge something stupid to hunt there. i guess you could pay to hunt farm animals inside a fence in texas. but then again i'd may as well kill one of the cows in the farmers field next door. i could set in the barn on a rest and shoot one when he came to the feeder.the main reason the prices are high is there are enough fools out there that are willing pay it.

salukipv1

I'm convinced most of the cost goes to the outfitting the hunt itself, if not to the tag/license as well, but if you draw the tag on yoru own, that shoudl only be a limited cost. The outfitting, ie cooking hauling supplies etc....is what adds up, food, water etc....I think most of us hunters could probably do a find job on our own, but after a full day in the bush, coming back to a meal that you don't have to cook yourself, and clean up to, especially if its a wilderness hunt, or back in the middle of nowhere,