Becoming an outfitter
 

Hey everyone, sorry if this is in the wrong thread but I'm considering starting an outfitting business and would like any suggestions/advice on what it takes to become successful. Any info from you guys that have been to an outfitter would be greatly appreciated. I am in Southwest Ohio and my primary hunts will be Whitetails and Turkey. Thank you guys for any information I can get!

Becoming an outfitter
 

Hey everyone, sorry if this is in the wrong thread but I'm considering starting an outfitting business and would like any suggestions/advice on what it takes to become successful. Any info from you guys that have been to an outfitter would be greatly appreciated. I am in Southwest Ohio and my primary hunts will be Whitetails and Turkey. Thank you guys for any information I can get!

Be honest, it will take you one heck of a lot further than bsing. Also be prepared to to something else as well. Its getting harder and harder for outfitters to make it full time.

First, you take the salary you make now and reduce that by 80%. Then, you take the hours you work now and triple that. Next, you spend every dime you have saved leasing land, getting insurance, buying stands, hiring help, advertising, going to shows, reparing equipment, buying more insurance, paying a lawyer to handle your divorce, paying a doctor to treat your mental illness and alcoholism, paying a realtor to sell your house and buying more insurance. Then on week two...

If I could find my crayons, I'd write you a letter and explain why I quit the business after 20-years. To become a world famous and highly underpaid outdoor writer that use to have a drinking problem. But I belive you can be a huge success.


:guiness:

I sent you a pm.

But thats what makes you the scribe dog! Jack O'connor never had anything more than a little house in Lewiston Idaho but we still remember him!

When I first started considering buying my outfitting business a few years ago I called up a guy who lives about 30 minutes down the road in Montana and has been in the business all his life. I asked how business was going these days etc. The thing I remember most about the conversation was him saying "You can have a good area and be good at what you do but it is hard to compete with all the lying m*&%^$ F(*&^%s out there."

I chuckled at the time but I believe he actually summed up how you compete quite well, BE TOTALLY HONEST! I think it has always been true but with the internet age upon us you don't have anywhere you can hide from a bad reputation, not even overseas. If you don't oversell what you have and you won't ever have to worry about people cutting down your name, main complaint I hear about outfitters from my clients is that they were told things that just did not turn out to be true.

I agree with Leon. Although if you do end up in this business, there will always be a few bad apples that you couldn't please with a pink elephant with 40 foot tusks. So keep that in mind too!

Good point North Wind, we refer to them as the terrible 1%.

That about covers it!

Thought I would put my 2 cents worth into this conversation as well. I have been a booking consultant here in Colorado for the past 14 years and let me tell ya, it took a few years to weed through all of the outfitters out there, but I did manage to put together some of the best. The one thing that stood out the most with all of the ones I work with today was there honesty and professionalism. They aren't the ones you see on TV all the time, even though I do work with a couple of them that you see regularly, but they are ones that work hard, keep it real, and never, ever over sell the hunts they are offering. And please no emails, I am not saying that the ones on TV aren't hardworking or honest, just letting people know that there are others out there that don't do the TV thing. Anyways, if you follow those traits, you will be well on your way to being successful. I guess that is true with any business, but I think it is especially true in the outfitting business. It is hard work, but if you deliver a good product and put forth 110%, your clients will see that and the word will spread and there ya go, on your way. I will end this by saying, Good Luck and keep us posted on your progress. Hell you never know, maybe I will be in one of your treestands in the future. Good hunting!!!

P.S. If anyone is looking for a great Colorado hunt, give me a call or drop me an email. Thought I would throw that in there. We all have to make a living!!


Dennis Hurrell
Colorado Outdoor Adventures
719-390-5509
719-232-0085
[email protected]
www.colorado-adventures.com

I'll add one piece of advice - the number one key to success, at least in the whitetail business is: GOOD CLIENTS - when you find em - do whatever it takes it keep em! Always be honest - and prepare to run into the 80/20 rule - which is 80% of your clients, you will NOT make totally happy (even if you get em a filled tag) - 20% you will - you will get to repeats business out of the 20%. Don't be afraid to fire your bad clients - just don't invite them back. If one guy is having a bad time - try to get him away from your other clients - you'd be amazed at how one bad apple can bring down a camp of happy hunters.

Let your operation grow slowly - it does you no good to sign up 5000ac if you only book 8 guys per year...I've seen many awesome outfitters go under trying to get big too fast.

I've run several successful businesses in my life - I've needed the thickest skin in the outfitting business - most guys you book will expect you have 160" deer behind every tree and are pissed when they show up and don't see one after the second morning. Set the expectation up front - once they arrive - try to do whatever you can to make their stay a vacation!

Good luck!