Becoming an Outfitter
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ponce de Leon Florida USA
Posts: 10,079

I think most of the time you would start out working with an outfitter doing the grunt work, feeding horses, cleaning camp, getting horses ready in the morning, cooking etc before you could move on up the chain in an outfitters business. You would have to have a LOT of land to hunt.
#5

Business license, operating insurance, preferably lawyer on retainer, marketing/advertising go to market strategy, land to hunt upon (lease agreements secured with appropriate indemnities assigned), partnerships with lodging and dining vendors, reference information regarding licences, tags, and regulations, etc etc.
Don't focus on the operation of the business, the management of the business is the greatest critical component.
Don't focus on the operation of the business, the management of the business is the greatest critical component.
#6

Land ownership will probably be a big part of it... depending where you are, there could be restrictions as far as guiding hunts on public land. I know in SD you cannot act as a guide on public land.
#8

No, a guide may not need to make arrangements for lodging and meals, but the rest of the business is the same as far as the state and Uncle Sam are concerned.