Your skill in separating sales pitches from truth will be a key factor in choosing that better can of beer, or a better outfitter. That's not to say that analysis of a brochure or website should be the only thing to base a decision... Nothing beats talking to some one, or preferably many people who have had experience with the product in question.
Let's take a look at the advertising game from the Outfitter's point of view.
The hunting business depends on brochures (and now websites) for "first" contact. By first contact, I mean that someone stops by a booth in a sportsman show, or a Chamber of Commerce Information Booth and grabs a brochure or a bookmark for future reference. That person is more likely to be attracted to something colourful and glossy as opposed to a black & white or photocopied material.
In either case, the more attractive the brochure and the sales pitch, the more likely that a favourable impression is created with the customer, and more likely that eventually that prospective client actually lays his money down for the product. That's the objective of the outfitter or booking agent. To have your choice swayed in his direction. Now for a little more depth...
Most small outfitters buy brochures from brochure salesmen (or websites from small service providers). They usually buy in bulk or use small sites because it's cheaper. "I can give you 2,000 for only fifty bucks more" says the salesman. And the outfitter, seeing his name in print (or graphics on a web-page), and his place and scenery in full colour gets carried away and orders 3,000 for only seventy-five dollars more because he is planning to go to a show, or is planning an ad in a major outdoor magazine.
Little does he know that sending out 3,000 brochures will probably take him about three to six years worth of enquiries for his services. That means that about five years from now, he's sending out old material which may no longer reflect his current services. If he is doing well, he will be smart and dump those things quickly and get something more current. If he is not very successful in his business, he will continue to send his material to those that enquire; maybe it was you.
Other larger outfitters have been in the advertising game for some time, and realize that the material they send out must be up to date, as well as attractive, so they budget for small volume, high quality material that is professional and attractive. They also hire web designers to build a website.
Tour consultants (really travel agents) send out high gloss magazine-like material, in full colour, complete with pictures, charts, maps, and descriptions of menus and accommodations.
How do you decide from these where you should make your booking and lay your money down? Your job has to be the most grueling, because you have to sift through it all finding the real truth among all the words, colour, and pictures.
First of all, let's start with the small operator. He will have a covering letter and an 8 1/2 by 11 or 14 inch black and white or colour brochure folded to about three inches by eight inches with some supplementary rate sheets and maybe some area information. Much of the brochure will cover the geographic area, the accommodations, the meal plans, and the rates. Web sites are much the same, usually a few pictures a map, and rates.
Little is said about the actual hunt, and even less is mentioned about his recent success rates for his hunts. Unless this guy provides his real information in his covering letter, you can be pretty sure that he is selling what he tells you... Scenery, geographic area, accommodations and meals.
The successful (and by successful, I mean good businessman, financially successful) operator has had experience in advertising and puts together a professional brochure and information package. His colour package may increase in size to 11 x 14 inches, folding out to an inside map or photo collection showing the successful clients who have used his services, or it may be made up in a modular fashion, which allows for easy updating when new information becomes available. Web sites will be frames-designed, with artistic beauty and maybe some animation. Now ask yourself again, "What's he selling?"
Does he have the same type of information as the small operator, only more professionally laid out, or does he have additional information which indicates he is offering something different?
Is the information current and recent, or is it a collection gathered over the years?
Are his pictures current? Are the clothing styles from the last two years, or are they styles from the last few decades? What are the hair styles like on the younger guests?
What about the equipment in the pictures? Are they late model vehicles, boats and outboards?
Are the game animals tagged with current game tags? In Ontario, for example, blue or red plastic game tags though an animal's nose are from the mid-to late 1980's. Current bear tags are white adhesive paper folded over a wire guide which is placed through the animal's nose.
These quick methods of dating photographs will help you decide when these impressive animals were taken.
Look at the animals in the photos, and also the people. Were they all taken at the same time? Is the animal shown in several photos from different angles and with different people? Are the same items with each animal? For example, is the same box, basket, or object in different pictures with different people? These are indicators that the outfitter did not have several impressive pictures from which to select. Although the outfitter might use the same 'photo location' for different hunters, things at a location can change over the seasons. For example, pay particular attenton to the large log used in several of our photos... you will see that over the years, it is gradually breaking down. You might also be aware of the dense-ness of the bush and leaves in the photo... is it the same.. were the pictures all at the same development stage of the leaves? These little awarnesses can give you a lot of information.
Does this suggest anything about his success rates?
If he has supplementary information, is it motherhood statement, or is it something which shows that he or she knows the score as far as hunting goes?
Does the information include any long term statistics and give you anything that is not direct sales information?
When you find an outfitter that gives that something extra, then you know that you're on to someone worthwhile. That's the guy you call and talk with about booking your hunt.
So far, I've only seen one other, besides the Ritchie organization, who comes close to this type of advertising (providing an information service), and that fellow is Wayne Bosowicz, who runs Foggy Mountain Guide Service. You may think it's strange for one outfitter to honour another, but this guy's printed material is pretty good stuff. (NOTE: I know nothing about his hunting services, other than the advertising, so this comment honours the marketing, not the hunting service...)
He is either a part time advertising "artist" or has a damned good client in the advertising field. My hat is off to him. I am sure that there are others, but unfortunately, I haven't seen their material.
Finally, the Tour or Hunt Consultant. This type of operation is really a travel agency. They may or may not have direct experience in the hunting field, and they make their living searching out outfitters who are effective but do not know how to advertise. They are, in a way, beneficial to the good outfitter, but his commissions are included in the outfitter's fee, and whether you know it or not, you are paying for his service when you pay your money for your hunt, and he collects from the outfitter, the air service, the luxurious hotel, and the car rental agency, etc., etc. You may be better off to contact the outfitter yourself and negotiate a deal which trims a part of the agent's commission from the advertised fee. Don't expect a big cut, but you should be able to get a reduction of five to ten percent, and in some cases, if you have a party large enough to fill a hunt, you may be able to make a special deal.
If the agent has sewn the outfitter up in a long term deal, though, he may be unable to make any deal at all. If this is so, and you can't afford the fee, make some arrangement for a hunt well in the future when he may not have commitments to the agent.
Finally, a word about ourselves. We have home-grown this site you are reading. It is advertising, and we think, a little more. We run a hunting business not as a prime means for livelihood, but because we love the outdoors, enjoy working with others to make a success, and we are following a hunting tradition handed down to us through generations.
We make a little money, and we think that's fair. Along the way, we have been joined by others who have the same interests and ideals, and together with our hunters, we have a good time in the wilderness. The information we provide is passed along to you for your hunt, whether that hunt is with us or some other outfitter. We can only take so many clients, and when we're booked, that's it.
You, on the other hand, have a hunt to prepare for... If you can't be with us, then there's no reason why you shouldn't be entitled to our experience in knowing a bit about what goes on behind the scenes in the battle to convince you to choose one outfitter from another.
Good Hunting!
Lark.
P.S. Our Photo Album is right here
