Should you recomend outfitters?

[JGood]

I got roasted by a friend the other day for writing a positive review on an outfitter on the internet. I got defensive and explained that the oufitter did good by us so should we not promote their buisness for them - They asked us to write a review?

He retorted that because of my seemingly harmless recomendation, what are the odds we lose our spot in the future or we see a major price increase next year?

This is a good point.

In a world with rapidly rising hunt costs, tons of shit outfitting guides and longer and longer runways for bookings. Are we shooting ourselves in the foot by recomending outfitters on the internet? Should an outfitter's name and number be as tighly kept a secret as our honey holes and fishing numbers? Ive had favorite restaurants go from great food and customer service to comercialized dog water by Social Media, is the risk the same for hunting Guides?

I dont know if it matters on once in a lifetime tags or heavy point draw units, but on OTC hunts, are we just inviting more competition by raving about our outfitters?

Love a good debate!

 

[dtrkyman]

I’d say tell your boy to relax!

Good outfits will book up with or without you, they may kick your buddy to the curb with his attitude


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Musky]

Do you leave reviews on products you buy? Same principle really. Doesn't everyone scour the reviews before purchasing?

I don't think it hurts THAT badly to leave a positive review as far as pricing goes. I think the same could be said about negative reviews. Leave enough of those and no one will have a choice to go to the outfitter with the least negative reviews. Basically the same principle.

I'd assume regardless of reviews, if the market is able to bear a price increase more likely than not it's coming anyways.

 

[WCB]

If here is a price increase it isn't because of a good review. It would be because a resource is in higher demand. Sheep guides raised rates and are booked due to demand no good reviews.

Also, unless you have put a deposit down on a hunt the outfitter really could care less if you "plan" to hunt with them in the future so you aren't missing out on a spot.

 

[JGood]

If here is a price increase it isn't because of a good review. It would be because a resource is in higher demand. Sheep guides raised rates and are booked due to demand no good reviews.

Isnt this circular logic? Good reviews drive demand no? Demand for caribou hunts in western Alaska has gone through the roof because guys like Rinella and the Kifaru guys post awesome reviews about the hunt. Same with SE AK bears, late season OTC Arizona deer and 50 other hunts. (to be clear, I dont blame them for making a living in the buisness)

Ive gone with an outfitter in the past and then they go do "XYZ Hunting Podcast" and a year and a half later, their prices are the highest in the market. Give them a call to go hunt one year out and the response is "Hey man, we'd love to have you back but we're all booked out until 2050"

Do you leave reviews on products you buy? Same principle really. Doesn't everyone scour the reviews before purchasing?

True, but most of the time I dont go back to buy that product over and over again. I wouldent anounce to the world what stock I wanted to buy before I purchased it?

Good outfits will book up with or without you,

Then does it really help them when we broadcast our feelings about them on the internet?



Im largely playing devils advocate, but in general, Im very secretive of where I hunt on my own. Why are we not secretive of where we hunt when we are guided?

 

[Swamp Fox]

Did you leave a review on his website, or did you blast it on social media?

Big difference.

 

[JohnJohnson]

If the outfitter gets more clients based on your review, then that's a good thing because why would you be leaving a good review if you didn't like them and want them to do well? Is altruism dead or something? You can do something nice for someone even if it doesn't benefit you. This isn't some honey-hole, there are human beings running the business and (if they're a good enough outfitter to warrant a positive review) working their asses off. It's screwed up to want them to not maximize the returns on their labor just because it might make it more costly/difficult for you to benefit from it for one week per year.

 

[JGood]

Did you leave a review on his website, or did you blast it on social media?

I left a beautiful google review. Shakespeare would have been impressed. But what if it was here on rokslide? Would that change your opinion?

Funny you should mention that though... I went on a hunt with a guy a few years back and he posted on his IG some trophy shots. He got two calls from his friends back home (litterally hours after getting out of the field) that he chatted with extensively about how great the hunt was and how great the outfitter was. Those two guys (and their friends) collectively booked four weeks with the outfitter within 24 hours of the conversation. Its a only a 10 week season for the outfitter. Great for the outfitter, not great for the guy who blabbed.

You can do something nice for someone even if it doesn't benefit you. This isn't some honey-hole, there are human beings running the business and (if they're a good enough outfitter to warrant a positive review) working their asses off. It's screwed up to want them to not maximize the returns on their labor just because it might make it more costly/difficult for you to benefit from it for one week per year.

Totally. Im fundamentally a capitalist at heart. But do you really sit around after a great hunt and think to yourself "golly I hope sheep hunts go up again next year so Jimmy the Outfitter can maximize his returns and buy another Range Rover!"

 

[JohnJohnson]

Totally. Im fundamentally a capitalist at heart. But do you really sit around after a great hunt and think to yourself "golly I hope sheep hunts go up again next year so Jimmy the Outfitter can maximize his returns and buy another Range Rover!"

I haven't done any high price hunts like sheep so I have no knowledge about those outfitters. The ones I've seen are absolutely not living the life of the rich and famous. Maybe the ones you're talking about are different though I can't know the answer to that.

 

[Swamp Fox]

I left a beautiful google review. Shakespeare would have been impressed. But what if it was here on rokslide? Would that change your opinion?

Funny you should mention that though... I went on a hunt with a guy a few years back and he posted on his IG some trophy shots. He got two calls from his friends back home (litterally hours after getting out of the field) that he chatted with extensively about how great the hunt was and how great the outfitter was. Those two guys (and their friends) collectively booked four weeks with the outfitter within 24 hours of the conversation. Its a only a 10 week season for the outfitter. Great for the outfitter, not great for the guy who blabbed.



Totally. Im fundamentally a capitalist at heart. But do you really sit around after a great hunt and think to yourself "golly I hope sheep hunts go up again next year so Jimmy the Outfitter can maximize his returns and buy another Range Rover!"

If you post a review on social media (Rokslide included), then you deserve what you get.

If you share your opinion privately between "friends," you also deserve what you get.

People "review" things for different reasons.

For a while now, in the internet age, I've come to believe they mostly review things ("share" --LOL) for their own egos more than to help a stranger.

 

[WCB]

Isnt this circular logic? Good reviews drive demand no? Demand for caribou hunts in western Alaska has gone through the roof because guys like Rinella and the Kifaru guys post awesome reviews about the hunt. Same with SE AK bears, late season OTC Arizona deer and 50 other hunts. (to be clear, I dont blame them for making a living in the buisness)

Caribou hunts were going up in demand and cost, due to dropping caribou numbers imo before Rinella and Kifaru. Also wide spread social media or media exposure is WAY different than leaving a review. Reviews will be seen by those already searching for an outfitter or specific hunt.

Imo way different than saying to your 10s of thousands of followers "here is a secret animal with easy tags to get....and here is how".

 

[Rich M]

I see nothing wrong with leaving a good review. I went on a guided hunt this year - was pretty good. He has a ton of positive reviews and is booked out til 2026 in some hunts. Either an outfitter is good or he isn't. You aren't gonna change that.

The attitude that reviews drive demand is laughable. I enjoyed it. Folks don't read the reviews unless "they are looking" - i.e., the demand is already there.

I'm old & don't make my decisions based off some online reviews. A personal referral is worth its weight in gold, and if spending serious money, will call several references to discuss their experiences before dropping any $.

 

[wytx]

Most of the outfitters I know welcome back repeat hunters if they enjoyed having them in camp. Most folks talk about booking in the future before they leave camp.
Pretty sure your review will be looked at but folks should do their due diligence before booking, check references, etc not just book based on reviews.
Sounds like paranoia to me, just leave a review if you want to.

 

[JGood]

The attitude that reviews drive demand is laughable. I enjoyed it. Folks don't read the reviews unless "they are looking" - i.e., the demand is already there.

I wouldent suggest that the someone writing a review on Rokslide of an outfitter drives demand for the general hunt, but you dont think the good reviews drive demand for the outfitter?

e.g. Lets say there is an 3-point mule deer hunt in Colorado with the majority of the landowner tags owned by just a few landowners. Demand for quality hunting opportunites is very high in CO already. You purchase a landowner tag for a reasonable price and smack a nice 180" buck. Would you post online or on Rokslide the name and contact information for the landowner? @JohnJohnson would you say to yourself "im gonna write a nice review so the landowner can mark up the tags a little more next year?"

I have written a dozen+ reviews for outfitters over the years having personally guided for the past 5 years. When people call me to ask about XYZ outfitter I give them an honest opinion of them. But ive also hunted with a few outfitters who's inforamtion I've gotten EXCLUSIVELY from Rokslide and there is no doubt the buzz created around those outfitters (especially the ones that are offering good bargain hunts) is driving price increases.

At the very least I think its a gray area there to be discussed. On one end of the spectrum, i wouldent post my favorite public land spot and on the other hand, I am more than happy to say Lindskov Family Ranches in SD is the most incredible bird hunting operation I've ever seen!

 

[JGood]

Most of the outfitters I know welcome back repeat hunters if they enjoyed having them in camp. Most folks talk about booking in the future before they leave camp.

Very true. At the quail plantation i've guided at, we'd prefer only repeat customers if we could.

 

[jayhawk]

Tell your buddy to calm down. If you had a good experience recommend the outfitter

 

[KHNC]

Ive made it CLEAR which Montana Outfitter NOT to use. I hope it has destroyed that POS's business. Unfortunately, it probably hasnt made much of a dent in the suckers that fall into his trap though.

 

[JohnJohnson]

@JohnJohnson would you say to yourself "im gonna write a nice review so the landowner can mark up the tags a little more next year?"

I'm not kidding when I say the thought of "But how does it benefit me to help out this person I like enough to give a good review?" has never crossed my mind. If they benefit from my review in any way, it's not my place to judge how I want them to benefit. Unless they're taking the extra money and using it for human trafficking I do not care.

 

[JacobM]

This is just my opinion and i may be in the minority here, but I personally dont see any reason not to leave a good or bad review based on your experience. I personally am not likely to hunt multiple times for the same species. Im just a blue collar worked with small children and its not financially responsible for me to go on guided hunts all the time. So when i do go its usually a one time deal and when im looking at an outfitter im checking reviews and trying to talk to people who have been with them so i dont waste my money on the one guided hunt i get to go on every few years.

 

[Rich M]

I wouldent suggest that the someone writing a review on Rokslide of an outfitter drives demand for the general hunt, but you dont think the good reviews drive demand for the outfitter?

e.g. Lets say there is an 3-point mule deer hunt in Colorado with the majority of the landowner tags owned by just a few landowners. Demand for quality hunting opportunites is very high in CO already. You purchase a landowner tag for a reasonable price and smack a nice 180" buck. Would you post online or on Rokslide the name and contact information for the landowner? @JohnJohnson would you say to yourself "im gonna write a nice review so the landowner can mark up the tags a little more next year?"

I have written a dozen+ reviews for outfitters over the years having personally guided for the past 5 years. When people call me to ask about XYZ outfitter I give them an honest opinion of them. But ive also hunted with a few outfitters who's inforamtion I've gotten EXCLUSIVELY from Rokslide and there is no doubt the buzz created around those outfitters (especially the ones that are offering good bargain hunts) is driving price increases.

At the very least I think its a gray area there to be discussed. On one end of the spectrum, i wouldent post my favorite public land spot and on the other hand, I am more than happy to say Lindskov Family Ranches in SD is the most incredible bird hunting operation I've ever seen!

The points are good. I would call you cause I don't trust online reviews.

I think the overall demand has gone up for outfitters just as the overall demand for tags has increased. They are connected.

Less DIY info will result in more outfitter usage. If I'm only gonna do this once and can't figure out what i need to know, then gonna use an outfitter.???

Flip side - We get guys on here trying to smear outfitters too. Just read one where it was painfully obvious that the guy read a couple online reviews and went with high expectations. He didn't do any actual research. He was very disappointed and a large part of it was him. Yet he felt justified naming folks and slandering them. Another reason to exercise caution with these kinds of stories.

Many folks just don't say anything. They do their own thing.