Trip Planning Tips

Once you finally decide to take that hunting trip of a lifetime, how do you go about booking it? We get asked this question almost every day, and here are some planning tips we've learned over the years:

1. Ask a friend - The best recommendation for a good trip experience is a recommendation from a friend who recently visited a hunting camp or hired a professional outfitter. A friend-of-a-friend is a good back-up, but beware of people you don't know who recommend trips, because they may have a financial incentive to persuade you to go.
2. Read magazine ads - Quality hunting lodges, camps and outfitters often advertise in magazines that are read by avid hunters, so take a trip to the newsstand at your local sporting goods store and check them out.
3. Surf the web - Your home computer can introduce you to a bewildering array of hunting opportunities. Unfortunately, it's often difficult to distinguish between the good ones and the bad ones. But if you have a hankering to shoot a musk ox, the web is definitely the place to start. And don't forget to visit some of the on-line hunting forums, too.
4. Call a specialty travel agent - Booking through a travel agent that specializes in hunting trips can really simplify the job, although most agents tend to represent higher priced lodges and camps. You'll find them when reading magazine ads and surfing the web, and the better ones have very detailed web sites describing the camps and outfitters they represent.
5. Visit a sports show - Many guides and outfitters attend the sports shows held in major cities. This is a great opportunity to speak directly with the owners of a lot of different lodges and camps to learn more about what to expect when you finally book your trip.
6. Join the local chapter of a national hunting association - NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation), SFI (Safari Club International), and RMEF (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation) are fantastic sources of accurate information about hunting trips of all kinds. In addition, many of the larger chapters invite quality outfitters and lodge operators to meet members during their annual fund-raising banquets.
7. Check references - Once you narrow down your choices, be sure to ask each outfitter for a list of recent clients to call. This is very important because you can gain a lot of insight into the strengths and weaknesses of a lodge or outfitter by talking with people who have hunted with them in the past. We always ask how the hunt was actually conducted, and whether they would go hunting with that outfitter again.
8. Ask Questions - Don't hesitate to ask your outfitter a lot of questions, like what kind of sleeping accommodations are offered, what kind if food is served, what camp chores you will be responsible for, where you will hunt, how much land is available for hunting, how many other hunters will be included in the hunting party, how many animals you can expect to see, what hunting methods does the outfitter favor, what happens if you fill your tag early, etc. There are no stupid questions - except the one's you ask after you arrive!
9. Tell the truth - Don't try to impress your outfitter with tales of your hunting prowess, just tell them the truth about your age, level of physical fitness, physical problems (a bad back, trick knee, overweight, etc.,) any and every medical problem (diabetes, high blood pressure, heart condition, etc.,) and any other personal information that will help them make your trip safer, more comfortable and successful.
10. Practice - We recommend that you sight-in and shoot at least two or three boxes of ammunition through the rifle (and scope) you plan to take on your hunt so you'll be ready for that split second when a trophy suddenly appears within range. Shoot off hand, from a kneeling position, and prone - and any other way you think you'll be able to take a shot out in the field (which immediately rules out shooting off sandbags on a bench!) Practice until taking a quick, accurate shot becomes second nature - and then practice some more.

    If you are hunting waterfowl or turkey, spend enough time on a skeet, trap or sporting clays range so your hunting shotgun feels like an extension of your body, and smoking clays becomes a breeze.

11. Sight-in your rifle after you arrive at camp - Whether you punch three holes into the bullseye of a sight-in target at the camp's rifle range, or shoot a tin can off a stump at the edge of camp - always double check to make sure your rifle is sighted in after you arrive at your hunting destination. Otherwise, that pot hole in the road that shook up all the gear (and knocked your riflescope out of alignment) might cost you the trophy of a lifetime.
12. Listen to your guide - If you did your homework and checked his references, you should have plenty of confidence that you picked the right outfitter before you arrive. Don't second guess him after you begin hunting. You may hunt an entirely different way back home, but you should trust your guide or outfitter to use the best tactics in their home territory. It's their business, and their livelihood depends on your success.
13. Keep your sense of humor - It doesn't do anybody any good to get mad when things go wrong, so always try to keep your cool -- and always keep your sense of humor. Some of the best hunting stories arise from misfortune and bad luck, and even the worst luck can change in an instant.
14. Tip generously - We recommend tipping a total of between ten and fifteen percent for a job well done - whether you shot that trophy or not. Base your tip on how hard the outfitter and his guides worked to make your trip a success. Don't hesitate to discuss tips with the outfitter or camp operator to learn how they prefer to distribute your tips to their staff. Some may suggest a lump sum which the outfitter will distribute, others will make specific recommendations about how much to tip the different individuals who contribute to your enjoyment and hunting success.
15. Safety First: Reread the Ten Commandments of Firearm Safety (posted elsewhere on our web site) - Print out a copy to share with anyone in camp who gets a little too careless with his rifle or shotgun. And don't be bashful about speaking up if another hunter puts you or anyone else in danger with sloppy gun handling, irresponsible hunting behavior, or inappropriate use of alcohol. Your life might depend on it!