Couple more thoughts.
The guys that can get away with charging more, high success dall sheep hunts in the NWT and Yukon are $34,000 to $54,000. Would I spend $30,000 on a dall sheep hunt on the premise that you will hunt harder? No, I personally would not. I would spend another $8000, and hunt a leased area in Canada. If I drew a tag in the Tok or Chugiak of course, then a savings makes sense.
What are the other outfitters in Alaska charging. I know from WTA advertisements they range from $25,000 for draw hunts in Tok/Chugiak to $28,000 for OTC hunts in 26. There are probably some concession hunts for $30,000 ish. I do not see any equity in your program. You are doing it to make it more competitive to sell hunts, not necessarily to open doors.
Mont Mahoney is $33,000 for 2025 hunts. Plus $3000 air fare.
I do not see the value added there if you don't own the concession.
You don't see a value if I am not the owner of this concession?
From your previous post words....."but think it is a stupid way to blow $30, 000 for any sheep"........ any of these pricing models you would not blow your money on either.
Other AK outfitters are high $20's to low $40's. Prices are all over the place in the state of Alaska. And a federal concession (which I am assuming you are referring to when you state "own the concession") only keeps out other guides. It does nothing for local Alaskans who can hunt anywhere other than native Corp land (without permission) or drawing permitted hunts without drawing the tag.
I can tell you Mont Mahoney's area in the Wrangell's is heavily used by our local Alaskan residents (including myself) because of the ease/cost to get into his area. About the only sheep hunting federal concessions that are truly remote and similar to the NWT hunts are the concessions in the NE Brooks Range due to the limited air taxi operators and their costs. Those hunts will all be mid 40's by 2026. I know because I've worked for numerous outfitters there.........along with decades of personal hunts there.
Do any of the above outfitters or the ones you mentioned offer any kind of refund for a non-successful/no opportunity hunt? Including your mentioned Canadian outfitters? Oh, who by the way are having a drop off in success rates too.
I guess it's your option to spend another $8000 ($15K more like it at the end of the day) to a "better" outfitter to end at the same point of having a successful hunt.
For $28K i am offering a quality drawing or OTC hunt with a $20K refund if you are not successful with no opportunity (with some expectations of the hunter as I've mentioned).
I appreciate you taking the time to write your opinions, but I respectfully disagree with you on most of your points.
With this pricing model I am offering a great deal to hunters. Putting skin in the game for successful hunts for my future clients. Show me another outfitter who would be willing to do what I am. Could I do this without offering a guarantee? Of course I could. I do it to bring back some credibility and ownership in this guiding and outfitting world bottom line.
Are federal concessions better? Without question! Are they considerably more expensive hunts? Without question! Do i hope to get one? Yes, in the future (but I still will be offering my guarantees but with the mid $40's total pricing)
I guess my pricing structure is going to be the choice of my future clients. Is a $20K guarantee worth it going into one of my draw or OTC hunt areas? I guess the future will soon tell. With the serious interest I have gotten.....even if half of them bail...... I'll be booked through 2027. Most of them just regular working guys who can't get past spending $30K plus with the lower success rates across the board potential in the future at ALL of the above outfitter choices.