Alaska Sheep Hunt Pricing

[TheWhitetailNut]

I’m book through 2027.

I’ve got the nonresident governor’s super 7 sheep tag holder this year as well.

Why would you assume that the guys or gals looking for an outfitter with some credibility and integrity left to offer an opportunity fee based trophy hunt…..that these “kind of” clients no other outfitter would want? I’ve been running close to 100 percent on my guiding since I’ve started in the guiding business. Guided clients to 33 rams and have taken 13 of my own. With that historical percentage, these clients will be paying at or above the going rate if successful you do understand that correct?

The one thing different I am doing
from MOST outfits is taking a very low amount of sheep hunters to these areas. 1-3 per year commercially. I can almost guarantee even in these less sheep populated conditions I will get my client a ram bottom line. Many of the “regular priced” outfitters in Alaska AND Canada are 100 percent taking clients on hunts when they know for sure there are not the number of legal rams in their area! This is widely known throughout the business and smart clients are catching on. I can point to numerous non resident sheep “guiding outfits” in Alaska’s GMU 19c until that was closed down. I’d probably call them super expensive camping coordinator’s then outfitters to be more accurate.

This closure by ADFG in 19c saved so many unsuspecting non residents from fancy instagram “professional” hunters and more bad press for Alaska’s legitimate sheep hunting outfits. I do feel bad for the small time resident based responsible outfits in 19c that got caught up in this. Sucks for them and their clients.

I know you probably have little to no idea about the outfitting business in Alaska or the overall sheep hunting as a resident or guiding industry in general is all about, so l assume your comment on the type of clients that would be interested in my outfit is just out of ignorance.

A quarter of my future clients have come from this site, half from word of mouth and the last qtr from past clients.

I’ll take a client that is concerned with success and who that client spends their money with based on that potential success anytime. Send them my way please for 2028 and on hunt opportunities.

Everyone is booked out several years for sheep unless they rely on draw areas, many of them charge 50-100% more than you. No reason to divulge my knowledge of the Ak outfitting business, I do know business. I may not have done 33 jobs as an employee, but I have 20,000 customers with an average spend very comparable. I have also hunted all over the world which sadly required guides often.
All I did was ask a couple questions about your methodology from a genuinely curious perspective, why turn it into a shit show? If you're that good, you can charge the same amount upfront and not have the risk. Your business, your call. I was just curious.
It is pretty sad there are several outfitters in Ak and B.C. in particular who knowingly go for expensive camping trips. All the best

 

[WalterH]

I’m book through 2027.

I’ve got the nonresident governor’s super 7 sheep tag holder this year as well.

Why would you assume that the guys or gals looking for an outfitter with some credibility and integrity left to offer an opportunity fee based trophy hunt…..that these “kind of” clients no other outfitter would want? I’ve been running close to 100 percent on my guiding since I’ve started in the guiding business. Guided clients to 33 rams and have taken 13 of my own. With that historical percentage, these clients will be paying at or above the going rate if successful you do understand that correct?

The one thing different I am doing
from MOST outfits is taking a very low amount of sheep hunters to these areas. 1-3 per year commercially. I can almost guarantee even in these less sheep populated conditions I will get my client a ram bottom line. Many of the “regular priced” outfitters in Alaska AND Canada are 100 percent taking clients on hunts when they know for sure there are not the number of legal rams in their area! This is widely known throughout the business and smart clients are catching on. I can point to numerous non resident sheep “guiding outfits” in Alaska’s GMU 19c until that was closed down. I’d probably call them super expensive camping coordinator’s then outfitters to be more accurate.

This closure by ADFG in 19c saved so many unsuspecting non residents from fancy instagram “professional” hunters and more bad press for Alaska’s legitimate sheep hunting outfits. I do feel bad for the small time resident based responsible outfits in 19c that got caught up in this. Sucks for them and their clients.

I know you probably have little to no idea about the outfitting business in Alaska or the overall sheep hunting as a resident or guiding industry in general is all about, so l assume your comment on the type of clients that would be interested in my outfit is just out of ignorance.

A quarter of my future clients have come from this site, half from word of mouth and the last qtr from past clients.

I’ll take a client that is concerned with success and who that client spends their money with based on that potential success anytime. Send them my way please for 2028 and on hunt opportunities.


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Dude.

You asked for people’s opinions and input on your plan, didn’t you?

It comes across as pretty unprofessional, if not arrogant and just plain dumb to pitch them shit when they offer what you asked for.

We get it, you’ve had a great track record and have earned your reputation for success.

Careful what you promise in these days of low abundance and high competition. Expectation management is key when it comes to guiding, but I’m sure you already knew that.

 

[DoubleBroomedMountainRifles]

Dude.

You asked for people’s opinions and input on your plan, didn’t you?

It comes across as pretty unprofessional, if not arrogant and just plain dumb to pitch them shit when they offer what you asked for.

We get it, you’ve had a great track record and have earned your reputation for success.

Careful what you promise in these days of low abundance and high competition. Expectation management is key when it comes to guiding, but I’m sure you already knew that.

Dude I’ll say what I want to when someone calls my clients “clients no other outfitter would want” because I offer a basic satisfaction guarantee with a clients hunt who are not successful.

Who am I pitching stuff to dude? Unprofessional telling a nobody on this site that my clients are not the bottom of the barrel that no other outfitter would want??

Call it what you want dude. It’s not arrogance or unprofessional at all. I was simply stating this last poster was ignorant plain and simple.

Careful what I promise? What are you taking about.


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[WalterH]

I can almost guarantee even in these less sheep populated conditions I will get my client a ram bottom line.

 

[DoubleBroomedMountainRifles]

I don’t consider that a promise.

Good luck to you this sheep season.


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[Alder_]

That seems like splitting hairs.

Justify it however you see fit. It's your business and clients.

But if you were to tell a client "I will get you (my client) a ram, bottom line"
That statement reads with assurance.

Now, it doesn't say "I promise you (my client) a ram, bottom line"

But how do you think the general person perceives that?

For clarification.
A promise: a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen.

Good luck.

 

[WalterH]

I’m book through 2027.

I’ve got the nonresident governor’s super 7 sheep tag holder this year as well.

Why would you assume that the guys or gals looking for an outfitter with some credibility and integrity left to offer an opportunity fee based trophy hunt…..that these “kind of” clients no other outfitter would want? I’ve been running close to 100 percent on my guiding since I’ve started in the guiding business. Guided clients to 33 rams and have taken 13 of my own. With that historical percentage, these clients will be paying at or above the going rate if successful you do understand that correct?

The one thing different I am doing
from MOST outfits is taking a very low amount of sheep hunters to these areas. 1-3 per year commercially. I can almost guarantee even in these less sheep populated conditions I will get my client a ram bottom line. Many of the “regular priced” outfitters in Alaska AND Canada are 100 percent taking clients on hunts when they know for sure there are not the number of legal rams in their area! This is widely known throughout the business and smart clients are catching on. I can point to numerous non resident sheep “guiding outfits” in Alaska’s GMU 19c until that was closed down. I’d probably call them super expensive camping coordinator’s then outfitters to be more accurate.

This closure by ADFG in 19c saved so many unsuspecting non residents from fancy instagram “professional” hunters and more bad press for Alaska’s legitimate sheep hunting outfits. I do feel bad for the small time resident based responsible outfits in 19c that got caught up in this. Sucks for them and their clients.

I know you probably have little to no idea about the outfitting business in Alaska or the overall sheep hunting as a resident or guiding industry in general is all about, so l assume your comment on the type of clients that would be interested in my outfit is just out of ignorance.

A quarter of my future clients have come from this site, half from word of mouth and the last qtr from past clients.

I’ll take a client that is concerned with success and who that client spends their money with based on that potential success anytime. Send them my way please for 2028 and on hunt opportunities.


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[wantj43]

In 2024 I will be starting my own outfitting business in Alaska. Sheep, interior grizzly, coastal brown bears and caribou will be the animals that I intend to offer limited quality backpack style hunts at affordable prices.

I've been sheep hunting/guiding in Alaska for 24 years. I'm a local full time Alaska resident of the interior as well.

I have been working for an outfitter on a federal concession that I am a huge advocate for and plan to submit proposals until I acquire one. In the meantime, I plan to work the draw areas in the interior where I have years of guiding and personal hunts and offer some OTC areas as well.

The title of the thread is "Alaska Sheep Hunting Prices".

I wanted to get some nonresident hunters' opinions who have hunted or might be planning a sheep hunt in the near future. I've been in this business for the last few years as an assistant guide and have seen prices going so high that many folks are throwing their hands up with the thought, they are never going to be able to afford these hunts. And then not to mention the dropping of success percentages in the last few years many nonresidents are seeing in Alaska and in Canadian concessions as well.

I'm considering a hunt price structure on the majority of the hunt on a trophy fee basis only. Example would be as follows:
$8K Dall sheep 12-day hunt (10 actual hunt days......1 day going in travel and 1 day going out in travel)
$20K trophy fee on a Dall sheep SUCCESFUL LEGAL RAM 10-day hunt OR if a legal ram was presented under 400yds with a decent chance of a successful shot.
Client pays the air charter fee directly to the air charter company, but I would make all flight arrangements ($2K estimate for round trip)
$30K all in if successful/had a shot opportunity.
$10K all in if NOT successful

Again, this is in the pre planning stages but I really wanted to get hunters or future hunters' opinions on a fee structure like this. Pro's and cons's.

To the heart of my core, I just can't charge fully for a product IF I can't deliver that product. I had my very first unsuccessful client hunt last year that I was not able to provide a shot opportunity on the client's primary animal (this hunt was a Dall sheep/Griz/Caribou). Owning outfitter would never have considered giving any kind of refund to the client even though the number of miles covered (62 miles), attitude of the hunter was outstanding, and weather was not a factor. Just no sheep available in this area of the concession (this area is over 350 miles from the area that I plan to conduct hunts in)

I know there is a lot of variables that can affect a successful hunt (weather, client's preparedness just to name a few) but for the most part I feel if a guide can't produce results, they should not be compensated FULLY bottom line. Again, that is my opinion.

I am not here trying to solicit hunts or anything like that. I have gotten opinions from other guides and booking agents (almost ALL of them are negative to this line of thinking on pricing). Now I am here for the "clients" view on this.

Thoughts??

Thanks in advance for your constructive input. Look forward to reading any comments.

Go for it! If it doesn’t work the business model can be “tweaked”. Just think about how far out you want to commit.
Best of luck

 

[Rowndy]

So….how did these sheep hunts turn out this year?