some Dall outfitters are already out to 2026 season bookings

[mtwarden]

was messaging a gentleman asking some questions about booking a Dall hunt with the outfitter I'm booked with, he said he was told the outfitter was already fully booked through 25 and now booking for 2026

when I booked (Feb 21) it was a two year out window, looks like it's doubled in very short order- appears prices have gone up too, that's not a big shock I guess given the inflation of late

 

[MT_Wyatt]

Four years out seems like so incredibly long. I wonder what the attrition rate will be with people who can't make it for one reason or another? I wonder how much the cancellations from past two years are impacting it as well? If it was only 2 years a couple months ago, must have been one hell of a Sheep Show!

 

[mtwarden]

I was surprised to hear how quickly it changed. When I first looked into it (2017/18) it was pretty much two years (with a chance of 1 year with cancellations); ditto when I finally booked (21)- obviously a big jump in interest in the last year or so!

Folks with more free time and more money??????

 

[schmalzy]

I was surprised to hear how quickly it changed. When I first looked into it (2017/18) it was pretty much two years (with a chance of 1 year with cancellations); ditto when I finally booked (21)- obviously a big jump in interest in the last year or so!

Folks with more free time and more money??????

I think that’s part of it and I think the other part is guys figuring out they better book now due to inflation, price increases, etc.

I booked in oct of 21 for a 2022 hunt but think most of it was luck and being ready to commit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mtwarden]

^ good work on your part

 

[wildwilderness]

On another note it can be sketchy booking so far out. With the bad weather events and so forth sheep numbers are down and some areas devoid of legal rams.

I would be sure of a contingency plan if that was the case, booking so far out…

 

[mtwarden]

^ yeah a lot can happen in 4 years

 

[Doc Holliday]

Just because you sign up with them @ 30K or whatever, many have clauses where if the annual prices go up you will have to pay the difference the year of the hunt, if it's going for 40K for example at that time. In other words, putting a deposit down years out does not necessarily lock you in to current pricing, it just gets you a reservation for a given year.

 

[mtwarden]

^ good to know- read the contract carefully

 

[trapperJ]

Some guides are cancelling hunts due to sheep population, not booking out years in advance for an unknown....

 

[VernAK]

Some guides are cancelling hunts due to sheep population, not booking out years in advance for an unknown....

Th weather is crazy and continues so. Last night I had 40F and drizzle. I don't know the extent of the area affected but it may have just added more crust on the already deep snow.

 

[QuackAttack]

I’d be very reluctant to book 4 years out unless I had money to burn. People move, go out of business, lose access, get sick…

The contract would have to have a solid cancellation policy with full refund by the outfitter individually, not a business name.

 

[wind gypsy]

Crazy times indeed. I paid $18k to go in '19 and that was a little on the higher side for AK when I booked. Same outfitter's rate is now $30k.

 

[AlaskaMark]

Sheep are in decline across Alaska, and this is one of the worst icing event winters we've had in a long time, so things aren't looking good for sheep. Some areas could go to draw as well in the next few years. Sad situation overall.

 

[QuackAttack]

I spent two full weeks in the Yukon about a decade ago. Price has more than doubled if you include trophy fees.


It’s kinda ridiculous as that’s not inflation, it’s profit. I’m down for profit…but it gets absurd past a point. Outfitters are often great but big $$$ can attract very shady folks and clients paying high prices have very high demands.

 

[Mtnboy]

With the state of the world I'd be real nervous about putting any $$ down on something that is 4+ years away.

 

[VernAK]

Supply and demand.
Supply is low.
Demand is high.

 

[Jgriff]

I talked to an elk outfitter in MT the other day that is supposedly booked out 10 years with deposits......lots of things can change in 10 years.

 

[QuackAttack]

I talked to an elk outfitter in MT the other day that is supposedly booked out 10 years with deposits......lots of things can change in 10 years.

i think a lot of outfitters claim that type of thing…but it’s BS. I know several waterfowl guides that claim they are fully booked years in advance because they usually get large group bookings from big clients like banks, chemical distributors, and so on. Emphasis on usually…


Ive seen those same guys begging for clients when their big customers went elsewhere for no reason.

 

[ozyclint]

With the state of the world I'd be real nervous about putting any $$ down on something that is 4+ years away.

x100.

Dropping $40k on something you hope to occur in 4 years is insane to me given the current situation.