Just wondering if some members might have a feel for the stats of effectiveness and efficiencies of recruitment methods. Of course some of these overlap, and there are combinations too, but I can imagine the following main categories:
· Clients who searched the Internet and came across their outfitters’ web sites
· Clients who came across their outfitter of choice on an Internet forum like this one
· Client who met his dream outfitter face to face at a sports expo near his home
· By simple “word-of-mouth†alone
· Advertisements in magazines
· Clients who would contact hunting bodies like SCI, PHASA, Natcon, Game Ranchers Association etc.
· What have I left out?

Learning from the gurus as we go along.
Thanx,
Lochi.

These days, I find that asking advice on sites like this, is the most valuable for me and apparently quite a few others as well. Word of mouth(or computer) is always the best(or worst) advertising.

I do it all, but word of mouth is where 99% of my clientele come from...

AR has been very good to me, as has Saeed, Judge G, Allan Johnson, Jim Sherman, Dietmar H, and a host of others, to which I am eternally grateful..Repeat business is necessary to succeed...

SCI booths have been of help and are certainly necessary, Magazine advertising is the least helpful IMO, however I do my share of advertisment..My web sight produces very little in actual hunts booked but it does keep ones name out there and gives a client someplace to go look at what we have to offer when they are considering booking with us, so that is good...

The bottom line is get your name out there, then live up to your good reputation at almost any cost, the word gets out and business gets better and better, sometimes that is hard to do and sometimes its unfair, but bite the bullet and satisfy the client and you will do well if you can starve to death for 15 years or so building a business, but I suppose thats true of any business...and remember try as hard as you can there will always be a client or two that is never satisfied, no matter what you do, and that goes with the territory, thank goodness they are far and few between..I can only recall a couple in my career...

The other thing is you must also deal fairly with you Safari Companies, and if they make a costly mistake, you share that loss with them within reason, they are your partners and I have had them undercharge a client by mistake and we share that cost...If you deal fairly then you will always be sought after to represent the better companies...

“sometimes that is hard to do and sometimes its unfair, but bite the bullet and satisfy the clientâ€

Thank you Ray. I was hoping you would respond to this thread. I always value your opinion (don’t always agree though )
At work my job as Quality Director is primarily to ensure customer satisfaction through-out the Group. Amongst other things, I have learnt the following critical aspect of service: The bigger your turnover, the bigger the probability of errors become, but also the bigger the damage per error! With today’s effective communication techniques, this effect gets magnified even more.
There is a negative statistic that says “bad news travels 12 times faster than good newsâ€. It is therefore imperative that people like you must be doing it right 99% of the time, or else you would not have survived in this transparent environment of Internet forums!
Thanx.
Lochi.

Lochi

Sorry to jump in and interupt on the thread as you were mainly asking how hunters booked ...

BUT from my perspective ( home alone ) booking agent in a country remote from Africa this is my brief overview ...

SCI HSC SHOWS etc /

only a basic way to get one's name out there, I personnally believe the money outlay with airfares accomm booth and pissing it up is not worth it income wise ...

Magazines /

Limited exposure, but does get ones name out there as well ...

MY PREFERRED method which I have used almost exclusively from day-1 is to put up a webpage/s with general information and an email contact. It might take a while but once you get the ( tricky little ROBOTS ) to searech the internet and locate your webpage then you start to get success, when I say success I mean to be contacted with enquiries ... then once you can get one two or three hunts under the belt the clients become you best marketing tool, as you know it is called networking ...

I ONLY use the internet now, no other form of booking or marketing

Regards, Peter

Greetings all.

I agree with Ray.

Some of the 'Hunting' shows have been good for me. However, most of my clients come from referals from past clients.It is easier to organize a safari from a referal.

However, personally, I would prefer to meet and speak to the hunter in person. I think if you meet them face to face, they will have a better idea of what to expect and what is taking place.

It is not always possible to meet each client, but it would be my preference.

Many times everything is done by phone, and I think the personal side of the safari takes a 'bit of a beatin'. And that is what the client and P.H. will have, is a personal relationship at the end of the safari.

People hunt with people they like and think can get the job done for them.

Thanks for listening.

Best,
Phil
www.go-on-safari.com

Phil,
Question: how often do you actually get the opportunity to meet & greet clients? I mean with so much being done over the Internet or at shows like SCI, does it happen often?

Not as much as I would like. However, I do attend a few conventions. The conventions give me a chance to meet and speak to many people. I seem to get more calls about 2 weeks after the convention you mention. Other conventions are different. Some I get deposits at before the end of the show. You never know.

I just came back from Florida. I was invited to come for a visit by an past client that had a friend for me to speak with who is now coming.

Also, I will be off to Texas to meet with 2 clients that want to go on safari in 2006 or 2007. I TRY to do what I can. Not always possible, but if I have some time and can meet with them, I will try to get together with them.

It kind of depends on how we got in touch with each other and how the conversations go.

However, as I said, I would prefer to meet clients.

Hope this answers.

Best,
Phil
www.go-on-safari.com

I'm pretty much in agreement with Peter.

Advertising in magazines brings in a few hunts.....but not much.

The conventions are very expensive to attend - esp when you look at the cost of donating. There's also the fact that you have every man and his dog all in competition with each other in the same place......the conventions are a whole of fun but be prepared to spend at least US$15K to do it properly and it's not a case of going once......you need to make it a regular event......

We get quite a lot of business from our website but we find the key to that is to use a good webmaster to host it for you.....that means you can forget about having it done from Africa. You need a US based webmaster and they don't come cheap......but a good one is well worth the cost.

As with other people in the business who have answered here we find the best advertisment is to give the client the best possible product. If you do that, not only do they rebook and rebook but they also recommend you to other hunters.

One thing you will have to consider is what part of the market you intend to target. You're basic choice is either the "mass" market of hunters who are hunting on a tight budget and are very price concious......in this case you need to offer a good deal at the right price....and the price is the most important criteria for these clients. Therefore you'll find you have to offer a good but not great hunting experience and that includes not just the hunting but also the ancilliary products.

OR you can target the slightly more affluent hunter who will not look at the bottom line first. This type of hunter will expect a much better level of service than previously mentioned and better than average hunting areas & PHs etc. They'll also look for that indefineable style that some companies offer.

There's also what might be referred to as "The Big Boys".....but to get there you need to have a big name behind you.....clients who hunt with these companies often book with them just to be able to say "I've hunted with so & so" ....but often pay telephone numbers to do so.

All of these markets are completely legitimate and I mean no criticism whatsoever of any type of hunter or outfitter I've mentioned.

Mostly I think you are correct.

If you give the client more than they expect, you do get the return business that keeps us all in business. True, you must target your customers. However, there are different ways to achieve that.

Mostly, you get what you pay for. I do short Buffalo hunts at what I think are competetive rates. However, to shoot a + 40" Buffalo there is about 35% to 40% chance. And I will tell any prospective client exactly what I have written here. I also do short Buffalo hunts that are at full price, where you have a 80% chance to shoot 2 Bulls over 42".

What is the difference? The area with the big Bulls is very remote and there is no way I can reduce the cost of getting things organized for a proper camp. So, I will let anyone that inquires know what they have to choose from. And, at the end of this story, I can target 2 different levels of clients, one who can afford to go for a good, but not the best perhaps, buffalo, but with some chance at getting a big boy, and one client who can afford to better his odds by going to more remote areas.

I have seen many discounted buffalo hunts, and in truth many of them have little chance at a bull over 40". But I know from experience that not all outfitters are up front with the clients in their sales pitch. I've had guys come back to me at conventions and tell me they were promised more than was delivered, but of course, after the fact. But, I firmly believe you can never lie to a client without it coming back to bite you on the butt, so best to tell it like it is, up front. Clients expectations do not change according to the price. If you do not let them know what is in store for them, you will get youself into trouble, and so fast you won't know what hit you !

Best,
Phil
www.go-on-safari.com

I have done a bunch of shows and still do a few occasionally, but word of mouth is the primary tool I use now. Past clients are the key, so if you are looking into advertising, do whatever it takes to get a few clients to start with.
Like Phil, I like to meet with potential clients, and I found one of the best ways to do this are "tupperware" parties that past clients host for me. I get to meet the hunter's friends and give my "pitch" to a small group that is already predisposed to hearing what I have to say.
If you are going to advertise on a site like this, double your prices and you will do fine. Every time I have offered a special for a reduced rate, someone always pipes up that it is too good to be true and that I must be a newbie hack or a booking agent or something. With 46 clients last year and so far 33 this year, I must be doing something right though. Most of my clients for this year were directly from past clients, only 7 from shows. Three booked directly from the website and 1 member and his buddy from here.

Isn’t this the kind of response one would expect from the AR board! Thanx guys.
The message of referrals comes through strongly. After only a few years in operation this is already becoming apparent to me.
I am doing it part-time with limited annual leave from my day-job, thus can only handle few safaris anyway. This is OK as an income from a hobby and I am fortunate to have several years in hand to build up a steady clientele to my retirement.
All these answers make sense for the various conditions, in fact I find them encouragingly confirming of what I expected.
Good hunting,
Lochi.

How about a person who is starting from the bottom without a lot of Capital what would be the best marketing method ?

Internet is fine but doesn't it help for this person to be going to a convention/show to show their face so people can see you are for real ?

quote:

Mostly, you get what you pay for. I do short Buffalo hunts at what I think are competetive rates. However, to shoot a + 40" Buffalo there is about 35% to 40% chance. And I will tell any prospective client exactly what I have written here. I also do short Buffalo hunts that are at full price, where you have a 80% chance to shoot 2 Bulls over 42".

This sounds a very tine little bit like a sliding scale for the trophy hunted?

But to get the question that Lochi asked. You must focus your marketing at some level of client. Steve made a very valid point that you must target the right type of hunter. Your web name "affordableafrica" and contents shows very clearly that you target the very budget conscious hunter. The wise words of Ray that "Repeat business is necessary to succeed..." does not really apply to the very low budget hunter. I make the example of the very big client of yours with whom I had the good fortune to share your camp for a day or so last year. He saved up for this once-in-a-lifetime trip. You gave him a fantastic deal, and he got excellent value for money with you. But, he will not be back next year. Nor the year thereafter! Not because of any shortcoming on your side, he simply can not afford to be back! Heed Ray's advice and concentrate your marketing efforts on those clients who could afford to return to you necxt year if they so chose!

In good hunting.

Mr. Verewaaier,

As stated before, true, you must target your client base/group.

Do my buffalo hunts operate on a sliding scale? No. A sliding scale (as I understand it) the larger the trophy, the larger the trophy fee. Trophy fees are the same all over Tanzania.

If the cost of running a lorry for 14 days (7 days in - 7 days back) was the same as running it for 2 days (1 day in - 1 day back), the cost of these safaris would be the same. Really not too tough of a math problem, the more remote the area, the more it costs to get the supplies there (and re-supply) for a proper camp.

And, the more remote the area is, the longer the animals have had to grow. The longer they have to grow, the better the trophy.

Tanzania is a bit different as to where you hunt, as you know. You have wonderful roads and travel in your country is a pleasure. Items are readily available and you can get what ever you want/need any place. I do not have that kind of luxuary. I am assumming fuel costs in South Africa is about the same as in Tanzania, so you know what it costs to send a lorry on an all day trip to bring in whatever it is you may need. So the cost of my hunts varies based on the cost of delivering the service. As it happens, mother nature also grows 'em bigger in the more distant area, it is more costly so fewer critters are shot, and as a result the trophies on average are better.

Mr. Safari-Hunt,

Starting out is a job of being persistant. Not easy.

I would recommend, 1st. get some good outfitters to work with. Don't try to sell anything you have not seen with your own eyes, don't suggest or promise anything you or you outfitters cannot deliver, always be up front and never 'streach the truth' (like Mom taught you).

Shows can do you some good, however, some can do you a bit of harm as well. Some shows if you do not attend, some people will assume you are out of business or not doing well enough to attend (I saw this when a big name brown bear guide from Alaska did not attend one year).

So, if you start attending shows, plan on going to that show for awhile, whether you do well there or not. After a while, and you attend a number of shows, you will start to track where you are doing well and then target those shows. Actually, the people will target the shows you are doing well at. You will have many more leads from one show vs another.

Starting out is tough. As the old saying goes, 'choose your place to fight'(you are 1 in a sea of 1,000's). And as I learned as an apprentice P.H. 'Never give up, never give up, never give up', but most important, 'never give up'!

Hopes this helps a little.

Best,
Phil
www.go-on-safari.com

Thanks Phil !

I agree with Phil that 1x1 looking at each other is always the best, and we do that in Dallas, we meet a lot of folks there, many from this very board, and for that I am grateful as some real world friendships have developed and Dallas gets more fun every year...New folks show up and get hammered with good things about us, how in the world can you beat that..these guys are the best of references...

I went to Dallas planning on booking a specific hunt. I found it through the internet and contacts made on this forum. When I met the operator, I wasn't comfortable with him, his PH or some of the talk. My partner and I wandered off and met Buzz and Myles. These are some great guys and we came very close to booking with them.

I knew I couldn't afford Tanzania, but stopped off to talk with Ray before we finalized with Buzz. Through Ray, my partner and I met Pierre. This guy, I wanted to hunt with after meeting him. He and Ray bent over backwards to make it happen. After our wives met them, we plunked down a deposit.

I think the internet exposure is the first step, then as Phil has said, the meeting is very important. As in my case, it can make or break the deal. Matter of fact, after reading Phil's thoughts, he is a guy I would have checked out and then enjoyed meeting.

One aspect we haven't really discussed here is agents. We've tried a variety of advertising methods including agents and have had mixed results. A good one can be very useful......but from my experience for every good agent there's at least 10 that are as much use as a one legged man at an ass kicking party. If you can find a really good and professional agent you need to be prepared to pay a considerable sum for his (or her) services.......cos he won't come cheap. If you can't find a really good agent then don't even begin to consider a second rater.....they'll give you more problems than you can shake a stick at......Of course ther's also the added problem that if you are targeting the budget market you then have to find the additional money to pay the agent which then forces a price increase and hence rules out some of the very hunters you were originally trying to sell to........

.........Ain't life a bitch!

As a client, one aspect of getting and keeping clients has not been addressed; that is finding a niche market which is under serviced, or not serviced at all. The only niche marketing I have seen is for low cost "varmint" and small cat hunting in RSA.

I've noticed that there have been a number of comments in this thread about the cost of getting the gear into a remote area to set up a "professional" camp and, generally on AR, a focus on how luxurious the facilities are. Australian hunters, at least, are used to roughing it and I, for one, would be happy to sleep on the ground, share the cooking with my PH, wander off into the scrub to go to the toilet and have a cold shower if it meant I could afford a longer hunt or a greater range of game.

In fact, I'd probably prefer it. For me, there is a "Disneyland" quality about SA ranch hunting with swimming pools and I find having staff everywhere a bit embarrassing. When i hunted Zambia, we bounced off 80-100km in the dark in the morning, then back again each night - different directions each day depending on the game sought. At the end of a long day, I would have "given quids" (Australian for "paid a lot of money") to have just unrolled my swag, cooked a bit of tucker on the fire, had a few beers and gone to bed. Would have saved 3-4 hours of driving and a lot of fuel. What about lions and leopards, well, humans evolved in africa, the didn't all get eaten and the locals walk for days between villages and sleep on the side of the track. Creepy crawleys - use a swag or bivvy bag.

I'm sure that there are other niche markets that could be explored and ways "newbie" operators could cut costs.

mike

Mike ( Aussie )

There are a number of hunters whom prefer your idea ( take the bush ) as it comes scenario ...

The problem for niche market type hunts is an OUTFITTER in South Africa in particular has to diversify to be able to cope with demand ...

The next hunter will come along and say my wife/girlfriend is joining the safari and she has nice long blond hair that needs to be shampooed with hot water each day, manacured fingernails, and has her bikini with her wanting to laze by the pool and drink nice cool drinks in a proper tall glass with twizzle stick, now to say to that hunter SORRY I CAN take you, but cant cater for the wife in camp and therefore lose a client ... We to a degree, need to be all bells whistles and lights to meet a broader cross section of client reqirements.

You scenario might suit a stand alone PH whom has a vehicle rifle and few overheads and be more prepared for your type of hunt, as you say a newbee would maybe start off that way and take only a niche market client

Most ranch hunt operators ( unfortunately ) to be competitive have to have a full blown bushveld quality camp to be in the general market

Peter

Mr. AussieMike,

I tried filling a niche similar to that (and had a few clients), with old fashioned walking safaris. Everyone said "Boy! I wish I could hunt the way they did 100 years ago. A walking safari with porters."

So, I put together a walking safari for them. Well, that lasted 4 days. No one came in shape to actually DO a walking safari.

Of the hunting industry, Africa is a small part. Hunting in Tanzania (as I do) is a VERY small part of that industry. I cannot afford to have ONE client go away thinking I did not do my best at helping him achieve his goals. Basically, the clients wishes dictates how the safari goes.

If we are only finding the animals you want 5+ hrs from camp, we will make a fly camp. But we will bring some things so the client does not have to sleep on the ground or without a tent. You may very well be willing to do so. But what do you say to the P.H. when the army ants crawl inside your bed and start stinging you? You might think it was funny, but it most likely won't be.

You will not get much sleep that night, so the next day you are a bit tired and maybe because you rested 1 time more that day, the 45" Buffalo you were looking for walked by 200 yards ahead and you did not see him. (just an example).

You may like to 'rough it a bit', however, most of the other clients want to have a nice hot shower and recharge their camera batteries, have a nice hot/cold drink, use a flush toilet, etc.

Also, one vehicle will not suffice in carrying enough gear for you and your P.H. and the game scout and your tracker. So now, you would need to hire another vehicle to carry more gear, so now, the price is rising. Agreed, you can most likely find SOMEONE to fill your idea of a great safari, of the type you mentioned.

I feel you are in the minority. Yes, everyone wants to hunt longer and cheaper, however, extending hospitiality to your clients and treating them well, showing that you made an effort for THEM, in building a nice camp and working as hard as needed to achieve the client's goals, will go A LONG way in keeping those repeat clients coming. I suspect that if there really were a niche of clients like you, that type of safari would be available in the marketplace. Or, maybe you really have a better idea, but based on my experience so far, I am not sure that is true.


Maybe I cannot see the forest for the trees here.

Perhaps you will start a revolution and a new influx of a particular type of safari like you mentioned. Who knows?

Best,
Phil

I always thought there were no 'rough' safaris in RSA because the regulations stipulate the camp must satisfy certain conditions before hosting foreign hunters...

I've got no vested interest in niche market idea but I will comment on a few points:

1. Satisfaction is directly related to expectations - if a client books the hunt with the knowledge that certain aren't available, they will be satisfied.

2. Only a small proportion of clients who have complaints actually make them - you really don't know what clients see as the strengths and weaknesses of your business unless you carry out a well designed survey.

3. At least among the general population, there are a lot of people who willingly forgo creature comforts for an exotic experience and to pay a lot of money for it. Trekking in Nepal, camel safaris in the outback of Australia. I can't imagine that the average hunter is more of a "wuss" than the greenies who raft the Franklin River in Tasmania and on this trip you not only have to do without flush toilets but you have to carry your shit with you in the raft.

4. If you want more clients you can get them either by "stealing" them from other operators (ie increasing market share) or by getting clients who, if you weren't offering your type of hunt, wouldn't hunt in Africa at all ("growing the market", an a sense.

5. Soldier ants, snakes etc are just logistic issues that can be solved - after all, Taylor, Ball, Cummings etc managed.

6. I you are trying to increase your client base you shouldn't base your business decisions just on what your current clients tell you. If they've come to you in the first place, they obviously liked what you are offering and if they come back, then they liked what you provided. If they don't come back, they probably didn't think that what you provided was as good as what you said you provided. You also want to know about people who didn't come to you but chose a competitor instead, and those who would like to hunt Africa but perceive that there are barriers such as cost, politics etc.

7. You need to be careful not to assume that clients from different cultures have African values - one example is that several people I have spoken to are uncomfortable about having "black servants" in camp even though they have no problem with maid service in a five star hotel.

8. You can (and should) refuse clients if you aren't sure you can offer what they want and expect. This minimises the risk of bad publicity from a dissatisfied hunter and can generate good publicity - people will come to see you as being trustworthy if you get a reputation for telling people "For the sort of hunt you want, I'd recommend ..."

There are 100,000 members of the largest shooter organisation in Australia and most hunt. I doubt if more than 1-2% have hunted in Africa. If a young PH could get 0.1% of the remainder to hunt with him once every 2 years, he'd have a good business.

mike

quote:

There are 100,000 members of the largest shooter organisation in Australia and most hunt. I doubt if more than 1-2% have hunted in Africa. If a young PH could get 0.1% of the remainder to hunt with him once every 2 years, he'd have a good business.

Firstly Lozano IMHO answered the topic very well, much better than I can

Mike

You certainly have some very interesting (good ideas) as nothing was ever achieved by people like yourself not first coming up with the idea BUT the secret to success is not only to dream but to make the dreams a reality, now that is the REAL challenge ....

The problem with most outfitters is they either dont think out of the square OR they are more comfortable within the square and decide why diversify and leave oneself open to other problems, they feel comfortable doing what they know best and that is catering for the majority of hunters whom nowdays do have guests along and whom do prefer some creature comforts more than the others whom prefer to rough it, but as you point out there is another market segment out there which you describe ...

Now although a lot of OUTFITTERS like the life and challenges associated with providing clients with a hunting safari they still need to make a reasnable living, unless they are rich and dont care about money ... The days of the roughing it old days hunts are going and that is because not many people now have the spare time to do the old classic scene of yesteryear ...

Most hunters whom contact me are on a tight time schedule and dont have the inclination and the will to go bush, the real africa explorer thrill is waning and so is the land available to do that, logistics and economics of the modern world interferes ....

Your idea is actually very good in theory, now if some (bright spark) will take up the challenge then who knows !!!

With all the modern day legal shit on client safety and associated issues that also complicates the idea ...

AussieMike,
Well said, but be careful: frequently clients will explicitly ask for roughing it, but when his hot shower is late you can see the agony on his face, although he does not say so - another wise observation you have made!

You mentioned varmint as a niche. Niche in itself is OK, but not a niche that limits you. Some 6 years back my little concern started off exactly like that! As a keen predator caller I frequented American varmint forums, applying coyote calling techniques to jackal. I made several cyber friends and travelled to the USA – not to attend conventions, but to call ‘yotes with my Internet buddies, back-packing style, on the cheap. Several of them told me I should offer guided predator calling in RSA, hence the name of my business “African Varmint Safarisâ€. My first client was in fact a varminter. I encouraged him to take a few common plains game also, which got me thinking that way. One thing leads to the next, and by now the tail is wagging the dog. My 2004 clients enjoyed the odd predator calling experience, but they came here for plains game I the first place, not varmint.

The varmint niche (only) is too limited, as is the “roughing it only†niche. I am therefore about to upgrade the image of my site from “I apologise for being around†to a more confident “yes, I can offer you a plains game safariâ€. I do not regret having starting off with low-low priced offerings though, since one has to walk before you can run.

Safarihunt,
I know what you mean by struggling to get started! As member of PHASA I recommended few years ago that they establish regional social forums where new PHASA members can network informally to learn from one another – not interested. That’s why newbys like you and I should rather learn from this forum. At least the people on AR are either clients who see things through the eyes of the client, or successful outfitters who are prepared to accept the risks of Internet transparency by posting where the world can see and judge.

There is one workable niche though – the niche of diversity! I realise this sounds like an anomaly, so let me explain: A free-lance outfitter/PH is not bound to any land, agent, region, etc, so he can specialise in customised safaris with variances in levels of luxury, levels of hunting effort, trophy quality, preferred weather, preferred topography, etc. This means you have to be prepared to travel many miles in RSA scouting for special animals and special conditions. You have to hunt there yourself to get to know the veld, animals, trackers, etc. You would need a database with info that gets updated all the time. You also have to spend many-many hours corresponding with potential clients, changing options, re-quoting alternatives, answering lots of questions. It is also more risky in the sense that you cannot possibly know the details of 50 suppliers as well only 5, say. The last thing you want to happen is to loose control over quality and service.
To an extent this concept is already working for me.
Lochi.

Hello Lochi

Not wanting to sound presumptious at all, so castigate me if you believe I am ...

BUT from my basic knowledge or underatanding of your set up and modes operandi I believe you might be (more ideally placed) tham a lot of us ( indebted ranch operators ) to look more closely at what AussieMike has said about their LARGE Aussie hunter base whom I believe would in th main be looking for a very cost effective true roughing it bushveld safari camping out in the sticks and generally living of baked beans and biltong so to speak (-:

WE could EVEN consider it ourselves, that is not really a problem, BUT it might be a bit false to have a luxury style lodge set up with swimming pool and then drive past and drop the client somewhere in the bush with PH and say see you in a week !!! I dont believe that would work BUT who knows, we await more feedback from Aussie Mike & yourself as there is merit in the CONCEPT

Peter

Creative thinking Peter, but I think I'll run into problems with Nature Conservation. I went through administrative lengths to have a nice ranch (someone elses of course!) approved by Natcon Limpopo as my "facility" in compliance with their standards. Maybe they will allow camping on the same land, I don't know. Unfortunately we will have to drive past the pool and airconditioned rooms to get to te camp.
Take care,
Lochi.

I thought perhaps you might be interested in how a traveling hunter like me books his hunts. I usually do my booking at shows. I attend the Harrisburg show, the SCI convention, and Eastern FNAWS. Sometimes I buy hunts that are donated to the auctions at FNAWS and SCI, but usually I like talking to outfitters. One gets a sense of whether he can get along with the guy he is going to hunt with just by shooting the breeze. I admit that I am probably not a typical show attendee. My impression of shows is that the vast majority of those who go to the Harrisburg show are dreamers and brochure collectors. In fact that is what I was until I retired eleven years ago. Those who attend SCI, Dallas or Houston, or FNAWS are more likely to actually be going on hunts.

I have bookmarked some websites I have seen on AR, and plan to contact some of them in the future. The web is an interesting place. It gets your name out there, but I am not sure how much business it might drum up.

Those who have mentioned word of mouth are right on target. I suspect that I have given some outfitters business and have steered hunters away from others by what I said about them.

Just my rambling thoughts. If any have specific questions, pm me.

I believe the quality of your web site has a lot to do with bringing in new business, as well as how it is placed in the "pop up" order when a search is done, say on "hunting safari" or something similar. One of the best web sites in my opinion is Wendell's at: http://www.huntersquest.com/ It is logically set up and gives a lot of information.