You guys in the business might be able to help me here. Why if I book a hunt directly with an outfitter will I pay 10% more than if I booked the same hunt, with the same outfitter, through a booking agent?

I'm staring at the numbers and not understanding why it wouldn't be the other way around.

I will answer that with a question...If it costs you less to book with an agent then why wouldn't you?

Actually, we do a lot of ground work and paperwork so it isn't like I am just sitting here taking checks from clients. I've generally got a lot of hours in just readying things for both my outfitters and my clients.

I will often try and negotiate a better deal for my clients too.

The agent might get a volume discount, but the outfitter may be quoting you retail.

AHA - My point exactly. Obviously it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know you go with the low number, but if you are earning your keep, your cost and the outfitters requirement combined should be more than the outfitters requirement alone.

I just assumed the booking agent would get some finders-fee from the outfitter for filling the hunt. Therefore the hunt would be more expensive.

Maybe 500g is flirting with the truth. Maybe the agent has been given a certain number of tags to fill at a lower rate, and the outfitter retains some that he shops at a "gravy" rate.

The deal I'm staring at seems to leave less for the booking agent and the outfitter; not that I'm complaining.

It's done to keep the resellers happy. You don't want to compete with your own best salespeople, you want to keep them on your side. If someone DOES want to go "direct", your brokers can't say anything, since you are charging more.

Same thing with buying dies directly from Redding, etc. HTH, Dutch.

Sometimes booking agents get a free hunt after they have booked, 'so many hunts'.
It is time consuming and costly for Outfitters to do thier own advertising and attend shows around the country or over seas. I often hear outfitters complaining of having to do these "shows". It is alot less headache to have a booking agent and in alot of cases saves the outfitter time and money.
In both cases, reputation is thier best seller.

Daryl

My "discussion" with the booking agent has taken an ugly twist.

When I called them initially about the hunt they had quoted, I learned that it was the same hunt I'd been talking about by e-mail with the outfitter. I asked the booking agent if the price he was quoting was accurate. He said it was, although it was $1,000 less than the outfitter quoted me.

I asked if they had an opening. He said there showed to be two, which the outfitter had told me also. He said he would confirm and get back to me within 48 hours. I told him if the spot was still open I'd take it.

It has now been a week. I've been unable to get the booking agent to respond to my phone and e-mail messages, and he has raised his price $1,000.

Sounds like they realize they made a phoo-phoo and are hiding under the bed. Anyone have any comment regarding the responsibility of the booking agent to stand behind their quote? Sounds a little shady to me. I'll try again tomorrow to talk to them.

I discussed your problem with a lawyer friend of mine. He said that he could handle the problem for $1,500.

O.K. TerryR. Let's see. Subtract one from the other, add the lawyer fee, multiply by 1.3, carry the two ...... mmm ...... See if that lawyer would work for $1.37 and I think it's a deal.

The only thing worse than being screwed once, is being screwed twice.

For Pete's sake, Kensco, you're a smart guy, don't fool around with them anymore and find one of the agents that post on this board. If they weren't doing a good job, you'd hear about it, believe me.

Mornin' Gato,

What I was trying to assess was whether this is just one of those things; a communication error between the outfitter and the agent, or a real ethics issue. If the people in the business, here in this forum, had responded with a wave of indignation I would assume I was dealing with shysters. The deafening silence tells me others have been on the other side of this table, and no one wants to be quick to judge. I'm O.K. with that.

I've asked if both parties will honor the lower price. Depending on what they say, I'll make my choice. Since I've used this agent before, I'm not jumping to any conclusions yet. We're just trying to work through an uncomfortable situation.

If they have to be shamed into keeping their word you're probably not going to enjoy the hunt, because you can't trust them about anything else.

It's not as if they have your money and are not giving it back, you have no damages to show and any honest lawyer will tell you that.

If you eliminate the middle man (the agent) you still haven't eliminated the agent's duties. The outfitter doesn't want this work or he wouldn't have set himself up with an agent in the first place. By using an agent he (the outfitter) is able to devote his energies towards his core mission (hunting arrangements) and give the agent's duties to someone who wants them or is better at it.

What I see is both sides of the fence working the deal at the same time; which means everybody needs to communicate closely. The outfitter and agent are both trying to fill the openings.

In this case the agent's website prices didn't get updated promptly. I accepted their explanation, and with both prices the same, booked a dall sheep hunt in 2004 through the agent.

In this instance I need the agent's help next year on a few equipment issues prior to the hunt. The outfitter wouldn't have the time to put in the effort to assist me, and I can appreciate why. He's out there hunting with other guys just like me.

On the other hand, having booked through the agent I will expect him to bust his ass for me. I don't see a problem from here on out. This will be our third hunt together.

It was an interesting coincidence that I had sifted through eight outfitters and started talking to the one that I thought could provide the quality hunt I want. Then when I ran through the agent he came back to me with the best of six that he had to offer. We found out in the second conversation that we were talking about the same guy.

It gives me a warm feeling knowing both the agent and myself, imdependently, thought this guy was The Man.

As a booking agent I will not accept a outfitter client that wants me to "add whatever I want to his price". I insist on selling the hunt at the same rate he puts on it and he pays me a commission out of that...

I suspect you were quoted a 2003 price by the booking agent and the outfitter did not notify him of the 2004 increase as that happens to all of us from time to time...

your Agent should have just told you and let it go at that, trying to skirt embarrassing issues is bad business, I'd just say opps I messed up and the rest is up to you, if that upset someone then they could go book with someone else, it isn't worth a lie to me, just to save face....

If you agent has been 100% fair and honest in the past then I,d sure give him the benifit of the doubt and he may not be calling you because he needs to contact the outfitter and that can be time consuming BTW...

If you are suspecious of him and/or have any doubts at all, then simply book with another agent, simple as that....The client does not owe the Agent squat, the agent owes the client all, he keeps the wolves away from the door.

My sentiments exactly.