Anybody able to help me with suggestions on where/how to sell my guide area in B.C? I've been in business for over 20 yrs and am now planning to hang up my hat and do some hunting for myself. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hello Guide1

I know it is not related to Africa Hunting BUT ........

Maybe to get some more exposure to the question you might (Email Saeed the AR Forum owner/moderator) and ask him if he would mind if you (posted the question on the Africa Forum) as it would certainly get a lot more exposure

Anyhow, good luck with the property sale

Cheers, Peter

Guide1,

Have you tried Harry McCowan? http://mccowans.com/

I check there all the time....dreamin' mostly.

Cheers,
Canuck

Why not post some details about your operation here, what quotas you have, buildings, gear, size of territory and so forth.

McCowan certainly is one option, however, there are BC guys out there who want to buy a GO territory and may well log on here from time to time. I have a good friend that is interested and has asked me if I would consider assisting in the operation of a territory, should he buy one.

So, with some details, you might well attract a serious buyer.

Good point Dewey. A few buddies of mine (and I) are always on the lookout for just the right deal (ie. that would allow us to quit our day-jobs and make a living in the hunting industry).

Who knows how many others browse here that are thinking the same way?

Cheers
Canuck

Thanks for the advice. I've had several requests for more info regarding the guide area for sale. It is available at this link:
http://www.huntinglodgesale.com/

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Canuck:
Good point Dewey. A few buddies of mine (and I) are always on the lookout for just the right deal (ie. that would allow us to quit our day-jobs and make a living in the hunting industry).

Who knows how many others browse here that are thinking the same way?


I think that a LOT of guys here in BC think about this, but, I am not so sure that it is a practical dream. With the ever-changing nature of BC society, decreasing populations of the more desirable/valuable game species, i.e., Stone's Sheep, Cali Bighorns, RM Goats and Grizzly hunting WILL be banned soon, no question, I don't see it as a real career move.

A buddy of mine was recently offered quite a good deal on one of the better NWBC territories and asked me, if I would consider operating it for him, as he is very busy in another resource career. I declined as I do not have any interest in working that hard for what one would realistically net at the end of a given season...and I am too old and ornery, anyway!

I see a fairly bright future for the "eco-tourism", "adventure" and non-consumptive tourist industry here in B.C.; I hate to say it, but, I honestly do not see much of a future for non-resident hunting and angling here, except, perhaps with aboriginal-owned businesses.

To paraphrase Springsteen, "those days are going, boys, and they ain't coming back"; that, to me, pretty much tells it like it is, about the future of BC commercial hunting.

Now, to get a deal on a concession and then segue into other types of wilderness tourism, THAT is an interesting and potentially very lucrative concept....note, that certain VERY high profile GOs are doing this now......food for thought????

Would be nice to be able to do it for even 10 to 15 years though. Paying millions for a territory for that brief of a period would be financial suicide though, unless you were already wealthy and doing it for the lifestyle. (c'mon 6-49!!)

The whole eco-tourism thing would be an interesting sideline, but much tougher to make a decent living on...perhaps that will change over time. I'm guessing I'd find it a little more difficult to guide non-resident anti-hunters than non-resident hunters too.

Cheers
Canuck

Hey if you want a career change I might have a deal for you-my business is now at full family sustaining level.http://www.wingandtrout.com/

quote:

Originally posted by Canuck: I'm guessing I'd find it a little more difficult to guide non-resident anti-hunters than non-resident hunters too.

Well, I would sooner not have EITHER here in B.C. and would end all foreign ownership without exception. BUT, B.C. society is changing, hugely, and those changes do not bode well for we resident hunters and far less so for BCérs who own GO territories.

For one thing, there has been a MAJOR dropoff in Yanks coming north to hunt, fish and whatever and, given the economic situation down there, I do not see that improving soon, if ever.

What I DO see happening, is the cold-blooded "buy-off"of aboriginal groups in respect of their "land claims" by assigning more and more special "rights"to hunting and fishing to them, in order to prevent a "Caledonia" from happening here. They may well then choose to allow or even encourage "non-resident alien"hunting for profit, but, the greater society as a whole will turn against this and sanctions on foreigners bringing guns into Canada will be sharply increased....end of hunting by "aliens".

The aboriginals and major environmentalist orgs. WERE cooperating on certain issues, as in Clayoquot, but, this is now falling apart as the aboriginals NEVER intended to keep these areas pristine; they simply want them for their own purposes. Aboriginal "entitilement"may play in the Legislature and the mass media, BUT, damm few folks whose people came here when yours and mine did agree....and WE are the majority.....change IS coming and a LOT sooner than many seem to realize.

So, I honestly do not see much of a future in the GO-hunting business here in B.C.; I would kinda like to see a voluntary "buy-out"of GOs who want to get out and the hunting areas thus re-claimed kept strictly for resident B.C. hunters, aboriginal, white, yellow, brown, even gay, I really don't care, but, BC citizens.

THAT, IMO, is the manner in which we have the best over-all chance of maintaining hunting here in B.C. and it also would treat the GOs who have invested their assets fairly, which is important to me...being an honest, miserable old baztard!

However, you wanna do it, so, why not buy out "Canadian Mountain Outfitters" and get into it, work your butt off and see how it goes? At least, with your R.P.F. and field experience, you could get a forester's job again, if, it doesn't work out or you just find that you don't like it. I think that a LOT of these outfits will be up for sale, very soon and prices will normalize.