Are we "FOOLS" to hunt with Huntin'fools new worldwide adventures?

S

sterz

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LAST EDITED ON Feb-01-16 AT 04:09PM (MST)[p]Since new ownership has taken over the huntin'fool magazine they've come up with several ideas to further monetize the business. They raised prices just to drop them back down when enough people got ticked about it.

But what about this worldwide adventures where they refer us to outfitters across the world? I'm interested in Brown bear. In Huntin'fools summer fall 2015 issue they were promoting brown bear hunts for $19,500; $15,500; $25,000; and $26,750. I called an outfitter I hunted dall sheep with in Alaska and his price is $13,000 (and he's taking monster boars).

I'm interested in hunting Namibia. Before I got the HF publication I did a bunch of research and when I compared it to the HF publication, the worldwide adventures was between $4 and $5 thousand more!

and don't get me started with Dall sheep- I KNOW I can get that way cheaper than with huntin' fools help.

Can anyone help me out here? I feel like Huntin'fool is using me to put more money in their pocket at my expense. I feel like instead of looking out for me, their customer, they're trying to sell me horrendously overpriced hunts because they get a cut.

I'm ticked!

But am I right? or am I missing something?
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-01-16 AT 07:15PM (MST)[p]Sterz, if you'd like any help with Namibia, I'd be glad to help give you some information on the top operators.

And I'm totally free!

PM me if interested.
 
>If people are happy paying for
>a service, why the he!!
>do you care?

the only reason it bugs me NMPaul is because i'm concerned with a- #1 and hunting anything other than the draws is an expensive sport. Shoot- even the draws are expensive.

I think one of the reasons our sport is so expensive is because outfits like huntin'fool promote overpriced hunts as if they're doing their customers a favor and this sets the bar for other outfitters offering the same hunts.
 
>LAST EDITED ON Feb-01-16
>AT 07:15?PM (MST)
>
>Sterz, if you'd like any help
>with Namibia, I'd be glad
>to help give you some
>information on the top operators.
>
>
>And I'm totally free!
>
>PM me if interested.

CAelknuts- thanks for the offer. I'll shoot you a PM...
 
>>If people are happy paying for
>>a service, why the he!!
>>do you care?
>
>the only reason it bugs me
>NMPaul is because i'm concerned
>with a- #1 and hunting
>anything other than the draws
>is an expensive sport. Shoot-
>even the draws are expensive.
>
>
>I think one of the reasons
>our sport is so expensive
>is because outfits like huntin'fool
>promote overpriced hunts as if
>they're doing their customers a
>favor and this sets the
>bar for other outfitters offering
>the same hunts.


Huntinfool does not have a monopoly on hunting services. They are are one of the big names. People are willing to pay a little more for places like Cabelas tags, or huntinfool.
There are so many crooks in the outfitting business and in other hunting related services it is worth it to some to pay a little extra to deal with a business that hopefully has weeded some of the scum bags out.

I quit going on guided hunts over 10 years ago so it does not affect me one way or the other.
 
>>>If people are happy paying for
>>>a service, why the he!!
>>>do you care?
>>
>>the only reason it bugs me
>>NMPaul is because i'm concerned
>>with a- #1 and hunting
>>anything other than the draws
>>is an expensive sport. Shoot-
>>even the draws are expensive.
>>
>>
>>I think one of the reasons
>>our sport is so expensive
>>is because outfits like huntin'fool
>>promote overpriced hunts as if
>>they're doing their customers a
>>favor and this sets the
>>bar for other outfitters offering
>>the same hunts.
>
>
>Huntinfool does not have a monopoly
>on hunting services. They are
>are one of the big
>names. People are willing
>to pay a little more
>for places like Cabelas tags,
>or huntinfool.
>There are so many crooks in
>the outfitting business and in
>other hunting related services it
>is worth it to some
>to pay a little extra
>to deal with a business
>that hopefully has weeded some
>of the scum bags out.
>
>
>I quit going on guided hunts
>over 10 years ago so
>it does not affect me
>one way or the other.
>

I can see your point NMPaul. we need a way to cut through all the bad outfits to find great ones.

I can't speak for cabelas tags or any of the others but huntin'fool is not charging a "little" for their research. In my opinion they're pulling a screw job on their valued customers... Now I know their customers don't have to use them- but the fact they're trying to pull it on us is what's offensive.
 
>>>>If people are happy paying for
>>>>a service, why the he!!
>>>>do you care?
>>>
>>>the only reason it bugs me
>>>NMPaul is because i'm concerned
>>>with a- #1 and hunting
>>>anything other than the draws
>>>is an expensive sport. Shoot-
>>>even the draws are expensive.
>>>
>>>
>>>I think one of the reasons
>>>our sport is so expensive
>>>is because outfits like huntin'fool
>>>promote overpriced hunts as if
>>>they're doing their customers a
>>>favor and this sets the
>>>bar for other outfitters offering
>>>the same hunts.
>>
>>
>>Huntinfool does not have a monopoly
>>on hunting services. They are
>>are one of the big
>>names. People are willing
>>to pay a little more
>>for places like Cabelas tags,
>>or huntinfool.
>>There are so many crooks in
>>the outfitting business and in
>>other hunting related services it
>>is worth it to some
>>to pay a little extra
>>to deal with a business
>>that hopefully has weeded some
>>of the scum bags out.
>>
>>
>>I quit going on guided hunts
>>over 10 years ago so
>>it does not affect me
>>one way or the other.
>>
>
>I can see your point NMPaul.
> we need a way
>to cut through all the
>bad outfits to find great
>ones.
>
>I can't speak for cabelas tags
>or any of the others
>but huntin'fool is not charging
>a "little" for their research.
> In my opinion they're
>pulling a screw job on
>their valued customers... Now
>I know their customers don't
>have to use them- but
>the fact they're trying to
>pull it on us is
>what's offensive.


I still do not understand your point. Nobody holds a gun to anyones head and tells them they have to join HF.

Who cares how someone wants to spend their money. Personally, I have seen more hunters get screwed, waste their precious vacation time and get lied to by independents.

None of their "valued customers" are forced to do anything. I assume most of these guys are successful in whatever business they are in to even have the money to invest in their service and do not need to be pitied.

Like I said, I have seen guys waste their best 20 hunting years going on bullshyt hunts because they were talked into them at banquets, expos etc. They refused to spend $100, and tried to save a $1000, and went on garbage hunts with garbage outfitters that should be in jail.

If someone does not want their service cancel it.
 
Sterz, I appreciate your post. I joined Huntinfool a couple of months ago and I'm still trying to determine if it's any value to me.

One thing I wanted from them is draw odds but I haven't looked at it a lot and I'm already finding units that are missing.

The other thing I wanted was outfitter recommendations. I was looking at Kansas or Nebraska whitetail hunts and they didn't seem over priced.

I called them to talk to their outfitter specialist and it was a Friday and they said he didn't work Fridays but I did get to talk to someone else. Where do you get a job where you don't have to work Friday?

I looked at some web sites of the outfitters they recommended and the animals in their photo galleries looked kind of small so I didn't book with any of them.

I was told that Huntinfool wasn't a broker and didn't get anything for recommending certain outfitters. They were just passing on information as a service to their members. You can form your own opinion on whether you believe that or not.

I also have a bad reference on an outfitter they recommended. A high dollar Utah elk hunt that wasn't supposed to kill anything less than 330 but in reality didn't kill anything over 310.

The verdict for me is still out on them but so far it isn't looking that great.
 
I am not trying to lean one way or the other but I will relate a conversation I had with an outfitter a few years ago. I asked him how he got to be a "Recommended Outfitter" with Hunting Fool. I was told that he sent them a check for $1500.
 
It's bewildering to me that so many would pay that kind of money for information that can be found entirely for free through their own due diligence.
 
I don't think you can get the information I'm looking for through your "own due diligence".

If you are looking for unbiased reference and recommendation for outfitters I don't know where you get those.

You can ask an outfitter for references and if they are crooked enough you will get their family members, guides pretending to be hunters or only the successful hunters.

If you know someone personally that's been with an outfitter then you can get good information if not then it's just a crap shoot.
 
WV, you make a good point. I have never used an outfitter so I was not thinking along those lines. I was referencing statistical information that is available to the public.
 
>I don't think you can get
>the information I'm looking for
>through your "own due diligence".
>
>
>If you are looking for unbiased
>reference and recommendation for outfitters
>I don't know where you
>get those.
>
>You can ask an outfitter for
>references and if they are
>crooked enough you will get
>their family members, guides pretending
>to be hunters or only
>the successful hunters.
>
>If you know someone personally that's
>been with an outfitter then
>you can get good information
>if not then it's just
>a crap shoot.


I don't have a problem with their endorsed outfitter section where they allow outfitters they trust to advertise in the back of their publication. My problem is with this new worldwide adventures they're attaching to the magazine every couple months promoting hunts.

They've now become a booking agency for hunts. And instead of finding good quality hunts for a decent price they're out finding us good quality hunts at obscene prices and promoting it like it's a fair price. Their cut must be enormous or they are just going with the most expensive outfitters.

Either way it's not good for the 15-20,000 subscribers they have. And I believe this hurts the industry as a whole when powerful companies like Huntinfool promotes hunts for double what others are charging. It encourages all the outfitters to raise their rates.

This is already a rich mans sport. Sometimes, when I'm feeling rich, I don't care as much but the HuntinFool trying to monetize their customer base like this is disloyal and annoying.
 
Huntin' Fool IS a hunt broker. At least they were when Garth was owner. My outfitter buddy got plenty of business through them and he paid for it. 10-15% is pretty much the going rate. They also tried to charge him one year when he got no hunters through them.

Huntin' Fool was once a useable resource, but no longer in my estimation. No longer a member, it seems I get more emails and snail mail than I ever did when I was a member. Garth was never a big internet guy.
 
I agree with you there Nontypical. Lot's more email hitting my inbox.

I'm curious as to why you don't think they're a useable resource for their state application advice. Although I don't care for the new ownerships moves to make more money off us, I do find value in their magazine.
 
I just joined it recently as well. The thing that attracted me to it was that I have 18 NR points for deer and am applying for a unit 44 3rd rifle tag this fall. I talked to one of their guys who assured me they will give me the names/numbers of guys that have hunted the unit recently that would be willing to give out info. Time will tell.
 
Been a member for 3 years. Will continue my membership. Only thing I don't like about them is how much their advertising of units has driven up NR point creep. I wonder how much point increase has occurred due to HF spilling information to members.

They are very knowledgeable and good people whenever I have dealt with them. Wish they would promote the DIY hunting more and less about pushing you towards outfitters. Seems like the average member has alot more money than me.
 
>I just joined it recently as
>well. The thing that attracted
>me to it was that
>I have 18 NR points
>for deer and am applying
>for a unit 44 3rd
>rifle tag this fall. I
>talked to one of their
>guys who assured me they
>will give me the names/numbers
>of guys that have hunted
>the unit recently that would
>be willing to give out
>info. Time will tell.

Hey Buckhunter 64. That is a neat feature the previous owner instituted that made me feel a lot of loyalty to huntinfool. It's fun to not only get help but I get 5-10 calls every year from other members and I like the feeling of helping them have a great hunt that's taken years and years to draw and I'll never be able to hunt again.

I think you'll like that feature. Not everything about huntinfool is bad. But if a company came along offering the same services as huntinfool without the new ownership mentality of monetizing me, I'd switch in a heartbeat.

Good luck on your Colorado tag!!!! As long as the snow doesn't keep falling I think this will be a great year with the later season dates in Colorado!
 
>Been a member for 3 years.
>Will continue my membership. Only
>thing I don't like about
>them is how much their
>advertising of units has driven
>up NR point creep. I
>wonder how much point increase
>has occurred due to HF
>spilling information to members.
>
>They are very knowledgeable and good
>people whenever I have dealt
>with them. Wish they would
>promote the DIY hunting more
>and less about pushing you
>towards outfitters. Seems like the
>average member has alot more
>money than me.

Hey Bedawg- thanks for you comments man. I totally understand where you're coming from. Point creep is a real thing and a source of disappointment for me thinking of my kids future in hunting. Eventually it's going to be a pay to play, guided sport if people want to hunt every year.

And that takes a LOT of money! -which is my point with huntinfool. They are encouraging the prices to go up substantially by only promoting the most expensive outfitters out there!

When is someone going to start a competing company to huntinfool?? Come on Adam Smith and your invisible hand! There's guys that would switch.
 
I like their service. I spoke with 2 of the consultants this week and they were very helpful. I live in the East, and don't have friends living in Colorado or Wyoming. So HuntinFool and Eastmans are very helpful to me, to learn about units and seasons, and what to expect.

I haven't use their outfitters, but I hunted with a few outfitters in Canada in the last 8 years. If you book thru an agent, 15% of your cost goes back to the agent. So the outfitters that offer the best prices cannot afford working with agents. And I saw that the very best outfitters ( or at least their best hunts, the easiest to sell ) don't need agents to book them, so they don't have to pay the 15%. In the end you will usually get a good outfitter when you book thru an agent, and will pay the full price.
 
Their usefulness has run it's course with me. I was a member for many years, and have a pretty good knowledge of where I want to hunt nowdays without help from Huntin' Fool.

No need to spend money on a non-useable item.
 
>>I just joined it recently as
>>well. The thing that attracted
>>me to it was that
>>I have 18 NR points
>>for deer and am applying
>>for a unit 44 3rd
>>rifle tag this fall. I
>>talked to one of their
>>guys who assured me they
>>will give me the names/numbers
>>of guys that have hunted
>>the unit recently that would
>>be willing to give out
>>info. Time will tell.
>
>Hey Buckhunter 64. That is
>a neat feature the previous
>owner instituted that made me
>feel a lot of loyalty
>to huntinfool. It's fun
>to not only get help
>but I get 5-10 calls
>every year from other members
>and I like the feeling
>of helping them have a
>great hunt that's taken years
>and years to draw and
>I'll never be able to
>hunt again.
>
>I think you'll like that feature.
> Not everything about huntinfool
>is bad. But if
>a company came along offering
>the same services as huntinfool
>without the new ownership mentality
>of monetizing me, I'd switch
>in a heartbeat.
>
>Good luck on your Colorado tag!!!!
> As long as the
>snow doesn't keep falling I
>think this will be a
>great year with the later
>season dates in Colorado!

Absolutely right about that. The access to people that have drawn a tag that took you years to draw is the main advantage of the membership for me, 2nd is having their guys to bounce ideas off of and ask questions without spending hours trying to find an obscure answer in a proclomation, and 3rd is I have become used to getting the magazine and using it to remind me of draws.

I dont put in for any of the raffles or drawings because I have not interest any more in going on ANY guided hunt.
 

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