What's the best way to find and book hunting trips?

The best safari hunting experiences are not only confined in South Africa, but there are also a number of locations in the United States where you can have some exciting hunting experiences.

Compared to a trip to the African safari, a hunting trip in the United States could be much cheaper. Here are some of our tips to book your dream hunt with a reputable hunting outfitter in either Africa or the United States:

1. Start with a plan.

Decide your game animal and safari destination and whether you want a guided hunt or a self-drive to maximize your time in the field. When you plan your hunting trip in advance, there’s a better chance of everything going smoothly during the escapade.

2. Do your own research.

Check on wildlife agency websites, locally, or with national trophy record clubs. You can even get in touch with experienced hunters in forums and open an online discussion to gain more tips and insights. They can guide you where the best chances of a successful hunt are located for the type of trophy you’re after, whether it be quantity or quality.

3. Know your outfitter

Research your outfitter. Gather as much positive and negative feedback as you can from previous clients. If they’ve had a positive experience with a reliable outfitter, ask for references and contact those references. You may consider talking with successful and unsuccessful hunters and see if they could refer you to some reliable outfitters they know or have used before.

4. Be realistic.

If you’re going for a big game, communicate that to the outfitter. If you want a representative buck, convey that. If you’re there to harvest some meat to fill your fridge make sure the outfitter knows it. Ask about meals and accommodation. Relay your preferences to your outfitter.

Knowing exactly what you want, what your physical limitations are, and what your comfortable shooting range is, you're on the way to finding the right outfitter. Letting your outfitter know of what you expect will most likely have everything go smoothly for you.

5. Be curious.

When researching an outfitter, develop a list of questions. Ask them about what's most important for you. Ask about success rates, minimums, care of meat, and previous trophy bucks that their clients have taken home.

6. Know what are you getting for your money.

Outfitters use various terms like fully-guided, semi-guided, or just guided. Ask exactly what they mean by whichever term your prospective outfitter uses. Again, don't be afraid to be very specific with your questions.

Ask what hunting methods you'll be using. If it's a big game hunt, will you be spotting and stalking or stand hunting? If the latter, what kind of stands will you be using, ladder stands, lock-on, or shooting houses? If you are spot and stalk hunting, will you be walking or riding? If you're on a deer hunt or elk hunt, will you be alone or with a group? If the latter, how big?

These are just some tips for a successful find on hunting trip packages with outfitters. Especially for a first-timer, don’t be afraid of seeking help from the experienced hunters.

Lastly, for a convenient and worry-free hunting trip always keep your valuables safe especially your firearms. Cedar Mill Fine Firearms has a variety of firearm cases to offer that will guarantee to keep your firearms pristine throughout the trip no matter what the weather condition is or how rough the trip can be.

Reference:

https://www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/hunting/10-tips-for-booking-a-hunting-trip