Start new guide service or guide for an outfit?

[couesaddict13]

Hey guys, I’ve been going back and forth on rather or not to start my own hunting guide service or just to guide a few hunts a year for an outfit. Those with experience on both sides I am looking for your opinions. 

[Edge]

19 minutes ago, couesaddict13 said:

Hey guys, I’ve been going back and forth on rather or not to start my own hunting guide service or just to guide a few hunts a year for an outfit. Those with experience on both sides I am looking for your opinions. 

How deep are your pockets?

[WHT_MTNMAN]

I have helped a bunch of guides and outfitters over the years and without knowing your guiding history, my opinion would be to start guiding for an outfitter. 

Mainly for these reasons

1. Don't have to worry about permits, Insurance etc...

2. It takes quite a few clients to build an outfitting business with draw odds these days. Unless you have a few dozen clients on stand by it will take a few years to build enough repeat clients and friends of those clients to keep an outfitting business busy. 

3. Again unless you have a few really close clients with money that will hire you when they draw, not too many people will drop money on a new outfitter.  Most people want to see a strong past history of getting their clients good animals. Not just one or two possibly lucky years.  

4. It's one thing to be a good hunter another to be a good guide. You will have to put up with some serious babysitting. If you don't like it or don't want to keep doing it you haven't invested much more than some fuel and the cost of your guides license.   

I'm sure I'm missing some, those are the first things that came to mind..

 

[HuntHarder]

Echo what has been said above.  Go under someone else until you decide if its for you 

[rossislider]

WHT_MTNMAN is dead on. It is tough to make money as a guide. If you are just looking to spend more time outdoors, there are always people looking for help individually, at youth camps, etc. That may be a good way to start and to see if you really want to jump in. I'm lucky to have some guide friends who take pity on me and allow me to help out with glass for them, check out spots while they hunt others with clients, etc. I don't get any money out of it (no one in their right mind would hire me!), but it gets me in the mountains which is a pretty great reward on its own.

[ctafoya]

I love to do a lot of stuff. I don't want to make it my job though. Turning a passion into a paycheck might not be as fun at the end if the day. The above advice seems spot on. 

[mc68]

I did the guiding thing for several years. After a while I realized it was not for me. I take a lot more pleasure in helping family/friends, as opposed to someone I don’t know. A long time ago, a guy that I have a tremendous amount of respect for explained to me that once money is added into the mix, everything changes. Man was he right. Having said that though, I wish you luck in whatever you decide!

[couesaddict13]

Thanks for all the info, some good insight for sure, I’m trying to weigh the benefits of tax writes offs too. Any outfitters around the verde valley that are always looking for guides? 

[CatfishKev]

I wanted to guide just to scratch the itch and maybe make money doing what I was doing anyway.  But there's a lot to be said about just going out and helping friends and family. I'd also lean toward guide for an outfitter as well. Just remember if you decide to be an outfitter you will no longer have to count on only yourself but now other people. As a business owner I can tell you that when you have to count on others (employees) things can get really unfun really fast.  

[WHT_MTNMAN]

44 minutes ago, couesaddict13 said:

Thanks for all the info, some good insight for sure, I’m trying to weigh the benefits of tax writes offs too. Any outfitters around the verde valley that are always looking for guides? 

Talk with your accountant.  I've had my guides license for 10 or 15 years off and on and have never guided for money, but we can always figure out ways to write off some amount of gear,fuel etc...Even if you took 1 client a year you can take a loss and get a lot of gear written off.. I bet you can "contract" out to an outfitter and write-off more than you think.   

[couesaddict13]

Thanks for all of your input!

[couesaddict13]

38 minutes ago, WHT_MTNMAN said:

Talk with your accountant.  I've had my guides license for 10 or 15 years off and on and have never guided for money, but we can always figure out ways to write off some amount of gear,fuel etc...Even if you took 1 client a year you can take a loss and get a lot of gear written off.. I bet you can "contract" out to an outfitter and write-off more than you think.   

Never thought of it working that way, but I will talk to my cpa.

[joe hunter]

Just remember you would never of heard of any of the well known outfitters in AZ if they hadn’t dared to take a chance and become outfitters. Life is short, if that’s what you want to do get after it. Outfitting isn’t any different than any other business it depends on how good of a business man you are and how much hard work you put in. Good luck.

[450Dakota]

Check out the price of the Forest Service permits. A permit is required for each forest you guide in. They are not cheap. 

[Mathews]

On 2/4/2022 at 5:26 PM, couesaddict13 said:

Thanks for all the info, some good insight for sure, I’m trying to weigh the benefits of tax writes offs too. Any outfitters around the verde valley that are always looking for guides? 

I’ll send you a message