Economy & gas price cause hunt prices to go down?

If they see you comming I dought it!!

From a supply and demand standpoint though: Take two ranches that both have very good reputations. If I can save the customer 500 or 1000 dollars by marketing a special, then I should win that contract...and possibly repeat business.

For example
If you can normally book 20 hunts a year for $5,000 a peice - that equals $100,000 in sales

If you keep your price at 5,000 during hard times, you may only fill 10 hunts --- or 50,000 dollars

If you reduce to 4,000 and fill 15 hunts, you sell 60,000 dollars



Charging twice as much in jim's example will not work. If a 5,000 dollar hunt doubles to 10,000 and there are a dozen other places still selling for 5000 --- you aren't going to make a dime.

With discretional spending going down and cost of living going higher for middle class america, the outfitters calenders are going to be mighty empty unless they cater to the middle-upper class hunters who are often exempt from hard times.
But small hunting operations are going to suffer unless they lower prices.

I can't see it at all. all of the "quality" outfits have more perspective clients than they have hunts to offer. That's been the case for many years. As mentioned by klsm54, the majority of the hunters that use these services don't care about the increase in other expenses. When I was outfitting Red, I was booked full for two years minimum all the time. if I opened a new hunt area or species, I could make a few phone calls and they were filled that same day. to the majority of these types of hunters, the price of these types of hunts is nothing. As an outfitter, you don't make a living catering to the average person Red. You need to target the crowd with the heavy pocketbook. When you get their attention, always remember, you'll sell a high priced hunt faster than you will a cheap one. these types of hunters like to sit around the Country Club and brag about what it costs.
If an outfit is having trouble booking their hunts, something is wrong. It could be poor advertising, but most likely it is due to poor harvests or poor accomidations or both. In order to be successful, these outfits must produce the goods on a regular basis. Those that do are sold out. Those that don't, generally don't stay in business too long. Those in the second group might drop their prices, but then you would likely get what you paid for.
There's my opinion.. ;D

I will be making my usual trips to southren Idiana but i don't use an outfitter or guide. I will haul the old pop-up and camp. Even if gas is 5 a gallon i will still go. Just less trip out to eat and more cooking at the camp.

Nothing against the outfitters, I just can't afford them.