While owning an outfitting and guide business may sound like the dream job for many, it’s important to keep in mind that this is a job, and like owning any kind of business, it’s a large responsibility.

During a recent episode of the National Land Podcast, ID Land Broker Todd Dye shared his expertise when it comes to buying and operating an outfitting and guide business, providing valuable insights to anyone considering this career path.

Here are a few things to keep in mind for those thinking about buying an outfitting and guide business!

It’s a Time Commitment

Some may envision spending each day out in the woods with different clients as the perfect arrangement, but they may not be considering the realities of leading clients on a hunt compared to their typical experience as a hunter.

Purchasing gear, packing in camps, and setting up for hunters are all time-consuming aspects of owning an outfitting and guide business that don’t even involve actually guiding clients on their hunts. Oftentimes operating a successful guide business requires the owner to give up most if not all of their personal hunting time to focus on the business. This can be a difficult thing for many aspiring guides and should certainly be considered before making any kind of purchase.

Speaking to the commitment that owning an outfitting and guide business takes, Dye stated, “When you jump into an outfitting and guide business, you’re jumping into a lifestyle. This is not a job where you punch in and punch out; you’ll be worried about your business 24/7. Are you going to get enough hunters? What needs to be done? It’s all part of that lifestyle. Sometimes you’ll work seven days a week from the end of August until hunting season is over, then you’re pulling camps out in the middle of November. There are 3-4 months there where it’s not a 40 hour work week, it’s a 100 hour work week putting in a lot of time in the backcountry.”

Dye went on to explain that some outfitters prefer to do all of their booking in person rather than online, which requires driving between different hunting shows to meet potential clients and book hunts.

Traditionally Cash Financing

The other thing to keep in mind about purchasing a guide business is that it’s typically done via cash rather than through a loan. This requires aspiring business owners to have a significant amount of capital on hand upfront to start their business.

Regarding the way that these purchases are typically financed, Dye stated, “I have yet to not only see but even hear of somebody getting a loan from a bank to buy an outfitting and guide business. I’m sure it’s been done, but I haven’t heard of it. Typically it’s done in cash, but if you’re purchasing both the business and the land, you could get financing on the land portion.”

This also doesn’t factor in the costs of buying gear, food, and other necessities for the business. All that is to say, anyone looking to purchase or start their own outfitting and guide business will need to have a significant amount of cash on hand from the get-go. It would also be wise to work with some kind of financial advisor to ensure that they can structure their business/purchase in a way that can be profitable down the road.

If you’re interested in learning more about the ins and outs of outfitting and guide businesses or want help finding one for sale near you, get in touch with your local Land Professional today!