As you know, we’ve been in the outdoor arena for 25+ years now! Our experience, resources, and community have positioned us as the industry leader amongst service-based hunting organizations. The time and resources we invest into analyzing and understanding units, draw odds, maps, resources, locations, and hunting opportunities are unprecedented. To bring another huge advantage to the table for our members, we have officially launched “Huntin’ Fool Adventures” (HFA)! Some of you may have already heard the buzz or have come across small excerpts in recent magazines. In this article, I’m going to outline this division more in depth to help you better understand exactly what HFA is and the who, what, when, where, and why.
To get right to the point and clear the air, HFA is a Big Game Hunting, Fishing, and Outdoor Booking Agency. It’s run by seasoned individuals who have been in the hunting, fishing, and outdoor booking agency industry for many years. HFA is an additional service that has been added to the lineup for our members at no additional cost, and we’re privileged to be working with all of you to help fulfill your hunting, fishing, and outdoor aspirations.
NEW WAY FORWARD
Each year, we have referred thousands of members to our outfitters, and we’ve seen this number continue to grow year in and year out. For this reason, amongst many others, we’ve chosen to take this division of our business to the next level. In the past, when it came to booking our members on hunts and trips with our Endorsed Outfitters, we operated solely as a referral hub. It was driven mainly through our website and Hunt Advisor referrals, and we would connect our members with our Endorsed Outfitters. These connections will continue to occur, so don’t be alarmed. The difference between the old way and the “new way forward” is that we’ve done the legwork to collect all of the information pertaining to each hunt that every one of our outfitters offers. As a result, our members will now book their hunts/ trips through the HFA office. We have the infrastructure, team, experience, and expertise to be the best in the industry, and that’s exactly our plan.
We believe we can better service our members and book more hunts and trips for our outfitters by handling the booking process from start to finish. We’ve assembled a team of seasoned advisors, some of whom are located here in the United States, with some of our specialized advisors in locations all across the globe, bringing a hands-on international element to the table. Together, we’ve also developed a new HFA outfitter platform on our website that was built with the capacity to outline each hunt/ trip that our Endorsed Outfitters provide with the internal software infrastructure to house in-depth content and information for each hunt/trip. HFA has deep, personal, and established long-running outfitter relationships all across the world. From the U.S., Canada, Alaska, Mexico, and South America to Asia, Europe, and the South Pacific, HFA has you covered! With our solid team of expert advisors, our unbeatable administrative team, the Huntin’ Fool reputation that’s been going strong for almost three decades, and our outfitter lineup, we are over-the-top excited for what the future has in store.
HFA OUTFITTERS
Our focus is that you hunt or fish with guides and outfitters we support and that have been certified to our standards to ensure you will have the best experience possible within the parameters you set. As I mentioned before, a large portion of our Endorsed Outfitter portfolio consists of outfitters we’ve personally been in the field with as well.
We believe our outfitter database should represent the best outfitters in the industry. We take the process of adding a new outfitter very seriously, and our outfitter database has been built and refined exclusively around outfitters we trust and believe in. We go through the proper due diligence to ensure the relationship between HFA and the outfitter is beneficial to both parties, while providing each client with a great experience. We expect our outfitters to treat HFA and its clients with respect by way of simply providing honest and accurate information.
WHAT’S OUR AIM?
I think we can all agree that time is the main thing we are all lacking in our personal lives. Time for family, time for friends, time to pursue our interests, etc. Finding a quality outfitter takes precious time away from family, friends, business, and leisure. So what do you do? Too often, you hear of a trip or find a trip online, decide to do it, and you’re off to the races. In the back of your mind and in the bottom of your gut, you know you should have done more due diligence. You know you should have asked more questions and done more research. The problem was time! It wouldn’t allow you those options, and as a result, the time you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived and you’ve utterly wasted it. I’ve heard it a million times, and it breaks my heart every time.
Now take a step back and imagine the alternative. Imagine that instead of dealing with that mountain of headache and heartache, you pick up the phone, submit a “Contact Us” form, or send an email to HFA. From that point on, the work falls on the shoulders of HFA and you go back to your family, friends, and work to later experience some off-the-chain leisure time. That’s how it can and should be. Talking with one outfitter is exactly that, one. Talking to a qualified advisor opens up the doors to thousands of hours invested into trying to find the better trips all across the globe. The outfitter can only sell you the trip they personally have. On the flipside, HFA can provide options for the same type of trip or species that’s the same for less money or maybe even better for the same or less money. The bottom line is that HFA doesn’t have to sell you or book you on any one trip because we have multiple options, of which one most likely will fit all of your needs and for hopefully less money. The point I’m trying to drive home is that HFA has no need to put the “full-court press” on you. We will always put our best foot forward with you as our primary focus.
HFA’s role is to assist and advise each client in finding the trip, trophy, and/or experience they’re after. We aim to provide our members with the best knowledge of the animal and/or area they are going to be hunting, fishing, and/or experiencing, along with the best options that are on the table. And to top that off, we’re always going to do what we do without bias. What do I mean by that? Our perspective is different from any other booking agency. We don’t work angles with outfitters or give outfitters preference or commitments we can’t fulfill. In other words, we don’t owe our outfitters bookings for any reason whatsoever. We do not run our business this way, nor would we ever. We work full time with our outfitters and are talking to them each day. We have working relationships and personal relationships with them, and this has proven to be an advantage for everyone involved. With so many outfitters in the industry, the task of finding the right one can be overwhelming, and that’s exactly why HFA is here. Within the parameters set by you, the HFA team will take on all of the difficulties involved in lining up your hunts/trips. We’re here to limit the number of possible problems associated with booking a hunt or trip and to streamline your experience all around. You can always have the peace of mind that our best foot forward will be our approach to each opportunity and experience we assist you with.
We are very dedicated to the outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction of sending individuals on successful trips that we have experienced or know to be of the highest quality within the parameters set by you. Although Huntin’ Fool Adventures cannot provide guarantees, we can do everything possible to assure that you will be aligned with the best outfitters for any particular species and in any given part of the world where that species can be pursued. Our many years of experience and our relationships/contacts help give us the necessary knowledge of where to send you and to realistically inform you what your chances of success should be. And remember, if problems do arise and you booked through HFA, you have a very strong ally in your corner! HFA will listen to you and will be in your corner as your advocate.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
When you decide you’d like professional assistance with booking your next big game hunting, fishing, and/or outdoor trip, call our office and talk to one of our Hunt Advisors. During this conversation, we will discover your perceived big game hunting or fishing aspirations. We will take into account your trophy quality desire, physical abilities, point status (if applicable), time constraints or availability, desire to hunt guided or unguided, and budget, just to name a few. We will then recommend guides and/or outfitters, locations, methods, application strategies, tags, etc. that are consistent with your goals and parameters. We will also be a part of your trip from the time you book to the time you return home. You will have the option to lean on us for assistance along the journey each time you book a trip with us. We believe in so much more than a trip. We believe in making dreams come true, creating unforgettable experiences, and providing peace of mind all throughout the journey. When you book with us, we take care of you.
In a nutshell, you call our office, you’re connected with an HFA Hunt Advisor, you land on your hunt/trip, and then HFA does the rest. The entire experience from beginning to end runs through the HFA office. We collect and/or send all payments, information, contracts, questionnaires, etc. to the outfitter and the client. All of the booking documents and funds are forwarded to the outfitter accordingly through the HFA office.
WE’RE NOT A MIDDLE MAN
HFA works with some of the best outfitters in the industry, some of which work exclusively with us. Some of these outfitters and guides do little or no self promotion for their businesses. Instead, they rely on their reputations, word-of-mouth advertising, and HFA. Other outfitters take so few clients that they can’t afford to advertise, print expensive materials, and/or attend outdoor shows/expos. In these circumstances, HFA is a very valuable relationship and tool for them.
Our job is to take the guesswork out of the picture and advise our members and clients not only on excellent locations and opportunities, but also in-depth outfitter understanding and trip details. HFA personally lines up your hunting or fishing trip, will save you time and money, and will do so with no hassles involved. We pass this service on to you at no charge. The cost of your hunt/trip is the same whether you book through the outfitter or if it’s booked through HFA.
POST-TRIP REPORT
We use our Post-Trip Report as an effective method to improve relationships with outfitters and guides, overall trips, and future success for our clients, our company, and our outfitters and their operations. We ask that each client fills it out and is brutally honest in doing so. The praises will always be appreciated by the outfitter, and it will do nothing but help the outfitter get better where it’s noted that they are potentially lacking.
HFA has a network of different outfitters consisting of many of the top-rated and most experienced outfitters in the world. We have a strict approval policy for our outfitters, and each one must meet certain standards and criteria before we approve them. Inasmuch as HFA desires to use only the top-rated outfitters in the world, it is critical that clients give HFA post-trip feedback on an outfitter’s performance and whether the client was successful in harvesting the game sought once the hunting, fishing, or outdoor trip is over. The outfitters we endorse are of high quality. Your feedback will help us improve our relationships with them as well as the entire outdoor industry.
As we review post-trip feedback with our outfitters, they all respond to them. They are eager to hear how they can be better and also to hear or read the positive feedback from you. Our goal is to work with our outfitters for the foreseeable future, and if we address any shortcomings as they arise, we will jointly be able to provide you with a better service.
CANCELLATIONS
There aren’t many guarantees in hunting and fishing, but one guarantee is that people will unfortunately have to cancel their hunts or trips. Most of these trips have already had substantial deposits paid, and this is your opportunity to take advantage of someone else’s loss and make it your gain. Savings typically range anywhere from 10% to 50% off, and many times, these opportunities are gone the same day we list them and/or send out email notifications. Our advice is to check back often to see the available cancellations and specials.
If you’re a person with a schedule that allows you to leave on short notice, you can also add yourself to our cancellations and specials lists and you will be among the first to be notified as these opportunities become available. As part of this process, you will be able to specify which species, tags, trips, etc. that you want to be notified of. Once you submit your preferences, you will begin receiving notifications as cancellations, specials, and last-minute, last- chance opportunities arise.
As you develop a relationship with your advisor, get on his cancellation list(s). You can save hundreds to thousands of dollars, and HFA lets you sign up for cancellation notices for free. The best way to sign up is on our website. Otherwise, let your advisor know and he’ll get you added to the list(s).
HOSTED TRIPS
Join the Huntin’ Fool Adventures Team in pursuit of big game hunting, fishing, and wing shooting trips all across the globe. We offer a number of customized, hand-picked trips that are organized, lead, and hosted by our own HFA Advisors. These trips vary across the board and are applicable to individual hunters, couples, and/or groups.
Our hosted trips have proven to be great opportunities to create lifelong friends, get to know other hunters and anglers who consistently travel together, and share experiences with people who share the same interests and goals. Additionally, joining a hosted trip, individual hunters and anglers can alleviate the stress of trying to find someone with similar schedules, interests, matching level of adventure type, and/or willingness to invest in quality excursions worldwide. When you travel, hunt, and/or fish with the Huntin’ Fool Adventures Team, the outfitters and locations want to make sure that everyone is taken care of and are happy.
All hosted trips will have an expert host (an HFA Advisor) on the trip, which gives guests the added value of extra after-hours knowledge, stories, insight, and perspective. We like to think this brings an extra element of planning, safety, and fun. Some of the hosted trips are oftentimes to repeat locations and/or with repeat outfitters as well. In these cases, these trips allow you to travel with a host who has been to the destination, has it dialed in, and can provide insider info and details along the way.
Poorly hosted trips never occur, and our team is committed to everyone’s success and enjoyment. However, it is important to know and understand that each person (including the host) is hunting and/or fishing for him or herself. As expected and understood, the HFA host will always be there to assist in any way, and in the rare occurrence that a trip is not meeting expectations, the HFA host can intervene. Hosts can interface between guides, managers, and/or staff to ensure all needs of guests are met at any time.
Many times, hosted trip opportunities are gone the same day that we list them and/or send out email notifications and invites. Our advice is to check our website often to see the available trips and openings. We believe a Huntin’ Fool Adventures hosted trip is one of the best experiences on the planet for anyone wanting to hunt and/or fish with the best outfitters, in the best locations, and for the best game or species in the world.
HFA TAKEAWAYS
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