In a 2006 Sportsman article, we examined 10 questions to ask a hunting or fishing outfitter before you book a trip. These were penetrating questions that will help reveal potential surprises before it’s too late.
One thing that most people now know to do is ask for references from previous clients of the outfitter. Although this is a valuable exercise, you have to realize that an outfitter is only going to provide references who were happy with their trip, and likely only those who successfully pursued their chosen fish or game. But by knowing what questions to ask these references — questions that you may not be able to ask the outfitter directly — you can read between the lines and glean some very useful information about what you can truly expect if you too book a trip with the same outfitter. Here they are, the 10 Questions to Ask a Reference Before You Book...

By Don W. Sangster