Zero Guide Fees

[Maxhunter]

I receive a post card for this. It's basically you pay a fee for each species and when you draw they pay your outfitter fees. It's for AZ.

Thought you might like to see this.

https://zeroguidefees.com/find-out-more

 

[mallardsx2]

What a crock of crap..... The website looks like something I designed for my first computer web design project in 1993...

I wouldn't invest my money in anything like that...but that's just me.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Oh man! That's such a great deal. It's only $300 a year for one animal and if you want to hunt say deer and elk it would only be $650 a year for the 10-20 years it would take for a non-res to draw a good tag. That's one heck of a bargain!

 

[Tim McCoy]

There is a similar deal offered in MT, for much less, on the Missouri River Breaks. It's actully an intriguing idea, if you are sitting on a pile of points like some of us.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

The Zero Guide Fees is done by Travis McClendon. His dad, John McClendon, is a very quality person and a fantastic elk guide, but he is older now and I am not sure how much guiding he does. I had the privilege of hunting with his dad for a day or two. I hunted with Travis the remainder of the hunt. I would have preferred to continue with John, but he had other commitments.

The issue with the Zero Guide Fees is this. Depending on the number of points you have, their system determines which hunts you qualify for. If you draw a hunt other than they program offers to you, the program does not apply. I set-up a profiles with them for my wife and I and saw the hunts offered for my wife (who had 7 elk points) and myself (I had 17 elk points). In either scenario, we would have had to apply for tags that would have likely taken many years to draw. I received several calls after signing up for a profile and ask that they remove my profile. In the long run, I don't know that we would have saved any money, and may have even lost money. Also, if I were to use an outfitter again in AZ, I would likely choose to go a different direction.

My impression in the end, it's kind of a gimmick.

 

[tim]

What a crock of crap..... The website looks like something I designed for my first computer web design project in 1993...

I wouldn't invest my money in anything like that...but that's just me.

not commenting on the zero fees, but be careful when assuming quality website means quality service.

 

[Hilltop]

Only benefit I can see is that it will spread the cost out (likely the same or higher) over many years so your wife doesn't get sticker shock when you finally draw lol.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

so your wife doesn't get sticker shock when you finally draw lol.

Makes me laugh!!! I have a little saying taped on the inside of my gun safe...."When I leave this earth, don't let my wife sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them"!

Sorry ...I don't mean to highjack the thread, but I couldn't help it.

 

[buckbull]

I find it hard to believe this is an actual business. Can people just not save on their own?

So I give these guys money. They take a percentage of my money for their fee. Eventually, they take my money, minus their fee, and pay an outfitter with my remaining money. Awesome.

 

[packmule]

So it's like a hunting timeshare.

 

[Extractor]

Packmule, that was awesome!

 

[WapitiBob]

Two very reputable AZ Outfitters are doing this. It's just another way to generate income and bring in clients. The devil is in the details; point levels determine the qualified hunts. Seems to be a wash cost wise if you draw in a normal time frame but pull a tag early and you can save some money. There's another thread on it.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I find it hard to believe this is an actual business. Can people just not save on their own?

A lot of people can't save their own money. It's like those people who get an enormous refund from the IRS and are so happy. It's like they think they pulled a fast one on the IRS.
You try to tell them it's just their own money that they overpaid and let the government hold onto for ZERO interest for a year, and they can't understand it.

 

[mallardsx2]

Aaaaaand when this place goes out of business in 5 years then what?

 

[Gr8bawana]

Aaaaaand when this place goes out of business in 5 years then what?

Yea it's not someplace I would want to put my money and hopes for a tag. I couldn't find any info at all on how long they have been in business.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Yea it's not someplace I would want to put my money and hopes for a tag. I couldn't find any info at all on how long they have been in business.

Snooped around too. About all I could determine is there were hunts under the program in 2015 according to a web site. Chappell calls it Zero Hunt Fees, McClendon calls it Zero Guide Fees. Makes me wonder if a third party does the math and runs the show, or they do it together? Seems like they are nearly identical programs. The Access2Hunt program in MT is much cheaper, but has a different draw system.

I guess choice is good and programs like this will have an appeal for some. Hopefully they won't take $ and shut down after a few years. Hunters better do their homework too and make sure they are not putting in for tags they'll likely never draw.

 

[Musket Man]

How is it zero if you pay every year? It sounds like insurance to me. Most times your better off to just pay for fixing your truck then to pay for full coverage every month and not use it.

 

[JimP]

It's just a gimmick to separate you from your money. Has anyone here sent in their information to see what a membership cost? I am sure that it isn't cheap. That along with the number of years that it will take a non resident to draw a tag you might be looking at more money than the guide fee would be up front.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I guess if someoneis foolish enough to send them $350 a year for one species and $300 a year for a second species for who knows how many years it takes them to maybe draw a tag they deserve to separated from their money.
It does sound a lot like insurance because you are paying for something you may never use.

 

[Musket Man]

Something here really bugs me. First pic is of the girl that didnt even really want to be there that killed that monster buck that was on the cover of Eastmans. If I remember correctly it was published as a DIY hunt. Now its on their site (which I feel is a scam) as a guided hunt. Which one is it???