Western Rookie - How To Pick The Best Outfitter

Sportsmen's Empire - Whitetail Hunting

Sportsmen's Empire Outdoor Network

Leisure, Hobbies, Wilderness, Sports, Technology

4.8 • 615 Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2026

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode of the Western Rookie Podcast, host Dan Johnson speaks with outfitter Dustin DeCroo about the intricacies of the hunting industry in the West. They discuss the importance of choosing the right outfitter, setting realistic expectations for hunts, and the challenges faced by outfitters in managing wildlife populations. Dustin shares insights on the increasing pressure from hunters, the significance of community involvement, and the personal journey that led him to become an outfitter. The conversation emphasizes the value of memorable hunting experiences and the responsibilities that come with guiding clients in the wilderness.

Takeaways

Dustin DeCroo runs Big Horn Outfitters in Wyoming.
The outfitting business focuses on providing memorable hunting experiences.
Hunting pressure is increasing in the West due to more hunters and competition for tags.
Choosing the right outfitter involves aligning goals and expectations.
Success rates are less important than opportunity rates in hunting.
Physical fitness is crucial for hunters, especially in mountainous terrains.
Outfitters should communicate clearly about the hunting process and expectations.
Community involvement is important for outfitters to maintain a good reputation.
Wildlife management is essential to ensure sustainable hunting practices.
Dustin emphasizes the importance of respect and patience in guiding.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of the sportsman's empire is brought to you by Interstate Batteries.
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0:27.4	repairs. Interstate batteries outrageously dependable. All right, everybody, this is the Western
0:34.6	Rookie Podcast. My name is johnson uh for those of you who
0:39.0	have kind of just started listening to me host this um i also host uh the nine finger chronicles
0:45.1	podcast which is more like midwest deer focused but um on that podcast i've had today's guest
0:52.2	mr dust and de crew all the way from wyoming You still live in Wyoming, right? I do. All right. Well, welcome, my friend. Thanks for taking time to do this. Absolutely. Thanks for having me back. It's been a while, a little bit more gray now than the last time. But I'm excited to be here. Me and and you it's funny it's like uh every once in a while
1:13.8	when i go to like uh an iowa hawkye football game i'll run into some but some people that i knew
1:19.0	back in the glory days right and we're all just a little more gray we got a couple more wrinkles
1:25.0	on the face you know it's uh i don't know, maturing, becoming a man, getting older, whatever you want to say it is it's, I try to look at it as a funny thing.
1:37.4	Because if everybody takes it too serious, then it's like, I'm a, and I am.
1:42.1	I'll be honest.
1:42.9	I'm becoming kind of an asshole, a little bit more of an asshole these days, too. I think I do the same thing. I think sometimes it's situational. Sometimes I'm a little bit more relaxed and sometimes I'm a little bit more grumpy. But, yeah, we've been traveling around playing basketball. And so I left Wyoming in like ninth grade and we moved to Texas and then
2:02.5	when I came back you know like all my all my kids or my kids are playing basketball of kids that I grew up
2:07.7	but so it's kind of funny but yeah you're right we're all a little heavier yeah a little grayer but
2:12.5	it's been it's been cool yeah absolutely well, before we kind of get into the main topic,
2:21.5	why don't you talk to everybody about what it is you do for a living? And obviously,
2:27.1	that's going to be the topic today. Um, yeah, so I own Big Horn Outfitters. We're based
2:32.8	out of Buffalo, Wyoming, pretty much all the big gaming species that you can think of, yeah, so I own Big Horn Outfitters. Uh, we're based out of Buffalo, Wyoming. Pretty much all the big game of species that you can think of, uh, most elk, you'll do white tail antelope, uh, turkeys, very dogs. We operate Montana, Wyoming. Uh, we've done some stuff in Kansas, but for the most part, we stick up here to the west.
	...

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