The National Rifle Association and Outdoor Connection are pleased to announce a new partnership known as NRA Outdoors that will help NRA members book hunting and fishing trips and protect the Second Amendment at the same time. Through this free service, NRA members will have access to detailed information on hundreds of pre-approved lodges, outfitters and guide services from around the globe.
Plus, each time an NRA member books a trip through NRA Outdoors, a portion of the proceeds will go directly to the NRA and help continue the fight to defend the Second Amendment.
“What we love about our program is that NRA members actually get to utilize their Second Amendment rights when they’re out on one of our hunts, while helping to protect those rights at the same time,” said Greg Ray, president of NRA Outdoors.
The 300 destinations that are available through NRA Outdoors have met the stringent inspection requirements of Outdoor Connection’s Approved Destination program—taking the guesswork out of booking a hunting or fishing trip. Since 1989, Outdoor Connection, an outdoor adventure planning agency, has been visiting hunting and fishing destinations worldwide in order to equip their clients with the knowledge to plan successful trips. This attention to detail is what forms the foundation of NRA Outdoors.
“We actually go to every one of our outfitters,” said Ray. “The main thing we do is make sure that the outfitter is what he says he is.”
When scouting a destination, Outdoor Connection’s experienced staff look at a number of factors, including an outfitter’s knowledge, experience and organizational skills, the quality and abundance of game or fish, the physical difficulty of the trip, the terrain types encountered, food and lodging, among others. All of the information that is collected is then compiled in a report. There are even plans in the works to provide video footage of each outfit on the program’s website, www.NRAoutdoors.com.
“What we try to do is paint a picture of the hunt for someone that hasn’t been there before,” Ray said.
What sets NRA Outdoors apart from other booking services is the level of detail and individualized attention that members receive throughout the process.
“Whenever we talk to a client, we ask them a series of questions to help determine which outfitter will best suit their hunting or fishing style,” Ray said. “We ask our clients about the species they want to hunt, trophy expectations, lodging expectations, budget, hunting style, and any physical limitations. From there we’ll narrow down appropriate outfitters based on their answers and send them a list of options.”
A member works hand in hand with an expert outdoor travel partner throughout the process who assists with travel arrangements, trip itineraries, customs regulations, travel insurance, gear needs and references. And trips can literally be booked around the world for just about any species—everything from Rocky Mountain trout to African dangerous game and Midwestern whitetails.
Perhaps best of all, this service is available free of charge, and the cost of booking a hunt through NRA Outdoors is the same as booking the trip directly with the outfitter. There is no mark-up whatsoever. As an added benefit, members can also purchase discounted gear through NRA Outdoors—with free shipping.
For more information on booking a hunt through NRA Outdoors or to request a free color catalog, please visit www.NRAoutdoors.com or call 888-712-6726 to speak to a representative.
You can also visit NRA Outdoors’ Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NRAOutdoors) for the latest updates about outfitters, as well as industry news, apparel, and trip giveaways.
