Getting To Know Your Exchange Partner

It is important to get to know your potential Outdoorsman Exchange partner. You can do this by corresponding via email, telephone, or fax. If it appears that an exchange will be made, correspondence should include photos and possibly even videos.

Initial Contact

After you have found a few exchanges you are interested in, it's time to make the initial contact by email. Your first contact with a potential Outdoorsman Exchange partner should be simple and friendly. Let them know what type of exchange you are interested in, and what you have to offer in return. Give them a few details on how much land you own, what type of boat you have, or other relevant information, such as what equipment you have available for use during the exchange.

Follow-Up Response

If you receive a positive response, you can send a follow-up email with more details about yourself, your outdoor interests, your equipment, etc. Give them some tips on area activities in case of poor weather or extra time. This would be a good time to send your potential exchange partner some photos or videos of successful hunts. Also, at this point, you should bring up a few dates that you are interested in for the exchange.

After Confirmation

Once your exchange has been confirmed, you should give your exchange partner a call. You will feel more comfortable with the exchange after speaking with your partner on the phone. Ask or answer any questions that you have. At this stage, it is definitely OK to ask for personal references and review insurance. Now is the time to resolve any misunderstandings or confusion about the exchange.

Written Agreement

Before the exchange date comes around, discuss a written agreement with your exchange partner. A written agreement will minimize the chance of misunderstanding and shows that there is a commitment to go forward with the exchange. It is unacceptable to break an agreement because you found another exchange. Sometimes there may be unavoidable circumstances such as illness or death in the family. If this is the case, do your best to make other arrangements that are satisfactory to both parties.

Finding other outdoorsmen that share outdoor interests with you can be a great way to develop lifelong friendships and can open the door to endless hunting and fishing opportunities that you may not have thought were possible before. Outdoorsman Exchange is giving you the meeting place to find ways to make those possibilities a reality.