Here's how I see they break down:
Dude Ranches- Deluxe packages for mostly easterners that might include a stop at the Aberdeen western wear store when they get off the plane. Wife heads to the winery tour while the hunter joins 20 other guests for the hunt. These are done on isolated food plots, often milo and are planted pen raised birds. These fields get hit up to twice a day so birds are restocked frequently. I watched two of these fields run and I think they got about 30 out of 50 based on what flew out or was running out behind them. I went back the next day to one of their fields and 20 or so birds were still around roosting in the trees. Doubtful that any planted on opener weekend will ever make it to winter and zero chance they make it to next year after running the gauntlet twice a day. They will fill in open rooms and weekday lots with cheaper rates and let you loose to clean up scratch birds. For the recreational hunter that enjoys the hotub and trap range as much as the field. But they need to pay off the lodge investment and managing large tracts of land with wild birds is not their business model.
Guided hunts- Whatever you are short on- dogs, hunting partners, experience, time or access to good ground- these local farmhands and businessmen will moonlight as guides and provide it. They have paid flat fees for access to so many places and know exactly where the birds are down to individual coveys they watched from nest to feathered out. It's too costly and time consuming to manage pen raised birds when they can get wild ones just as easy. They are looking to attract higher paying customers will high numbers of wild birds. Landowners get responsible access and someone reliable to keep an eye on their land. There are plenty of guys that start out as guide-assistants that try and break out on their own so there's no guarantee on quality except for references. They might provide housing as well and try to differentiate with nicer accommodations but that's a side gig for them.
Trespass fees- Farmers/landowners cutting out the middle man (the guides) will give you self-guided access to their land. They are looking for supplemental income off their acreage. If the birds are really down in a year they might just resort to pen raised to keep people coming back. They have the mindset of applying inputs to get the yields they desire so they have no problem with quantity over quality. It's hit and miss if you are looking for wild vs. pen raised and the lower prices reflect this.
