Ranch & outfitter websites · Guide
How to take hunt deposits online (without phone tag or Venmo screenshots)
A practical guide for hunting ranches and outfitters: the ways to collect deposits, what to put in your deposit policy, and how to get hunters booked and paid before they ever call.
Short answer: the simplest setup is a "Book a Hunt" button on your website that shows your open dates, lets the hunter pick a hunt, takes the deposit by card or bank payment, and has them sign your waiver at the same time. The money goes straight to your own account, and the date comes off your calendar automatically.
Why online deposits matter
Most hunters shop for hunts at night and on weekends, often on their phones. If the only way to book is to call, text and mail a check, a lot of them move on to the next ranch that lets them lock in a date right now. Taking deposits online also means:
- Fewer no-shows. A hunter with money down shows up.
- No double-booked dates or stands. When a date is paid for, it's gone.
- Less time on the phone going back and forth about dates, prices and who owes what.
- Cleaner records at tax time: every payment, date and fee in one place.
Four ways ranches collect deposits today
1. Checks by mail
Still common, and it works, but it's slow. The date is "held" on a promise until the check shows up, and you're the one tracking who has paid.
2. Venmo, Zelle or Cash App
Fast and familiar, but personal payment apps aren't built for business deposits. There's no booking record tied to the payment, no waiver, and you end up matching screenshots to names in a notebook. Some apps also limit or flag business use of personal accounts.
3. Payment links or invoices (Square, Stripe or PayPal)
A big step up. You send each hunter a link and they pay by card. The catch is that you still handle the scheduling yourself: checking dates, sending each link, and updating your calendar once they pay.
4. Online booking on your website
The hunter sees your open dates and prices, picks a hunt, pays the deposit and signs the waiver in one visit, any time of day. You see every booking on one calendar, alongside the ones you take by phone. This is what most outfitters with steady bookings move to.
What to put in your deposit policy
Whatever method you use, write your policy down and show it to hunters before they pay. A clear policy heads off most disputes.
- How much the deposit is: a flat amount, a percentage of the hunt price, or a set amount per hunter.
- When the balance is due: for example, 30 days before the hunt, or on arrival.
- Refunds and cancellations: is the deposit refundable, transferable to another date, or neither? What happens if weather or a closure cancels the hunt?
- Trophy fees: post your fee schedule by score so there are no surprises at the skinning shed.
- What's included: lodging, meals, guide, processing, licenses.
Don't forget the waiver
Most ranches have every hunter sign a liability waiver. Collecting it at booking, online, means the paperwork is done before anyone arrives, and you're not chasing signatures in the truck on opening morning. Have your attorney or insurance agent review your waiver wording.
Card fees: who pays them?
Card processors charge a small percentage on each payment. Many ranches simply build it into their prices. Others pass the card fee on to hunters who pay by card, or offer a cheaper bank payment option. Whichever you choose, show it at checkout so the total is clear.
How Mainbeam Booking handles it
I built Mainbeam Booking for exactly this. It adds a "Book a Hunt" button to the website you already have. Hunters see your open dates, choose a hunt, pay a deposit or the full amount, and every hunter in the party signs your waiver online. Payments go straight to your own Square or Stripe account. You get one calendar for online and phone bookings, harvest limits by species, a harvest log, and a money summary showing what's collected, what's coming in and who's past due.
Your first year has no booking fees. See the details on the Mainbeam Booking page, or watch the one-minute demo there.
Want to see it on your ranch's site?
I'm happy to walk you through a short demo and show how booking and deposits would work with your hunts and prices. No pressure, and no cost to look.