Guide Life: Pat and Ben Abshire
Chris Ingram for SPLIT REED
“Hunting is a way of life for us,” said Pat. “It is a physical and mental challenge, an adventure, and a tradition we hope to pass along to our boys as they grow up,” added Ben. “We are best friends, and we work well together; we take turns, share roles, get over things quickly and really balance each other out — we know what each other are thinking,” Pat affirmed. Does the perfect hunting buddy and business partner really exist? Yes indeed, and brothers Pat and Ben Abshire from Lights Out Waterfowl of Saskatchewan have taken the family-first mentality in how they’ve designed their lifestyle and translated it to the way they operate their guide business.
BROTHERS IN BUSINESS
Pat and Ben hail from Louisiana, where duck hunting isn’t just a hobby, it’s a way of life. The brothers grew up in the outdoors and continue to hunt everything from squirrel, dove, and ducks to turkey and white-tail bucks. They’ve both hunted and guided extensively around the Louisiana and Arkansas region, but everything changed after their father surprised Ben with a hunting trip to Saskatchewan after graduating from college. After ripping into the first flock of birds, Ben turned to his father and said, “I don’t know how, but one day I’m going to come up here every year!” While hunting north of the border is a dream destination and the hunt-of-a-lifetime for most of us, the Abshire brothers have capitalized on the opportunity to turn their appetite for chasing waterfowl into a profitable business operation, in arguably one of the prime waterfowl locations in all of North America.
Pat originally had the idea in early 2016 and when his brother Ben jumped in as a partner, Lights Out Waterfowl (LOW) was born. With slow and organic word-of-mouth growth, LOW has recently hired an additional guide and continues to fill its books year after year. Since day one, they have focused on offering the most enjoyable experience for their clients, both in the field and at their fully equipped lodge. They also credit their success and growth to the recent addition of Dolton Robinson, their newest guide, and the farmers who allow them to hunt on their properties.
TRAVELIN’ LIGHT
“There is nowhere else like Saskatchewan,” Pat declared. “It is the first place in North America to get on birds and you are right in the middle of it all, watching hatch-year birds grow up and start to migrate south and seeing the changing of the seasons from late summer to fall into winter – all in a few short months.” What makes this location alluring for hunters, is the ability to consistently shoot birds day after day in a multitude of settings from dry fields to small water setups, typically targeting mallards, Canada geese, and snow geese.
LOW offers duck and Canada goose hunts from opening day on September 1, all the way through Halloween weekend at the end of October, and its crystal clear the Abshire’s business model is based on hunter satisfaction. Pat leaves no room for imagination, and when he says, “all-inclusive,” he means it. “Come up with a carry-on and come hunt with us,” he asserted. LOW literally has everything you need, from shotguns and ammo to waders and camo — all you need to worry about is shooting straight. He chuckles and adds, “People don’t believe us until we see them return their second year with just a small duffle bag.” And don’t forget to consider the lodging and accommodations at Lights Out Waterfowl. With a comfortable lodge that sleeps up to twelve, your experience is complete with the popular gun room and firepit. Steeped in Cajun tradition, the camp cuisine is sure to swoon with southern charm. And not to overshadow the boy’s kitchen clout, but their local specialty pastry chef tends to take the cake with her delectable desserts, admired highly among client testimonies.
“Hunting and staying with us is an extension of who we are,” said Pat, “We want our guests to feel like they are family here. We enjoy spending time with folks at the lodge and getting to know them on the hunts. We’re also willing to let our clients pick out the hunt so long as our scouting supports and Mother Nature cooperates – if they want to hunt mallards in a dry field we will, if they’re after a pile of big honkers we honor that.” Pat goes on to talk about how they make the hunter’s experience the highest priority every single day of the season. They take care of absolutely every detail leaving their clients only to worry about shooting birds. “Most people who come up here are looking for their dream hunt, and we’re here to make that happen,” added Pat.
FAMILY FIRST
Setting up shop in Sask was the easy part, but the Abshire boys have deliberately built their business around balancing guide life with family life. Between the fall hunting seasons in Sask, the brothers can be found back home in Louisiana spending time with their five sons, all under age five. “Family is big for us,” said Pat, “We enjoy being with our wives and our sons and hope to pass the outdoor tradition on to our boys as they grow up.” The brothers live close to each other and the families are always found together engaged in outdoor adventures.
While the current season is up in the air awaiting the border to reopen, Pat and Ben remain optimistic in their outlook and are making plans to adapt to the circumstances. “While most of our clients do come from the States to have that once-in-a-lifetime hunt, we are seeing a steady increase in local Canadian clients as well,” added Ben. “It’s not always about numbers for our hunters, they come here to escape their day-to-day lives and take a vacation-based approach to their hunting trip.” The Abshire brothers define their goals and measure their success by the responses of hunters who regularly proclaim how unbelievable and unforgettable the hunts are, and always leave LOW with a smile and a hug. “Hunters show up as clients but leave as friends after spending a few days with us,” said Ben, “And we see them again on a first name basis when they come back the next time.”
To learn more about Pat and Ben Abshire and Lights Out Waterfowl, find them on social media and visit our LOW Page to book your dream hunt in Saskatchewan.
Click on the Featherwind Creative logo to find Chris on Instagram