Sadly, we now live in a litigious society-people sue each other at the drop of a hat. Booking agents are sued too, and court appearances are not all that uncommon. To many good outfitters, the commissions paid to avoid all those hassles are a bargain. Since most agents work on commission, many will logically steer you to the most expensive hunts. While it might seem that the best hunts are the most expensive, that's not always true.
Some outfitters have large staffs, dozens of horses and big camps.
Other good outfitters have smaller operations, capable of offering less expensive hunts. To the camps where commissions are highest. This is just smart business, and it doesn't necessarily mean the agent is shady. When dealing with an agent, however, always be firm on your price, unless you can afford more. No booking agent or outfitter I know will offer a guaranteed hunt, unless it's on a game farm where you shoot a penned animal.