SCFHunter
FNG
We booked our Moose hunt with Stephan Lake Lodge in December of 2020 with an initial scheduled hunt in 2022.
My daughter was pregnant and due in 2022 so in October 2021 we rolled over our hunt to 2023.
We provided payment in full on November 1, 2021.
Our Guide – Outfitter Contract indicated a lodge arrival date of September 3rd and departure date of September 16th.
Our Guide – Outfitter Contract was defined in writing as “Two 1 x 1 guided hunts simultaneous”
Our Guide – Outfitter Contract clarified in writing that bush plane flights during the hunt were included with schedule dependent upon weather.
Our Guide – Outfitter Contract clarified in writing that “(hunters may be combined in one group after moose harvest if preferred by hunters)”
Unfortunately, on December 5, 2022, the Outfitter notified us that they only had availability for August 25th thru September 3rd, irrespective of our fully paid contracts with September hunt dates specified. We reluctantly accepted the earlier dates.
On December 13th, 2022, the Outfitter e-mail correspondence indicated “We will have planes in the air up until the 24th of August scouting for animals. This will give us the best chance at placing you guys in a prime spot.”
This did not happen, and it is our understanding from our packer, registered field guide and master guide, that no scouting was done prior to our hunt.
According to our field guide, our field guide had never met our master guide and our field guide had never before hunted in the Guide Use Area we hunted.
On February 26th, 2023, the Outfitter indicated that our Master Guide was xxxx xxxxxx, and he would be in touch with us in the spring.
On June 15th, 2023, the Outfitter indicated; “You will need this information: xxxx xxxxxx is our Registered Guide Lic # xxxx City: xxxxxx xxxx State: Alaska.”
On August 13, 2023, the Outfitter e-mailed;
“Scott, We will be meeting you in Talkeetna on the 23rd when you sign your hunt records with xxxxx. We can take anything you don't want to bring in the field with you and have it at the lodge when you come back. More than likely you and your son in law will be at different camps and can meet back up at the lodge. We are doing some scouting this week”
Our guide and our packer indicated that there had been no scouting that they were aware of for the areas we were flown in for our hunt.
On August 21st our Outfitter e-mailed;
“Scott and Ryan, I have some bad news. I had you scheduled with two guides, xxxxxx xxxxxxxx and xxxxx xxxxxx for your upcoming hunt. Unfortunately, xxxxx took a very bad spill at work and deeply bruised his thigh muscle. It isn’t broken but he is instructed to stay off of it for at least 7 days or until the intense pain subsides. I know this not the news any of us want to hear but unfortunately this does happen in the guide industry. xxxxxx, is lined up and excited to take you both along with an experienced packer, xxxxx xxxxxxxx. He is a seasoned Alaskan guide and knows the area well.”
According to our field guide, he had never been in the area we flew into, was not aware of any scouting in the area and had no topo or aerial maps of the area.
According to Alaska Professional Licensing, xxxx xxxxxx does not have a license for the Guide Use Area we were hunting in, nor any Guide Use Area in Game Management Unit 14. Likewise, our Guide in the field, xxxxxx xxxxxxxx does not have a license to conduct hunts in the Guide Use Area that we were hunting in.
I assume that this is the reason our Outfitter contracted with xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx to be our Master Guide, as he has a license to conduct hunts in the Guide Use Area and Game Management Unit we were hunting in. Unfortunately, xxxxxx had never met xxxxxx xxxxxxxx and did not even know xxxxxx'x Guide License # until the day we flew out to the field.
It is also worth mentioning that our packer and guide were not provided with any type of bear fence and food items were stored under an open tarp and in the guide’s tent. Not surprisingly, bears entered our camp on two occasions, destroying and damaging tents and food products.
All of the above is written to give a clear understanding of the lack of proper planning and communication for this scheduled big game hunt and the unmet representations from our contract and written correspondence.
We paid $60,000 for two 1x1 hunts with bush flights in the field included.
We received one 2x1 hunt with only one transport to and from the field with one guide and one packer.
We paid for two charter flights to/from the Lodge for a total of $3,000, which we did not receive.
We were not offered any refunds, even after courteous request.
This post is written so that other hunters are informed and aware.
My daughter was pregnant and due in 2022 so in October 2021 we rolled over our hunt to 2023.
We provided payment in full on November 1, 2021.
Our Guide – Outfitter Contract indicated a lodge arrival date of September 3rd and departure date of September 16th.
Our Guide – Outfitter Contract was defined in writing as “Two 1 x 1 guided hunts simultaneous”
Our Guide – Outfitter Contract clarified in writing that bush plane flights during the hunt were included with schedule dependent upon weather.
Our Guide – Outfitter Contract clarified in writing that “(hunters may be combined in one group after moose harvest if preferred by hunters)”
Unfortunately, on December 5, 2022, the Outfitter notified us that they only had availability for August 25th thru September 3rd, irrespective of our fully paid contracts with September hunt dates specified. We reluctantly accepted the earlier dates.
On December 13th, 2022, the Outfitter e-mail correspondence indicated “We will have planes in the air up until the 24th of August scouting for animals. This will give us the best chance at placing you guys in a prime spot.”
This did not happen, and it is our understanding from our packer, registered field guide and master guide, that no scouting was done prior to our hunt.
According to our field guide, our field guide had never met our master guide and our field guide had never before hunted in the Guide Use Area we hunted.
On February 26th, 2023, the Outfitter indicated that our Master Guide was xxxx xxxxxx, and he would be in touch with us in the spring.
On June 15th, 2023, the Outfitter indicated; “You will need this information: xxxx xxxxxx is our Registered Guide Lic # xxxx City: xxxxxx xxxx State: Alaska.”
On August 13, 2023, the Outfitter e-mailed;
“Scott, We will be meeting you in Talkeetna on the 23rd when you sign your hunt records with xxxxx. We can take anything you don't want to bring in the field with you and have it at the lodge when you come back. More than likely you and your son in law will be at different camps and can meet back up at the lodge. We are doing some scouting this week”
Our guide and our packer indicated that there had been no scouting that they were aware of for the areas we were flown in for our hunt.
On August 21st our Outfitter e-mailed;
“Scott and Ryan, I have some bad news. I had you scheduled with two guides, xxxxxx xxxxxxxx and xxxxx xxxxxx for your upcoming hunt. Unfortunately, xxxxx took a very bad spill at work and deeply bruised his thigh muscle. It isn’t broken but he is instructed to stay off of it for at least 7 days or until the intense pain subsides. I know this not the news any of us want to hear but unfortunately this does happen in the guide industry. xxxxxx, is lined up and excited to take you both along with an experienced packer, xxxxx xxxxxxxx. He is a seasoned Alaskan guide and knows the area well.”
According to our field guide, he had never been in the area we flew into, was not aware of any scouting in the area and had no topo or aerial maps of the area.
According to Alaska Professional Licensing, xxxx xxxxxx does not have a license for the Guide Use Area we were hunting in, nor any Guide Use Area in Game Management Unit 14. Likewise, our Guide in the field, xxxxxx xxxxxxxx does not have a license to conduct hunts in the Guide Use Area that we were hunting in.
I assume that this is the reason our Outfitter contracted with xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx to be our Master Guide, as he has a license to conduct hunts in the Guide Use Area and Game Management Unit we were hunting in. Unfortunately, xxxxxx had never met xxxxxx xxxxxxxx and did not even know xxxxxx'x Guide License # until the day we flew out to the field.
It is also worth mentioning that our packer and guide were not provided with any type of bear fence and food items were stored under an open tarp and in the guide’s tent. Not surprisingly, bears entered our camp on two occasions, destroying and damaging tents and food products.
All of the above is written to give a clear understanding of the lack of proper planning and communication for this scheduled big game hunt and the unmet representations from our contract and written correspondence.
We paid $60,000 for two 1x1 hunts with bush flights in the field included.
We received one 2x1 hunt with only one transport to and from the field with one guide and one packer.
We paid for two charter flights to/from the Lodge for a total of $3,000, which we did not receive.
We were not offered any refunds, even after courteous request.
This post is written so that other hunters are informed and aware.
