alaska_bou
Lil-Rokslider
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2020
A few things.
1) First, outfitters in BC can legally over sell their quota and many do it every year. In other words, if you ask an outfitter how they did last year, they may say "we had seven tags and took seven rams." One might assume that suggests a 100% success rate. What shady outfitters are not upfront with, is that they may have had to book 12 hunters to fill those seven tags.
To add to that, I know a guy who booked with a very reputable outfitting name (at the time) I will just refer to as "SSS.") This guy paid in full and was bumped to a later season date and taken into an area with zero rams. When he asked the guide to call for a relocation the guide said "I am not allowed to call because of the expensive satellite airtime." This hunter believes ,100%, that the outfitter had met the quota before he arrived, and instead of refunding or rescheduling him for the following year, he chose to send this guy on a wild goose chase in an area with no chance of success.
2) References are largely a joke when telling people to "do research." I have been in the industry for 20+ years and have seen VERY few outfitters give out a truly unbiased list of references. More often than not, "references" are just cherry-picked people who will say all the right things.
3) Had you booked your hunt through a major, well-established and reputable booking agency (not a one-man "pretend agent") you would have recourse and that agency's attorney would likely be fighting this on your behalf right now, and at no extra cost.
4) Like others have said, it isn't slander/defamation if you are stating actual facts. Not naming the outfitter is a bit of a red flag.
Lastly, some have mentioned an outfitter name on this thread that I know had major problems this past year, with sub-legal rams taken and confiscated. The outfitter said "come back free" while the concession owner and final decision maker said "hell no."
Honestly, it might be time for some to reevaluate their personal hunting goals, scratch stone sheep off the short list and use that money to experience a number of great alternative hunts with much lower risk.
1) First, outfitters in BC can legally over sell their quota and many do it every year. In other words, if you ask an outfitter how they did last year, they may say "we had seven tags and took seven rams." One might assume that suggests a 100% success rate. What shady outfitters are not upfront with, is that they may have had to book 12 hunters to fill those seven tags.
To add to that, I know a guy who booked with a very reputable outfitting name (at the time) I will just refer to as "SSS.") This guy paid in full and was bumped to a later season date and taken into an area with zero rams. When he asked the guide to call for a relocation the guide said "I am not allowed to call because of the expensive satellite airtime." This hunter believes ,100%, that the outfitter had met the quota before he arrived, and instead of refunding or rescheduling him for the following year, he chose to send this guy on a wild goose chase in an area with no chance of success.
2) References are largely a joke when telling people to "do research." I have been in the industry for 20+ years and have seen VERY few outfitters give out a truly unbiased list of references. More often than not, "references" are just cherry-picked people who will say all the right things.
3) Had you booked your hunt through a major, well-established and reputable booking agency (not a one-man "pretend agent") you would have recourse and that agency's attorney would likely be fighting this on your behalf right now, and at no extra cost.
4) Like others have said, it isn't slander/defamation if you are stating actual facts. Not naming the outfitter is a bit of a red flag.
Lastly, some have mentioned an outfitter name on this thread that I know had major problems this past year, with sub-legal rams taken and confiscated. The outfitter said "come back free" while the concession owner and final decision maker said "hell no."
Honestly, it might be time for some to reevaluate their personal hunting goals, scratch stone sheep off the short list and use that money to experience a number of great alternative hunts with much lower risk.
