Beware of TX outfitter !!!

[Bowguy]

I'm gonna mske a special " guides of shame " forum area area just for folks like this .....

BTW , florida is LOADED with folks like this also

How about an Outfitter Reviews section, so we can see positive reviews as well. Make a sticky with a Guides of Shame list for quick reference within the subforum.

That's a great idea! I don't use outfitters too often but maybe state park/state forest reviews as part of that. We all share info on dif places. May not hurt

[trkehunr93]

Sorry to hear it.  My mom has always said they'll get theirs, it may not be when you want it to happen but it will.  She has yet to be wrong.  I like the idea of the guides of shame section, lets'em know were watching.

[SteelerFan]

Ugh! That's a shame. Sorry you got burnt.

Guides & Outfitters Review Thread would be pretty cool. Source for positive & negative feedback 

[sixbird]

I had a problem with  nilgai outfitter in Texas once. He refused to return my deposit for a hunt that never happened. I called the local chamber of commerce and they referred me to the local judge. Before it was over, the outfitter grudgingly returned my deposit. Texas can be a pretty close knit place, locally and calling the local business bureau or chamber of commerce may get you some results...Worth a try...

[BillBlanks]

Thanks for posting this.  I live in TX, and while I don't really use outfitters here, it's good to know.  Sorry you had a bad experience here, and I hope you can get yourself a nice Rio sometime soon.

[Greg Massey]

Looks like all he wanted was your money, that's so sorry of him.  Did you try asking for a refund.. lol

[paboxcall]

...I don't use outfitters too often but maybe state park/state forest reviews as part of that. We all share info on dif places. May not hurt

IMHO that is a terrible idea. 

When someone posts or comments innocently about success on a particular tract of public ground, with all the internet traffic and countless "lurkers" forums like this receive, next year that public ground gets 110% hammered.  Happens already - someone posts about 'hearing dozens of birds on a "such and such" state forest' and next thing you know people are crawling all over it and hiding behind every tree trying to get "their slam."

Reviewing pay-to-hunt properties, including both good and bad experiences, on the forum makes total sense.  There hunter numbers are fully managed and most importantly limited by the property owner or guide service.  These people are in it for profit and should be held accountable.  Make no mistake, public ground has no such luxury of proactively managing hunter numbers outside of a draw system.

My opinion, if you want to share info on public ground, especially in states where the number of huntable public tracts is limited, there no reason to build an internet billboard about it.  Instead if interested in an out of state public ground hunt PM someone from that state, or post a request for someone there to reach out to you via PM.

[g8rvet]

...I don't use outfitters too often but maybe state park/state forest reviews as part of that. We all share info on dif places. May not hurt

IMHO that is a terrible idea. 

When someone posts or comments innocently about success on a particular tract of public ground, with all the internet traffic and countless "lurkers" forums like this receive, next year that public ground gets 110% hammered.  Happens already - someone posts about 'hearing dozens of birds on a "such and such" state forest' and next thing you know people are crawling all over it and hiding behind every tree trying to get "their slam."

Reviewing pay-to-hunt properties, including both good and bad experiences, on the forum makes total sense.  There hunter numbers are fully managed and most importantly limited by the property owner or guide service.  These people are in it for profit and should be held accountable.  Make no mistake, public ground has no such luxury of proactively managing hunter numbers outside of a draw system.

My opinion, if you want to share info on public ground, especially in states where the number of huntable public tracts is limited, there no reason to build an internet billboard about it.  Instead if interested in an out of state public ground hunt PM someone from that state, or post a request for someone there to reach out to you via PM.

Amen, but as a public land duck hunter in Florida, Shannon knows this already all too well.  He would realize the problem with public land reviews before it were to ever happen.

I will share a whole lot of information to an individual I deem worthy and absolutely zero on the internet. When I post success pictures of fishing spots or duck hunting locales, I blank out the background.  The internet is for a long time and there are cyberscouters everywhere. 

[BBD]

I'd like to add to this thread.  I had the same experience last year in Texas.. Turkey, Texas to be exact, go figure.   L&W Ranches is the name of the place.  Their website is still updated with photos from somewhere but after being their I can say that the pics they have posted aren't from the ranch where they took my money.  Hunted 2 days and never saw any sign of a turkey, not even an old track or feather.  We were told we would have the place to ourselves but after arriving were told that he had some hog hunters coming in on our 3rd day.  For the record I saw ZERO hog sign on the place so they were fixing to get "robbed" as well. It's a terrible shame that a mans word isn't good enough these days. 

[Sevenyearsandcounting]

I went to one ranch that was great turkey habitat and TONS of big big rios. I have only shot one spring turkey so I'm a complete scrub and I bagged a 22lb 10inch beard and just shy of an inch Spurs.

All morning thundered gobbles throughout the valley. It was amazing.

The guide was a pretty poor called and hunter but another guide does work there and he's hunted the whole United States so he knows turkeys. Don't know why I was shorted having him around but eh I got my bird.

The ranch is Escondido Ranch in Junction. It's an exotic game ranch and they have SWEET accomodations. I am very picky and whiny as some have seen so for me to give a glowing review? I let just be good.

[jepcho]

...I don't use outfitters too often but maybe state park/state forest reviews as part of that. We all share info on dif places. May not hurt

IMHO that is a terrible idea. 

When someone posts or comments innocently about success on a particular tract of public ground, with all the internet traffic and countless "lurkers" forums like this receive, next year that public ground gets 110% hammered.  Happens already - someone posts about 'hearing dozens of birds on a "such and such" state forest' and next thing you know people are crawling all over it and hiding behind every tree trying to get "their slam."

Reviewing pay-to-hunt properties, including both good and bad experiences, on the forum makes total sense.  There hunter numbers are fully managed and most importantly limited by the property owner or guide service.  These people are in it for profit and should be held accountable.  Make no mistake, public ground has no such luxury of proactively managing hunter numbers outside of a draw system.

My opinion, if you want to share info on public ground, especially in states where the number of huntable public tracts is limited, there no reason to build an internet billboard about it.  Instead if interested in an out of state public ground hunt PM someone from that state, or post a request for someone there to reach out to you via PM.

I agree 100%. I have no problem sharing and/or swapping public land info with an individual if I have some trust there, but wouldn't want it broadcasts to the general public. But the outfitter reviews would be great.

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[turkeyfoot]

Add me to that list, its terrible idea to speak of public spots if you do I wouldn't plan on hunting there next few years even large pieces of land can get hammered from cyber scouters. Outfitter reviews is great idea you can't always trust the references your given no way to know if its their cousins your speaking to its good to have peoples experiences good and bad brfore laying out your cash and just as importantly for most spending your vacation days

[RutnNStrutn]

We should have a dedicated section/page for outfitter reviews... good and bad.  It would help so many people.

Great idea!!

[FL-Boss]

Let's not forget some on the responsibility falls on the hunter. As mentioned, if you don't do your research in advance, shame on you. We all have computers and smart phones in our pocket these days and can easily research any outfitter in 5 seconds.  If there are some bad reviews listed on the web, you will find them.  If you can't find anything listed, use another outfitter or make sure you have many personal recommendations.  There are hundreds of outfitters that have great reviews

Bottom line,  if an outfitter doesn't have a web presence in this day in age, I would make damn sure you get some recommendations from other hunters that have been there.   If all the reviews look great on a particular outfitter and you have a bad experience, that's another story and should be discussed here.   

One more thing, there are two sides to every story and sometimes the hunter is the problem. So any outfitter blasted on a public forum should have chance to defend himself in a respectful way.

[duxrus]

Anyone giving out public land info should be banned from the web and beaten with their computer. PM's are another thing all together. Why would anyone who has any common sense feel the need to give the world of complete strangers info on a place they might return to ? Are some folks too dense to understand the lines of lazy people just waiting to get free X's on a map.

Now it is a great idea to share bad experences with outfitters but just like sharing public ground info, your great guided hunt might be negatively effected by hords of new hunters killing birds there if you spill the beans. Telling friends is one thing but dont see the plus side to putting too much info out for a site full of strangers.

Just my .02