RE: just got back from pike county.il......
[quote]ORIGINAL: Western MA Hunter
I went there last season.... hunted w/ a real scam outfitter... but I must say, I did see a few really nice bucks going in and out of stand and driving around. I would go back... Just have to do a lot of outfitter research...
Sucks to get scammed, esp. on your first and only "guided" hunt.
MA there are a lot of good outfitters out there to but I have found out a way to test them to see just how honest they are ...after my first fiasco in Pike Co ... after talking with a prospective outfitter and asking a lot of questions ...when I feel fairly comfortable and am considering booking with himI ask to committo one of twoterms ...seeing as how I do not know him ..or the area he hunts and at this point all we have is"lip" serviceI would like for him to guarantee that if I do nothave reasonable chance at a quality animalthen he will allow me to either hunt extra days at no charge or that he will allow me to return the next year at half price. I want him to have an incetive to make sure I have a good hunt ...Iknow that if he has something invested into my hunt like I do he will do his homework like scouting and stand placement ... now if I shoot and miss or wound an animal and cant recover him then he has full filledhis part of the obligation ... I have this agreement with my outffitter in Canada but I have never had to excercise that option and I think with any quality outfitter you most likely would not have to use that option and if he WILL NOT agree to one of the tow terms then that tells me he has very little faith in his area or his guiding ability and I will continue to look for a outfitter who willdo this ..you will be suprised at how many will agree ..they know that most likelyyou will never have these extra days if thet are hunting a quality area ....
dd