RE: I'm Back from Alberta
I'm the guy who hunted with DD in Alberta this year. I've read the entire threadand I just wanted to offer the following comments. Irrespective of all the replys about paying to hunt, weather, walking to your stand, being a he-man, whining etc... the point is that this outfitter, who is also the guide, did not do what he was paid to do and what he obligated himself by contract to do and that was GUIDE. If some of the respondents (primarily Canadian) are offended by the term "lazy Canadian Outfitter" it must be undestood that this was a case of a lazy outfitter who happened to be Canadian. I do not beleive that Canadian outfitters have a monopoly on laziness and I also believe there are lots of them out there who work hard for the clients--this wasn't one of them. When I spoke with the outfitter last week in an attempt to resolve this conflict he explained that all of the guiding effort in a deer hunt is done before the hunter gets there. That was his EXCUSE for sitting in the truck all week doing NOTHING. One of the earlier responses on this thread (a Canadian) was defending this conduct of sitting in the truck babysitting us as required by Canadian law. Well, yes, a guide is required by Alberta Regulations--but the guide is only required to remain in contact with the hunter--which was done by radio with a five mile range. You can scout a lot of area in a five mile square area. And how did we know the guide sat there all day doing nothing? He said so. Every time we suggested he do something, ANYTHING, he had an excuse. On the third day of our hunt he could not get me anywhere near my stand and he wanted me to sit in the truck with him all day while he smoked. I said no, I'll walk in. He said it was too dangerous and too far under the conditions but he told me where the stand was. I walked in anyway because I was there to hunt. The last thing he said to me as I was getting out of the truck was "make sure you bring your knife". Now, I would have been ecstatic to have taken and animal and done the field dressing by myself----I've done a moose in Canada without the guide before--but I paid this guy upfront for that service. And what does that comment tell you about his work ethic? It says he's lazy--there's no other possible interpretation. Yes,I've hunted with this guy before and I have killed a big deer up there---10 point 169 Inches--but I paid him and tipped him for that, and both very well. And he did not do much that time either except for his pre-scouting that told him the deer were moving where he put up his stands. This time he did nothing--and he admitted it. It's easy to say "that's hunting" and that's why they dont call it shooting. Well, I've struck out plenty before but had the guide works his a** off to create opportunity. Not this guy.On the issue of paying to hunt,I pay to hunt for several reasons. I am a busy trial lawyer and I can afford the cost. I do not have time to do all the work necessary to put together a big hunt and if I don'ttravel and pay to hunt I get no time for myself. My greatest asset---time---has already been wasted by this guy--and I cannot get that back. My wife has tried to talk me out of pursuing this matter in a Canadian Court--she's probably right. The lesson has been learned--no matter how much you check out an outfitter--you must DEMAND effort for your money and you must realize your not getting it in time to try and salvage your hunt