BeaverJack, ever feel like any opinion you have and want to express will get shot down on this thread, I sure do.

You know schmalts, if you would have done your homework before your hunt, you would have found some background on the outfitter that would have been useful, especially from the DORA site that you found after the fact. Call any Outfitter Associations that they belong to and check on required permits if they are taking you on public land. Ask if they are bonded. Remember that facts always carry a lot of weight. Seems like you are backtracking now a bit. If you were going to use references, ask the outfitters for a list of ALL of the hunters from a particular hunt week. And speak with them personally. If they are not home have them call you collect. And ask the right questions. The ones that are important to you. That is real important. I talked to a reference for a bow hunt that I went on and asked him why he picked that particular outfitter. The man told me flat out out reason he picked them was because of a strict no alcohol policy that this outfitter has. He said he could make the most out of any hunt that he would be taken on if there was a no alcohol policy. He had some bad experiences with other outfitters when he was the only one in camp that refused to drink. BTW this man (and his father)did not score on an Elk with the oufitter, but both totally enjoyed that hunt and plan to rebook with him.

I just have a really hard time with that statement. Reading a post from someone lost in cyberspace don' t cut it for me and has no credibility as far as I am concerned. Especially without letting the outfitter have his say.

Maybe I wouldn' t put it exactly like that, but I will still give that an AMEN!