Originally Posted by
TDSBowHunter
Moore's Hilltop Ranch Review:
ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE STAY AWAY!!! I called to make a reservation for a youth turkey hunt for my son and Moore's immediately asked for my credit card, I found it odd they needed it right then and not the day I hunted, but they claimed it was to hold my spot; ok I said "But I still need to confirm with my wife to ensure we will be here that day because we have another trip around the same time." After talking with my wife right after I reserved the hunt she informed me we were not going to be back until the day after I made the hunt reservation. I called Moore's, less than an HOUR after I had reserved, and he said he had already charged my card which I NEVER AUTHORIZED and the hunt was still weeks away! He was incredibly rude at this point and annoyed and said he would have to credit back my card but it would take 60 days! On top of that I would be charged a $7.00 fee to get my money back and then he just hung up! I emailed him explaining I should not be responsible to pay anything, especially because I TOLD HIM I WOULD CHECK WITH MY WIFE AND CALL BACK, because I knew we had plans around the same time. Moore's email was so incredibly rude, he kept saying it cost a fee to credit the card back and that's my responsibility not theirs (I never authorized them to run my card!). I called my bank after 4 weeks of waiting for my refund of the $200+ dollars he charged me on top of the fee. After all said and done, my bank never saw his refund and I ended up having to file an claim and my bank had to refund my payment. I repeat STAY AWAY THEY ARE CRIMINALS!!!
Welcome to the site! It sounds like you may have never booked a hunt before from what you're telling us. First off, whenever you call and ask to book a hunt it is normal that they ask for at least a percentage of the cost up front in case you back out or don't show up and they lose that booking. Therefore, if you gave the guy a date to hold and then gave him your credit card number it was authorizing him to take that deposit fee from your card and that's standard procedure for him to do what he did. If you didn't want to actually book that day, you shouldn't have given him your card number to book it until AFTER you talked to your wife and knew you could make that date for your hunt! When you called back and told him you couldn't make that day and wanted to cancel it is also normal and within the rights of any company to charge for that service just like he informed you. He told you that procedure would take up to 60 days, but after just 4 weeks you say you called your bank asking for your refund and they ended up crediting your card if I'm understanding you correctly. That means your credit card company took the hit because of you being impatient and not waiting the 60 days the guy told you it would take. I have no idea how long it takes, but it sounds like the guy was trying to be upfront with you. After reading your post IMHO most, if not all of your problem, was caused by yourself and not the guy you dealt with. What did you think they were going to do when you gave them your credit card number/information? Giving them those numbers without them using the information to get their money and hold your date is meaningless! The card is for the money they will get from it to insure that they don't lose all they would get when they book a date if someone backs out. If you have never done a booking for a hunt before, and it certainly sounds like you haven't, what the guy did is standard procedure. I have no idea if they would have credited your account or for how much, but you said he told you it would take 60 days and you then took action after half that time. Good luck in the future, but to call the guy a criminal in caps IMHO is not correct when most, if not the entire problem, appears to have been your fault.
EDIT: I did a google and their website actually says you lose that deposit under certain conditions, but it sounds like the guy was trying to be considerate seeing as how you called back within a hour or two. Here is their policy right off their website and it was highlighted so as to be very visible: Deposits are non-refundable, unless hunter can be replaced at full price with MHR's consent. It is not MHR’s obligation to replace hunter if cancellation takes place. Cancellation can result in credit towards rebooking within one year of the date of cancellation if approved by MHR.