MN_BOWHUNTER

Hey there everyone, I would like an opinion on what to do about a situation that just happened to me.....here's the story:

Last year I took a trip to Manitoba for whitetail with 2 hunting buddies (we'll call them Bob and Tim). The outfitter we went with is a very small operation, taking only 5 hunters a year, hunting about 800 or 900 acres of prime woods/farm land. We had a great hunt last year and Tim and I took bucks. The outfitter told us after our hunt that he would prefer to have only 2 hunters in camp at a time this year as it is easier for him to keep hunters in good fresh stands for the amount of land that he has. We agreed and plans were made for this year. Tim is the one that turned us on to this hunt and Bob and I gave him the call as to how we paired up along with the call on who got to bring in the fourth man. Tim decided to ask another of his friends to go with him which left Bob and I paired, a good fit I might add, very similar goals and hunting styles. I was given the go ahead by Tim to pick my date first as I have another hunt planned for October 1st to Illinois. I picked last week, the week of September 15th. Tim picked the week of October 1st to give the area a rest for a week and a half before his hunt. Now the sticky part. While up there last week I learned from the outfitter that Tim had been calling him once or twice a week for deer/area reports. In doing so, Tim had put pressure on the guide to "set aside" the most prime spot for him and his buddy and to keep Bob and I out of there at all costs. Tim called the guide on wednesday night of our hunt to find out if we had hunted the spot yet and the guide told him that the deer were using the area now and when the wind was right that we (Bob and I) were going to get to hunt it fi the wind was right. Tim, was appently not very happy with that decision. The guide couldn't stand it anymore and let it slip what was happening and told us he couldn't bring himself to keep us out of it and when the wind got right we hunted it and it was phenominal. Bob took a nice 8 pointer there and I saw several good bucks but couldn't get a shot off.

I got home Saturday and Tim has been calling day and night trying to get the report. I'm quite upset that he tried to undermine my hunt to further his hunt, some "friend" eh. I really don't want to talk to him about any of it. I believe that if I confront him about it he'll either lie or brush it off as a misunderstanding, which I know it's not.

I thought this guy was a friend of mine, guess not. I have another hunt for northern Minnesota planned with Tim that I don't believe I will be going on, I'll go up a week earlier or somewhere else.

What would you do about Tim?? Thanks for any opinions.

MN_BOWHUNTER

MATTHEWS

I would certainly not consider him your friend anymore, and treat him like a stranger.

Bow_Hunter

I agree, You should replace Tim with a new friend. Like the one
called Bow_Hunter on this forum. He would never do that to you,
especially if you payed his way

IL_BOW_MAN

I would say that if Tim was the one that got you and Bob together you got something out of your short lived friendship. Confront him about, let him make excuses and call it good. Atleast let him know that you knew about his plans. If he comes clean then there may be a chance that he won't do it again.

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Ouchigan

I have to agree with IL Bow man...confront the guy and see what he has to say....if things don't go well or such then ya got another friend out of it with "bob" worse ya can do is lose a so called friend and gain another.

If god didn't want us to eat animals....Why did he make them outa meat?

MN_BOWHUNTER

Thanks guys for the replies. I have known "Tim" for about 7 years and have hunted many times with him. He always struck me as the type that might pull a stunt such as this but hasn't done it to me up till now. Knowing him that long has also taught me that he's the kind of guy that will never admit that he was/is wrong, he'd rather fight you than admit it, I've seen him do it. "Bob" on the other hand is a good friend from another job I had and he got into this hunt at the last minute last year because "Tim" couldn't find a third guy that could go, so "Tim" hadn't met "Bob" until shortly before our hunt last year.

"Tim's" sister works at the same place I do and she was just in my office to see if I was here, sent by "Tim" I'm sure. "Tim" has been ringing my phone off the hook for the last 3 days. I'll probably wait to call him until after his hunt as I don't want to cause the guide any undo pressure or problems. My guess is that he'll get mad at the guide for telling me. When I do call I'm fairly certain I'll get a long stream of cuss words and a threat to get my a$$ kicked. So be it, then I know I made the right decision.

I'd like to hear more opinions as I may send him a link to this just so he can see what the members of this board think of a stunt such as this.

Thanks again,

MN_BOWHUNTER

WV Hunter

MN...if it was me, I'd confront him about it, and see what he has to say. If he responds the way you think he will, then he's putting a hunting spot above a friendship, and that is pretty pathetic. Obviously, if that happens, he doesn't really value your friendship...and it would probalby be in your best interest to find some new ones. Unfortunately...I know the type all too well.
However, he may suprise you and come clean, and all will be good. Hopefully that's what will happen. Good luck.

DaveH

From what you've said "Tim" is NOT a friend. He apparently doesn't care if any of the other hunters who go there got to hunt the best spots---just you and Bob are to be kept out. And the outfitter did the right thing by letting you use the best spots--that's his job. It was wrong of Tim to try and make your hunt less productive than it could have been.

Today's small bucks are tomorrow's trophies.

Plodder

First, it sucks that he (Tim) apparently tried to get the guide from letting you hunt prime spots. I'm glad the guide told him he would keep you/Bob and any hunters for that matter on active stands. Thats what he gets paid for. Second, I think you should call him or talk to him once he gets ahold of you. Answer his questions but unless he brings it up-there is no need to confront him on it (what would be the point?). You already have made plans to avoid hunting with him in the future-you also have a better understanding of the type of person he is and what he is capable of. Good luck!