DoctorDeath

I'm back from my hunt in Alberta Canada where I hunted 6 days for whitetail. I want to first tell you guys who do not know me that I have hunted Canada 5 times and with this outfitter 3 times ...this was the WORST hunt I have EVER been on.... I went with a good friend of mine from North Carolina who also has hunted with this outfitter 3 different times in the last 5 years and this was the week when Rut is in full swing...we were the only two in camp ( he only hunts 6 per year ) and it cost us $4500.00 each plus Glen bought a moose tag for $500.00 ...+ airfare ...when we arrived it was cold and snowing and had been snowing for about a week with snow in the forcast for the week we would be hunting ...I had to make my trip to Alberta witout my rifle because when I arrived at the airport I could not find the key to my rifle case and they would not allow my rifle on the plane unless it was locked ...so I called Don (the outfitter) from Nashville before I flew out and told him ...he said he would have a rifle available for me when I arrived ..obviously not the best of situations but I was a victum of circumstance so I got on the plane and headed to Alberta ...once there my friend and I were very excited..this is something we had talked about and planned all year ...we had both took a nice trophy buck there in 04 and had agreed we were not going to take anything less the a 160 or larger anything less then that we were prepared to come home emptyhanded....now for the positive points of the hunt ...the outfitter had 4 stands set up for us ...very nice and comfortable with a small heater ...the food was very very good ...the accomodations were above averege ...now for the negitive points ... the first day when we were drove out to our stands we were told that we would have to hike into the blinds because the 4X4 might get stuck in the snow ...I had almost a mile to walk and Glen had about a half of mile ...now that may not sound like a long way to walk to deer hunt but try it through 2 1/2 foot of fresh snow with a loaded back pack and a rifle ...once there we were both soaking wet even though the temp was 10 degrees or less most of the hunt ... once in stand we would
sit for 11 hrs a day staring up a very narrow cut line hoping to see a monster buck cross out of the bush ... between Glen and myself we put in 120 hrs in the stand ..hiking in and out while our outfitter set in his truck all day smoking ...drinking coffee ...listning to sports radio ...and napping ...during the 120 hrs we spent on stand we saw a total of 6 deer ...thats rightONLY 6 deer between the two of us in 120 hrs...and the outfitter never offered to go try and scout out any area's that might show more activity ...he never did anything to try and help make our hunt sucessful ...there was no plan B ...just sit and watch ...needless to say we both left less then happy ..not because we did not harvest an animal but because we both felt we did not get the service we paid for ...no effort from the outfitter .... so lets just say this was a lesson learned ...and just a footnote about the rifle the outfitter furnished me with ...he wanted me to pay $100.00 for the use of it ...thats AFTER the hunt and AFTER he knew we were pretty upset...while in my stand on the 2nd day I was so bored that I decided to shoot at my decoy about 100 yards away...it shot WAY high.... so guys there it is in a nutshell ... the good Doctor is not a happy camper.

dd

lethalconnection

Wow what a piss off. I found here in mid Sept when i went about and hour west of Red Deer there was about 2 1/2 feet of snow and i seen dick all for deer but the following week when there was little to no snow there were tons of deer so i think the snow had them staying put so what the guide should have done was offered to at least push the bush for yahcause when there is lots of snow on the ground thats what me and a few of my buddys do and it gets the game moving really good.

As for the gun i would have told him to shove it or say that if he can hit within an inch of a target at 100 hundred yards with it then MAYBE i would pay him but still he knew you guys had a crappy hunt and you were disappointed so in my eyes he had no right to ask you for money for the gun.

Well now you know not to go to them anymore.Sorry to hear about the unsuccessful hunt. Hope you have better luck next year either here in Alberta or with the neighbours to the east of us.

NY Bowhunter

Heck give me $450 bucks next year (instead of $4500)and i'll set you up with a wallhanger

Hiawatha

Yep its aweful when u gotta earn your deer. I understand your mad cause you paid for a hunt and i agree it was poor of the outfitter but understand up here it ain't all peaches and cream. I have walked many miles, hands so cold they could not turn the key to start the vehicle, snow so deep quadding is out and never saw a thing. But would i do it again? In a heartbeat. oh a tip, if your walkin a long way strip down first then layer up in the stand, don't sweat at all.

NY Bowhunter

Yep.... I'd rather walk in naked,freeze my arse off and get dressed at my stand than to sweat walking to my stand. Once you get sweaty, you're in for a long cold sit. Buy somemoisture wicking baselayers too. They work good.

Champlain Islander

Sorry you didn't have a great time Doc. Although it was disappointing that is the way it goes sometimes. It appears your outfitter has slipped and isn't doing what he can to accomodate his clients. Perhaps he is getting out of the business and isn't too worried about his reputation. But as you know...thats hunting.

timbercruiser

DangDoc, you would think a guide with a good repeat customer would do everything he could to make the trip as enjoyable as possible. I know there are some good deer in Canada, but I saw 19 in about 2 1/2 hours in South Bama yesterday.......

one on one

DD, hate the hunt turned outbad, if your down my way, look me up, and you can go with me, FREE.

longrifle1000

Soory to hear about that Doc. But, I'm glad I didn't go with you.LOL

But seriously, for that kind of money you could go just about anywhere. And the outfitter should be busting his rump trying to do everything he possibly can to get you the trophy of your dreams. And if he would have tried to tell me he wanted $100 for the use of his rifle, he would have been walking really funny all the way to the proctologist to get it removed.

cowboy4513

LOL LMAO what i site that would be to see a bunch of hunters walking into the woods naked I might shoot... you never know might be an Albino hairlessSasquatch LMAO HAHAHAHA