I' d like to hear your opinion......
06-16-2003, 03:25 PM
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: RIO RANCHO NEW MEXICO USA
Posts: 168
RE: I' d like to hear your opinion......
SnoBall57,
Sounds as if it has been a rough year for your family. I almost didn' t reply to your post because it is more bad news, and you have sure had more than your share of that. While this scenario may seem to be a single event, I think it is really several seperate events. You were promised a specific hunt period and on that basis sent a deposit. When you found out you couldn' t have that period that was the time to raise cain and cancel. You were " offered" another time period and accepted it. This was the time too continue to demand the return of your deposit if not happy. At this point in time I think you have established a contract. Due too difficult conditions, understandably, you requested a postponement to ' 04. From what I understand, such a switch is dependant upon the guides ability to fill this years hunt, unless it has been agreed by both that such postponement would be allowed. If the guide is unable to fill the slot, you have two options, go on the hunt or cancel and loose your deposit. Sorry to be the such a bearer of bad news. I hope that thins work out for you. Good luck.
Sounds as if it has been a rough year for your family. I almost didn' t reply to your post because it is more bad news, and you have sure had more than your share of that. While this scenario may seem to be a single event, I think it is really several seperate events. You were promised a specific hunt period and on that basis sent a deposit. When you found out you couldn' t have that period that was the time to raise cain and cancel. You were " offered" another time period and accepted it. This was the time too continue to demand the return of your deposit if not happy. At this point in time I think you have established a contract. Due too difficult conditions, understandably, you requested a postponement to ' 04. From what I understand, such a switch is dependant upon the guides ability to fill this years hunt, unless it has been agreed by both that such postponement would be allowed. If the guide is unable to fill the slot, you have two options, go on the hunt or cancel and loose your deposit. Sorry to be the such a bearer of bad news. I hope that thins work out for you. Good luck.
06-16-2003, 04:30 PM
#13
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cedar Valley Utah
Posts: 977
RE: I' d like to hear your opinion......
ORIGINAL: SnoBall57
A few weeks later the outfitter e-mailed me that they had made a huge mistake in that the bear season wasn' t even open the week that we booked, and that we could change our hunt to an earlier date or get our deposit back. The only opening they had was the first week of the season (last week in august), and I was concerned about the bug problem in Maine that time of the year, so I e-mailed them back with my concern and asked for some more info and a few references of fellas that hunted that early in the season up there. No reply! I waited another wee and sent a duplicate of the same e-mail, and again got no reply. A week later we all got a letter from the outfitter stating that our money had been deposited and that we were booked for the last week of august.
A few weeks later the outfitter e-mailed me that they had made a huge mistake in that the bear season wasn' t even open the week that we booked, and that we could change our hunt to an earlier date or get our deposit back. The only opening they had was the first week of the season (last week in august), and I was concerned about the bug problem in Maine that time of the year, so I e-mailed them back with my concern and asked for some more info and a few references of fellas that hunted that early in the season up there. No reply! I waited another wee and sent a duplicate of the same e-mail, and again got no reply. A week later we all got a letter from the outfitter stating that our money had been deposited and that we were booked for the last week of august.
ORIGINAL: BigBob .30-06
SnoBall57,
While this scenario may seem to be a single event, I think it is really several seperate events. You were promised a specific hunt period and on that basis sent a deposit. When you found out you couldn' t have that period that was the time to raise cain and cancel. You were " offered" another time period and accepted it. This was the time too continue to demand the return of your deposit if not happy. At this point in time I think you have established a contract.
SnoBall57,
While this scenario may seem to be a single event, I think it is really several seperate events. You were promised a specific hunt period and on that basis sent a deposit. When you found out you couldn' t have that period that was the time to raise cain and cancel. You were " offered" another time period and accepted it. This was the time too continue to demand the return of your deposit if not happy. At this point in time I think you have established a contract.
Actually Big Bob I don' t see where the man accepted the hunt in August. It looks to me like he didn' t have much choice at all. He replied to the outfitter with concerns after the guy offered another time frame. I think he got hosed and I hope the outfitter makes it right in the end. If the guy spent his deposit then I' d say he should cough it up or at least move the hunt to 04. After all it was the outfitters mistake that caused the " need" for changes in the first place.
Snoball57 just out of curiousity have you checked to make sure the outfitter was telling you the truth on the dates for bear season? I mean maybe hes bumping you for someone else and giving you a lame excuse.
06-16-2003, 04:45 PM
#14
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 417
RE: I' d like to hear your opinion......
I don' t know what the weather is like in Maine in August/early September, but it is usually hotter than Hades here in Minnesota. I won' t even allow a hunter to book a bear hunt with me in early September, because it is hot, and the bears are nocturnal, waiting to hit the baits until after 9:30-10:00 PM.
Most guides here only charge $500 for unguided, no room, no food hunts. You don' t need a guide for a baited bear hunt, just a bait site and a stand.
I think you' re being played, son. Epecially if you can' t get references.
T.R.
Most guides here only charge $500 for unguided, no room, no food hunts. You don' t need a guide for a baited bear hunt, just a bait site and a stand.
I think you' re being played, son. Epecially if you can' t get references.
T.R.
06-16-2003, 05:04 PM
#15
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky (by God!) Mountings
Posts: 572
RE: I' d like to hear your opinion......
Snowballs,
Well, at least you talk like you gotta pair. I gotta admit, I can only wash down 10 penny nails with my brand of rot gut. My grandaddy however, could handle ring shank pole barn nails, but he used homemade corn liquor. If you accepted the hunt in august, you' re obliged to make good on yer word. Even if you jus' didn' t make a stink, the outfitter held a spot for you. I ain' t sayin' the guy didn' t make a mistake, but unless you bellered right then an' demanded a refund, he assumed you were more innerested in huntin' bear, an' didn' t even mind a few skeeter bites. I gotta admit, the limp-wrist handle did make me think you were a lil' bit of a light stepper.
Well, at least you talk like you gotta pair. I gotta admit, I can only wash down 10 penny nails with my brand of rot gut. My grandaddy however, could handle ring shank pole barn nails, but he used homemade corn liquor. If you accepted the hunt in august, you' re obliged to make good on yer word. Even if you jus' didn' t make a stink, the outfitter held a spot for you. I ain' t sayin' the guy didn' t make a mistake, but unless you bellered right then an' demanded a refund, he assumed you were more innerested in huntin' bear, an' didn' t even mind a few skeeter bites. I gotta admit, the limp-wrist handle did make me think you were a lil' bit of a light stepper.
06-16-2003, 05:14 PM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rifle, Colorado
Posts: 2,012
RE: I' d like to hear your opinion......
I have to agree with BigBob .30-06 on this. If it was really a big deal that you didn' t get your hunt on your sons b-day, you should have cancelled the hunt then, or when he told you he booked you for the other weekend. Now that 9 months have passed, I think your sol.
I don' t mean to make things worse here, but you really should have done your homework (oh my god, was that me or my dad saying that
) as far as the dates go and refrences from this guy.
I don' t mean to make things worse here, but you really should have done your homework (oh my god, was that me or my dad saying that
) as far as the dates go and refrences from this guy.
06-17-2003, 06:41 AM
#17
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Williamsport PA. USA
Posts: 293
RE: I' d like to hear your opinion......
Thanks noway!
Thanks otis. I' ve got your e-mail logged in for when I get ready to book the caribou hunt!
BigBob, you' re right! We probably should have cancelled right after we were told that we couldn' t have the week we wanted. Like I said, my brother and son really wanted to hunt with this guy, and it is their first bear hunt over bait.
rather_be_hunting, thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding with BigBob. And come to think of it, I didn' t check to see if the season ended before the week of my son' s birthday. Wow, that would really tick me off if I found out that I was bounced to make room for another party! Thanks for the tip!
BJ, the main problem here is that I DID NOT accept the august date, it was GIVEN to me by the outfitter without my consent, and when I tried to question why, I never got a response and my money was deposited, which, evidently sealed the deal, in their eyes!
If you knew how I got that " handle" , you' d probably change your opinion on just how " manly" I am.
Jorgy, I' m not trying to blow my own horn here, but I think I did a " bang-up" job of checking references. I made a pile of phone calls, called a bunch of people that hunted with this outfit that weren' t even on the reference list, and even contacted some folks that live in the same area and aren' t affliated with this outfit. I also contacted some agencies in Maine affliated with hunting and guiding. I' m pretty sure that is why my brother and son were so adamant about hanging in there with this outfit. I' m not " S.O.L." just yet. I' ve got a few aces up my sleeve!
thanks for all the responses, guys. Appreciated them all.
Thanks otis. I' ve got your e-mail logged in for when I get ready to book the caribou hunt!
BigBob, you' re right! We probably should have cancelled right after we were told that we couldn' t have the week we wanted. Like I said, my brother and son really wanted to hunt with this guy, and it is their first bear hunt over bait.
rather_be_hunting, thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding with BigBob. And come to think of it, I didn' t check to see if the season ended before the week of my son' s birthday. Wow, that would really tick me off if I found out that I was bounced to make room for another party! Thanks for the tip!
BJ, the main problem here is that I DID NOT accept the august date, it was GIVEN to me by the outfitter without my consent, and when I tried to question why, I never got a response and my money was deposited, which, evidently sealed the deal, in their eyes!
If you knew how I got that " handle" , you' d probably change your opinion on just how " manly" I am.
Jorgy, I' m not trying to blow my own horn here, but I think I did a " bang-up" job of checking references. I made a pile of phone calls, called a bunch of people that hunted with this outfit that weren' t even on the reference list, and even contacted some folks that live in the same area and aren' t affliated with this outfit. I also contacted some agencies in Maine affliated with hunting and guiding. I' m pretty sure that is why my brother and son were so adamant about hanging in there with this outfit. I' m not " S.O.L." just yet. I' ve got a few aces up my sleeve!
thanks for all the responses, guys. Appreciated them all.
06-23-2003, 06:54 PM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 2,175
RE: I' d like to hear your opinion......
take a deep breathe you can work this out. the fact that the guide just assumed you would take the first week bothers me. you should be entitled to a refund. when you booked he should have known the season dates as well as yourself. always do your own homework! i have hunted bear in maine a couple times and always requested the first week. it can be hot in the upper 80s but usually not bad. the mosquitoes arent too bad if you got some unscented fly spray and a headnet. i like the 3d leafy mesh type headnet because the leaves sewn on them keep the skeeters at a further distance from your ears which can be more annoying than getting bit. if you choose a stand near water or a swamp you will have more bugs than hunting a ridge in maine which i prefer .they also have a gnat type bug that is hard to see but bite like a horsefly. there called no-see-ums.they love arms so make sure you get the camo jersey gloves with the long sleeve.guides in maine are kinda serious about what they do but have poor manners and arent much for long conversation and getting back to people in my experience. i say give it hell and be more careful next time.
06-23-2003, 09:32 PM
#19
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Posts: 224
RE: I' d like to hear your opinion......
Having lived in northern maine for several years, I thought for sure the outfitter must be wrong on the dates. I just checked and he is right...I had forgotten they have different season dates for hunting over bait..something I never bothered with. You can hunt the general season all the way up to November 29th, and there were so many bears roaming around the oats fields, I just couldn' t see working so hard putting bait out. I' d highly recommend to anyone who wants to travel to Maine to hunt bears...especially with a rifle, to bypass outfitters entirely and travel up into Aroostook County into the farm country. Just about any farmer will let you hunt....and if his land ain' t posted (unless things have changed recently) you can access it at will. Just look for oats fields bordering thick woods.....not too difficult up there and still hunt around the perimeter in the evenings.....and watch wear you step...there will be scat iles everywhere! Treestand hunting for bowhunters is even pretty easy to make happen. Sure would ease the strain on the ole wallet!
Mainers like most folks don' t care all that much for out-of-staters (whom they call flatlanders) tromping around in their neck of the woods...but hunters sure help fuel the slow economy...especially up north.
Mainers like most folks don' t care all that much for out-of-staters (whom they call flatlanders) tromping around in their neck of the woods...but hunters sure help fuel the slow economy...especially up north.
06-23-2003, 10:13 PM
#20
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: fort mcmurray alberta canada
Posts: 5,667
RE: I' d like to hear your opinion......
I have booked hunts with outfitters but only after checking several references .I have never sent money until a contract was sent out to me with the dates and conditions of the hunt.This outfitter sounds very suspicious and appears to be trying to take advantage of you by accepting money without having first agreed on a date.I hope things work out for you but I am sensing you will be having more problems based on this outfitters prior behavior.