Memories of a Guided Duck Hunt Gone Wrong.

I feel for you as I lost my dad 13 yrs ago.

That said your a better man than me. You let them take some birds.
If I was there first and set up and they did not move on I guarantee you I would have busted every flock that day from the first flock.

Enjoy your make up hunt , and spend time with your dad.

Regards
 
The trouble with this story is that you are depending on your guides version of events. That his guy was there earlier. That the other guys showed up late and set up down the field. Unless you spoke to members of the other party and they admitted to slipping in last minute or you saw it happen, it's a he said/he said situation.

I'll say I've hunted with Grey Bruce, and had a great time. We were hunting turkeys and passed on the first spot they had in mind because there were trucks parked at the access. We headed elsewhere and both of us shot a bird that day. It was a great time.

I found a bit of drama about these competing outfits online before my hunt and asked the owner about it. He mentioned that your guide had worked for him in the past and had set up a competing business. He only said "sometimes partnerships don't work out". other than that, he didn't mention anything bad about the competing company.

I'm not saying it didn't happen the way it was explained to you, just that we don't know the entire situation.

Ultimately, it's a guides job to make sure that you have the best hunt possible. If I'd paid a guide to take me out and we ended up on a crowded field, I'd be a bit disappointed in the other group for crowding us out, and my own guide for keeping us there. Anyways, hopefully you get a field next fall that's empty of people and full of birds.
 
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oldbill said:
The trouble with this story is that you are depending on your guides version of events. That his guy was there earlier. That the other guys showed up late and set up down the field. Unless you spoke to members of the other party and they admitted to slipping in last minute or you saw it happen, it's a he said/he said situation.

I'll say I've hunted with Grey Bruce, and had a great time. We were hunting turkeys and passed on the first spot they had in mind because there were trucks parked at the access. We headed elsewhere and both of us shot a bird that day. It was a great time.

I found a bit of drama about these competing outfits online before my hunt and asked the owner about it. He mentioned that your guide had worked for him in the past and had set up a competing business. He only said "sometimes partnerships don't work out". other than that, he didn't mention anything bad about the competing company.

I'm not saying it didn't happen the way it was explained to you, just that we don't know the entire situation.

Ultimately, it's a guides job to make sure that you have the best hunt possible. If I'd paid a guide to take me out and we ended up on a crowded field, I'd be a bit disappointed in the other group for crowding us out, and my own guide for keeping us there. Anyways, hopefully you get a field next fall that's empty of people and full of birds.
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Oops! I thought I'd edited out the names of the outfitters involved, but I obviously did a hack job of it. I just went back and did it properly.

I may not have been clear about our arrival at the field, so I'll explain the circumstances further to flesh out the details. When we arrived, our guide had all of his decoys out and his blind up. It wasn't a pop-up blind, but a pair of steel fence gate sections with reeds threaded through that were rigged to trees and staked in front. Probably the product of an hour's work to set up. The other group was at the shoulder of the road and getting their gear out of the vehicles when we arrived at the field, so there was no question as to who arrived first. Our guide had a solid margin on the other.
 
Joeyshabadoo said:
I may not have been clear about our arrival at the field, so I'll explain the circumstances further to flesh out the details. When we arrived, our guide had all of his decoys out and his blind up. It wasn't a pop-up blind, but a pair of steel fence gate sections with reeds threaded through that were rigged to trees and staked in front. Probably the product of an hour's work to set up. The other group was at the shoulder of the road and getting their gear out of the vehicles when we arrived at the field, so there was no question as to who arrived first. Our guide had a solid margin on the other.
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Common sense would make a person think that an outfitter would want sole permission to hunt that property, considering he has paying clientele. If I understand correctly, they both had permission? Kind of odd.
 
bearkilr said:
Common sense would make a person think that an outfitter would want sole permission to hunt that property, considering he has paying clientele. If I understand correctly, they both had permission? Kind of odd.
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Not 100% sure of the situation, there. I only know what our guide told us. I don't think that fact changes the situation at all. If I hunt on Crown land, the first-to-arrive convention still holds, so why would private property be any different?
 
Joeyshabadoo said:
Not 100% sure of the situation, there. I only know what our guide told us. I don't think that fact changes the situation at all. If I hunt on Crown land, the first-to-arrive convention still holds, so why would private property be any different?
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My point was that when you charge someone to take them hunting, as in your case, the outfitter should secure a place where he has exclusive rights. This way, you don't have to "share" a field as in your case and the situation you were in can't happen. The very reason the majority of waterfowl guides don't hunt public land.
 
First sorry about your father. I wish you enjoy as much time together as possible.

About publishing their names, I would have absolutely done it myself, if I was in your shoes. You pay good money to enjoy something and another company seemed to run interference with your hunt. Setting a large group between a small group and direction of the birds is just mean.
Had they set past you im sure they'd also get some birds.
At least your outfitter was fair enough to compensate you for this BS.

I hope you have a better experience next time.

Aviad
 
Sorry to here about your Dad. Let me begin by saying that you are 100% in the right to vent your frustration here. This is what forums are for, so we can share our experiences and become the wiser for it. You should absolutely name the other guide as he is an A-class A-hole. He showed up late to the party and instead of manning up he went about intentionally ruining the hunt for you and your brother. Regardless of any friction he might have had with your guide, he should have respected the fact that you guys were not part of their dispute but paying customers infusing some money into the local community. Complete lack of sportsmanship on his part.
 
Joeyshabadoo said:
Oops! I thought I'd edited out the names of the outfitters involved, but I obviously did a hack job of it. I just went back and did it properly.

I may not have been clear about our arrival at the field, so I'll explain the circumstances further to flesh out the details. When we arrived, our guide had all of his decoys out and his blind up. It wasn't a pop-up blind, but a pair of steel fence gate sections with reeds threaded through that were rigged to trees and staked in front. Probably the product of an hour's work to set up. The other group was at the shoulder of the road and getting their gear out of the vehicles when we arrived at the field, so there was no question as to who arrived first. Our guide had a solid margin on the other.
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If you saw it, then yup, that's a jerk move. hope the next hunt works out for you.
 
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