im not burning him, nor did i started this thread.
Sometimes a mild burn is good for you, helps you readjust and reset your priorities.
Like i said, 8 hunters ended up pissed off and were chocked the entire trip was cancelled at 9 am while the weather was just fine and the birds were there. Some guys made 1 phonecall to another local outfitter who took them out on sunday and they shot a limit within minutes. Thousands of hungry birds.
You not making the extra effort, im going somewhere else with my cash, Its that simple.

I also like to hunt with the owner of the guiding service who is as passionate as myself about Bird hunting.
It usually works better that way and is usually possible if you book long in advance.

Just like in the restaurant business, the service is usually better when the owner is there every day.
Too many out fitters are just in there for the money nowadays. Follow your passion and the money will follow.
Follow the money and things like this will happen frequently.

Ok Ivan I believe you. For once you made a decent post

Why do fishing trips never get comped when the fishing is slow, but people expect a comped hunt when the birds don't fly?

So your an expert on goose hunting and driving on rural muddy roads? Why do you even need a guide then?


I would have to add to this comment.... There are three sides to every story. Truth is always somewhere in the middle. This is why it is called hunting though. It happens and getting free go at it again is all that a guide can do. Trust me, none of us like it. Every trip cost us time and money, therefore, it is a bigger loss to us guides when we have to do it again for free. I have no problem doing it, but it does leave a bitter taste in my mouth halfway through the morning when I realize they aren't enjoying themselves as they imagined and the next one will not cover fuel and maintenance costs. This year especially, I think something broke every trip I went on. Suck it up is what I tell the OP and quit being a Diva about it.

I'm not taking up for Jeff, I'm just saying as a guide also I know every story has two sides

Would you comp it if you got your sweet Argo stuck halfway to the blind and didn't take your guys anywhere else that morning? There's a big difference between birds not showing up and your guide not getting you to the hunt. Add in cancelling the remaining hunts when you're already there and I'd say that's grounds for a full refund on at LEAST the hints they never got to. But like I said that's only IF that's how it went down. Sure would like to hear the outfitters version of it...

Happened last weekend on some guys that came from Chorpus Christi. Not only did I stick the argo, but the steering broke and I hit a concrete culvert sending one of the guys over the front of the machine. We were a mile from the truck and two miles from the blind. The other argo took two guys to the blind to finish the hunt. Two guys stated that it is fine and agreed to sit on a levee and watch and take pictures because they did not want to get to blind after LST and ruin for other people. This trip cost me around $800 with parts arriving tomorrow. I offered to give them their money back as I do not require a deposit, especially a year in advance. I'm gonna hunt regardless, so if you show up and don't pay first, you don't go.

These were standup guys though. Told me to keep the money and they understood that it is hunting and it was something out of my control. I'm taking them after some geese in march and they are hunting opening weekend next year free of charge. Hunting ethics and a little understanding goes a long way. The man got stuck, he can't help that. Yes, I would of taken them somewhere else the next day, but maybe he didn't have that option. No one likes taking money like that.