George Keys
New member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2018
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 6
I am also replying to Mark's post, review and Ironbound Outfitters in Newfoundland.
I am the "G" he refers to in his post. Like Mark, I had purchased a Moose hunt with Ironbound Outfitters in 2015. Because of things like hurricanes here in Florida, I had to postpone my trip. The original trip was purchased as a rut hunt. When the Hurricane hit my hometown and destroyed my office, I contacted the outfitter and advised I could not make the trip. The outfitter Mark would not return my calls but his wife was gracious enough to have him do so. When he did return my call, he advised he would reschedule my hunt for the next year. I sincerely thanked him for being so gracious.
After not hearing back from him for several months, I contacted his wife again to have Mark the outfitter call me so I could schedule my trip several months in advance.
Mark did call me and advised me the upcoming rut was taken and I would have to hunt post rut. However, he said the rut had little to no effect on my chances of taking a trophy. He actually said that post rut can be a better time to bag a trophy. He also said he would be surprised if I did not tag out early. I thanked him and began my planning to come hunt with him and take the trophy he was sure I would take.
After a few calls and as time to leave approached, I spoke with the outfitter and inquired about adding a caribou tag. He said he had no caribou tags but suggested I add an additional moose tag. He suggested this as he felt I would tag out quickly. I then added an additional moose and a bear tag.
When I arrived in NF, I was advised by the outfitter when we spoke by phone, that he had located an available caribou tag. I told him I would purchase it. He advised me that due to the weather, his father would be in touch with all of the hunters at the hotel to advise when to meet to board the chopper to camp. After not hearing back from him for more than a day, my office contacted Mark and was told his father would be by later to speak with us.
Later the second day Mark's father did show up at hotel and was very pleasant. He advised the weather was too bad to fly and would not be back for at least 24 hours. The following late morning we we transported to the chopper and camp.
Upon arrival we met the previous four hunters. All four had taken very small bills all of which were two years old. I thought that was strange as the camp was closed with no hunting for the previous two years. All of the hunters told me to shoot the first thing I saw as they had seen no moose other than what was shot.
I spent the first three days searching for even a sight of a moose. Not one to be seen. We then ran out of water and the outfitter would not bring water despite the camp continuously asking.
The next day as Mark wrote, we did get water from the outfitter.
Each day of the hunt, I went to the same spot to glass all day long without seeing anything but caribou. There was one exception where on an afternoon hunt of about 3 hours, the guide walked me to the same spot Mark and "J" had hunted every time. I had a monster stag caribou come within 6 yards but was told I could not shoot as my caribou tag was not valid for that area.
The last day of the hunt, I was taken back to the same place I had hunted on all the other days. However this time we walked about 2 miles further. The guide spotted a bedded down two year old bull. I was very hesitant to shoot him as I do not like to harvest immature animals but was told by the guide, I should shoot as I might not see another bull. I shot the small bull and the guide did an awesome job of dressing the animal.
As this was the last day of our hunt, I was not able to attempt to fill my second tag, bear or caribou. While I was able to sit on top of the hill as the guide dressed the bull, I hardly call that hunting for a second bull.
At the close if the trip, we were required to leave our bags as we we told the chopper could not carry them. The helicopter was identical to the one that took us to camp. To date, I still do not have my bag.
I immediately began trying to reach the outfitter to inquire if I still had to pay for the extra moose hunt as I did not get to hunt. I left him a VM and a text and asked him to come to the hotel as he had several clients there that were upset and needed to speak with him. He wrote me back and said he was too busy to meet and that he has no control over the weather.
He then told me he had charged me for both moose hunts but not for bear nor caribou. I tried to explain I did not get to hunt two moose but he said he did not care.
The guides and the cook at the camp were awesome. The food was good and I truly believe the guides were told to hunt us where we were while knowing there were no moose there. As employees, I think they had no choice.
I have hunted my whole life and had more than my share of failed hunts, however I have never been a victim of what I believe to be a "bait and switch".
I recommend to all my hunting brethren out there, do not fall to the 100% success rate listed on Ironbound Outfitters website as it simply is not true.
By the way, I have yet to even meet the outfitter that took my, Mark's and "J" money. Very displeased
I am the "G" he refers to in his post. Like Mark, I had purchased a Moose hunt with Ironbound Outfitters in 2015. Because of things like hurricanes here in Florida, I had to postpone my trip. The original trip was purchased as a rut hunt. When the Hurricane hit my hometown and destroyed my office, I contacted the outfitter and advised I could not make the trip. The outfitter Mark would not return my calls but his wife was gracious enough to have him do so. When he did return my call, he advised he would reschedule my hunt for the next year. I sincerely thanked him for being so gracious.
After not hearing back from him for several months, I contacted his wife again to have Mark the outfitter call me so I could schedule my trip several months in advance.
Mark did call me and advised me the upcoming rut was taken and I would have to hunt post rut. However, he said the rut had little to no effect on my chances of taking a trophy. He actually said that post rut can be a better time to bag a trophy. He also said he would be surprised if I did not tag out early. I thanked him and began my planning to come hunt with him and take the trophy he was sure I would take.
After a few calls and as time to leave approached, I spoke with the outfitter and inquired about adding a caribou tag. He said he had no caribou tags but suggested I add an additional moose tag. He suggested this as he felt I would tag out quickly. I then added an additional moose and a bear tag.
When I arrived in NF, I was advised by the outfitter when we spoke by phone, that he had located an available caribou tag. I told him I would purchase it. He advised me that due to the weather, his father would be in touch with all of the hunters at the hotel to advise when to meet to board the chopper to camp. After not hearing back from him for more than a day, my office contacted Mark and was told his father would be by later to speak with us.
Later the second day Mark's father did show up at hotel and was very pleasant. He advised the weather was too bad to fly and would not be back for at least 24 hours. The following late morning we we transported to the chopper and camp.
Upon arrival we met the previous four hunters. All four had taken very small bills all of which were two years old. I thought that was strange as the camp was closed with no hunting for the previous two years. All of the hunters told me to shoot the first thing I saw as they had seen no moose other than what was shot.
I spent the first three days searching for even a sight of a moose. Not one to be seen. We then ran out of water and the outfitter would not bring water despite the camp continuously asking.
The next day as Mark wrote, we did get water from the outfitter.
Each day of the hunt, I went to the same spot to glass all day long without seeing anything but caribou. There was one exception where on an afternoon hunt of about 3 hours, the guide walked me to the same spot Mark and "J" had hunted every time. I had a monster stag caribou come within 6 yards but was told I could not shoot as my caribou tag was not valid for that area.
The last day of the hunt, I was taken back to the same place I had hunted on all the other days. However this time we walked about 2 miles further. The guide spotted a bedded down two year old bull. I was very hesitant to shoot him as I do not like to harvest immature animals but was told by the guide, I should shoot as I might not see another bull. I shot the small bull and the guide did an awesome job of dressing the animal.
As this was the last day of our hunt, I was not able to attempt to fill my second tag, bear or caribou. While I was able to sit on top of the hill as the guide dressed the bull, I hardly call that hunting for a second bull.
At the close if the trip, we were required to leave our bags as we we told the chopper could not carry them. The helicopter was identical to the one that took us to camp. To date, I still do not have my bag.
I immediately began trying to reach the outfitter to inquire if I still had to pay for the extra moose hunt as I did not get to hunt. I left him a VM and a text and asked him to come to the hotel as he had several clients there that were upset and needed to speak with him. He wrote me back and said he was too busy to meet and that he has no control over the weather.
He then told me he had charged me for both moose hunts but not for bear nor caribou. I tried to explain I did not get to hunt two moose but he said he did not care.
The guides and the cook at the camp were awesome. The food was good and I truly believe the guides were told to hunt us where we were while knowing there were no moose there. As employees, I think they had no choice.
I have hunted my whole life and had more than my share of failed hunts, however I have never been a victim of what I believe to be a "bait and switch".
I recommend to all my hunting brethren out there, do not fall to the 100% success rate listed on Ironbound Outfitters website as it simply is not true.
By the way, I have yet to even meet the outfitter that took my, Mark's and "J" money. Very displeased
