# goose guide to avoid



## bf281 (Dec 28, 2003)

Just to let everyone know I talked to my friends after todays hunt with this guide. They were pleased with their experience. While it did sound like they hunted the same field you have described, they did get some birds and would have gotten more if them darn guns weren't shooting blanks. The action ended early due to the fast rising temps but that was not anyones fault but mother nature. Not trying to change anyones opinion here, just letting everyone know that it sounds like he has good days and he has bad days. But then that's the nature of hunting.


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## Coldwater Charters (Sep 17, 2000)

You can take 10 people and have them on the same hunt and you will have 10 different opinions on what took place. That always amazed me but that's a fact. Anytime some folks pay to play, some of them expect more then what ever took place. if you kill 4 birds, we should have killed 7, if we limited out, we should have been done 35 minutes earlier. This job is not what it's all cracked up to be sometimes.


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## ahartz (Dec 28, 2000)

each season when I consider maybe guiding a little here and there I see these stories.....and CC your comments are the best....no thanks on the guiding. ....andy


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## lang49 (Aug 1, 2005)

I can relate to the good day/bad day theory. However, I think the whole point of the thread was that this "guide" has a history of lying. Clearly the guide knew that he didn't have a fresh field available for the client. To tell the client that he could put them on a fresh field was a blatent lie.


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## Forkhorn (Mar 12, 2006)

I agree with an earlier comment that this site is a great one for getting information on all sorts of things, including bad guides. But I do have to wonder if people on this site need to be careful about "overdoing" it and getting sued for lible and public defamation of a man who may very well lose business over this thread (even if he deserves to lose business, a rat-bag defense attorney may disagree). Do I agree that a bad businessman should be "outed?" Absolutely. But I think we should all be gentlemen about it and take the high road in our posts.  I'm only saying this because of what I've heard happen elsewhere in a public forum (online or not). Thanks for the post, but be careful and protect yourselves.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

and it's been established in a number of courts that web forums are just public opinion, like letters to the editor in a paper are. No worries. I can personally attest to a number of lawsuits that were filed that were all thrown out by the court. But it's a hassle just the same. 

All hunting guides, imho, should be licensed, inspected, and regularly followed up on, as well as required to contribute a certain amount of labor, money, effort, whatever back to the resource they're profiting from. Most of the charter captains do, and are licensed, inspected and followed up on. I'm sure there's a number of hunting guides who, although not required to be licensed or anything like that, do a great deal for conservation as a whole, but there's always a few bad eggs out there.


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## Forkhorn (Mar 12, 2006)

Thanks for the info Linda.


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## Kevlar (Jul 21, 2004)

Coldwater Charters said:


> This job is not what it's all cracked up to be sometimes.


 
Simple fact is sometimes you can do everything "right" and still have guys disappointed. 

My buddy who guides just tells his clients " You are paying for my experience. No birds are gauranteed, you are just gauranteed to be in an area with a Very Good chance of being very sucessful. "

He says guys looking for a "limit" everytime are the type of customers I don't want. He claims you can never satisfy them. Like you said CC if you get them a limit, it wasn't quick enough.

Believe me I can certainly understand the quote above. I have heard some stories for my buddy.

Kevlar


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

Linda G. said:


> and it's been established in a number of courts that web forums are just public opinion, like letters to the editor in a paper are. No worries. I can personally attest to a number of lawsuits that were filed that were all thrown out by the court. But it's a hassle just the same.
> 
> All hunting guides, imho, should be licensed, inspected, and regularly followed up on, as well as required to contribute a certain amount of labor, money, effort, whatever back to the resource they're profiting from. Most of the charter captains do, and are licensed, inspected and followed up on. I'm sure there's a number of hunting guides who, although not required to be licensed or anything like that, do a great deal for conservation as a whole, but there's always a few bad eggs out there.


state has already enacted a policy on this just this year. All guides on state land must purchase a permit. Don't think there is anything they have for private lands tho. I do know that they are trying to get back something out of these people guiding on state land and profiting on the publics resource.


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## Brydog (Oct 13, 2005)

Here is something to remember too. Early season birds are the most unpredicatble of the season. There are more hunters and fewer fields then any other time during the season. Educated geese have went well past highschool. 


..........   ..........:SHOCKED: 


.


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## Lil' Tanker (Jan 9, 2002)

Candy bars and all the beer you can drink!

Talk about perks of a hunt, not.

If I pay or expect someone else to, it is to get limits filled in a safe and sportsman like mannor.

Sounds like a real zoo.


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## chemo13 (May 10, 2006)

Lil' Tanker said:


> Candy bars and all the beer you can drink!
> 
> Talk about perks of a hunt, not.
> 
> ...


Oh brother! Lil, you seemed to focus on one sentence, and missed the point of my post. Let me reiterate. 

After reading Kevin M original post and some thereafter I felt that I should share my observations while hunting with the guide in question. Again in the three years and mulitple hunts that I have hunted with Steve, he has never shown any unsportsman like conduct (this includes sky-busting, tresspassing, littering, poaching, alcohol use while hunting). The candy, beer part was for Rustyaxecamp's benefit since it seemed he was pretty upset about the refreshments.

I find it distrubing that someone could post some of the comments above, and it is taken as gospel by the readers (with few exceptions ie. Capt Nortwoods). 

Take the post from Batman. He THINKS that this quide tried to tresspass on his property. Tresspassers are the lowest forms of life (IMO) in the hunting world, and Batman is going to make this accusation on a public forum because he THINKS its the same guy?!?!?

Going back to the original post. Kevin M says he was promised a fresh field. If his brother booked the hunt, then how dose Kevin M know what Steve promised. In addition in talking to Steve about this post he mentioned that Kevin M wanted "make-up" day for free. Kevin M had stated that other guides had done that. Really? Would like to meet them. 

Furthermore he had urged others to cancel their Friday hunt. And guess what happens?? The Friday group did all right and was satifisfied.

I hope that when the next guide is grilled on this forum others will at least take some of these posts with a grain of salt.

John


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## Swamp Boss (Mar 14, 2003)

Am I mistaken here? I thought all Kevin was doing was providing his advice.
Not sure he wanted the thread war that this has turned into.

I thank you for the advice kevin.


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## Dead Bird (Oct 2, 2001)

Kevin... you did a fine job on your point...

CC.... well said and that is one of the resaons I hunt for fun know...

so how them Tigers... they seem to be having a tough time... Lions defense looked good... not sure about our defense.. 

so has anyone got an new stories... this one is getting old...


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

I'm sure the last thing on this guides mind was, purposely pissing off customers and having them blast him on the net for thousands of potential customers to see. Chalk it up to a learning experience and move on, now you know what not to do. Or like tommy said, do it yourself next time.


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## Kevin M (Sep 29, 2005)

chemo13 said:


> Going back to the original post. Kevin M says he was promised a fresh field. If his brother booked the hunt, then how dose Kevin M know what Steve promised. In addition in talking to Steve about this post he mentioned that Kevin M wanted "make-up" day for free. Kevin M had stated that other guides had done that. Really? Would like to meet them.
> 
> John


yes my brother booked the hunt and was told we'd get a fresh field, he helped write this post. i'm glad the group got birds on friday, it probably hadnt been hunted since the first 4 days, you can probably bet his decoys are still sitting out in that field under the burlap. I've been on other hunts over the years and some guides would take you back for another hunt sometime we went sometimes not but i have no problem with a guide who does his homework and if things dont go right then thats hunting but guides who promise a fresh field, over shoot the field and dont scout other field when the hunting in this one field is gone way down then thats just not right in my opinion. We posted our experience because we were promised and expected more than we got and i'm not talking numbers of birds killed, we hunted the morning and only had 2 geese come within at least 1/2 mile. they only had one goose the day before in that field and not that many the first day.


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## Coldwater Charters (Sep 17, 2000)

I just gotta say this. I have a short list of clients that in no way shape or form will ever hunt or fish with me again, my choice. You just get a feel over the years on what guys will make good clients and which ones will be a pain in the ****. A comment here, questions there and the dreaded look and light bulb over their head. "Where are the birds and hows come I haven't shot my limit yet" The older I get the worse my memory is but you can bet I remember clients I don't want back. Guides that tell you they get limits every time they hunt are full of you know what clear up to their ears.

One more thing, I don't offer free hunts either, good bad or ugly, this is what you get. I have absolutly no control over what or how the birds are going to react. I can't make my kids or my wife listen to me how can I know for sure what wild game is going to do?

Here's my hunt policy, I generally don't get whiners, especially if they read my policy. http://www.coldwatercharters.com/huntingdetails.htm and if they do whine, they are spinning their wheels


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## LarryZ (Sep 4, 2006)

Boo Who! Sounds like the birds just didn't show that day. Guides can never guarantee that they'll show up! If your in the flocks path, which Steve's area are, then you might get some if there flying your way that day! Simple as that! Food Beer Water, etc. There was more then plenty as well as plenty of good talk after the fact. Steve did us great! We saw 200 birds all called in by Steve close enough to shoot! GREAT DAY WAS HAD BY ALL! NICE SET UP WITH THE BLINDS, DECOYS, ETC. I'd recommend him to anybody!

Sounds like a mid life crisis with some of the boo who quotes


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## duck heaven (Aug 10, 2004)

It's darn tootin ... a good thing we all have freedom of speech ................. and choices in our lives ....









Could you imagine ...... if the government made it a Law .... 

P.A. 2006: .................. We Had To Hunt!  :yikes: :lol: :bouncy: :lol: 


exerpt from my upcomming book:  _*Michigan Footprints*_



.


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## Dead Bird (Oct 2, 2001)

this is going no where quickly... closed...


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