# Worst Guided Hunt Ever



## dhosera (Jul 11, 2006)

So I thought i would write the full version and post on here about our experiences in Mound City Mo. We went down in the spring for the snow goose hunt with this outfitter. His references all talked about how good he was so we thought it was a no brainer. When we arrived the lodge was less than impressive, but still not a trip breaker. I guess they got flooded out in the spring so everything was pretty dirty and gross. Breakfast all 3 days was one of those gas station rolls of mini donuts and a glass of milk. The guides (5) all hunted with us. So 6 clients, 5 guides, and 2 dogs trying to hide in a wheat stubble field just doesnt work. The dogs were not under control and went running around throughout the morning. We shot 4 geese all day. We saw thousands upon thousands of birds. The decoys were obveously in the flood as the were mud covered and we couldnt even use some because they were so bad. Dinner that night consisted of one pork chop loin slice and canned green beans! Wow, impressive. Day 2 the guides drove in one truck and i and 6 guys in my suburban towing their trailer again to the field. Again, why do i have to drive and tow the trailer when each guide has a truck sitting at the lodge. They end up getting their truck stuck in the field and now we have a giant white truck in the decoy spread as shooting hours arive. No birds shot that day! Dinner consisted of under cooked duck breast on the grill, canned corn and wonderbread with butter on it. That night i called the owner and told him we were hunting with his idiots in the morning and leaving after the morning hunt without paying the remainder of the money. He said he would be there in the morning and take car of it. Third day (2) guides waited in the truck while we scrambled to put decoys out and had to carry them 1/4 mile out in this muck field because we couldnt drive out to it, didnt get set up in time, finally got in and hunting had a flock of 3 come in and the guides jumped up called the shot and shot all 3 geese before we had even fired a shot! Shot 4 geese that morning. Guide came i chewed some ass, he fired 2 guides and offered a free 3 day hunt this fall for ducks and geese if we paid and woudnt pass judgement on his business untill after the fall hunt. We agreed.

Now this falls duck hunt.
We sat in the same pit blind 3 days. The group before us left early after hunting 3 days and shot 6 birds total out of the pits. The decoys are left out overnight, paint falling off and consisted of 4-5 dozen hot buy mallards. I had to ask him the 2nd day to put out a moto mallard which he reluctantly did. He then proceeded to call me the guide for the remainder of the trip and make wise cracks about being a guide and "how come you didnt shoot any duck today guide". We broke ice each morning to hunt. Saw thousands of ducks. None wanted to play. We called better than he did. After the second day and 6 duck total for 6 guys we got into an argument and i told him what i thought of him and his outfit. Asked why he was not out scouting and trying to find a field or something different, because it obveously wasnt working. I told him we were going to hunt the same ****** blind in the morning and were leaving after with or without him. He left that night. We went out to eat, to the bar, and ten came back found his beer fridge with approx. 50-60 beers and drank them all! HAHAHA Went out hunting in the morning with one of the other guides shot 2, left without any money exchanging hands. 

I just wanted to post our experiences on here and if anyone wants their name i will gladly steer you away from this yahoo. 

I have been to manitoba, ontario and ohio duck hunting with guides and never had a trip like this. We have had some very poor days but the guides did something about it or actually seemed to care. If something isnt working why not try something else. 


What do you all think? I would love to hear other stories of failing guided trips and any feedback on our trips.


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## smoke (Jun 3, 2006)

That's why I freelance. I'm the only person to blame if the **** don't work out. That's the way we always roll. I do hunt with a friend in Ontario but we help do everything including call and cook dinner, so it's more like hunting with a friend from Ontario than a guided hunt. Lesson learned it sounds like to me. 

I can understand not having birds, that happens. But if the deal was meals included, I certainly would have made sure you ate and drank well, to help ease the tension. But again that's just the way we roll. 

Also, if we don't have the birds, we cancel our clients hunt. I would rather do that than get bitched out about having no birds etc. Common courtesy really. Just some thoughts from the other side of life I guess. Good luck in the future. Sounds like it couldn't get any worse for ya.
Smoke


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## lewy149 (Apr 19, 2007)

Shot like 10, 31 and 20 or something.

Was suppose to be a tough year, lot of juvies died ina late freeze up in the artic, then the adults and juvies migrated together. There was like 3 million birds or something like it when we were there. 2 days after we left was when it flooded, over the stop signs in town. Just kinda noticed when we were there, there seem to be a spread in every field and the birds really didnt wanna work although we did have a tornado of like 1000 birds, which was cool. Wont go back to missouri, prolly the dakotas. But our guide last year was averaging like 60 a day the year before and was only gettin into the 20's i think, and had killed double the birds the year before on the same day we left


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

I went on a Texas Snow Goose trip. 10-12 calls unreturned prior to trip. Called local bars and left messages, confirmed trip 2 days before departure. Arrive at lodge, no windows or furniture. Got put in a bunkhouse over an overflowing septic tank(!-a theme to be repeated throughout the weekend) No running water in bunk house.
First day, in a flooded mud/cow poop rice field. Put us in the birds, shot maybe 14 or 15. Guides were shooting sparrows plus shooting 80 yard high shots at every Snow that came by, not allowing any working or decoying.
Second day, different field for Specks, shot a few. Return customers got the better field, shot 20-30. Idiot Houston Doctor from returning customer group comes back with a crippled Speck in a dog kennel, wants to take it home. I draw my knife and tell this moron he has 5 minutes to do what has to be done, or I was going to do it. 
Guide sleeping from finishing the lodge during the night, slept through many callable flocks. Had to help guide move furniture in lodge.
Third day: Back to field #1 mud/poo combo. Obviously no scouting. Never saw a bird, picked up by 8:30. Dad almost took first drink after 27 dry years.
Table fare: Spaghetti O's, hot dogs, baked beans, toast.
Left without paying, he never took legal action. He knew it would not have been viewed favorably in court.
Texas is all yers, boys. I'm never going back.


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## dhosera (Jul 11, 2006)

Who were you down there with?


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

The guys name was Dave something, out of El Campo. I can't recall the name of his service. I have successfully forgotten most of that trip. We were originally booked with Third Coast, dad changed the plan at the 11th hour.

He regretted that decision, for sure. Don't get me wrong, I can handle the low bird count. It was the lodge the guide forgot to mention, the lack of fields, watching his return customer group get the primo hunts, the guides shooting songbirds, and especially that arrogant ass rich doctor with the pet Specklebelly in the kennel. That bird was visibly terrified.
He sobered up right quick when I drew my sheath knife. I went back to check that kennel, and that bird was gone. 
They kept a wide berth from us the rest of the weekend.
Oh, and living in s*&t for 4 days with no running water. The smell!


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## smoke (Jun 3, 2006)

> We were originally booked with Third Coast Original post by waxico.


 Should have stayed with your first choice. third coast is a top notch outfitter. Bay Praire outfitters is good too. 

The over flowing septic tank sounds like the duck camp I used to stay at North of Sebawaing. Friggin $h!t hole for sure. 
Smoke


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## dhosera (Jul 11, 2006)

PRO Outfitters


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

GREAT! I had just about un-remembered that fiasco!


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

smoke said:


> That's why I freelance. I'm the only person to blame if the **** don't work out. That's the way we always roll...


yup. Our nodak trip is freelance, although we do rent the house from a local farmer, and with the house comes access to his several thousand acres. But it's just the house...everything else we do ourselves, from cooking our meals, to scouting for birds, cleaning birds, etc. Only way to go.


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## ScavengerMan (Sep 6, 2006)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Great story dhosera, too bad it had to be at your out of state expense.


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## Decoy Player (Oct 29, 2007)

just ducky said:


> yup. Our nodak trip is freelance, although we do rent the house from a local farmer, and with the house comes access to his several thousand acres. But it's just the house...everything else we do ourselves, from cooking our meals, to scouting for birds, cleaning birds, etc. Only way to go.


 Heck the scouting is most of the fun!


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

freelance is the way to go... and i think that the whole MO snow goose thing is turning into a cluster [email protected]#$ anyway... spring time i'd rather be fishing than shooting sky carp anyway. I get my snow goose action "up north" where they are really dumb!

hell we shot all these over 8 decoys.


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## Aaron Ploss (May 5, 2004)

that sucks


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## duckjunky (Mar 28, 2007)

Just Ducky and Decoy player you guys are 100% correct. Nodak and freelance the only way to roll. Good luck in the morning boys, shoot straight and don't miss.
Duckjunky


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## DiversDown (Nov 17, 2005)

Thats along way to travel to get the same kind of service twice. I think I would have cut my losses after the first trip and not paid.


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## Brandon7 (Jun 2, 2006)

Idiot Houston Doctor from returning customer group comes back with a crippled Speck in a dog kennel, wants to take it home.:lol::rant:


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

Yup, it happened, and this clown looked like he was used to getting his way. The look of horror on his face when I called him out!


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## hocetwn97 (Jan 22, 2007)

Lousy experience but great story....thanks for sharing, if I ever get to Nodak I will definitely be going freelance!


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## SuperBlackEagle2 (Nov 4, 2005)

hocetwn97 said:


> if I ever get to Nodak I will definitely be going freelance!


 It's absolutely the only way to do it. A guide is completely unnecessary.


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