Got royally screwed in Wyoming unit 10!

[syoungs]

Paid a tresspass fee to a landowner early this year, she told us that she allows 1-2 groups of hunters on to the property at a time, and they mangaged it to be a quality experience.

Great, I paid the money, 700$ for our group of 4, figured it was a guarenteed tag, and we were locking up access so we could have a successful hunt. Boy was I wrong.

We pulled into wyoming Saturday, after driving straight through the night. As soon as we were in sheridan I started trying to call, no answer. Luckily I already had the address. We get to her place at the time I told her we would be there to meet and go over property boundary's etc. And try to call again, she answered this time finally and was pretty flustered that we were there.
Talking to her,, I realized just how bad of a decision I had made, there was already 3-4 camps set up in her driveway, she starts telling us about all the hunters showing up, 14 hunters was my count.
We left pretty bummed out, but still hopefull.

The next morning, we show up just past daybreak, and start counting bodies, 17 people visable. On a very small section of land.  We start talking to other hunters, and they are in the same boat. She told everyone it would be 1-2 groups at a time, and told everyone they were first to pay so they can access it for the opener.

It was pandimonium already, we hunted it for 1/2 a day, but after the 2nd animal I tried to stalk was shot from other hunters (shooting towards us no less), we decided it wasnt for us.

Total count was 19 hunters for the first 2 days, 8 more joined starting yesterday. The antelope are gone, way to much pressure.

So here I sit in Wyoming at the hotel, we've hit the handful of public land spots in unit 10 to no avail, it's a sea of orange. Gonna end up eating all but 2 of our groups tags I'm guessing. We've got tonight and tomorrow to try to get on something. Super disappointed we decided on this unit, based on a crooked landowners lies.

If anyone knows of any tresspass fee ranches, I would love to hear about em, if we could even get a couple more does down, to at least let a friend harvest his first big game animal, I would've ecstatic!

[pianoman9701]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. What a huge disappointment that must be. 

[jackelope]

Get hold of the local game warden and ask!!

[vandeman17]

Dang that sucks but sounds familiar to a Wyoming experience we had a few years ago. Wish I had some information to send your way but I can't help ya. Good luck man!

[Bob33]

PM sent.

[Widgeondeke]

Did you apply for the DeSmet HMA ?

there is a name & # listed on WGFD for area 10 access. Will send via PM

[quadrafire]

hope you got a refund  that's rediculous

[daddysprad]

Contact the unit 10 Gamie and let him know your situation.  Call him to the property to see the craziness and talk to the other hunters.   Anything in writing you have from the landowner will help your cause.  Probably wont get your money back but... in Wyoming, each tag has a section that you sign, remove and give to the land owner.  With that tag, they get a small fee ($15 per hunter for antelope) for allowing hunters on their property.  The fee is small but it's tied in with money the land owner gets from the state for depredation and even the landowner tags.  I'm guessing that when the game warden sees the situation, he may give you some ideas of where some better public land is or even a landowner who may want to rid themselves of speed goats.  I've had really good luck just asking permission in unit 37.  This may or may not help your situation, but it may help someone in the future.  You may want to publish the landowner's name here (unless you are planning to sue them for your money back).

[Bob33]

Sadly I happen to know now who the landowner is, and happen to know this is a habitual practice. There are a few other parcels of public land in unit 10 but they probably get hit pretty hard (sent via PM.) The De Smet HMA is great but it requires a permit and the deadline to apply was in the summer.

I hunt unit 10; it took me a couple years to figure it out. There are leftover permits there every year, and it's because access is difficult.

Good luck.

[Stein]

Bummer for sure.  I would actually drive back and take them to small claims court just because.

Hit the public as hard as you can, you never know when you can scrape together a season saver.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Post up the unscrupulous land owner so nobody else gets taken by unfair business practices. 

[Timberstalker]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,218887.msg2911917.html#msg2911917

This may be relevant to this thread.

[syoungs]

Very revelant.

There's a few other Washington guys down here with us, bot sure if they are members or not here.

I'll post up the rest of the story this weekend. Pounding on public fighting the rat race now, hopefully we can come out with a few more animals.

[baker5150]

Very revelant.

There's a few other Washington guys down here with us, bot sure if they are members or not here.

I'll post up the rest of the story this weekend. Pounding on public fighting the rat race now, hopefully we can come out with a few more animals.

Good Luck, hope you get one down.

[Timberstalker]

That sucks.  Sorry it's panned out this way.

Best of luck to you.

[whacker1]

tagging along for future reference.

[Special T]

Public shaming is the best revenge.

[whacker1]

Public shaming is the best revenge.

and hopefully a way to help others avoid the same issues.  once a fraud always a fraud.  The internet will help keep landowners like this a little less profitable.

[cbond3318]

What a bum deal man! I hope the hunting gods shine on your haul mary attempt!

[syoungs]

It won't be a total loss, we've got 2 does on the ground already, I put a small group of 6 to bed tonight, hopefully we can sneak into the canyon they are in early tomorrow am and get another chance or 2.

I fully intend on public shaming of her actions when j can get to a PC to type everything out. Hopefully I can save another group the hassle and cost.

[Timberstalker]

Nice Lope!

[follow maggie]

That sucks. Glad you’re able to salvage it

[C-Money]

Way to stay positive and hunt through the bum deal. Glad you connected!

[cbond3318]

Booyah! Perseverance pays! Nice work!

[dscubame]

Public shaming is the best revenge.

Ya that.  Hit social media and forums hard for when people do searches.  Put out the name and location of these dirtbags that steal folks hard earned money by misrepresentation all over the web.  You will be doing others well by getting the word out.

[Bob33]

I have empathy for the OP, as I had the same experience with the same landowner in 2015.  Here are a few lessons I learned from it:

•   Have a backup plan. Relying on one landowner is risky, especially if it’s one I’ve never hunted with before or know much about. In addition to unethical landowners, there are lots of factors that could make property a poor hunting location at the time of visit.
•   Do as much research as possible about the landowner. “Has anyone hunted on so and so’s property?” I’m not sure what I could have learned at that time, but perhaps I could have heard of others’ bad experiences. I would be surprised if the local game wardens haven’t heard by now from hunters of some issues on this property.

I hope the OP is able to find some critters and salvage at least a reasonable amount of satisfaction from the trip.

[syoungs]

Talked to a warden in the field today, they have contacted Joan about her shady practices, of course she tried to play it off like it was all on the up and up. He said one more complaint and they are pulling her off the landowner list.

I'm disappointed In how that part of the trip turned out.
I'm not disappointed in the fact that me and my dad are out here together hunting, I've reconnected with a friend from 2 decades ago who came on this trip and harvested his first big game animal, and another got another friend on his first out of state hunt, which at least provided one opportunity for him.
Over all hunting is not about the harvest, and this whole trip has been a success in my book.

I've got one more evening to get something done, really hoping to get a animal or 2 in front of the 2 that haven't been successful yet!

[Timberstalker]

Best of luck, syoungs.  Looking forward to seeing how this wraps up.

[Bob33]

I just did a quick check; her property is about 180 acres. It does give access to the adjacent state land parcel which is 780 acres, although the state land can also be accessed from Interstate 90 for those willing to do so. That's not a lot of space to cram that many hunters.

[Stein]

Good luck!  I can't believe she is on the state list, I figured you got her number of the internet somewhere.  Post the Warden's number so anyone else in that same boat can call him.

For what it is worth, unless you are looking for trophy goats, there is no reason you can't do it DIY on public land.  I did two trips in two different areas and by day 2 was into as many goats as I needed daily.  Both areas were 0 or 1 point draws and I didn't have another hunter within sight while in the field the entire time.

[Bob33]

Good luck!  I can't believe she is on the state list, I figured you got her number of the internet somewhere.  Post the Warden's number so anyone else in that same boat can call him.

She is not on the state's 2017 list for doe/fawn hunting access, and was previously.

[Widgeondeke]

Good luck!  I can't believe she is on the state list, I figured you got her number of the internet somewhere.  Post the Warden's number so anyone else in that same boat can call him.

She is not on the state's 2017 list for doe/fawn hunting access, and was previously.

     I found her info on the WDFG website yesterday, confirmed by the OP.

Unfortunately she is still listed here    https://wgfd.wyo.gov/getdoc/7f1efd4d-d966-43ef-906a-7fa14ce35eec/Hunter-Landowner-Regions.aspx

[2MANY]

Ocean front property in Arizona.

[pianoman9701]

Knock one down, Syoungs!

[washingtonmuley]

Sorry to hear that as that really sucks. I love hunting goats in Wyoming and all my trips have been positive but have never tried to pay access fee for property. I would definitely be demanding my money. Good luck!!

[Bob33]

Good luck!  I can't believe she is on the state list, I figured you got her number of the internet somewhere.  Post the Warden's number so anyone else in that same boat can call him.

She is not on the state's 2017 list for doe/fawn hunting access, and was previously.

     I found her info on the WDFG website yesterday, confirmed by the OP.

Unfortunately she is still listed here    https://wgfd.wyo.gov/getdoc/7f1efd4d-d966-43ef-906a-7fa14ce35eec/Hunter-Landowner-Regions.aspx

Sure enough. Given that this has happened twice, in different years, is pretty strong evidence that she deliberately takes as many hunters as possible. Thankfully when it happened to me I had licenses in other units. I eventually filled my unit 10 licenses at De Smet.

[syoungs]

Just got home. If we could have accessed de smet we would have filled tags, as it is, we came home with 2 goats, both doe's. With another day or 2 we could have upped that count I'm positive.

We hadn't been got hunting in 16 years, and thought paying the access fee would take a little stress out of basically our first out of state hunt. Next time I go back, it'll be 100% diy public land, and I'm positive tags will be filled.

Game department said they will most likely be removing her from their site this year, they were not happy to hear our stories, just in case they dont, I will advertise heavily what the situation was as a warning to others.

I'm confident that I have seen every public acre if unit 10, if anyone needs help down there, I will share everything I know via pm, don't want to do it publicly as it may hurt the unit even more for a few of the locals

My biggest advice, is don't go to unit 10 lol.

I'll post more in the coming days, probably on a new thread.