Guided Deer hunting trips in WA?

[h20hunter]

I think the comment was simply in bad taste. I may view it differrently if the comment had come from the hunter that was guided, not a friend. There is no one fit between outfitters, guides, and clients. We all know that.

[Bean Counter]

I think the comment was simply in bad taste. I may view it differrently if the comment had come from the hunter that was guided, not a friend. There is no one fit between outfitters, guides, and clients. We all know that.

 

I try to live by a simple, Biblically based rubric for problem solving. "If you have a problem with your neighbor, go talk to your neighbor." There are additional steps that can be taken after that assuming an unfavorable resolution--taking two or more friends/'brothers' then and only then bringing it to the community/'church.' Maybe this friend already talked to BP and didn't feel his concerns were addressed but he at least could have pointed that out.

I have met Dale at the Sportsmans show and despite running a business that touches several states he seems to be a very down to earth and personal kind of guy. I have no doubt that if I were a client and had concerns that I could bring them directly to him and discuss them like a man. The post in question sounds more like an online hit job than an attempt to reach out.

[buckhorn2]

I was;nt on a deer hunt but Dale set me up on a bison hunt and my son and I had a great time and Dale kept in touch with us wanting to know how the hunt went and were we satisfied. As far as taking care of this site I have been very happy and enjoy his stories and pictures seems like a friend more than a guide I am planning on a hunt this year and know he will go out of his way for us. As far as the comment it is had to satisfy everyone no matter how hard you try.

[PA BEN]

i heard bearpaw outfitters is kind of a joke never been with them b4 but know a few that have  if you like going to 1 spot and not moving the whole hunt i guess it might be for you

Does the phrase 'bad taste' not mean anything to you? If you don't have something nice to say about the owner who hosts this site for you, there are plenty other hunting forums for you to visit.

Good riddance.

 

[At no point did I tell anyone to get lost. Everyone is free to speak there mind. I was just speaking my mind. My point was not to be so fast to bad mouth someone. Like I said I am sure there is a reason they hunt the way they do because it produces for them.
Your comment about not being a owner and being in open season because of that. Is one of the biggest jokes I have ever seen posted on here. This is a friendly web site, and I am a very friendly person. There is no mentality like what you have stated on this site. I would have thought you to be higher then thinking something so off base as that./b]
carpsniperg2
Sorry you got your butt bent over my comments. I should have posted the one other post that said Dale is the owner of the web site. So we should not post what we feel about his business. Sorry you feel it's a joke, but I don't take special treatment for anybody as a joke.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Come on guys lets not get bent out of shape over one 1 guys comment.  He is intitled to his opinion like everyone else.  Lets get back on topic.

[NumaJohn]

I see a few issues here...

1. The original comment about Dale's operation didn't come from the dissatisfied customer (unless 7 ultra is actually that person) and therefore the report is less credible.
2. Even disregarding the "hearsay" element of #1 above, 7 ultra could have communicated what he has heard in a less edgy way.  Calling an outfit "kind of a joke" could have been replaced with something along the lines of "I have heard from a few people that Bearpaw focuses mostly on stand hunting" and the same information would have been communicated but in a much less hostile manner.  A person (such as the one who posted the question) could then call Dale and other outfitters and ask for more information about the styles and approaches they take with their hunters.
3. PA Ben seems to think that some members who feel compelled to point out the uncivil statement by 7 ultra are somehow seeking special treatment for Dale, but I think the real point is they are arguing for civil contributions in general rather than cheap shots such as "kind of a joke."  Dale can take it, sure, but why should he have to?  And I see nothing wrong with Forum members helping to set the rules of communication for the Forum.  That's how online communities that function well are generally run!  Certainly, people can post what the want, but how they express those feelings matters a lot.
4. I hunted my ass off in my younger years and didn't shoot much game because a) I was choosy, and b) I bumped a lot of game while stalking.  The older I get, the more I am learning to s-l-o-w down.  So while I still wouldn't want to hire an outfitter to put me on a stand, Dale's explanation--and Matt Alwine's comment--sure resonate for me.  I killed the biggest whitetail of my life last year exactly because I made myself sit for 5 more minutes beyond the point that I REALLY wanted to get up and see some new terrain.

With respect,

John

[PA BEN]

NumaJohn
What you said is true and I agree w/it all. But what I was trying to say is just because Dale is an owner we have to hold back our comments.

[GHETTO GUIDE]

 , 

I am sure everyone has good intentions but Bearpaw rebutted quite well w/o everyone taking aim for him.  Owner   Who cares , thats what makes free speach/ beliefs on here.   

Back to the topic, shall we?? 

[KillBilly]

Come on guys lets not get bent out of shape over one 1 guys comment.  He is intitled to his opinion like everyone else.  Lets get back on topic.

now who's talking & telling people what to do... bent out of shape??? such trash talk for a woman....

[BOWHUNTER45]

I know it's tough for some people to sit on a stand or in a blind or treestand, but we have actually increased the amount of hunts that we use stands on and our success rates have climbed. During the last 10 years we have done a lot more stand hunting on some hunts than we did the previous 25 years. For example we do a lot of stand hunting for turkey, bear, deer, elk, and even antelope. There are feeding areas and waterholes that I will guarantee animals will visit in the next 5 days. If you are sitting there on stand quietly, you are going to shoot at an animal.

For example, many turkey hunters think you can only kill birds when gobblers are talking, we enjoy a 125% success rate throughout the season. We kill birds every week of the season by using stands and sitting and watching areas that we know will produce. We have killed as many as 101 birds in a season when we were getting enough hunters to do that. Things are slower now with the economy, we only had about 30 hunters this spring and they killed about 40 turkeys. During deer season we watch a lot of feeding areas and we have 90% or better shooting almost every year on our guided deeer hunts here in Washington.

I do get quite a few people (mostly westerners) who don't like that style of hunting and we are now offering more alternatives for those hunters in an effort to be more accomodating to all hunters. More easterners are more accustomed to stand hunting and actually prefer to hunt that way.

7ultra it sounds like your friend didn't like our hunting style, I am sorry about that and I wished there was a way I could make it right with your friend, especially if our hunting style resulted in your friend not getting a shot. You are welcome to tell him to get in touch with me and I will work out something fair with him for a return hunt at half price or something like that. I have no idea what the circumstances were, but I will set him up on a hunt using the methods he prefers.

Thats atrue outfitter their now !!!

[BOWHUNTER45]

I went Bear hunting with Bearpaw Outfitters this Spring.  It was a great hunt and I got the Bear that I wanted.  A color Phase.  I will be back to hunt with them again. 
 
Couple people have joked because it was a small Bear and that I packed it out.  I've been doing Taxidermy for 9 years.  Hunting Bears for the past 4 years.  Been with several people when they've shot there Bear.  Have seen several dozen Bear while out hunting.  I know when I'm shooting at a small Bear. 
 
As for me packing out my Bear. . .I had to trick Dale and Anthony into letting me do it.  Anthony was filming and Dale had his camera also, so I asked Dale to hold my rifle so I could get a better look at my Bear.  Soon as he had my rifle I grabbed the Bear and started walking out.  Trust me they complained about it all the way to the truck.    I enjoy gutting and packing my own animals.  It is part of the hunt for me.
 
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As far as 7ultras comment.  He is intitled to his opinion just liike everyone else.  I don't know of any buisness owner that makes thier clients happy 100% of the time.  They are always going to have those that are not happy for one reason or the other.

Right on Michelle !!!!

[BOWHUNTER45]

and besides no sense getting bent out of shape over a comment because no matter what you say or do not everyone is going to back you up ....besides Dale stepped up and said he would make it right ...so that should be the end of it .....If the person does not contact Dale then he is nutz ....

[manfromspam]

I have never talked to dale before but wow he said he would make it right with the people. sounds like a guy with real class and thanks for the wonderful site 

[seth30]

I have never talked to dale be for but wow he said he would make it right with the people. sounds like a guy with real class and thanks for the wonderful site 

[bearpaw]

I really don't mind criticism from a legitimate source, for example it made me more conscious that maybe I need to be asking people more often if they would prefer to hunt a different way, like I said, I look at the comment as a learning experience. I certainly do not expect special treatment, and people are welcome to speak their mind as long as it's civil, and I don't think 7ultra crossed any line. He is welcome to feel the way he does and I hope he passes my message on to his friend. We have probably guided about 4000 successful hunts during my 35 year career, I have thousands of people I can list as positive references but to be honest there is probably about 3% who I know have not been satisfied, so it's good to always be learning what you can do to be better, if I can reduce that percentage it is just better for us and for our hunters.

I am extremely confident in our deer hunts. Here in Washington shooting opportunity runs about 90% to 100% on our guided 5-Day deer hunts, about 50% to 80% on our guided Idaho deer hunts, 90% to 100% on our guided Utah deer hunts, and 100% on our Montana Deer hunts almost every year. At least 50% or more of our hunters are repeat clients, with some hunting with me since the 80's and 90's.

With all that said, I would like to attract more new clients so we have been toying with the idea of offering gauranteed deer hunts with a 50% refund to anyone who does not get a reasonable shot opportunity. Obviously it's not going to cost me that much for refunds and I figured that would provide even more incentive to hunt with Bearpaw Outfitters?

So in the spirit of the original post, would that be something you would take into consideration if you were looking for a deer guide in Washington?