I booked a hunt over there for my youngest daughter (with a different outfitter) last year in Oct. saw nothing. The guide invited us to come back until she filled her tag... several weekends later, 14 days (combined) in a ground blind, the only thing we saw was birds eating out of the barrels... very disappointed.
Unfortunately I hear this more than success stories. On a typical hunt that would be par for the course, but there are a ton of bears on the rez and it shouldn not take 14 days to even see a bear.
Exactly, "typically" I am ok with getting skunked, as many days afield as I spend there are obviously going to be more days of seeing nothing, killing nothing than the opposite, this is understood. But as a whole, I was expecting more from a "professional" guided hunt. Thats not to say the experience was not an enjoyable one after all the worst day of hunting beats the best day of work.
I did see the afore mentioned Tater at the sportsman's show this last year, I stood off to the side of his booth and listened to a sales pitch they were giving to another person... then spoke with them describing my experience with one of their competitors. Eyes rolled and knowing glances were shared as they eagerly tossed "my guide" under the bus... then offered me a "deal" if I wanted to come back this year and hunt in their yard.
Its a business to them bottom line, which as a business man myself, I can relate to their opinion towards a competitor, nobody can do it better than you.
My point here is that in the end it is bait sniping, not "hunting" and regardless of the guide your contracted with (some do work harder for the clients success, their job depends on it) if the critters aren't of a mind to eat whilst your sitting in the ground blind waiting for them... it makes for a looong day. There are no guaranties. Even with the dismal outcome from my experience with my daughter last year, I have considered booking a hunt for my young son this year... we'll see.
