Hunting Guide Vent..long read

[huntnguide83]

I have been managing and guiding for the last 10 years. Recently I had a return customer that wanted to shoot an axis. So we are sitting in the stand and finally had a good group of axis come out. I start discussing with him the different bucks, tine lengths, scores. etc. Your typical conversation on a guided hunt. Well, I showed him what i thought were the top 3 bucks in the group all had different looks about them one wide with average tines, one narrow with 31" beams but had 12"+ tines and then another one that was real similar to the narrow buck but had several extra points. Out of the blue he picks out this 4 yr old buck that does have 33" beams but has 5" tines. AS politely and tactfully as i can I try to explain to him how they are scored and that not only was the deer he was looking at younger but alot smaller. He ended up taking the smaller deer and then was upset that it wasn't as big as he expected. This guy was a real mule and acted as if this was the first set of axis i had ever looked at. Granted yes i am in my late 20's but I look at thes animals daily and can reguraly score them on the hoof within an inch or so. We get back to lodge i clean his axis. He promptly cuts the owner a check and then leaves...I don't get a handshake...thank you...nice to see you again. nothing! The owner couldn't believe he shot the buck after i told him there were 3 better ones standing a mere 5 yards away. Am i missing something here where i went wrong with this guy? I deal with numerous clients year after year and haven't ever ran into something like that. usually everyone is super happy with me and the animals we do take. I often get alot of calls and follow ups to just say hi and check in on me...like you would expect from a friend. I know there are all kinds of folks on this eart...but it doesn't hurt to at least show each other or someone who works there butt off for your some respect. I am not in this for the money at all...could have cared less about a tip. I just enjoy being a part of getting hunters excellent deer or making a lasting memory of the hunt. That's what it's all about in my mind! Anyone here disagree?

[texaspyro21]

I wouldn't worry about it. He thought he knew better than you about which buck was the better one and then got ticked when he realized you were right.

[Redneck Archer]

my opinion on that is you are more likely to get an A-hole as such on a guided "hunt".

In all fairness. you did the hunting (which includes scouting/putting time in the feild). he just paid to kill an animal.

Not everyone who goes on guided hunts are like this, but I think you are more likely to find this type of person on a guided hunt. He isnt there for the hunt. Just a kill/something to hang on his wall. Dont care nothing about your efforts or the meat or the memory...

[Codie]

do you KNOW that he was unhappy about the buck he ended up killing or could he have been unhappy that you were trying to tell him the buck he wanted wasn't the one he should shoot? I know there are a lot of folks out there that have the "I paid for it, I will do what I please" attitude. They are not fun folks to deal with or be around. Sorry you had to!

[dangerous dan]

He was probably just Mad at himself for not listning to you

[JBH1979]

Let it go and hope for better. You cant rave all you want but a knucklehead is a knucklehead! Good job guide!

[Todd-ty729]

He is probably mad at himself.

In the service industry you cannot make everyone happy all of the time and some people can never be made happy. Unfortunately you will probably have to deal with another a-hole on down the road like this one.

Keep your head up!

[holdem]

I'm surprised that you haven't encountered more like this in the past. Take it with a grain of salt.

[BETTERLUCKYTHANGOOD]

Don't worry about it, you can't make everybody happy. He may have been embarrassed about his decision. Been there.

[deercrazy]

The guy sounds like an ar$$ I wouldn't give him another thought. I sure wouldn't want to guide him again with out getting some type of apology. We had a guy act just like that on a caribou hunt we went on some years back. He quickly changed his mind on how he was acting after several of the fellow hunters let him know they wouldn't mind if he started walking back home to NY.

[PineWoodArcher]

Sounds like you did your job. We all run into these type of folks on a daily basis. Sometimes its just too hard for them to admit that you were right and they were wrong. Live and learn.

[huntnguide83]

Thanks folks! I strive to do everything i can for each hunter as if it was for me or my family doing the hunt. I figured as much that he was possibly mad at himself for not listening to me but...you never know about people these days! I am real fortunate to only have dealt with just him and not numerous others in the past 10 years. Hope to keep that record going. Thanks again guys

[ifishdad]

my opinion on that is you are more likely to get an A-hole as such on a guided "hunt".

In all fairness. you did the hunting (which includes scouting/putting time in the feild). he just paid to kill an animal.

Not everyone who goes on guided hunts are like this, but I think you are more likely to find this type of person on a guided hunt. He isnt there for the hunt. Just a kill/something to hang on his wall. Dont care nothing about your efforts or the meat or the memory...

Im taking my 9 yr old on a guided hunt mainly becouse we dont have a good place to hunt. He enjoys hunting and fishing more than most. We are going for the meat and memories.

[76truck]

I wouldn't let it bring you down. Always someone in the crowd who knows better than the person who does it for a living. It won't be the last time you run into a guy like that.

[deercrazy]

who do you guide for? What ranch?