WARNING - Scam Sonora Outfitter. BEWARE

CAelknuts

CAelknuts

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I want everyone to be aware of, and avoid, a dishonest scam outfitter in Sonora. His full name is Manuel Francisco Valenzuela, but he goes by Francisco Valenzuela. He lives in Hermosillo.

I am one of 19 American hunters (that I know of) whom he has taken deposits from for Sonora mule deer hunts over the next 5 weeks. Everyone has paid him 50% deposits plus fees for gun permits. Over $100,000 US dollars total paid to him.

He suddenly went silent to everyone on December 8 and nobody heard anything from him until 2 days ago when he contacted me in response to a negative warning I posted on the Sonora hunting page on Facebook. He has not obtained any gun permits and has not procured legal hunting permits either. Other Sonora outfitters have told me privately that he takes hunters onto ranches where he does not have leases and poaches deer on those ranches. I’ve discovered that other Mexican outfitters detest him and regard him as a ‘Black Eye’ on their industry

In response to my FB message, I’ve been contacted by a handful of Mexican hunters and Outfitters who’ve advised that he is Bad News and to be avoided. One Mexican hunter told me about a terrible experience he had on a Valenzuela outfitted hunt and several outfitters have contacted me to warn about him and have asked me to file a complaint with the Sonora Game & Fish Department. I plan to do just that in the coming week.

You’ve all been warned DO NOT BOOK ANY HUNTS WITH FRANCISCO VALENZUELA! He is a criminal.
 
CAelknuts said:
I want everyone to be aware of, and avoid, a dishonest scam outfitter in Sonora. His full name is Manuel Francisco Valenzuela, but he goes by Francisco Valenzuela. He lives in Hermosillo.

I am one of 19 American hunters (that I know of) whom he has taken deposits from for Sonora mule deer hunts over the next 5 weeks. Everyone has paid him 50% deposits plus fees for gun permits. Over $100,000 US dollars total paid to him.

He suddenly went silent to everyone on December 8 and nobody heard anything from him until 2 days ago when he contacted me in response to a negative warning I posted on the Sonora hunting page on Facebook. He has not obtained any gun permits and has not procured legal hunting permits either. Other Sonora outfitters have told me privately that he takes hunters onto ranches where he does not have leases and poaches deer on those ranches. I’ve discovered that other Mexican outfitters detest him and regard him as a ‘Black Eye’ on their industry

In response to my FB message, I’ve been contacted by a handful of Mexican hunters and Outfitters who’ve advised that he is Bad News and to be avoided. One Mexican hunter told me about a terrible experience he had on a Valenzuela outfitted hunt and several outfitters have contacted me to warn about him and have asked me to file a complaint with the Sonora Game & Fish Department. I plan to do just that in the coming week.

You’ve all been warned DO NOT BOOK ANY HUNTS WITH FRANCISCO VALENZUELA! He is a criminal.
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Dan, i am one of the 19 as well. We were supposed to be hunting starting Jan 3rd. We all sent a 4k deposit. I am still in talks with Fransisco and he claims he can get me on a hunt later this month and honor his agreement. I told him I just want my 4k back and he claims he will as soon as he comes to an agreement with the ranch owners. I’ve seen a few of your messages to Fransisco, hopefully we can get this resolved. If you need anything let me know.
 
I’m shocked! I hear the Cartel is running Thomas Bakers leases, I’ve heard of other Cartel run ins, but no major problems with hunters. Good Luck
 
Ms Booty Was really Planning Om You Being Gone Too!

one_dryboot said:
Dan, i am one of the 19 as well. We were supposed to be hunting starting Jan 3rd. We all sent a 4k deposit. I am still in talks with Fransisco and he claims he can get me on a hunt later this month and honor his agreement. I told him I just want my 4k back and he claims he will as soon as he comes to an agreement with the ranch owners. I’ve seen a few of your messages to Fransisco, hopefully we can get this resolved. If you need anything let me know.
Click to expand...
 
one_dryboot said:
Who said that? Seems you are just making an assumption. Some in the group have hunted with him before. So as Bessy said… STFU Pickett 😂
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judging by your previous post you did the exact same thing. sending a random guy in mexico 4 grand.... also seems like 15 seconds of a google search could have prevented it. play stupid games, win stupid prizes
 
JPickett said:
judging by your previous post you did the exact same thing. sending a random guy in mexico 4 grand.... also seems like 15 seconds of a google search could have prevented it. play stupid games, win stupid prizes
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Wrong. But thanks for playing
 
elkassassin said:
Hey SS?

The Darkness Sinking In To You?

You've Sure Been Nicer Lately!
Click to expand...

SS! said:
High fenced corn feed mule deer? Damn cryboot I know Wyoming kicked your butt but high fence isn’t the answer
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Damnit Bess!!! You have to go and say @SS! has been nice lately, and his very next post he has to prove you wrong.

To answer your question… after I take the ear tag out, nobody will know. It’s all about those gram likes.
 
one_dryboot said:
Damnit Bess!!! You have to go and say @SS! has been nice lately, and his very next post he has to prove you wrong.

To answer your question… after I take the ear tag out, nobody will know. It’s all about those gram likes.
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Dammit you’re suppose to get upset and threaten to slam me at the expo and dunk my PM box with threats!

In all seriousness was the 4k half down?
 
SS! said:
Dammit you’re suppose to get upset and threaten to slam me at the expo and dunk my PM box with threats!

In all seriousness was the 4k half down?
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His PM’s are even dumber than sending a random guy in Mexico 4K!! :ROFLMAO:

Pretty entertaining though. He might be the toughest guy on the internet
 
JPickett said:
His PM’s are even dumber than sending a random guy in Mexico 4K!! :ROFLMAO:

Pretty entertaining though. He might be the toughest guy on the internet
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IMG_9546.png

Here’s my PM to you ☝🏼 I was simply trying to explain to you that people in the group have hunted with him in the past. You know… gone on actual hunts with him and not just some guy on the internet. But clearly you don’t care about facts. You just want to be a douche because that’s all you bring to the table.

I’m sorry you are jealous some of us work hard and can afford to do cool stuff, while you still live in your mothers basement and have to come upstairs and ask her to borrow $10 dollars to buy another game on her play station.

Sad you find humor in 19 hunters getting stiffed $100k. Clown 🤡
 
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It must be a real mess down there, with all the new U.S. citizens coming through. I would have never thought but their getting more for a migrant then they are for a Mule Deer now. That’s the problem! They are protecting those High Fences though, for the special clients
 
Funny you mention our boarder CZAR... I could hear her cackling every night around the campfire while enjoying a Coors... It was almost as if she was laughing at me... Weird!
 
Tikka said:
I just got home from 15 days on the boarder... I can tell you that we have NO BOADER and NO BOARDER patrol....
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What a load of crap. I just came back from the border myself, lots of border patrol. I saw more border patrol presence than any of the last 6 trips I've made hunting down there.
 
one_dryboot said:
Dan, i am one of the 19 as well. We were supposed to be hunting starting Jan 3rd. We all sent a 4k deposit. I am still in talks with Fransisco and he claims he can get me on a hunt later this month and honor his agreement. I told him I just want my 4k back and he claims he will as soon as he comes to an agreement with the ranch owners. I’ve seen a few of your messages to Fransisco, hopefully we can get this resolved. If you need anything let me know.
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It's part of the game in Mexico, losing 4K isn't the end of the world.
 
The sad thing is…I can already hear the jokes about California forming, I grew up in Southern California, Huntington Beach. We went to TJ to shop (the sandals with the tire tread were awesome). In the 80s the border was not secure. We watched as hundreds of illegals rushed the border every night. Our southern border has never been secure. It has only gotten exponentially worse. With over 27 years in Law Enforcement, it is clear that something needs to be done. This is a legit national security issue and it’s only a matter of time until some major catastrophe is linked to our border crisis.
 
BuzzH said:
What a load of crap. I just came back from the border myself, lots of border patrol. I saw more border patrol presence than any of the last 6 trips I've made hunting down there.
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Born and raised in AZ and I can assure you I spend more time on the AZ boarder in one month than you have in your last 6 trips and this year is by far the least amount of Border Patrol presence I've seen in the last 20 years. Arivaca check station closed, highway 83 closed, 82 closed 191 south closed, 80 N. closed ect, ect.
 
BuzzH said:
What a load of crap. I just came back from the border myself, lots of border patrol. I saw more border patrol presence than any of the last 6 trips I've made hunting down there.
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Buzz, don't you tell me what I did see or didn't see... Its night and day different down there from 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020...

And this will be that last time I respond to your BS!
 
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AZ71 said:
Born and raised in AZ and I can assure you I spend more time on the AZ boarder in one month than you have in your last 6 trips and this year is by far the least amount of Border Patrol presence I've seen in the last 20 years. Arivaca check station closed, highway 83 closed, 82 closed 191 south closed, 80 N. closed ect, ect.
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Bingo!!!

There you have it @BuzzH right from a resident, not a KnowItAll Montanan.....
 
AZ71 said:
Born and raised in AZ and I can assure you I spend more time on the AZ boarder in one month than you have in your last 6 trips and this year is by far the least amount of Border Patrol presence I've seen in the last 20 years. Arivaca check station closed, highway 83 closed, 82 closed 191 south closed, 80 N. closed ect, ect.
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I was camped right by the Arivaca check station, and I saw groups getting nailed every day. The check points are/were a joke anyway, you know all they did was harass US Citizens. The BP time is better spent in the field, which is precisely where they were. Fixed wing and helicopter running non-stop, trucks, jeeps, ATV's, dogs, whole nine.

Also, the amount of trash, packs, water jugs, all wayyyy less than 15 years ago, and by a wide margin.

I haven't worked and hunted down there for much more than 20 years though...

Pull up your pants, your political bias is showing, oh, and quit believing the news.

Actually, maybe I should retract that, the border is the worse I have ever seen. My camp was stolen, my truck vandalized, my coolers were ripped off, I was fearful of my life the whole time. I barely got any sleep, had to sleep with a loaded handgun the whole time, my 870 wingmaster loaded with buckshot, and my 7-08 locked and loaded as well. I saw dozens and dozens of drug runners, all carrying AK's. Would have been much easier to sleep, but the constant full auto gun fire at night was unnerving. The Cartels are living on Javelina, mule deer, and coues deer, why I had such a hard time finding any of those.

I would buy extra life insurance and stay at least 100 miles from the border. Its just not safe down there.
 
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Tikka said:
Buzz, don't you tell me what I did see or didn't see... Its night and day different down there from 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020...

And this will be that last time I respond to your BS!
Click to expand...
I would recommend a new pair of glasses and quit watching Faux News.
 
BuzzH said:
I was camped right by the Arivaca check station, and I saw groups getting nailed every day. The check points are/were a joke anyway, you know all they did was harass US Citizens. The BP time is better spent in the field, which is precisely where they were. Fixed wing and helicopter running non-stop, trucks, jeeps, ATV's, dogs, whole nine.

Also, the amount of trash, packs, water jugs, all wayyyy less than 15 years ago, and by a wide margin.

I haven't worked and hunted down there for much more than 20 years though...

Pull up your pants, your political bias is showing, oh, and quit believing the news.

Actually, maybe I should retract that, the border is the worse I have ever seen. My camp was stolen, my truck vandalized, my coolers were ripped off, I was fearful of my life the whole time. I barely got any sleep, had to sleep with a loaded handgun the whole time, my 870 wingmaster loaded with buckshot, and my 7-08 locked and loaded as well. I saw dozens and dozens of drug runners, all carrying AK's. Would have been much easier to sleep, but the constant full auto gun fire at night was unnerving. The Cartels are living on Javelina, mule deer, and coues deer, why I had such a hard time finding any of those.

I would buy extra life insurance and stay at least 100 miles from the border. Its just not safe down there.
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Stop believing the news until something bad is said about Trump you mean.
 
Just because a chest freezer full of cut up bodies got dropped off the other night in the streets of Caborca means its unsafe down here. Honestly that could happen anywhere now a days. 1 tag filled... 1 to go. Carry on.
 
JPickett said:
I'm still trying to figure out how the view of the border from a guys porch in wyoming is better then it is from the guys porch in Arizona.? amazing
Click to expand...

I managed to kill this coues buck from my porch in Laramie on the 31st, right at dark.

Had enough elevation on the turret, just happy there was no wind that day.

In fairness, I am a pretty good shot.

IMG_09471.jpg
 
wow. you mean you went down there and killed a deer! i can totally see how that equates or even trumps the experience of someone who lives their entire life 24/7 in direct proximity to the border.

have you thought about maybe going in front of congress to finally have someone with the appropriate experience there to explain what's actually going on at the border? you should. color me impressed!!!
 
JPickett said:
wow. you mean you went down there and killed a deer! i can totally see how that equates or even trumps the experience of someone who lives their entire life 24/7 in direct proximity to the border.

have you thought about maybe going in front of congress to finally have someone with the appropriate experience there to explain what's actually going on at the border? you should. color me impressed!!!
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You should probably tell your congressional folks to head to the border, I've seen it, they haven't.

Just for clarification, when was the last time you were even within 50 miles of Mexico?
 
i say anything about me? was just marveling on some D bag in wyoming telling a guy that lives on the border all about it.
 
JPickett said:
i say anything about me? was just marveling on some D bag in wyoming telling a guy that lives on the border all about it.
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Like I said, its worse than Faux News is describing.

I ran into Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio del Toro out in the desert South of Tucson.

They were filming a documentary for Faux News, Sicario 3.

I should have turned around right then and went home, it was sketchy. I'm definitely going to start carrying 3 glocks, an AR with a 30 round mag, and no less than a few hundred rounds of spare ammo from now on.

Hoping I can find a place to put up the wall tent behind some razor wire too.

I don't know, I would suggest hunting nowhere south of the Grand Canyon unless your life insurance is paid up.
 
BuzzH said:
Like I said, its worse than Faux News is describing.

I ran into Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio del Toro out in the desert South of Tucson.

They were filming a documentary for Faux News, Sicario 3.

I should have turned around right then and went home, it was sketchy. I'm definitely going to start carrying 3 glocks, an AR with a 30 round mag, and no less than a few hundred rounds of spare ammo from now on.

Hoping I can find a place to put up the wall tent behind some razor wire too.

I don't know, I would suggest hunting nowhere south of the Grand Canyon unless your life insurance is paid up.
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the fact that a few post ago you vomited out the trigger phrase "political bias" as an insult makes posts like this all the more hilarious
 
JPickett said:
you may be the best example of "lack of self awareness" i could possibly imagine...
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You convinced me, I'm never going close to that border again. I think the AZGF should reconsider issuing any hunting licenses down there south of the Grand Canyon.

Its THAT bad.

Even Benicio was scared, and he's one bad motor scooter.
 
BuzzH said:
Yeah, those pesky facts.

Whatever you do, just stay north of the ditch.
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hear that AZ71? facts! not what your own eyes see. remember that.

what is is buzz'z boy joe said? facts over truth i think it was? sounds about right. just know its your political bias, not your eyeballs down there.ya racists
 
BuzzH said:
You convinced me, I'm never going close to that border again. I think the AZGF should reconsider issuing any hunting licenses down there south of the Grand Canyon.

Its THAT bad.

Even Benicio was scared, and he's one bad motor scooter.
Click to expand...
not one of my post was an attempt to convince you of anything. your political bias may be affecting your reading comprehension. you should talk to someone about that
 
BuzzH said:
I was camped right by the Arivaca check station, and I saw groups getting nailed every day. The check points are/were a joke anyway, you know all they did was harass US Citizens. The BP time is better spent in the field, which is precisely where they were. Fixed wing and helicopter running non-stop, trucks, jeeps, ATV's, dogs, whole nine.

Also, the amount of trash, packs, water jugs, all wayyyy less than 15 years ago, and by a wide margin.

I haven't worked and hunted down there for much more than 20 years though...

Pull up your pants, your political bias is showing, oh, and quit believing the news.

Actually, maybe I should retract that, the border is the worse I have ever seen. My camp was stolen, my truck vandalized, my coolers were ripped off, I was fearful of my life the whole time. I barely got any sleep, had to sleep with a loaded handgun the whole time, my 870 wingmaster loaded with buckshot, and my 7-08 locked and loaded as well. I saw dozens and dozens of drug runners, all carrying AK's. Would have been much easier to sleep, but the constant full auto gun fire at night was unnerving. The Cartels are living on Javelina, mule deer, and coues deer, why I had such a hard time finding any of those.

I would buy extra life insurance and stay at least 100 miles from the border. Its just not safe down there.
Click to expand...
You really put yourself out there camping right by the check station. 4 miles from I-19 and 23 miles from the actual border. I never said anything about the illegal traffic and I agree trash and traffic is way down from what it was 20 years ago. In fact on the 5 trips I've been down south this year I didn't run into a single illegal which has never happened to me before, usually multiple groups and on every trip. Of course why would they risk crossing all that desert when they can just come across at the portals. I've also never had a single problem with the illegals minus some water and food taken from ice chests. I get way more nervous driving thru Phoenix then the border has ever made me. By the way do you happen to know a Frank Agyagos?
 
AZ71 said:
You really put yourself out there camping right by the check station. 4 miles from I-19 and 23 miles from the actual border. I never said anything about the illegal traffic and I agree trash and traffic is way down from what it was 20 years ago. In fact on the 5 trips I've been down south this year I didn't run into a single illegal which has never happened to me before, usually multiple groups and on every trip. Of course why would they risk crossing all that desert when they can just come across at the portals. I've also never had a single problem with the illegals minus some water and food taken from ice chests. I get way more nervous driving thru Phoenix then the border has ever made me. By the way do you happen to know a Frank Agyagos?
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I wouldn't be afraid to camp using the border "wall" for shade.

Yes, I know Frank.

Its too risky, I'm never going back down there.
 
The border patrol won’t let you loiter in the shade. When we built the stretch we built down in the bootheel the BP agents recommended that our employees be armed. The rancher we rented our yardsite from was murdered the year after we left.

Agreed that people will cross where Uncle Sam provides shade and water. Well, maybe not the bad guys.
 
BuzzH said:
I wouldn't be afraid to camp using the border "wall" for shade.

Yes, I know Frank.

Its too risky, I'm never going back down there.
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You'd get more shade off the 3ft tall mesquite trees in that country.
I'll tell Frank you said hi the next time I see him :ROFLMAO:
Glad to hear you'll be staying out of 36B.
 
AZ71 said:
You'd get more shade off the 3ft tall mesquite trees in that country.
I'll tell Frank you said hi the next time I see him :ROFLMAO:
Glad to hear you'll be staying out of 36B.
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Pretty safe bet I'll stay out of 36B.

I hunted/fished with Frank a bunch, most recently on a mutual friends place in Texas this past spring.

Matter of fact, Frank and I were fishing together in AZ when I caught a state record bass.
 
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JPickett said:
i thought i had something good going with @one_dryboot but its amazing who buzz can galvanize
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By that you mean the 99% that have ever dealt with the Governor of Laramie.

I'm sure your already getting them, but it's funny how even people that he thinks are his allies, will PM telling you what a...........
,..........,........,........,........ he is.
 
JPickett said:
not one of my post was an attempt to convince you of anything. your political bias may be affecting your reading comprehension. you should talk to someone about that
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I wouldn’t respond to him anymore Pickett, you just waist your time…
 
BuzzH said:
I wouldn't be afraid to camp using the border "wall" for shade.

Yes, I know Frank.

Its too risky, I'm never going back down there.
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I can’t resist, you literally camped right by the boarder entry? That says it all about you and your boarder findings…
 
Tikka said:
I can’t resist, you literally camped right by the boarder entry? That says it all about you and your boarder findings…
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*border

No, I didn't camp next to the border entry.

I camped halfway North/South in the unit I was hunting so I didn't have to drive for 2 hours to get to different parts of the unit. Intuitively obvious place to camp, even though I was risking my life being down there.
 
@CAelknuts @one_dryboot I hope you guys get your money back. Please keep us updated.

I'm not sure why anyone would make fun of you for giving an outfitter a deposit. Pretty standard to put a deposit down. We require 50% down for booking and the rest 30 days prior to your hunt. 99% of the clients have never met the outfitter.

When it comes to booking hunts you can do everything right and still get screwed. A good friend booked a moose hunt with a canadian outfitter that had/has his own tv show, 450k followers on social media, his kids are in the industry, etc. Covid hit and he couldn't make his hunt. Lost his 12k deposit for his hunt. The outfitter didn't even offer to move his hunt a year. Said he was all booked up the following year. And that he was ready to go that year even though legally you couldn't enter canada. Just a chitty deal all the way around.

I recommend everyone to get insurance on your trips. Even alaska fishing trips. weather get shitty and you don't make it out to the lodge? Insurance. Because likely you're not getting your deposit back.
 
HAHAHAHAHA--nah, just read the synopsis from urban dictionary and that was enough. Just as quickly, it made me think of Andy Dick talking about Dirty Sanchez and Rusty Trombones (from a movie) and I found it funny/nasty all at once.

Didn't need the visual on this type of...uh...sh*t; theater of the mind is worse!
 

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