Please read

DonVathome

Very Active Member
Messages
1,720
I am also posting this under sheep forum and on Bowsite.

Over the past couple years I have made numerous posts that Huntin Fool was wrong about the odds they show for nonresident mountain goat and sheep. I received a call from Jason Carter at Huntin Fool to discuss this. Before I called him back I went back and checked, something I should have done a long time ago, as it turns out Huntin Fool was correct, I was not. I do not know what I did wrong when I originally checked the odds, and that does not matter. I wanted to do everything I can to clear up my mistake. I am disappointed in myself for posting incorrect information and leading others astray. I am also disappointed in myself for falsely accusing Huntin Fool of incorrect odds information, not only did I make them look bad but also caused them to get calls from people who saw what I said and then questioned them about their odds.

I spoke with Jason Carter about 24 hours after he left me message, and I had time to check the odds, and I gave him my sincerest apology. He handled it very well, I cannot say enough about how professional and courteous he was to me after what I did. I am extremely happy with his handling of the situation. I hope to maintain a good relationship with Huntin Fool, and the Carters in the future. I have watched them over the last few years and I have seen quite a few things I like. I noticed that they worked to get an article in the latest issue to help the California FNAWS sell tickets to benefit the sheep there. I also noticed when Colorado announced the requirements for landowner tags that Huntin Fool mentioned that they would assist hunters and landlords finding each other to get tags sold, without any charge by Huntin Fool. I agree when they said this was likely to become one their biggest benefits to subscribers. I was, and still am, very impressed and grateful for this free service and the way they handled the situation.

I also noticed that every issue this year (I just started to pay attention to this so they might have done it all along) they explain exactly how they calculate odds ? and also say they are not true odds and list what else might affect the odds. I think this is great and very fair.

I have called there odds ?slanted? - there are times when I wish they looked at odds from another angle, however it is their magazine and they can do what they wish with it. I simply wish they shed a more dismal light on draw odds ? simply for my own benefit since it would scare off some applicants and increase my odds. I know this is a bit selfish but I am sure many of us dreaming of the tougher tags to draw wish this from time to time. Again I do wish they slanted odds to make things look worse (so some applicants drop out) but they can show the odds how they choose, and in most situations there is room for interpretation, and since they explain how they calculate odds I feel they are justified.

Ever since I thought they were wrong about Colorado odds I have been unhappy (with some of the odds they post) and always looked at ways they could have posted odds to make them look worse. As many of you may realize in many states it is very difficult to estimate true odds, especially for nonresidents. I feel Huntin Fool can interpret the odds any way they feel, and again they explain how their odds are calculated and I feel this more then covers them if someone else chooses to view odds differently. Despite my displeasure with how they showed odds (which again turned out to be wrong) I have always loved the magazine. The information there saves me so much time and research that it is well worth the cost. The articles and photos are the icing on the cake. I look forward to my magazine every month and red it cover to cover within 2 hours of receiving it. I checked many of my old posts and even when I complained about some of their odds reports I always said I liked the magazine, loved the articles, and liked the draw odds summaries, and enjoyed it overall.

I intend to find my olds posts and send messages to everyone who posted there with this info to do my best to correct my error as well as an email with this to everyone I know who hunts.

I did not intend to mislead anyone, I truly believed the odds were wrong and I was doing my best to inform everyone. We can all learn from my mistake, there is a lot of good information here, but there is also some incorrect information, so remember to double check everything before hanging your hat on one piece of information.

I have always liked Huntin Fool magazine, despite what I thought was an occasional error, and now that I know the truth and experienced first hand how they deal with someone who caused them an unwarranted problem I can only say I am extremely happy with them. If they were this nice with me imagine how nice they will be to you!

Sorry for longwinded post and sorry for any problems I have caused, in the future I will be more careful to not make such mistakes and if I ever question information, such as that found in Huntin Fool, I will give them a chance to explain themselves (which I should have done this time). Everyone makes mistakes so I hope everyone can forgive me.

Thanks

DonV

PS many think I am a ?glass is half full? guy since I can often be seen complaining about tough draw odds. I do wish odds were better, but the more I know about the hunting opportunities out west the more excited I am. I have been blessed with a supportive wife, good health, and the finances to travel out west to hunt - and to apply for coveted and pricey tags. It will take some time to draw many of them but I will ? and I know that I have several hunts of a lifetime to look forward to and I am extremely excited.

Thank You for your time.
 
Don't be so hard on yourself! We are all human and are programed to make mistakes! Best you can do is explain were you went wrong and learn from it. Hopefully everyone who reads this post will learn from your mistake!
What did I learn, "Its allot easier to sit back and think before you speak, and realy dig up the facts".
As far as coveted and pricey tags, their are hunts out their for lesser units that can be excellent. Forget about the odds and go buy a $500 elk tag in New Mexico or a OTC in Colorado. I know everyone wants to get a 200" deer or a 350" elk. I just wish people would start looking at hunting as its defined. Get out their and hunt, reguardless if its a lessor unit, take their kids and show them its not all about shooting the biggest animal or hunting the best units. Its about spending time with family and friends, and waiting for the next adventure.
 
DonV your post speaks volumes about your character, well done.

you wrote,
PS many think I am a ?glass is half full? guy -

don't you mean half empty?
 
ahh I meant half empty leave it to me to mess it up at the end! Maybe that was a Freudian slip (I meant to say half empty but I feel it is half full)!

Thanks guys, if it were just a mistake that is one thing but since I flat out said they were wrong that is another thing still just a mistake but one I never double checked or called them on to listen to their explanation.
 
Don, you have gained my respect for admitting you were wrong, and by trying to make it right. Kudos. It takes a big man to do what you are doing to 'atone' for your 'sins'.

PRO
 
DonV
I too applaud you for your comments, because it shows that not all hunters are egotistical idiots!(as we are often portrayed)
I too can attest to Carter's "class" in responding to questions or disaggreements on issues. A while back I wrote Jason a letter about an article he wrote and I called him hypocritical for what he said. He quickly responded with a personal letter, appologizing and assuring me that he had not intended to sound hypocritical and if I interpreted what he wrote that way he was sorry.
The fact is, most of us would love to swap jobs with the Carters, but they are the ones with the idea and the guts to carry it out. No doubt their service makes odds worse, but if they didn't do it, someone else would.
Good on you DonV. You are welcome to share my campfire anytime!
 
You're a stand-up guy Don! Its never fun to realize you made a mistake, but even tougher to fess up as soon as you make that realization. Its also nice to hear that Jason Carter handled things the way he did. Trey

And Junior-

I guess you don't know DonV too well. He has to buy Landowner tags EVERY year because he has drawn ONE tag for over a hundred apps. I wouldn't have lasted that long myself. I'd have been out popping bunnies, squirrels and birds for the rest of my life. Last time I checked you can still get those tags pretty easy.
 

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos
Back
Top Bottom