Oryx scam

cbat · Feb 25, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Feb-25-13 AT 04:28PM (MST)[p]I bought a private land oryx hunt for my wife as a christmas present. Seemed like a pretty good deal,supposed to be a hunt on 6500 deeded acres. We pay for the hunt wait till Jan 1 till the new off range hunt starts go to the nearest town to spend the night meet the fella and go to the ranch for a look about. We go to the headquarters and he tells us where to hunt and points out places they have killed oryx in the past. I tell him and my wife that some of that country looks familiar and that I was pretty sure I had hunted it on an off range draw public land hunt in the past.He is like thats no problem. So anyway we go back to town pay the guy our money and get ready to hunt the next morning. Morning comes and we go back to the ranch and get ready to hunt.We get on the 4 wheeler and take off as it had snowed and it was pretty slick. We go thru the corrals at headquarters where we were told to go and get up on a high spot to glass. Glass for about 45 min and see nothing. We head north toward the malapis where he told us to go as they had supposably killed several oryx in that area. We are going down the road and run into a BLM road sign stating road closed to all traffic. We stop and I tell my wife that I was pretty sure we where just about across from where we had hunted in the past. We figured we had better back out of there till we found out what was going on. We left and came home and talked to a few poeple trying to figure out what was what. Seems there is only 600 acres not 6500 on this ranch. I have contacted this guy and told him we wanted our money back. He said ok and that he would get it back to us.It has been over a month now with him jerking us around and still no money. I,m, not putting his name out there just yet because I gave him till this friday to get it to me so I am giving him till then before I out him. My question to you guys is what would you do ?

terriejohnston · Feb 25, 2013

well if it is scam report him and run his name thru the mud...

NMaddict · Feb 25, 2013

I agree. Even if he does refund some or all of your money he still needs to be exposed. I doubt you were his first victim and if not exposed you wont be the last. We need a website or forum dedicated to exposing hunting scams.

scubasteven25 · Feb 25, 2013

Besides wanting (key word = want) to kill the guy, I would say expose him so other people don't get scammed. I've been a part of this kind of scam and you definitely don't want others to feel the anger that you most likely feel at being had. Sad part is you most likely will never see your money again. Sounds like the guy knew it was a bad deal from the get go and never addressed your concern about the land looking familiar. Best of luck.

NMPaul · Feb 25, 2013

Do you have anything in writing.

I would send a certified letter putting him on a short leash to refund your money, before you advise G&F, local warden and or small claims court. I don't think the internet would be as effective as other means.
I assume that he sold you a private land hunt on public land. If you got that in writing, the guy would be a fool not to make it right.

Iowan · Feb 26, 2013

What NM Paul said. You most likely have a contract and if your side of the story is accurate you can easily put the screws to him. That said it does not make it any less frustrating for you. After the court deals with him post it up, unfair to do it before that.

Magnus100 · Mar 3, 2013

Good luck to you. I had a scam South Dakota goose hunt last spring and tried to post it on many forums so others would not get scammed. But most of my posts got removed??? Or never posted???
Go figure why we wouldn't want to warn each other about supposed guides offering services they don't provide. I will also post praise for guides who provide the service they promise regardless of the results of the hunt/fish trip.
Mike

JFWRC · Mar 3, 2013

I responded to an ad in the Journal that sounds much like the hunt you may have been on. I called the game and fish before buying it to make sure I know how the game worked.....especially that the hunt was only to be on deeded land. I then did some research and noted the ranch name was on the A+ list. Acreage numbers were off on deeded vs public from the ad. I called the advertising party and explained that I was going to pass based on the research. I don't think he was the rancher. He had already paid for the hunt and was wanting to sell it. He acted surprised.......

You may want to go to the Journal and inquire about an ad placed in Nov-Dec for an private land Oryx hunt. You may need the info if you don't get your money back in the next few days.

It is sad this crap happens.....I hope the rancher coughs up quickly. Tough lessons happen. MM is a good place to inquire about details before spending.

Let us know how things turn out. Jim

cbat · Mar 6, 2013

How long ago was that Jim ? No nothing in writing. A buddy hunted deer with him in nov and I took my buddies word on him. Said he had a good hunt. He didnt kill anything but the guy told him he could come back this year and hunt for free. I asked my buddy if he ever bothered to look at a map to see exactly where he was at and he said no.

NMPaul · Mar 6, 2013

Ignorance is bliss. I wonder if your buddy had a unit wide tag or private land only.
Cbat, please do not take this as a shot at you. It is not meant that way. You certainly did the right thing not accepting this guys word that he had all that deeded land. I am sure he would not have backed your play if you had not done your research and had killed an oryx on public land with a private only tag. He would have played stupid and you would have taken the hit.

I think it is common practice for private land hunts to be sold and adjoining public land is hunted without hesitation.

Several years ago during a youth bull hunt, my son killed a bull about 2 miles into some rough country and at least 2 miles as a crow flies from private.
A couple hunters came up as we were dressing it and talked to us.
At the time I did not put 2 and 2 together, but, they certainly were not Mobility impaired and they had told me they had accessed the area from a ranch. Wished I was not so slow at the time.

cbat · Mar 6, 2013

My buddies was a private land tag. No offense taking. I,ve been a registered guide for years and hunt several states a year. As such I know better than to buy a hunt without doing my homework. I have no one to blame but myself for that part. It just sucks because it was a Christmas present for my new bride.