As you folks know, I hunted North Carolina’s Buffalo Creek Outfitters who read my bad reference for them. I gave the head of the day to day operations, who called me today, my honest opinion which again I highlighted. He spent more time distancing himself from me and other hunters than endearing us.
If you are going to hunt with an outfitter; You the hunter will sign a legal release of responsibility by the outfitter at the time of the hunt. You should be able to see the release before-hand like at an outdoor show! Ask for it! And ask for recent references of at least 3 hunters and phone numbers. Ask if they provide a post hunt survey to improve the hunt? Ask how big are the deer by age e.g., 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 years and the size of the area is to be hunting. What kind of stands or blinds? Distances to shoot? Reptiles/Bears? Water/ Swamps Fields? Special hunting rules not posted? Penalties?
The poor hunt was, in the end, my fault; my fault for not doing the homework. There are far better outfitters…
Further ask if they are members of a state or national outfitters association. These groups have guidelines to live by and are a source for you to praise or zing your outfitter.
The American Guide and Outfitter Associations listed state by state but North Carolina nor most southern states save Texas are listed but can create memberships and a place to go to get unbiased info on Guides just not where I hunted. See Montana http://www.montanaoutfitters.org/ for example
In the end what I said to this Outfitter in constructive feedback is that you should have a Anonymous Hunter Feedback Survey Rating 1 to 10 (10 being the highest) and a box to collect the info without the hunters name. In that way I offered constructive feedback which he said he would consider.
Anonymous Survey Example:
Please Rate the Following:
Food 1 to 10
Feedback___________
Accommodations 1 to 10
Feedback_______________
Hunt 1 to 10
Feedback_______________
Personnel by Name 1-10
Feedback_____________
Overall Rating 1-10 ____________________
Things to make the hunt better?
If they will recommend this hunt to others. Y/N
Feedback_____________