Legal issues with an Iowa outfitter

• Nov 5, 2014

• #1

Non-Typical

Member

Has anyone experienced issues regarding out of state outfitters? I have a hunt booked with an outfitter in Iowa for the first firearm season and I cannot get in touch with him so he has basically taken my money and went dormant on me. He doesn't respond to calls, emails and or text messages.

I have been informed that this action is a felony theft by deception. At this point all I want is my money back, so I do not want to post the outfitters name as it may harm my case. I have filed a police report here locally and have obtained copies of the cashed checks used for my deposit. I also have all text and phone records.

Lesson learned here is don't use an outfitter unless they accept credit cards...

Please PM me with any information or experience that you may have regarding my situation.

 

• Nov 5, 2014

• #2

dawg2

AWOL ADMINISTRATOR

Also never use personal checks if they don't take CC's. Use a POSTAL MONEY ORDER. This way you have a quicker recourse and let the post office do your work.

 

• Nov 5, 2014

• #3

The Rodney

Senior Member

How much time has passed it is hunting season there right? "Outfitters" can be Joe and his bro or a bona fide outfit. Check references and look at their marketing material there are a lot of hacks out there. As for your situation I suspect you will need to file a report with the LE agency where he lives, if he is a thief they may already have him on their radar. Sorry you are going through this. Hope it works out.

 

• Nov 5, 2014

• #4

C

CowetaLonghorn

Senior Member

What about your tag? Does it carry over? I guess not and it goes unused? If so that's the worst part to me (assuming you get your money back). Having to wait another couple years and build up points again. Sorry to hear about that!

 

• Nov 5, 2014

• #5

S

swampstalker24

Senior Member

Was a meeting time/place established already? If so, I don't think a crime has actually been committed until you show and he aint nowhere to be found...

 

• Nov 5, 2014

• #6

L

LineLife

Banned

Man I hate that!!!! That took you 2 years to get a tag!! What zone?..How much money we taliking? I know of a real good outfitter in SE Iowa, if you still wanna punch that tag.

 

• Nov 5, 2014

• #7

L

LineLife

Banned

CowetaLonghorn said:

What about your tag? Does it carry over? I guess not and it goes unused? If so that's the worst part to me (assuming you get your money back). Having to wait another couple years and build up points again. Sorry to hear about that!

Click to expand...

Tag is just good for this year, Prefrence point is $50 and a tag is $550...thats a chunk

 

• Nov 5, 2014

• #8

B

BigBluff32

Senior Member

My father-in-law is out there on public land this week and he says the deer are wide open. They arrived on Saturday and will hunt until Wednesday next week. His party has shot a big 9pt so far. Might want to try some public land if you still want to go.

 

• Nov 5, 2014

• #9

NUTT

Senior Member

You got time to drive up and sort this out before season. This could be a trip of a lifetime for him to ruin if that's the case. I personally would take a Friday Saturday and Sunday to drive up and get my money or some equivalent form of restitution
Good Luck with a good outcome!

 

• Nov 5, 2014

• #10

BigPimpin

Senior Member

PM sent

 

• Nov 6, 2014

• #11

Core Lokt

Senior Member

Keep us posted and good luck

 

• Nov 10, 2014

• #12

Non-Typical

Member

Thanks for the responses gentlemen. I have still not been able to contact the person in question after many times. I have filed a police report, obtained all communication records and will be seeking out a local attorney to pursue the case. At this point all I want is my money back.
Oddly after my first contact attempt they have quit posting anything online.
The outfitter has $2,500 of my money and I have over $500 in tag cost. My tag is for Zone 5 and I am working on another option at this point...so hopefully I will still be in Iowa on the first Saturday in December.

 

• Nov 10, 2014

• #13

treehugger49

Senior Member

Are there any other outfitters in the same general area you could contact to see whether they may be aware of the circumstances pertaining to this outfitter?

I would hope there could be an explanation for his lack of communication - illness, death in the family, etc. (not hoping for that, obviously, just an explanation).

An out-of-state hunt, particularly one that involves limited tag opportunities, requires lots of time, effort, and dollars, to say nothing of your anticipation for the hunting season. I hope you get this satisfactorily resolved.

 

• Jan 11, 2018

• #14

Unicoidawg

Moderator

Staff member

Who was this outfitter? Pm me the info please.

 

• Jan 12, 2018

• #15

garveywallbanger

Senior Member

I think the lesson learned here is dont use an outfitter. if you book with Samsons Whitetail mountain you will harvest a 190+ buck that was raised on Joe Weider protein shakes while high fence caged for your stalking enjoyment. Then you can humble brag about how elusive a buck he was while clueless friends admire him on your wall. A person may need an outfitter for the Yukon but not in the lower 48...i just dont get it?

 

• Jan 12, 2018

• #16

K

KKrueger

Senior Member

I see this is a post from 2014 and has been revived.

There was an article yesterday in the Des Moines Register about this very thing.

Not sure how to link the article to here but google "Swindlers are targeting out-of-state deer hunters eager to bag trophy bucks in Iowa"

The case they discuss involves GA hunters as the victims.

 

• Jan 12, 2018

• #17

Gajbird

Senior Member

KKrueger said:

I see this is a post from 2014 and has been revived.

There was an article yesterday in the Des Moines Register about this very thing.

Not sure how to link the article to here but google "Swindlers are targeting out-of-state deer hunters eager to bag trophy bucks in Iowa"

The case they discuss involves GA hunters as the victims.

Click to expand...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct.../1026453001/&usg=AOvVaw1uh5GBpN3CblUkEsZaNC3M

 

• Jan 12, 2018

• #18

Unicoidawg

Moderator

Staff member

Yes we were the one's involved in the mess. And KK it's kind of hard to hunt out of state in other places if you don't have the land or the time to find it. But for the record I won my hunt that tied us up in this mess at the GON Blast on a raffle ticket.

 

• Jan 12, 2018

• #19

Core Lokt

Senior Member

Glad he got caught!