Scammers!!!

padave

Member
I’ve been a solo bird dog hunter for bout 8 yrs ( or sometimes with one other person ). I read hear or some other hunting forum that there are people out there that try to scamand or lie to use bird dog owners into taking them hunting. My ignorance is going to shine through here, is this an issue or just isolated incidents ? I’m reluctant to let any old stranger hunt over my dog ( I lost a friendship over this...let’s just say his idea of safety and mine were different )

Just curious, would love to hear stories if it is a thing.
 
Curious. How would one get "scammed" into taking someone bird hunting?

Sorry, should have added this. I Read this awhile back someplace.

“ a guy ( with out a dog ) ask a guy ( with a dog ) if he could tag along to hunt ( I personally see no problem there ). Dogless guy said he’s never hunted phez before and never hunted with a dog before ( again, I see no problem).
They hunt and had a successful day.
Few days/ week later the same dogless guy ask the same guy with dog and gave the same speech “ never hunted phez, never hunted with a dog “.
The story went on.


Again pardon my ignorance, I’m only going by a story I read awhile back and was curious if this sort of thing happens or is just made up bullshit or the dogless guy was...I don’t know.
 
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Am I missing something here? Where does this have anything to do with being scammed? Guess we maybe need the "full" story.


Indeed, I couldn’t tell you where it happened. All I know is I read about it a long time ago.

I was asking IF this sort of thing happens?
And by “sort of thing” I mean, has anyone ever have somebody caught in a lie ( IMO ) to use you for hunting???

Scammed = swindle, defraud, deceive, trick, dupe, hoodwink, double-cross, con, fleece, shaft, hose.
 
Nope, never happened to me in 60+ years of hunting. I've met and hunted with a fair number of members on this site and thus far all have been very stand-up guys.
 
Nope, never happened to me in 60+ years of hunting. I've met and hunted with a fair number of members on this site and thus far all have been very stand-up guys.

That’s a good thing. I just remembered reading that story, wasn’t sure if it was bullshit or not, just curious.
 
I have a tale that may qualify as being SCAMMED....about 10 years ago here in Montana I was very involved with DU, I was asked to take out pheasant hunting a group of DU members from Regina, SK, it started great, seemed like a nice group of men, one even owned a Deutsch Drahthaar, a cousin to my GWP, we got along great, they thanked me for my time and really said they enjoyed the hunt....fast forward to following year, I was asked again to take out folks from the same chapter up in Canada, again a great time, however, this is the scammed part....I stopped to visit with a friend of mine while hunting with the group from the second year, had planned on hunting his place, however, he informed me that "my friends from last year" had already hunted his ground, using my name as an "in" with my farmer friend. They apparently gps marked every where I had taken them the previous year and went back and invoked my name as a means to gain permission from different folks....pretty shameful in my opinion.
 
I met a guy and his son once who were hunting the same private land we were hunting. My buddy and I were almost done shooting our limits and the day was still young! I asked them how they were doing since they did not have a dog. They said they hadn't seen or shot a bird yet that day. I invited them to join us and I helped the son shoot his first rooster! That was a highlight of the day for me. teaching him how to watch the dogs, how to get ready for the flush, how to identify the rooster from the hen, even practice on when to release the safety. I like to think I made a hunter out of that dad and his son that day. I probably also helped out fellow breeders when they saw the difference a dog makes in the field. I wasn't scammed yet I hunted with someone I did not know and it turned out great for everybody!
 
I met a guy and his son once who were hunting the same private land we were hunting. My buddy and I were almost done shooting our limits and the day was still young! I asked them how they were doing since they did not have a dog. They said they hadn't seen or shot a bird yet that day. I invited them to join us and I helped the son shoot his first rooster! That was a highlight of the day for me. teaching him how to watch the dogs, how to get ready for the flush, how to identify the rooster from the hen, even practice on when to release the safety. I like to think I made a hunter out of that dad and his son that day. I probably also helped out fellow breeders when they saw the difference a dog makes in the field. I wasn't scammed yet I hunted with someone I did not know and it turned out great for everybody!

Great example of how it SHOULD be. This is the difference between creating an opportunity both for yourself & for somebody "less fortunate" (even when they're NOT begging for help) vs. being taken advantage of. Unfortunately, there are plenty of so-called "outdoorsmen" around who take advantage, simply for their gain, of the real outdoorsman, who has put forth the time, money, boot leather, etc. to find land, pheasants, & learn how to hunt them.
 
I met a guy and his son once who were hunting the same private land we were hunting. My buddy and I were almost done shooting our limits and the day was still young! I asked them how they were doing since they did not have a dog. They said they hadn't seen or shot a bird yet that day. I invited them to join us and I helped the son shoot his first rooster! That was a highlight of the day for me. teaching him how to watch the dogs, how to get ready for the flush, how to identify the rooster from the hen, even practice on when to release the safety. I like to think I made a hunter out of that dad and his son that day. I probably also helped out fellow breeders when they saw the difference a dog makes in the field. I wasn't scammed yet I hunted with someone I did not know and it turned out great for everybody!



That’s so awesome you did that.

My question to you is, how and when do you know to trust or not trust someone to hunt over your dog(s)?
safety wise.

Ive had two people at different times hunt with me and my labs in the past. One could NOT keep his finger off the trigger, I had to constantly remind him of that and to stop walking like Elmer Fudd with his gun in a shooting position.
The other one shot his gun, the barrel was to my left 5’ away from my ear while ground swatting a bird a few feet away from my dog.

Those situations has unfortunately made me reluctant to hunt with new people. I now have one friend who I trust but, his kid just started hunting with us and I can’t relax, I spend all my time watching the kid around my dogs like a hawk. I’m not sure how to get over that fear or I’m just a worry wort ?
 
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My question to you is, how and when do you know to trust or not trust someone to hunt over your dog(s)?
safety wise.

For me, if I was to consider hunting w/ a complete stranger, I'd at least talk with him/her first for a while before making an invitation. You can learn a lot about what someone might be like in the field just by talking. You could direct the conversation such that it might "trick" them into divulging details about their experience, how they hunt, or thoughts on safety. But regardless of whether it's a stranger or friend you've never hunted with before, you can't be shy about letting them know before hunting that you're a stickler for safety & what your expectations are. Probably most easily digested by the prospective partner if you simply explain the guidelines you hold for yourself & that you'd appreciate it if they'd stick to them too. When it comes to safety, my dog is extremely important, but you can't run the risk of having someone forget that PERSONAL safety is even more important. It has to be. If you get into a hunt & don't feel safe, it's up to you to either fix the problem or call it quits for the day. I don't mind teaching safety to people who don't have a reason to know better. But people who should know better don't get a call-back.
 
For me, if I was to consider hunting w/ a complete stranger, I'd at least talk with him/her first for a while before making an invitation. You can learn a lot about what someone might be like in the field just by talking. You could direct the conversation such that it might "trick" them into divulging details about their experience, how they hunt, or thoughts on safety. But regardless of whether it's a stranger or friend you've never hunted with before, you can't be shy about letting them know before hunting that you're a stickler for safety & what your expectations are. Probably most easily digested by the prospective partner if you simply explain the guidelines you hold for yourself & that you'd appreciate it if they'd stick to them too. When it comes to safety, my dog is extremely important, but you can't run the risk of having someone forget that PERSONAL safety is even more important. It has to be. If you get into a hunt & don't feel safe, it's up to you to either fix the problem or call it quits for the day. I don't mind teaching safety to people who don't have a reason to know better. But people who should know better don't get a call-back.


Thanks, perfect advice.
 
I have had those horror stories as well. Times where people are not safe and are shooting a running birds. Typically I talk briefly with people before I start the hunt. (I do some guiding at local game farms so I am used to giving a brief safety talk) Then I watch and observe. If people are continually unsafe, I excuse myself and hunt somewhere else. They call me "me me" because I typically am the most driven guy out there to shoot and kill all the birds. But if you can take a step back at times and look at the situation through the kids eyes, crack open your gun, hang it on your shoulder, walk behind the new hunter and speak direction to them, then you are doing more than just bringing someone along with you. There is no greater experience for me that bringing my kid, or someone else's kid hunting and helping them succeed at shooting their first bird! The smile on their face, the picture that is sent home or put on social media, is a great reward for the time and effort. By the way sometimes the person I am helping to succeed is not a kid but a 70 year old who has a desire to hunt! Those are fun experiences as well.
 
Personaly I am kind of in the mindset that we better do something about getting more people hunting, and involved with shooting sports. Or in todays world of attacking your rights will take a larger foot hold. And we stand a chance to lose our rights. Everyone of us should look to take new people, young people, out hunting. And take the time to teach that safety and respect for the land. We should worry far less about "hiding" in the shadows of greed in hopes that we can stuff more game in the freezer than last season.

The more people we convert to hunting and shooting sports, the better chance we have of keeping it. Right down to the dollar that pays for your public lands ;).
 
I have hunted with quite a few strangers on the forum and off. Never had a bad wild hunt. Some strangers used to show up at the preserve that I would rather not hunt with again. But dont know if Ive ever been scammed. I have had a guy go back and try to hunt the private ground that I hunt. The owner called me and told me that he turned him down based on the fact that I wasn't there. I dont hunt with that guy anymore. But still am welcome at the farmers property. It ended well for me. Some people get turned off of giving permission when those things happen. Glad this farmer did not.
 
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