IMB Outfitters - Run don't walk away from their services

[MooK]

RUN, do not Walk Away from this outfitters services. To say the 4 day trip was a disappointment is an understatement.  In IMB’s defense I will mention the positive experiences on our $3,600 + lodging 4 day Macom Missouri 1st Gun Fully Guided Rut Hunt, Nov 13- Nov 16, 2010.
THE POSITIVE:
First, our guide was a great guy and did all he could to get us in the middle of the action. I don’t think he had much say in stand assignments until later on in the hunt. He was courteous, knowledgeable of the hunting areas, and had a great personality. 2nd, the lodging was nice and meals were tasty and served up hot and on time. The kitchen staff was there to serve and would even remind the hunters to put in their lunch orders for the field lunch packs after the cut off time.  They too were extremely courteous and seemed to enjoy serving a house full of 33 big buck hunters. Third, the properties hunted by myself and fellow hunter were scenic with rolling hills, nice draws, and lots to keep your eyes from closing during a long day on the stand. Finally, the owner of IMB Outfitters gave a nice orientation/welcome meeting along with a brief presentation on field scoring bucks after all the hunting parties arrived at camp. He seemed very knowledgeable of his outfit and the business in general.
THE NEGATIVE: (here we go)
First, after the Field Scoring presentation the hunters were informed of the IMB camp rule on taking bucks that are 125 class or greater. To add misery to agony, we were informed of a penalty fee of ($500) for any bucks that were taken and did not measure up to the Boone & Crocket standard. Excuse me, this was no were mentioned on their website regarding hunts, within the literature that was sent, or before my hunting partner and myself dropped $3,600 + lodging a piece (paid in advance), purchased a Missouri out of state rifle hunting license for $250, and drove 4 hours to their Macom Missouri camp.  Most of the hunters paid their balance in full (-$500 deposit) after the meeting. Wish I had not paid in advance or gotten up right then and there and demanded my money back. I guess hind site is 20/20 and I should have know this was getting ready to be a “screw job”. The expressions on the IMB Outfitters first times hunters was one of “what in the world!!!!!”.
Second, IMB states that these are Fully Guided Hunts. Well they had overbooked this opening rut gun hunt and there was one guide for four clients.  With a 1 to 4 ratio I do not see that as being a fully guided hunt nor can a good guide provide service with that ratio. In fact, I feel that if a penalty fee for taking an animal under 125 is to be enforced, a guide should be in the stand with the hunter to help judge/score the bucks while the hunter concentrates on shot placement and getting the job done.  Walking a hunter out to his stand the first time is customary in a Partial Guided Hunt and about half the price. That’s about all the time the guides at IMB had after taking 4 hunters out in the mornings and afternoons.
As for BC bucks on site and getting a trophy deer at IMB Outfitters. We had 33 hunters in camp for opening rifle in Missouri. Three hunters took camp legal BC bucks including a 160 class 12 pointer. Six clients took penalty bucks (additional $500) and the rest went home with nothing. Less than a 30% success rate for kills and barley 10% for their camp legal bucks (without a $500 penalty to IMB). IMB states 130-140 class bucks plentiful on their hunting property in Missouri.  Should be called Bunch of BS Outfitters. My hunting buddy sat in the same blind for two days, per the guide one of their better locations. He saw 12 different 8 point bucks two days strait. Not one of them over 125 classes. The majority of them were 110 to 120 and they were coming and going from dawn to dusk both days. Kinda makes me wonder if IMB can supply the bucks they so willingly advertise they have. Hmmmmmm.
Bottom line, if you have $4,000 to piss away and want to take the chance of bringing home nothing, feel free. However if you are a working man like me, save your cash and try someone else. Hope this helps others not make the same mistake I did.

[JimFromTN]

Sorry to hear about you hunt.  I'd be severely PO'd to spend that kind of money and get that kind of service.  Its the main thing that scares me about spending hard earned money on a guide service.  You save up your money to go on a hunt of a lifetime just to be disappointed because someone figured out a way to rob you legally.  I understand that they call it hunting and not killing for a reason but for $3600, I would expect a fully guided trip and the $500 penalty is BS if they don't tell you about it until you get to camp.

Unfortunately, you could have saved yourself allot of grief had you done a little more research on them.  Go out to the following website and look at the reviews.  There are probably 10 reviews on them and they got one good one and all the rest are bad.

http://www.huntinfo.com/missouri-outfitter-guide-reviews

[MooK]

Maybe I will add my review to this site too to inform others and make them aware of this Outfiters policy. Thanks for the info.

[shaman2]

i couldnt agree more.  I hunted with IMB late gun hunt 2011.  I saw maybe 45 does not one single shooter buck in four days.  The guide gave me maybe 5 minutes each nite to review where i would be hunting the next day. (one guide to three hunters). the food each nite was pork, my wife told me that it was cheaper to feed groups pork.  i was very disappointed in my one and only hunt of a life time.   i've been hunting whitetails for 50 years now and i was hoping to shoot a nice buck, but i never even saw one.

[Empty Quiver]

A little harsh Chell. I believe the man has a legit complaint.


How difficult is it to outline the ground rules before the contract is signed? I've done 7 outfitted hunts and always knew what the outfitter expected from me. The outfitter always new what I expected from him as well. If these rules are in the fine print and you don't read the fine print that is one thing, but it sounds as though that is not the case. A man cannot be expected to know what he doesn't know. Unless told otherwise one should expect any legal game is allowed. A person likely isn't going to pay for the chance to drop a forky but it is his tag to do with whatever he chooses. Legal game taken under fair chase conditions comes to mind as what my last few contracts have read.


I agree that a person needs to do the home work on an outfitter. I'm maybe a bit over board but I don't think so. I tend to talk to neighboring outfitters for their take on local game populations and will call DNR offices as well. When I hear fully guided I figure that means someone will be holding my hand and nearly getting in the way. Semi-guided means they get you in the game and leave you to yourself by and large. Somewhere it should explain the ratio of guides to hunters 1:1 or 1:15 is fine as long as I know going in.


 At the least it sounds like the lie of omission was committed. If the size limit wasn't in the contract they would play hell extracting $500 from me. I understand that at the point you arrive you are sort of committed to hunting.


Your experience is why I am so nervous when booking a new outfitter. Like I said you don't know what you don't know, till you are already burned.

[BBF]

That is sure a lot of $ for a set of antlers you can't eat.

[Lloyd Smale]

got to agree there. I wouldnt pay that much for ANY whitetail hunt. For that kind of money a guy could go after trophy elk. even elk at that price doesnt interest me. Keep in mind though that ive shot alot of whitetail and my opinion might vary from someone who hasnt. For that kind of money you should not only have been guranteed a nice buck but should have been taken to the woods in a limo and had your guide pouring martinis in the woods. I know one thing those guys that shelled out that extra 500 were saps! 

That is sure a lot of $ for a set of antlers you can't eat.

[drdougrx]

I hate stories like this....had it happen to me on a Newfi Moose-Caribou-Bear combo.  I paid my $$ and bought the combo license.  2nd day afield, we see some fresh bear scat.  Guide tells me to get ready...I say, don't worry...I am.  He then says, when we see the bear, just shoot and we'll settle up later.  I said, "Settle UP?"  He says, yeah...there a $200 US trophy fee for a bear.  I said really, I was never told that.  He said it's tradition and the outfitter expects it....I say, Oh Reeeeaaalllyyyyy......tell ya what....we see a bear.....it walks....

[Lloyd Smale]

My dad is a cheap sob   He loves hunting  but hates to part with money. About 10 years ago he was talked into going on a moose hunt with his brother in law. they got ahold of a guide service in Canada and the guide about told them that they were tripping over moose. Hed never been on a hunt anywhere out of michigan and was excited. He plunked down 3000 grand for the hunt and packed his stuff. He spend 2 weeks there hunting, if you call it that. All they did was float down a river. He said the brush was so thick there if you landed the boat you couldnt walk 20 yards. They spent the whole two weeks there and none of the 3 in the hunting party even saw one moose. Needless to say ive not had much luck talking him into going anywhere again.  The guide even lied to them. He said the previous party all got trophy moose. Well little did he know that in that party that left the day they arrived there was  a hunter that they knew. They asked when they got back and was told that none in that party saw a moose either. 3 grand is a bit much for renting a cabin for two weeks (they had to bring there own food) and gas for a boat.

[SHOOTALL]

Mook sorry you had a bad deal.
The cost , I pay 500 a year to hunt 7 weeks,opening day, every sat and the last week. We dog hunt. We can hunt the land anytime. I kill deer every year. Big bucks I have some  worth mounting. I'm 57 started hunting there at 17. The dues were less back then so say 300 a year. 40 years X 300 bucks that's $12,000.00 . I would not have hunted there if I had not killed deer and some big ones. Our sport is expensive it should be both fun and rewarding.