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I John J Meldrum bought a $5,000 hunt from Northwest Outfitting for Saturday, January 8, 2022, at the Dallas SCI show from Mr. Barbour son. I spoke to Mr. Barbour Sr. who stated in the package he would personally pick me up from the airport on September 9, 2022, and promised to personally guide me on a solo hunt for a 400-point elk during the September 10, 2022 opening day hunt trip. During the SCI show Mr. Barbour tried selling me a $25,000 400-point bull hunt. Which I declined. Two months later, I received a call from Mr. Barbour stating if I gave him an additional $5,000 more, he would secure the lease and could have me on a personal hunt on opening day. I asked how do you know the 400-point elk will be there and Mr. Barbour said he personally feeds the elk and the 400-point elk will be there. I flew in in on Friday, Mr. Barbour said he would be there to pick me up from the airport, get my license and etc. He never showed up instead a lady called a stated Mr. Barbour’s son was busy and that she would be guiding me. The young lady’s name was Sky. I was extremely upset! The next morning Sky (a 21 year old inexperienced guide) picked me up and instead of being in a field, I was in someone’s backyard. I went up into a tree, 25 yards away there was a bushel of apples. No elk in sight anywhere, during my hunt period! There were deer but no elk. I called Shawn Barbour (the son) and complained there was no elk on the property, I was upset I did not get the personal hunt Mr. Barbour promised. Shawn Barbour (the son) said the elk moved out of the field and told me to stop complaining. That afternoon he put me in a field with three other hunters where he said the elk would be. We all were within 100 yards of each other. I mentioned to Shawn Barbour that I thought I was supposed to be in an area specifically for myself, the other four hunters are just decoys to my right. Shawn said the hunter’s scent will bring the elk right to you. I said this is all bullshit! After dark I complained over and over to Shawn and he told me to be patient. Sunday morning, no personal guided tour by Mr. Barbour, I was placed with Sky once again and was placed in a field with four additional hunters, no elk in sight. Sunday night, again no Mr. Barbour to take me on the property I lease for a solo hunt. I was placed with Sky again, in a field with four other hunters with no elk in sight. Morning and night no elk anywhere! Sunday evening, I went to dinner with one of the hunters from Wisconsin. Brent, and two other additional hunters from Florida were furious about the lack of integrity of the hunt. Monday morning same thing but when I went to my blind, they said we could not go in. I sat in my car for two hours! Shawn finally showed up with hunters and stated there were all kinds of elk here and to be patient. At that point I knew I had been taken advantage of. I flew back home early that evening. The hunters I had dinner with stated they hunted in the special area blind I paid for. I conduct some research on the internet and found that the outfitter Hillbilly (Shawn Barbour) has a mile long criminal history, has been stealing from hunters for quite some time. They bragged about so called offering hunters discounts if they paid up front via Venmo, or wire transfer just so they did not have to pay Federal taxes. I am an experienced hunter, have been a member of the SCI National for over 35 years. I have been on over 150 guided hunts, and I have been on the Hunt Donors Committee for Phoenix and Detroit and have been at the Dallas Safari Convention several times and will be attending the 2023 show. I am beyond upset with the Northwest Outfitting company who scammed me and many other hunters out of tens of thousands of thousands of dollars.

Was the outfitter notified of problems? - YES