Have not posted here in a while but thought some of you may be able to help out. Been planning a 2013 fall Brown Bear hunt in UNIT 17. I am currently looking at booking with Don Duncan "smokey" from Alaska Private Guide Service. I know that you all recommend Phil Shoemaker but Im sure he is booked full by now and his area is a more expensive hunt.
looking for any input on this outfitter Good or bad

PM sent

PM sent

Do some research on this site about Phillip before you book with him. His Outfitter has a blatant lie on his site. I would never hunt with a liar.
There is a couple guides from S.E. Alaska who post here. They hunt from boats. I can't remember their name.

Justin Johns hunts 17 still I believe and while he's sometimes a bit sketchy on food offerings or gear (or was in the past)

that dog can hunt, and he's fun to spend time with in the field, he's taken some very nice hoggish bears out of the Togiak refuge.

don't know how many assistant guides he's running these days, or who they are, but Justin is a pretty decent bear man.

Been planning a 2013 fall Brown Bear hunt in UNIT 17. I am currently



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Huh

?????

there are more than a few good guides in SE but If you remember who they is you might post their names on here.
and who is this Phillip who works in unit 17 that has an outfitter who is a liar?

If you do end up booking with either Justin Johns or John Peterson in unit 17 you should have a great hunt as both men know their business and have been doing it for decades.

...currently being attacked by bears and looks like that might fall through.

Hey! It's old liar Phillip. Did you get internet service down there at the lake where you "live year-around in the Alaskan bush?"
Oh yea, I forgot. You have a small house up there near Fairbanks you can use when your in town for groceries, before you return to the bush where you "live year-around."
You have a good day up there Phillip.

What are you babbling about ?
Have we even met ? you are obviously must be confusing me with someone else as you don't even know my name, or where I guide, or apparently anything else about me since I am the outfitter
I also don't appreciate being called a liar and if you can find one on my web site please point it out for all of us to see.
Otherwise go back to your bottle.

Phil-
I think BrnBear is referring to the first line on Atkinson's site regarding your operation:

Yea, I know where you guide. I've been a pilot in Alaska for 45 years. I've flown over your "homestead" many times. I usually know when you put the boards on the windows and leave.
I don't think we've ever met. I don't remember saying anything about you personally or your qualifications as a guide. My problem with you, is you have an outright lie on your outfitter/agent/salesman's site. I notified you and Ray about the discrepancy several years ago by PM. You both said, not a big deal. I think it is a big deal.
Here's the quote...."One of the few guides who lives year-around in the Alaskan bush..." You know damn well you don't live year-around in the bush. That statement is used as a sales gimmick. You want the dudes to think "WOW, this old guy lives here with the bears year around. He must be good."
Remove the lie from your ad and I'll quietly disappear from your life.
I wonder if your ad could be considered "false advertisement"?
I also wonder if the Guide Board might have an interest in the ad? Would that ad be considered Unethical?
Think about it Phillip. (Did I spell everything correctly?)

BrnBear
Please let me in on your secret formula for preserving magic mushrooms this long! Usually by this time of winter they have lost their potency, but you obviously have figured out how to keep hallucinating all year long!
sincerely,
unstoned

Brown Bear, who ever you are ? it seems like your problem is with a booking agent, not me.
You obviously don't understand that they are not agents or employees of the guide any more than they are agents or employees of the hunter. They are independent middle men who work only for themselves, some are honest and others not so, they can promise anything and then blame one side or the other.
My web site is here for anyone to read, including you.
You are right that we have not spent the entire year at our homesite in Becharof NWR for the past few years, but we do own 40 acres of land and spend over half of each year there . And since you seem hung up on the term "bush", we also have a state homestead near the booming urban metropolis of Circle Hot Springs, and another Federal homestead between Wein lake and Denali. Do they meet your " bush" standards?
We did however live there on the penissula year around for many years when our children were growing up.
And, If you had been flying there for "45 years" like you claim you would have known that !!! Unless you were maybe flying in game unit 17. I live 100 miles to the south in unit 9E !
Next time you are flying by in the correct game unit stop in. I'll even let you check weather cameras on our Huges Net for your undisclosed destination.

OK, I think I get it.
Your salesman can lie about you anytime he wants, but your not responsible for his words. Old Ray does get a cut if he sells one of your hunts, right?
You at one time lived year-around in the bush, but you now live on one of your vast holdings somewhere else in Alaska. That's pretty much what I've been saying. You don't live in the bush.
Actually I "claim", to have been flying in Alaska since 1966. Helicopters and fixed wings. I have in fact flown over your "homestead" several times. I don't make a point of looking down to see if old Phillip is home or in Fairbanks.
Next time I'm down there, when you aren't in Fairbanks, I'll stop in and try your HUGES NET for WX. That's a new net service in Alaska isn't it? Are you on HUGES Net now?
You fly also don't you Phillip? Experimental Cub type if I'm not mistaken.
SITKA...
Before you start accusing me of being a druggie, you might take the time to read the thread.
I accused Phillip of being a liar and he just admitted to it.
I don't live in Hooper Bay so I'm not to familiar with magic mushrooms. I'm not sure why you commented, or why you picked mushrooms to talk about? Are you familiar with them?

Let me get this straight - you don't make a point of looking down to see if I am home - yet you check to see if the windows are boarded up each year ?
Homesteads by Wein lake and Circle Hot springs are not "in the bush" ?
You are a professional pilot that can't tell certified aircraft from an experimental one ? - and you have flown in Alaska for 45 years and never noticed whether or not I was at home ? But know for a fact when I am not !

You can't tell game unit 17 from unit 9 even though they are 100 miles apart ?

Oh, and you are an expert on booking agents as well and if they tell a lie, who ever they were lying about is the one responsible ! and if I come clean as to where I live all will be forgiven ?

It is pretty obvious who is telling the truth here, and Sitka's observation is now starting to make a lot more sense.

And by the way, I have never paid Ray anything. Ask him- he is alot more honest and forthcoming than you are.

Crazy, huh?

Yea, my son is up in Kotz flying polar bear surveys now but if he gets on he will kick my butt, as he has always told me that argueing on the internet is like running in the special olympics - because even if you win, you are still retarded.

I think I'll take my bronze medal and go home.

Dang! I hate to go off topic but this is a good one.
That's a good one Phillip! Running in the Special Olympics, means your retarded!
I can see the headlines now...."Gun writer calls Special Olympic runners retarded!" Wow, Phillip, pretty gutsy.
Quote..

"told me that argueing on the internet is like running in the special olympics - because even if you win, you are still retarded.

I think I'll take my bronze medal and go home."

PS...Argueing is correctly spelled, arguing. That's what my spell check told me.

Tough to know whether you are on something or off something you should be on... Either way your powers of rational thought are impaired.

Your self-image is skewed pretty severely if you think anyone cares what you think, especially when you display such goofy logic.

I hope the Dipshit isn't flying over our homestead as well!!

+1 How is this guy passing his medical?

He certainly wouldn't pass a mental exam!!

Mr Brown bear, since you continue to call me a liar, it would be nice to at least know who you are and where you are from, just so we all know you are not just some coward who likes to stir up trouble anonymously, and is not brave enough to do it in person.
Then you might be kind enough to show us exactly where I personally lied ?
If it was someone else who did the lying then I suggest you contact them.
If you can't at least do those three simple tasks then it is obvious who is lying.

Nikiski.

Maybe you fellers could meet up.

I'll buy tickets.

I noticed a change of addy.

BrnBear,

Usually this kind of Campfire schidt happens on New Year's Eve.
Long winter in your world?

He's just up the road from me John. We call them "north roaders".

It's sunny today though, thanks!

Winter is projected to return through Mon or Tues, so buckle up!

ironbender,

Yeah, winter is due to return to Montana this weekend too!

We have quite a few of his type here too, in fact more and more in recent years. They apparently think a move to rural Montana will leave the social problems they had elsewhere in the rearview.

Ahh,,,,Nikiski,, that explains it!

Wow! I haven't been called so many nasty words since junior high school! I'm impressed. Some of you need to read the entire thread before making a comment.
My original comment was "His outfitter has a blatant lie on his site. I would never hunt with a liar."
The lie is "One of the few guides who lives year-round in the Alaskan bush." That my friends is a lie, unless you consider Wien Lake or Circle Hot Springs as "Bush". Phil has admitted that's where he lives in the winter. He considers that as "bush." I don't.
Phillip says whatever his outfitter/agent/salesman says, is not his problem, and he is no responsible for it. I disagree.
This little hurrah is not personal. I've never met Phillip, and I don't remember ever discussing his abilities as a guide.
Phillip:
Of course I won't give my real name on the net. I'm not trying to sell bear hunts so why would I do that? I get enough crap without encouraging it. I may look stupid, but I'm not.
I won't even get into the "homestead" topic.
Except for, When did you homestead your place down there in Becharof, Phillip? You claim you have two more. One at Wien Lake and one at Circle Springs. Are you just using the word "homestead" as a term to describe a place you live? Thanks.

TJ-

Give it a rest man.

BrnBear,

Your ignorance knows no bounds.

First, a booking agent is NOT an outfitter. An outfitter is the owner/operator of a hunting business. He buys and maintains the equipment (including tents, lodges, etc.), hires help, and often (like Phil) does some of the guiding.

A booking agent contracts with various outfitters to help sell (book) their hunts. He has nothing to do with buying and maintaining equipment, hiring help, or guiding.

Phil and his wife did live on the Becharoff homestead year-round for a long time. They don't anymore, but just because some booking agent might still believe they do, or failed to change his information because he's too busy or forgetful, doesn't make Phil a liar.

You admit to never meeting Phil, yet claim to know all sorts of things about him and the hunting business. Thus you have publicly demonstrated what a friend of mine calls "aggressive ignorance," a public variation of stupidity.

Your follow-up posts just continue to prove your stupidity. No wonder you don't want anybody here to know your real name.

BrnBear,

I do wish that you would tell us who you are, and if you are a commercial pilot, I'd love to know who you fly for. My work has me chartering fixed/rotary wing aircraft all over the state, and I'd rather not unknowingly hop in a plane with you, as you obviously have "issues". Not sure what what axe you're grinding, or what petty jealousies you hold, and I don't really care. I'd just like to stay out of your aircraft!

You may not think so, but you sound nuttier than squirrell schidt!

Jeff

If smeone claims to have been doing something for 45 years and has failed to grasp the basics in said time frame he is either a liar or an idiot...

Or as some say he does not have 45 years of experience, but rather, one year of expeience forty-five times.

BrnBear: You sound like one of those "long-timers" - (long being a relative term put to use to better one's own position or standing when they have little else on which to "be better" than others.) Alright, enough opinions. Let's state some facts.

You are an envious idiot. With that you know that I am an honest person. Therefore I am qualified to make the observation that Phil is a good and decent person, not someone given to deceit, dishonesty, or envy. How do I know this when, like you, I have never met him face to face? It's actually pretty easy. You 'get it' by paying attention. I first learned about Phil through some of his articles in Wolfe publications quite a few years ago. The stuff that people write can give you a good clue about them. Another way to get to know people is through an interactive site like this one. Lots of eyes mean you're going to get called out if you post ridiculous stuff. Have you been paying attention? I think you have to look pretty hard even to find stuff that Phil has posted which embellishes the facts - and I would assume you would know if he did, since you claim to know so much about him.

Lets go back to the very first sentence you posted in this thread as that will probably point you in the right direction:



And before you make nit-picking suggestions about a person's spelling or grammar, try to clean up your own a bit more:




That would be "are"...




That would be "you're"





Did you learn reading comprehension from the MSN?? Quite the way you have with allusions!!!!




Seriously?? Seriously dude, you are getting hung up on "cabin fever" minutia. Clearly there is an apparent envy driven agenda here, or you could use, as another poster suggested, more of something or less of something else.



You most certainly do. But with the latter, we can all see through that lie. (Who's the liar now?) Alright, perhaps you're not ignorant anyway.

+1. Well said...

Wien lake isn't the "bush"? OK then, carry on..

Somebody needs to put the Coo Coo back in the clock!

BrnBear, Wow enough bad AK guides to find fault with, most Alaskan,s know who they are.

Phil is not one of them, he has a great reputation and it is well earned. Kurt

My thoughts as an outsider. I think the way Brn Bear has handled this looks like a bitter attack. I called Phil myself about a hunt because of his good reputation. (I did decide later to hunt on Kodiak as it's been my dream.) But as someone who researches hunts and looks to spend my money wisely, good honest info is mandatory. If someone who represents Phil has old, outdated, and yes untrue information, and Phil knows of it, I think he has an obligation to correct it. Just my 2 cents.

I think one of the biggest, most offensive "lies" people use in misrepresenting their work or business on the internet involves the use of pictures which aren't current. That could mean any number of misleading details ranging from pictures of younger, better looking people who perhaps now have wrinkles, to nice, large trophies which are long dead, and perhaps not even evident in the gene pool. And who has a website (or avatar) that doesn't bear some guilt in that regard? That is a much greater infraction than the minor detail over which this thread was originally derailed, but even old pics aren't really that big a deal anyway IMO.

Scott, that is true, and I tried to explain to brown bear , who ever he may be, that booking agents are not employees of outfitters and in fact may have never even contacted the outfitter before trying to sell his hunts. That has happened to me on a few occasions and the only way I find out is when they call me to tell me they have a hunter for me, and then ask for a cut.
For everyone's information here, I have basically stayed booked up simply by word of mouth for the last thirty years, so no need to pay some stranger 15% of the gross for nothing. But occasionally, especially when I lived year around in the bush without phone contact, and would get cancellations I would contact booking agents to find clients.
This is most likely where brown bear got confused, and he seems easily confused, but unless a guide and contractor uses the same agent often, they have no idea of what they are putting out there. I could write an entire article on crooked booking agents - and another on good ones.
But this entire thread got side tracked with an accusation that I was a liar - for what I can gather was something some un-named booking agent claimed !! It certainly would have helped if he had started out telling me that xxxxx was saying something he believed to be false, rather than attacking me.

If it looks, sounds and walks like a duck.......

I think the entire issue is ridiculous...obviously this is someone jealous of Phils reputation and success as an outfitter.

I have seen this sort of nonsense in the outfitting business;creating issues from non-issues in order to discredit someone else is the practice of a feeble mind.

Some folks should grow up.

I was thinking the same thing. Who does this jerk, BrnBear, think he is attacking Phil, a man whose reputation in the hunting/guiding industry is impeccable and has been so for many, many years.

Reckon BrnBear is yet another incarnation of the old weirdo Larry Root?

BrnBear has some big issues Phil. Your just this week's target.

BrnBear, please get some help for whatever bug is up your posterior.

Nope.

TJ is someone else.

It's pretty obvious that some folks here know who this BB/TJ is, and he could be a generally decent guy who has a peculiar issue or two, one of which is that he has it in for Phil - jealousy or envy being at the root of it without question. It also says a lot about the people who know who the troublemaker is that they haven't publicly posted his identity all over for all to see. (He might also be a complete loser, no-good character. In either case, it's pretty obvious how this accusation makes him look.)

This seems somewhat akin to what you hear in the major dog-mushing world as well. If your name is Seavey, Mackey, Swenson, Butcher, Buser, King, etc, there are people who talk. As with most things, if you're a winner, there are some who will assume that you cheat somehow. Phil has a winning reputation, so guess what?

Alaska is a big place with a small-town feel. People know too much, but not enough which sometimes leads to stupid stuff.

If not Root then a weirdo cut from the same cloth?

I don't know him, just did some sleuthin'.

Can't speculate on the 'problem'.

He has some problems for sure and for certain.

To do my part to settle this argument I am willing to buy a airline ticket ( at my own expense even) and fly up for say 15 days to evaluate this MR Shoemaker, I am how ever booker up working until about May 10th.

After this fiasco you might be wise to check references on the pilot, as well as the booking agent and outfitter.

You can say that again. I'm glad he isn't flying over my house.

Yeah, his posts are just creepy. It seems like he spends a good amount of his time stalking Phil. It sounds like a case of unrequited love.

Klik, it doesn't require much in the way of fortitude,to take gratuitous swings at others from under the cover of anonymity.

Phil's dealt with worse brown bears.

It must be a jealousy thing since Phil takes big bears every year.

Don't know if this is the brownbear dude or not but he posted this pic a few years ago.........

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/Hinkle1/Bears/Jimsbear2.jpg


Maybe somebody recognizes the guy or the names in the http: thing?

He started giving Phil crap 3 years ago (March 9, 2010)..........

Re: Brown Bear discounted hunt. [Re: BW]
BrnBear Online content
Member

Registered: 10/29/01
Posts: 110
Loc: Ak.
Man, That's a hell of a deal! (considering most hunts on the Alaskan Peninsula are $15000.)
Is that "deal" with your guide who "lives year around in the Alaskan "bush" with his family"? (That's a direct quote from your web site.)
That has got to be a hell of a deal. Hunting with a guy that actually lives year around in the bush! He's the only one in Alaska that does that, right?
He actually lives in the bush year around? I guess that means he does not have computer access? Damn shame. Be nice to ask him some questions.

Ain't that the truth. I hate to make assumptions about a feller, but this guy certainly doesn't give us much on which to make assumptions about him other than that he is some unhappy, barely competent (perhaps I'm being generous), constipated, paranoid, bitter old fart. Perhaps he even thought that a few of us who share some of those traits might side with him. Oh, and he's obviously a fool. And Phil has been very much the gentleman through all this that I have come to see in his writing - and would be very challenged to be if it were me!

I hate when people on the Internet say things they wouldn't to your face. From every action Phil has taken, from everyone I've spoke to about him, Phil is a standup guy, legendary guide, and someone who has seen and passed the test of combat as well as a genuinely nice person. I hate to see someone snipe him from behind an internet "handle".