Stephan Lake Lodge - Hunters Be Aware

[Akhunter1776]

We booked our Moose hunt with Stephan Lake Lodge in December of 2020 with an initial scheduled hunt in 2022.

My daughter was pregnant and due in 2022 so in October 2021 we rolled over our hunt to 2023.

We provided payment in full on November 1, 2021.

Our Guide – Outfitter Contract indicated a lodge arrival date of September 3rd and departure date of September 16th.

Our Guide – Outfitter Contract was defined in writing as “Two 1 x 1 guided hunts simultaneous”

Our Guide – Outfitter Contract clarified in writing that bush plane flights during the hunt were included with schedule dependent upon weather.

Our Guide – Outfitter Contract clarified in writing that “(hunters may be combined in one group after moose harvest if preferred by hunters)”

Unfortunately, on December 5, 2022, the Outfitter notified us that they only had availability for August 25th thru September 3rd, irrespective of our fully paid contracts with September hunt dates specified. We reluctantly accepted the earlier dates.

On December 13th, 2022, the Outfitter e-mail correspondence indicated “We will have planes in the air up until the 24th of August scouting for animals. This will give us the best chance at placing you guys in a prime spot.”

This did not happen, and it is our understanding from our packer, registered field guide and master guide, that no scouting was done prior to our hunt.

According to our field guide, our field guide had never met our master guide and our field guide had never before hunted in the Guide Use Area we hunted.

On February 26th, 2023, the Outfitter indicated that our Master Guide was xxxx xxxxxx, and he would be in touch with us in the spring.

On June 15th, 2023, the Outfitter indicated; “You will need this information: xxxx xxxxxx is our Registered Guide Lic # xxxx City: xxxxxx xxxx State: Alaska.”

On August 13, 2023, the Outfitter e-mailed;

“Scott, We will be meeting you in Talkeetna on the 23rd when you sign your hunt records with xxxxx. We can take anything you don't want to bring in the field with you and have it at the lodge when you come back. More than likely you and your son in law will be at different camps and can meet back up at the lodge. We are doing some scouting this week”

Our guide and our packer indicated that there had been no scouting that they were aware of for the areas we were flown in for our hunt.

On August 21st our Outfitter e-mailed;

“Scott and Ryan, I have some bad news. I had you scheduled with two guides, xxxxxx xxxxxxxx and xxxxx xxxxxx for your upcoming hunt. Unfortunately, xxxxx took a very bad spill at work and deeply bruised his thigh muscle. It isn’t broken but he is instructed to stay off of it for at least 7 days or until the intense pain subsides. I know this not the news any of us want to hear but unfortunately this does happen in the guide industry. xxxxxx, is lined up and excited to take you both along with an experienced packer, xxxxx xxxxxxxx. He is a seasoned Alaskan guide and knows the area well.”

According to our field guide, he had never been in the area we flew into, was not aware of any scouting in the area and had no topo or aerial maps of the area.

According to Alaska Professional Licensing, xxxx xxxxxx does not have a license for the Guide Use Area we were hunting in, nor any Guide Use Area in Game Management Unit 14. Likewise, our Guide in the field, xxxxxx xxxxxxxx does not have a license to conduct hunts in the Guide Use Area that we were hunting in.

I assume that this is the reason our Outfitter contracted with xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx to be our Master Guide, as he has a license to conduct hunts in the Guide Use Area and Game Management Unit we were hunting in. Unfortunately, xxxxxx had never met xxxxxx xxxxxxxx and did not even know xxxxxx'x Guide License # until the day we flew out to the field.

It is also worth mentioning that our packer and guide were not provided with any type of bear fence and food items were stored under an open tarp and in the guide’s tent. Not surprisingly, bears entered our camp on two occasions, destroying and damaging tents and food products.

All of the above is written to give a clear understanding of the lack of proper planning and communication for this scheduled big game hunt and the unmet representations from our contract and written correspondence.

We paid $60,000 for two 1x1 hunts with bush flights in the field included.

We received one 2x1 hunt with only one transport to and from the field with one guide and one packer.

We paid for two charter flights to/from the Lodge for a total of $3,000, which we did not receive.

We were not offered any refunds, even after courteous request.

This post is written so that other hunters are informed and aware.

Stephan lake has been sketchy for years. It's sold 3 times in the last few years that I'm aware of. I don't know anything about the new owners but I was optimistic that someone decent was going to buy it until I read this story. I'd talk to BGCSB (big game commercial services board) in Alaska about your contract. Sounds like there was a 1x1 contract but only a 2x1 hunt performed. Talk to BGCSB and see what they recommend but it might be worth trying to at very least getting some money back from them. Typically 2x1 hunts are quite a bit cheaper and you might be in a position to get 1/4 of your payment back. I know it probably doesn't mean much as in I'm sure you would've preferred to just get what you payed for but sadly this does happen

 

[Redrice]

Brutal experience! I do hope that any degree of recourse you might pursue proves successful.

 

[Stephan Lake Lodge]

We booked our Moose hunt with Stephan Lake Lodge in December of 2020 with an initial scheduled hunt in 2022.

My daughter was pregnant and due in 2022 so in October 2021 we rolled over our hunt to 2023.

We provided payment in full on November 1, 2021.

Our Guide – Outfitter Contract indicated a lodge arrival date of September 3rd and departure date of September 16th.

Our Guide – Outfitter Contract was defined in writing as “Two 1 x 1 guided hunts simultaneous”

Our Guide – Outfitter Contract clarified in writing that bush plane flights during the hunt were included with schedule dependent upon weather.

Our Guide – Outfitter Contract clarified in writing that “(hunters may be combined in one group after moose harvest if preferred by hunters)”

Unfortunately, on December 5, 2022, the Outfitter notified us that they only had availability for August 25th thru September 3rd, irrespective of our fully paid contracts with September hunt dates specified. We reluctantly accepted the earlier dates.

On December 13th, 2022, the Outfitter e-mail correspondence indicated “We will have planes in the air up until the 24th of August scouting for animals. This will give us the best chance at placing you guys in a prime spot.”

This did not happen, and it is our understanding from our packer, registered field guide and master guide, that no scouting was done prior to our hunt.

According to our field guide, our field guide had never met our master guide and our field guide had never before hunted in the Guide Use Area we hunted.

On February 26th, 2023, the Outfitter indicated that our Master Guide was xxxx xxxxxx, and he would be in touch with us in the spring.

On June 15th, 2023, the Outfitter indicated; “You will need this information: xxxx xxxxxx is our Registered Guide Lic # xxxx City: xxxxxx xxxx State: Alaska.”

On August 13, 2023, the Outfitter e-mailed;

“Scott, We will be meeting you in Talkeetna on the 23rd when you sign your hunt records with xxxxx. We can take anything you don't want to bring in the field with you and have it at the lodge when you come back. More than likely you and your son in law will be at different camps and can meet back up at the lodge. We are doing some scouting this week”

Our guide and our packer indicated that there had been no scouting that they were aware of for the areas we were flown in for our hunt.

On August 21st our Outfitter e-mailed;

“Scott and Ryan, I have some bad news. I had you scheduled with two guides, xxxxxx xxxxxxxx and xxxxx xxxxxx for your upcoming hunt. Unfortunately, xxxxx took a very bad spill at work and deeply bruised his thigh muscle. It isn’t broken but he is instructed to stay off of it for at least 7 days or until the intense pain subsides. I know this not the news any of us want to hear but unfortunately this does happen in the guide industry. xxxxxx, is lined up and excited to take you both along with an experienced packer, xxxxx xxxxxxxx. He is a seasoned Alaskan guide and knows the area well.”

According to our field guide, he had never been in the area we flew into, was not aware of any scouting in the area and had no topo or aerial maps of the area.

According to Alaska Professional Licensing, xxxx xxxxxx does not have a license for the Guide Use Area we were hunting in, nor any Guide Use Area in Game Management Unit 14. Likewise, our Guide in the field, xxxxxx xxxxxxxx does not have a license to conduct hunts in the Guide Use Area that we were hunting in.

I assume that this is the reason our Outfitter contracted with xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx to be our Master Guide, as he has a license to conduct hunts in the Guide Use Area and Game Management Unit we were hunting in. Unfortunately, xxxxxx had never met xxxxxx xxxxxxxx and did not even know xxxxxx'x Guide License # until the day we flew out to the field.

It is also worth mentioning that our packer and guide were not provided with any type of bear fence and food items were stored under an open tarp and in the guide’s tent. Not surprisingly, bears entered our camp on two occasions, destroying and damaging tents and food products.

All of the above is written to give a clear understanding of the lack of proper planning and communication for this scheduled big game hunt and the unmet representations from our contract and written correspondence.

We paid $60,000 for two 1x1 hunts with bush flights in the field included.

We received one 2x1 hunt with only one transport to and from the field with one guide and one packer.

We paid for two charter flights to/from the Lodge for a total of $3,000, which we did not receive.

We were not offered any refunds, even after courteous request.

This post is written so that other hunters are informed and aware.

Hi there, this is the new owners of Stephan Lake Lodge. I want to respond to this post with transparency and honesty. Below I have posted the email response I sent to the gentleman that wrote this review. We had a very wet fall in Alaska this year and we had several groups waive the white flag early. The group that wrote this review asked to be pulled out on day 4 of a 10 day hunt. I offered to move camp for them at no additional cost or for them to return to the lodge and relax and enjoy guided fishing for the rest of their stay. They refused both and chose on their own to fly directly home. We can control the weather and we do everything we can to make sure everyone is as comfortable as possible in the Alaskan Wilderness. Often times it is very wet. We are doing everything we can to make a new name for Stephan Lake Lodge and offer very few exclusive hunts ensuring our clients have a great success rate. We have been in Talkeetna Alaska for over 25 years hunting and fishing. We have surrounded ourselves with Alaskan guides with an abundance of hunting experience and make sure we are able to offer a safe experience giving the best opportunity at harvesting an animal. The lodge is an amazing place with an abundance of untouched hunting grounds.

 

[Stephan Lake Lodge]

Stephan lake has been sketchy for years. It's sold 3 times in the last few years that I'm aware of. I don't know anything about the new owners but I was optimistic that someone decent was going to buy it until I read this story. I'd talk to BGCSB (big game commercial services board) in Alaska about your contract. Sounds like there was a 1x1 contract but only a 2x1 hunt performed. Talk to BGCSB and see what they recommend but it might be worth trying to at very least getting some money back from them. Typically 2x1 hunts are quite a bit cheaper and you might be in a position to get 1/4 of your payment back. I know it probably doesn't mean much as in I'm sure you would've preferred to just get what you payed for but sadly this does happen

The personal email response to the client:

We bought the lodge last August from the previous owner. I was told I would have a full staff including guides and packers. When I arrived that was not the case. So we scrambled and found what we needed to get through last year. Last fall we secured a Master Guide. How the laws in Alaska work for hunting is confusing to most. Assistant Guides have to work under a Registered or Master Guide and can hunt in any unit the Registered/Master Guide is licensed in. I did not explain the play by play for securing an experienced Master Guide to our clients because it would cause unneeded concern. Our Master Guide has been hunting in Alaska for over 40 years and one of very few Master Guides. I also had two very experienced guides secured for you. Johnny, your guide, is a Registered Guide in Unit 16 and an Assistant Guide for the rest of the state. He has hunted in Unit 14 for over 20 years. Chris, who unfortunately hurt his leg, also has over 20 years of hunting experience. I know you had paid the previous owner for two 1X1 hunts a few years ago and we have done everything we could to facilitate that, injuries did not allow us too and are out of our control. It is our job as the outfitter to hire the guides and packers. The Master Guide chats with them about their experience and safety protocols and signs the contracts. It is very common for the Master Guide, Assistant Guide and Packers to not have met face to face prior to a hunt, but they have communicated about expectations and responsibilities. We also had multiple planes in the air for the month prior to your hunt and put you in a location that we have seen many opportunities at. We used the same location again later in the season and saw three legal bulls and harvested one. Flying you from Talkeetna with the weather window we were given was the best move to give you an opportunity in the field. To facilate this we had to use a commerical bush plane compmay instead of our contracted bush plane. This cost is considerable more on both ends as well as your pick up and drop off in Anchorage. I am sorry the weather did not cooperate with you guys, being wet and cold always makes it hard. Our Master Guide, our Assistant Guide, and the packer all hold the proper licensing to hunt in Unit 14.
Unbeknownst to us we purchased a very messy situation. We knew of the previous owners poor reputation and shady practices. We had and still do hope to turn the reputation of the lodge around. It is a beautiful place and has so much to offer. It has been very difficult working through the previous owners clients as we have found the expectations are not only unrealistic but for the most part absurd. We did the right thing when we took over and agreed to facilitate the previously booked hunts. The previous owner overbooked by the extent that we have not been able to receive any revenue from hunts last year or this year. He booked two years worth of hunts for last year. When we took over I had to rollover half of them to have an opportunity to give the clients the best experience we could. I can not offer you a refund. We never received any of your money so we but we can offer you a discount on a future hunt. Again, I am sorry I was unable to offer you two guides, but I was able to offer a very experienced guide and a good hunting location. If you would like to come back with a hunting partner, I would suggest a 2X1 hunt with one Moose Tag and one Grizzly tag. This would normally cost $44,000 with the 2x1 discount. We could offer it to you for $24,000. This is what the hunt costs us to execute. Moving forward we are only booking 6 Moose Hunts a year, all the last two 10 day periods in September. That's a maximum total of 6 hunters. The previous owner booked 19 a season. We know this will allow our clients to have ultimate success while making sure we aren't over harvesting. We hope you can understand where we are coming from and we would love another chance to show you the Alaska we love!

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Sounds like a fair response. I and others asked the OP if they were able to harvest a tag, but I didn’t see their response. Good luck turning the reputation of the lodge around. Sounds like you started behind the 8 ball. Do right by your clients and employees and everything will work out in time. Best of luck.

Also, is Tony Taranto still guiding there? I don’t know him but I’ve seen Stephan Lake Lodge on a hunt on YouTube and he was the guide during that hunt. Just curious.

 

[mike.adams.467]

I was just verifying that it wasn't a typo.

Then why type "lol"?

 

[JerryLeblanc]

Wow I can’t even imagine how pissed I would be. Hope you spare some others your pain.