PSA Dont Book Wards Outfitter For Sandhill Crane

[trphyhntr]

On 1/3/2026 at 11:45 AM, az_shooter said:

Tell us why you handed the business over to your wife again? Surely it wasn't because of legal trouble, was it? 

Did they shoot something out of season, use illegal methods? 

[PRDATR]

10 hours ago, CatfishKev said:

 

What are the cliff notes here? Is he parading around a live bird or what?  

Edit, nevermind found it.  Parading around a bird indeed..

 

When I'm over south of elfrida I think off frontier road I always see a couple signs for guided sandhill hunts, kind of near whitewater draw.  Gonna have to look closer next time and see who it is.  

Is there a link to the story?

[CatfishKev]

2 hours ago, PRDATR said:

Is there a link to the story?

I googled full color waterfowl and The guides name and it came up under the video option

[cactusjack]

I found it.  Not a good look.  

I was helping a friend hunt in 2023 and he had 2 crippled birds that I recovered.  The suckers stood up, spread their wings and were wanting a fight.  I wouldn't have carried a live one on my shoulders.  I was glad I watched Karate Kid as a youngster.  I know that the Crane Technique is not to be messed with.  You have to sweep the leg.........

[wildwoody]

we are so cynical, how cares there big ugly birds

[TR0UBLE SH00TER]

On 1/4/2026 at 5:13 AM, trphyhntr said:

Did they shoot something out of season, use illegal methods? 

Guiding hunters in a NF where you aren't permitted and have been warned not to may not be an "illegal method" but it is a form of poaching.  

Mysteriously, "forgetting" to report only those specific hunts on your yearly guiding report shows you were aware you were flouting the rules.

 

Over 4 years ago, @wardsoutfitters himself, promised us, "In time folks I will give you all the details", if we were patient, but never followed through.

Here's the link:

 

 

 

 

[40-year-AZ-hunter]

On 1/4/2026 at 5:13 AM, trphyhntr said:

Did they shoot something out of season, use illegal methods? 

I guess you forgot how it went since posting in Feb 2022,

"No I think we all understood it pretty well, nobody really cares "

[dsotm]

3 hours ago, TR0UBLE SH00TER said:

Guiding hunters in a NF where you aren't permitted and have been warned not to may not be an "illegal method" but it is a form of poaching.  

Mysteriously, "forgetting" to report only those specific hunts on your yearly guiding report shows you were aware you were flouting the rules.

 

Over 4 years ago, @wardsoutfitters himself, promised us, "In time folks I will give you all the details", if we were patient, but never followed through.

Here's the link:

He won't be back until they get caught again so he can promise another explanation that we won't get 

[trphyhntr]

2 hours ago, 40-year-AZ-hunter said:

I guess you forgot how it went since posting in Feb 2022,

 

 

Of course not. I just wanted everyone to be reminded what he was being called a poacher for in this thread. Which wasn’t poaching.
 

Maybe there’s another case I’m not aware of that dtosm is referring to on the first page. 
 

 

[40-year-AZ-hunter]

1 hour ago, trphyhntr said:

 I just wanted everyone to be reminded what he was being called a poacher for in this thread. Which wasn’t poaching.

You left out your 2022 claim that nobody cares. Clearly this thread and the 2022 thread indicate that people do care and clearly the Commission cared enough to suspend the license for 5 years.

Now, Arizona statutes or rules do not define "poaching" per se. Here is a link to Britanica's definition. Seems to me to apply.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/poaching-law

What definition are you using to defend this?

[NOTAGS]

If they were guiding, they weren’t doing the shooting or taking. The licensed hunter was. And not charged. Thus, your definition  would not apply.

[trphyhntr]

15 hours ago, 40-year-AZ-hunter said:

You left out your 2022 claim that nobody cares. Clearly this thread and the 2022 thread indicate that people do care and clearly the Commission cared enough to suspend the license for 5 years.

Now, Arizona statutes or rules do not define "poaching" per se. Here is a link to Britanica's definition. Seems to me to apply.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/poaching-law

What definition are you using to defend this?

I stand by what I said. Nobody cares about him not having a national forest service permit. he should get in trouble or whatever since it’s the law. But it’s not the crime of the century 
 

  No I don’t think that’s poaching. I don’t need to elaborate.