Goose Haven Canada

Submitted by: Joseph Cotten

Review Submitted: Feb 20, 2011

Hunt Date: Oct 4, 2010

Species Hunted: Ducks, Geese

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Shotgun

Price Range: 2000-2999

Returning Again

2010 was our second trip to Goose Haven and we are returning again this year with a larger group. This is my fourth hunting trip to Canada and I have been with another outfitter in eastern Canada and Goose Haven is by far a better hunting experience. The birds were plentful and our guides did an excellent job of finding where the birds are feeding. The lodge is rustic, but hey you are in northern Canada. Our group has stayed in both the larger and smaller cabin and it is acceptable. Being from South Louisiana, the food there doesn't quiet match our chefs down here but it is good. I like the all inclusive price as I have done it the other way where you have to purchase your licenses, shells, etc before arriving at the lodge. I would recommend Goose Haven Canada for some of the best early season waterfowl hunting.

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Submitted by: Shannon Muise

Review Submitted: Feb 19, 2011

Hunt Date: Sep 20, 2010

Species Hunted: Ducks, Geese, Sandhill Cranes

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Shotgun

Price Range: 2000-2999

Awesome Hunt

This was the best hunt that we ever had. Lots and lots of birds, great people and delicious food and awesome lodging. The guides were great and very friendly. They call the birds in so close, there is no way you can miss or not have a ton of fun. Our group was all smiles when we shot our limit of birds in 29 mins the first morning! What a blast!! We couldn't have asked for more! Goose Haven Canada is a first class hunting outfit. Scott and Lynn make sure from the time you arrive to the time you leave you are having a first class hunt. P.S. We are all returning for our 3rd year with Scott and Lynn this fall...that is how good it is!

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Submitted by: Robert Kinney

Review Submitted: Oct 14, 2010

Hunt Date: Oct 11, 2010

Species Hunted: Ducks, Geese

Days Hunted: 5

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Shotgun

Price Range: 3000-3999

Second Rate Outfitter with good internet marketing

This hunt is billed all over the internet as "first class" and with all sorts of other fine statements about it. I have to say that I was not impressed. I was so unimpressed, as a matter of fact, that I left two days early from the hunt. The problem was not the birds. There were pockets of fine birds, and the operators of this service have a good selection of local fields to hunt. Here were the problems, as I see them: 1. Lousy Operators. The operator, Scott, has very little idea about how to serve people. The camp is built around his conveniences, and those of his wife. He has no other real job, so he makes all his annual living in 7.5 weeks. He also has very little good BS and seems a little angry. On the plus side, he did seem quite concerned that we see plenty of birds, and we appreciated that. 2. Expensive. I have been on fly-out fishing trips in Alaska that are truly first class and were not much more than the $650/day we paid for this hunt. What we got for our money was lousy. 3. Bad Food. There were only two meals served per day. No breakfast, instead we just got eggs and frozen hash browns for lunch, after hunting. We were expected to bring a yogurt bar and piece of fruit out to the field for early eats. Dinners over the three days we stayed ranged from truly awful (a disgusting stew that had raw potatoes, raw carrots, raw brocolli and peas, along with some cheap sausage) to decent (a stroganoff made with goose, mushroom soup, and sour cream). In total, I think the budget for food per person per week could not have been more than $50-75, total. 4. Little service. The guests are expected to set out the blinds and decoys every day, which took an hour or more for setup and tear down. This is not first class. It's economy. 5. Cheap equipment. The service has two suburbans. One had an exhaust leak that was bad. Both had well over 150,000 miles on them. That said, the decoys used by the service were quite good. 6. No permanent camps. We used lay down blinds the whole time, which is not a problem necessarily, but for that money I expected at least a little infrastructure in the field. 7. Client-unfriendly policies. We arrived to a demand that we pay all of our outstanding balance before receiving any services. This is something I have never seen and my father had never seen, and the people who were staying in our cabin had never seen before. We objected and were told that we could take a hike if we did not want to pay everything else owed before receiving any services. According to Scott, they "have a waiting list and [they] are selective." In my opinion, this policy was probably implemented because other guests have seen what they get for their money and left without paying (something we'd never do). We were then also told that our tips needed to be paid to the owners. This is another red-flag. I'd never do that, ever. 8. Cheap, dirty cabin. While the sheets were clean enough and the mattresses had no obvious problems, the linens were not nice, the floor was pretty gross and was not cleaned (much) while were were there, and it just generally, again, was not "first class," as claimed. Up to 8 people share one tiny bathroom. The water is not potable (and tastes and smells like rust - though they do provide bottled water). The toilet is one of the tiny ones that a grown man gets crap on the back of because his butt won't fit on it. Again, there were plenty of birds, considering the weather and the fact that it IS hunting. We can't blame the lodge for the fact that there were not as many as we hoped. But the owners were bad hosts, in my opinion, and mostly concerned about themselves and squeezing whatever they needed financially out of the lodge. I could tell that Goose Haven Canada is not dependent on repeat guests. And their website is also full of misleading information about what they offer. I'd go elsewhere next time, and i will do better diligence next time I decide to try a new lodge.

Outfitter Response: As a respectable outfitter we appreciate feedback. Especially when it is accurate. We have been operating this service for over 15 years. We have a waiting list because we have such a high return rate. Our reference list contains virtually every client, INCLUDING THE GROUPS THAT HUNTED DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. Feel free to speak to them. We are a professional outfitter and safety is paramount. We take our responsibility serious. And most people respect that. But sometimes we have to put our foot down.

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Submitted by: Jim Cranston

Review Submitted: Apr 25, 2010

Hunt Date: Oct 21, 2009

Species Hunted: Ducks, Geese, Sandhill Cranes

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Shotgun

Price Range: 1000-1999

Awesome waterfowl hunt.....in every way.

Absolutely incredible waterfowl hunt. This outfitter is first class. The hunting was terrific, everything we had hoped for. The food was superb, as much as you can eat. The lodging was great, comfortable with daily housekeeping. The equipment (decoys, blinds, etc.) was the best on the market. Everyone involved with the operation (guides, spotters, housekeepers, farmers) were professional, friendly and great people. Well maintained suburbans were used for transportation with heavy duty enclosed trailers. Everything was included; all our shells (ammunition), license, bird cleaning, tax, meals, lodging. It was hassle free and just a wonderful time. This was everything we expected and more. Memories for a lifetime!!!

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