Phil Cagle, Cypress Slough Hunting Club, Dundee, MS Drunk, In it just for the money, never does what he promises Dundee Mississippi

Duck hunting is a very finicky and very expensive business/hobby. People like me on the business side pay *lots* of money to lease land, prep the land, build pits and blinds for hunters/members and generally have the property in a condition that's ideal for duck hunting. People on the customer/member side pay *lots* of money to either join a club or have a guided hunt for a day or two. It's not cheap ... and in this economy, I can appreciate that ... I've got a family and other financial commitments as well. Unfortunately, there's one huge part of this equation that I cannot control ... where the ducks are on any given day. If you find an outfitter that will refund your money when you don't kill any ducks - or will guarantee you a limit - let me know. The 2015-2016 was *unusually bad* for everyone in the MS Delta with "good" and "great" hunts being the exception and not the rule.

 

People assume that paying good money for a club membership or a guided hunt guarantees ducks ... and unfortunately, that's just not the case. There's a reason it's called "hunting" and not "killing"  - it's because there's a wildcard in the equation - THE DUCKS. I take pride in my club and in my guided hunts ... I WANT people to kill ducks. Why wouldn't I? As a businessman, I want repeat business and word of mouth business from people who have hunted with me. it's not in my best interest to leave a bad taste in people's mouths.

 

I've been doing this a long time and have been very successful at it. I've seen people come and go in clubs that I run and in clubs that I was a member of. People always know better - people always think I'm somehow out to screw them over - people are mad at something I've said and/or done - people think I'm in it only for the money; I've seen and heard it all and I know that it comes with the territory.

 

Most people who don't kill ducks complain ... They always have and they always will. I understand the sentiment, but all I can do about it is do my best to make sure they have a successful hunt - I can say without fail that I do that and I sleep well at night knowing I've given everything I had to make that happen. Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn't work out and these type of slanderous posts and complaints are the end result. 

 

... and suing for an unsuccessful hunt is like suing the local weatherman because he said it'd be sunny on the day of your daughter's outdoor wedding and then it rains. The weatherman - like me - is making an educated guess based off of the facts at hand - but guess what? He can't control the weather any more than I can control where a duck decides to fly. Unfortunate? Sure. His/My fault? Not at all.