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Didn't know he was that much more, but that's the price of quality, ........Fred contracts with the various HTA's (Hunter-Trapper Associations) in the North, and a few good experienced guides who have the iniative to go it on their own but don't understand either marketing or the ways of the south. Some of these guides starting on their own need financial assistance and guidance on what is expected .........Fred does provide that, plus appropriate gear, and has high standards, ......he has a reputation to protect! Also, either he or Martin, his son, will be supervising the hunt from a base and checking daily on progress.

Many of the others have contracted with an HTA to provide hunters for up to 45% of the total cost. This percentage they dole out as commissions to anyone that can find a hunter. In auctuality they're wholesaling the hunts. They take your money, book the airlines (for another commission) and send you on the way! Here, you're a the mercy of the Gods. You may end up with an inexperienced guide or just a lazy one who wants to get the hunt over and get back to town to party .....he'll get paid anyways.

It's hard to explain, but bear hunts are vital cash to many communities, jobs are scarce, and everyone visulizes himself as a great hunter earning good money. They forget that it's hard work, and you have to maintain a good dog team all year and find good, conscientious helpers. It's getting harder every year, as the older hunters are just that, getting older and getting out of it. A the young generation doesn't take the same pride in the profession, instead just seeing the dollar signs.

Fred does his best to hand pick who's going to be out on the sea-ice representing him and looking after his clients. We've sometimes used the same guides for muskox and occasionally for caribou combos. Since Fred got serious on this, I've stayed away from the polar bear hunts and concentrated on my own caribou camps, utilizing a few of the good guides (often it's the same ones)for muskox. We sometimes discuss who's good, who's started drinking, or who's discovered wacky-weed, and they're off our "good" list.

Also, Fred's in it for a long run and expects Martin to continue the business, so he looks after the communities and those he uses for hunting, and reimburses them better than anyone else.

Now, maybe I'm a bit prejudiced, but after 35 years in the North, I believe that in order to do a good job in the North, an outfitter has to be a Northerner and understand the North. In order to live here and be accepted, you have to be fair and treat everyone as an equal. I believe Fred qualifies as an accepted Northerner. ........Can't say that for most of the so-called Arctic Specialists!

'Nuff said!

~Arctic~

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"A stranger is a friend we haven't met!"