I'm trying to stay out of this since I wasn't in camp when Mike was but I answered some of his questions in a PM earlier and I'm a little surprised they keep coming up in this open forum. The state of Alaska has a pretty good website regarding pending court cases and as of last week there are ZERO pending cases against Tom Shankster. I could not find any against any of the assistant guides I know by name either. I also told Mike that the licensing board confirmed to me personally that he has an active license and it is to quote them "highly unlikely" that he will not be operating legally in 2015. It takes very little effort to go from Internet conjecture and opinion to fact on some of this stuff. Mike-- I can also tell you why you are getting letters from Alaska regarding your failure to file your harvest report. Those last seven words are the key. The state of Alaska regulations place the burden for filing the harvest report on the hunter. Not the outfitter, guide or assistant guide. Tom may have told you he would file it for you--don't know and if he did shame on him-but if you download the regulations and go to the hunting report requirements you won't see anyone responsible but you.

Here is my experience regarding hunters to guides in camp when I hunted. Sheep: hunter 1 (repeat client and name unknown) guide Louie, hunter 2&3 Waylon and Chase (2/1 by contract) guide Spenser, hunter #4 John and guide George, #5 Chris and guide Joey, #6 Steve and guide Daniel and finally #7 me and guide was Bob Graham and later Spenser when Waylon and Chase tagged out. The gentleman from Colorado you referenced in your post as being in camp for a month without a guide was there at the start with me on a bear and caribou hunt. No guide required and from what he told me it was a free hunt because he was friends with Tom and had a serious and probably terminal illness and wanted to get to Alaska to hunt while he was still able. I could be wrong but he seemed quite content with the circumstances he was under.

Perfect hunt last year-nope. And I've offered to give my negatives to anyone interested by PM, email or phone. Heck, my buddy Chris took a great sheep and is pretty unhappy so my experience doesn't mean all was rosy. But I sure didn't have all the issues I'm seeing here and I didn't hear of any illegal sheep, rotted meat, falsified contracts, etc. I just pulled my signed contract for this year and it was signed 10/22/2014 for a hunt starting 21 August 2015. All I can do is say I'll be happy to report on how this next hunt goes if anyone is interested.

Regards,

Don

Don you should take out your phone number and post the private message you sent me and my reply to it. It would be highly informative for everyone on the public forum to know what you think of Larry Kolek, Tom Shankster, Bob Graham, Alaskan Trophy Hunters and the events of the hunt.

Tom Shankster has gone on another forum and posted.

http://onyourownadventures.com....php?t=260920&page=6



#144
Today, 01:46 PM
Tom Shankster
Member

Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 3

To answer question. No I have not been ticked or sited. . I have been thougly investigated however.



So I assume He will be hunting which is very bad for uniformed clients.

I will be going in front of the Alaska Commercial Services Board - I don't take too lightly to have a contract I have signed modified and backdated.

Biebs can come here and say if I am lying about him asking Tom Shankster if he is left handed and Tom Shankster saying he is ambidextrous as he was filling out client paperwork.


Tom Shankster and Alaskan Trophy Hunters said they would be handling all paperwork for meat recovery, moose harvest report and he would be doing a european skull mount with leather for $800.


There were at least three hunters from Colorado. The individual you mentioned Don is the former commercial banker. Nice guy did not know he was very sick - he looked healthy. I know he was in camp for a long time too. We spoke a fair bit the first few days I was in camp. The person from Colorado who did not hunt for 30 days was a taxidermist. He was the person working on Biebs bear rug. He was a young guy - early to mid 30s.

Don your hunt contract for 2015 better be in proper shape if Tom Shankster is still hunting. The contracts from 2014 were not. As I told you in my PM if Tom Shankster is hunting hopefully this thread and other stuff on internet will cause him to buy base camp some food.

Don you did not hear of any rotted meat when you left after your sheep hunt. But you know there was wasted meat last year as reported to you and all the hunters interviewed by the Alaskan State Troopers.

Don please post your PM to me on the open forum it will provide a context to the sh*t storm later hunters were stepping into.

Hope you enjoy your hunt with Bob Graham - I would stay as far away from Tom Shankster as possible. I am not surprised your friend who connected with a nice sheep did not enjoy his hunt - he is in the same boat I am in without having to endure all the issues from later in the hunting season.

A honest hard hunt with no harvesting of animals is still a good hunt. A dishonest hunt or transaction regardless of the outcome is just that.


Caveat Emptor

Mike

All:
The purpose of threads like these should be to serve everyone's interest in the wisdom and value of booking or not booking a hunt. If it is not clear by now that due diligence is required if you are interested in one of these hunts then more posting will not have any impact. I do not doubt Mike's experience and his reminder to us-- "let the buyer beware" is most excellent advice.

I'm not going to share my PM because some of it was personal opinion and doesn't need to be on the open internet. I will say though that Bob Graham is a gentleman and hunter of the very highest caliber and just hunting with him makes the experience worth it. He is an Alaskan character and I'm glad I shared the time with him.

Now I'm going to try and take my own often neglected advice and shut up. I need to workout so I can keep up with Bob!!!

Regards,

Don

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DonW28:
I will say though that Bob Graham is a gentleman and hunter of the very highest caliber and just hunting with him makes the experience worth it. He is an Alaskan character and I'm glad I shared the time with him.[QUOTE]


+1

Mike

Anyone interested in this highly questionable hunt offer and this even more questionable outfitter should read and see what is posted on Matt Clyde's hunt report

http://onyourownadventures.com....php?t=260920&page=7

Unlike AR where we have only heard from Tom Shankster's non paid only work for discount hunt booking agent Larry Kolek. Tom Shankster and one of his guides (Louie who disappeared in Moose season) actually went on the other website and questioned if the hunter was actually a client. Hunter has posted a meat transfer form and a check made out to a guide for payment for moose hunt.

When it became clear the the Alaskan State Troopers were all over camp last year Tom Shankster started forging client contracts and in case of Matt Clyde started to disappear him as a client.

Why have a client who you claim did not hunt with you make out a check to your guide who never hunted with them? He was getting around all kinds of tax and banking regulations. How long has he been doing this kind of stuff ?

When it became clear he could not recover the moose killed - clients suddenly become non clients. They are left out to hang and dry and be subject to prosecution under Alaskan laws. Is this what you get from a master guide and someone who has had hundreds and hundreds of clients?

On my hunt I paid $12,800 - it was a guided hunt. All meat and trophy recovery was part of it. Tom Shankster said he would do the taxidermy for $800 and the only call I ever had from him after the hunt in October 2014 was if I wanted a leather cape.

The Alaskan State Trooper told me my moose was not recovered and it rotted away. My moose was shoot at the end of the runway. Bob and even Biebs on one try had packed some meat to the runway - I would say 1/4 of the moose was on the runway when I left. But it turns out it was left there to rot. And I am responsible for filing a Alaska Moose Harvest Report??

If Tom Shankster is still hunting this year it reflects very poorly on Alaskan government - State Troopers and Outfitter regulation.

Tom Shankster whole hunting operation has been shown for what it is - sell as many hunts as possible, sell hunts at different prices to sucker hunters, don't pay staff, don't recover any meat and don't care for client hunters safety or hunt experience. Its all about the money.

Any why not use free AR ad board to reach out to more clients with your non paid work for discount hunt only booking agent Larry Kolek.

Caveat Emptor

Mike

I read that report. Shocking is all I can say. I had zero doubt about Mike's story to begin with. This report contained at the link location should remove any doubt.

Buyer beware.

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
And I am responsible for filing a Alaska Moose Harvest Report??



Mike

Yes you are Mike, whether successful or not. It is easily done on the Alaska Fish and Game website.

Cheers
Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
And I am responsible for filing a Alaska Moose Harvest Report??



Mike

Yes you are Mike, whether successful or not. It is easily done on the Alaska Fish and Game website.

Cheers
Jim

Others can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they suspend your Alaska hunting privileges for a certain period of time if you do not file. At least that is what I was told when I went on my moose hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I read that report. Shocking is all I can say. I had zero doubt about Mike's story to begin with. This report contained at the link location should remove any doubt.

Buyer beware.

Unbelievable....

I thank all of the good folks who warned me off of hunting with Shankster.

It's is beyond comprehension that the state of Alaska is allowing Tom Shankster to operate as a Master Guide and sell hunts on public lands.

How can the state of Alaska ticket any resident or non resident hunter for wasted meat when a Master Guide wantonly wasted multiple moose and caribou ?

Tom Shankster is like Berne Madoff of Alaskan guides and hunting. Only looks like Tom Shankster and his marketing side kick Larry Kolek will need to go hit the local hunting shows, donated hunt circuit to try and find some new marks.

The Internet with verified information of emails, photos, canceled checks can throw a wrench in a well oiled hunting scam machine. Let's hope the state of Alaska finally acts before something more than just money is at risk.

Mike

You know Mike, sometimes government moves very slowly. This might not be over yet.

Interesting that this has been "SOLD" and the original offer removed.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Interesting that this has been "SOLD" and the original offer removed.

Yup should have cut and pasted it for future reference.



Matt Clyde has pretty much nailed him to the wall with emails, cancelled checks, meat recovery documentation and having Tom Shankster get on that board and say he was never a client.

Kind of scary with Shankster you actually want him to cash your check or he will try and sell you down river after he breaks the law as not being a client.

The more I hunt the high dollar hunts the more jaded I get on the whole industry. No one would tolerate this crap from another high dollar discretionary vacation service provider (four seasons/ritz)

Mike

I'm with you there. The hunting industry is rife with dirt bags...

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:
I'm with you there. The hunting industry is rife with dirt bags...

As they say..."Not every outfitter is a crook, but every crook at one point or another has been an outfitter".

Too bad Shankster doesn't come on here to defend his honor.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Too bad Shankster doesn't come on here to defend his honor.

I am just glad Larry Kolek cannot delete this thread.

Definetly not the norm on this message board for sold hunts to have their ad pulled. Someone is working hard to lower their profile.


I for one would like to hear from Tom Shankster on

Fraudulent hunt contracts
Forging of hunt contract dates
Clients becoming non clients
Payments to staff by clients and tax evasion
Actual payments to staff - has there been any
Wanton meat waste
Failure to recovery trophies

Damn I could type 20 more issues

Zero chance we hear from Tom Shankster. Matt Clyde has shown he will also lie as he did less than 4 days back on the other forum claiming Matt Clyde was not a client.

Mike

Larry Kolek normally does not delete the ad after the hunt sale has been made.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...011067802#2011067802

It is very strange to see all the hunt information disappear and replaced by sold. Maybe it was such a good deal other full paying clients were regretting their contractual obligations or Tom Shankster did not want to know as the guy who sells 10k dall sheep hunts.

Mike

Next time quote his ad, then it is preserved for future reference.

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Too bad Shankster doesn't come on here to defend his honor.

I am just glad Larry Kolek cannot delete this thread.

Definetly not the norm on this message board for sold hunts to have their ad pulled. Someone is working hard to lower their profile.


I for one would like to hear from Tom Shankster on

Fraudulent hunt contracts
Forging of hunt contract dates
Clients becoming non clients
Payments to staff by clients and tax evasion
Actual payments to staff - has there been any
Wanton meat waste
Failure to recovery trophies

Damn I could type 20 more issues

Zero chance we hear from Tom Shankster. Matt Clyde has shown he will also lie as he did less than 4 days back on the other forum claiming Matt Clyde was not a client.

Mike

I can think of a bunch of other possibilities. Having one's fees paid to a 3 rd party is usually a warning sign, a BIG warning sign.

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by elk88101:
We have one health related cancellation for this seasons Dall Sheep hunt.
The person will not be able to do the hunt and has agreed to forfeit his deposit.
So this will be a big discount for some one.
The hunt available in unit 19 west Slope of the Alaska range.
These are 1x1 trophy Dall Sheep hunts.
The hunt is from 20th to the 30th of August.
Black bear are free just have your tags.
The hunt is conducted by Alaska Trophy Hunts master guide Tom Shankster and world renown guide Bob Graham.
Fly to anchorage then Penn Air to McGrath then charter to camp. Or a charter direct from Anchorage
Should leave a few days for weather never know.

The hunt cost
Dall sheep 10 day hunt $10,000 ridiculously low priced most hunts are north of $15,0000

Not included license, tags, tips, and charter flight.
Charter can be arranged prices vary from location.
Web www.tsakhunts.com

Tom Shankster 720-244-8454
akhunts148@aol.com
Larry Kolek 575-791-9840
elk88101@hotmail.com
Email me I have some personal pictures I can send you.

Has Alaskan fish and game and alaskan state troopers completed their investigation and does Alaskan Trophy Hunts have all the legal requirements to sell this hunt ?

Mike

You preserved it Mike.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Too bad Shankster doesn't come on here to defend his honor.

I am just glad Larry Kolek cannot delete this thread.

Definetly not the norm on this message board for sold hunts to have their ad pulled. Someone is working hard to lower their profile.


I for one would like to hear from Tom Shankster on

Fraudulent hunt contracts
Forging of hunt contract dates
Clients becoming non clients
Payments to staff by clients and tax evasion
Actual payments to staff - has there been any
Wanton meat waste
Failure to recovery trophies

Damn I could type 20 more issues

Zero chance we hear from Tom Shankster. Matt Clyde has shown he will also lie as he did less than 4 days back on the other forum claiming Matt Clyde was not a client.

Mike

I can think of a bunch of other possibilities. Having one's fees paid to a 3 rd party is usually a warning sign, a BIG warning sign.

Raises some very serious legal and tax issues when outfitter require hunt payments to be made to employees/independent contractors.

Also we are used to signing these blanket one sided no liability contracts as clients. In Africa it is largely irrelevant but in US or Canada or any developed country I would never ever sign a one sided no liability contract.

What I have a serious issue with is Tom Shankster does all this in the U.S. and in the state of Alaska and Colorado (where he is based and where he conducts business from). This is not in Robert Mugabes Zimbabwe.

Mike

It takes a special kind of dirt bag to ignore people going on about their business ethics without responding. I would be horrified if it were me.

Jeff

After reading everything that has been said here, the one thing I'm surprised about is the fact that some hunter had health related issues and had to forfeit their deposit.

What surprises me is that has not been a serious problem with someone if all of these hunt are conducted this way and that someone hasn't beaten the hell out of Shankster.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
What surprises me is that has not been a serious problem with someone if all of these hunt are conducted this way and that someone hasn't beaten the hell out of Shankster.

No disrespect at all to the poster, but Larry's comment here is my sentiments exactly!

I like to think I have matured over the years, but without any question I would lose my temper and we'd be fighting!!

This outfitter has no idea how lucky he is "Surestrike" never showed up and experienced this! That could have gotten ugly in a hurry! Although he's a gentleman, and probably would have handled it as such!

I also have to question someone willing to throw their grandson under the bus for whatever reason.

Jeff

Yup. I cannot imagine that .

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
I also have to question someone willing to throw their grandson under the bus for whatever reason.

Jeff

It is totally beyond me why Larry Kolek on a compensated (indirectly via discounted hunts) or uncompensated basis would want to be associated with Tom Shankster.

There is plenty of facts on how Tom Shankster was willing to throw clients, employees and anyone else under the bus. All he cares about is protecting his hide. A week ago he claimed that Matt Clyde was not a client and he had no obligation to him. He probably tried to throw a lot of client hunters under the bus when the state of Alaska was looking at him. Guided hunts suddenly become unguided hunts any moose killed became client responsibility.

Tom Shankster's business model is simple sell as many as possible. The marginal cost of a hunter in camp is coffee, sugar, flour, Montreal steak seasoning and maybe toilet paper. If they get to hunt okay otherwise they can loiter around camp. The hunts are sold where ever possible. Every additional hunt is free money.

Shankster also let's unsuccessful hunters come back for reduced rates. This is his best marketing ploy. Someone spend 10k on a hunt and spends 80 percent in camp. Then Shankster let's him return for say 5K. The hunter says wow what a great deal. I had a terrible hunt but for 1/2 price and 1/3 the rate of a good alaskan outfitter I can come back and try my luck at a crappy hunt. Shankster gets another 5k and next year full paying hunter gets a super crowded camp. A Minnesota Vet who hunted when I was there was in this boat. If you have zero opportunity cost of time maybe it works for Larry Kolek was he likes to go cook in camp.

The hunters in camp were remarkably to use a harsh word docile. I made it clear I was not going to take this crap and Shankster knew it. The vet from Minnesota spent two days cleaning all the meat. The hunter Nyles was a building contractor.

The building crew for the cabin that was being built for the Chris Dorsey tv show were nice guys but professionally not suited for construction. They were from Colorado and specialized in laying epoxy flooring in warehouses. The hunters with nothing to do led by Nyles helped build the cabin as Nyles was able to set the beam for the roof that the other guys could not. I did not participate and I made it known to everyone they are fools to provide Shankster with free labor while he was busy drinking coffee and surfing the net in the cabin.

The only good thing about this crappy hunt is for me to be sold a hunt by any outfitter or agent has become a really high bar . I am going to have find another hobby/discretionary vacation.

Mike

This is somewhat off subject. Does anyone know the name of the TV show they were filming up there?

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
This is somewhat off subject. Does anyone know the name of the TV show they were filming up there?

Building Alaska

Also interesting that Larry Kolek has taken down all his responses in this thread and replaced it with "bye".

Mike

That says a lot don't you think?

I did get a PM from the OP.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
I did get a PM from the OP.

Do tell!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
I did get a PM from the OP.

Do tell!

Actually don't tell. It's a PM. There is some sacred ground. I suspect you have Larry's number Jeff.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
I did get a PM from the OP.

Do tell!

Actually don't tell. It's a PM. There is some sacred ground. I suspect you have Larry's number Jeff.

I meant it to be a joke Jim. I guess it didn't come across that way.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
I did get a PM from the OP.

Do tell!

Actually don't tell. It's a PM. There is some sacred ground. I suspect you have Larry's number Jeff.

I meant it to be a joke Jim. I guess it didn't come across that way.

Gotcha!! Guess I didn't see your jokey emoticons.

I have an idea.

Anytime we identify a dirt bag outfitter, we as a group should send Shootaway to that outfitter on a fully prepaid hunt package. No more of a just or verdant or painful punishment could possibly be inflicted on said dirt bag!!

Great idea!

Is there such a thing as a full-curl ewe?