There have been a lot of questions recently about product reviews from companies and readers alike. As this site and my other web based outlets have grown to one of the most popular hunting information sources since I started it two years ago. With that popularity the interest of hunting product and service providers has grown equally. Some readers want to know on what I base my reviews. An often-asked question is “Do you test the product yourself or do you just post the information you’re provided with?”

This is a very legitimate question that I will gladly answer in the form of the following product review policy.

As a writer and hunter I have a responsibility to my fellow hunters and the company whose product or service I review. I am fully aware that a review may be the deciding factor for someone to purchase a product. To serve the readers and the product / service company the best way possible I find it imperative that any product / service reviewed on this website and my other outlets should be written from personal experience.

Therefore it is my policy to write all my reviews based on personal field tests. I strive to be fair in my assessment of a product or service. The things I look for are quality, usefulness, service, safety and fair pricing. My aim is to provide my readers with a qualified unbiased review based on real life testing while at the same time providing the company with the best possible endorsement of the product or service. If a product does not measure up to my expectation or the promises advertised the review will not be published. In such cases the product will be returned with suggestions of how to improve it based on my experience.

On the other hand, should I become aware of a product on the market that I feel is a danger to users, or simply a rip-off, I will publish a warning about said product.

Service Reviews:

Reviews of outfitters and hunting guides are a particular concern to me. There are so many things a hunter has to consider before he chooses the service of a particular outfit. Some of these are: what game would the hunter like to pursue and in what area or country? What are the client’s special needs and wants plus many other very personal aspects. Obviously I cannot answer these questions with my review of an outfitter or hunting guide. It should also be mentioned that there are always things that can and will go wrong which the outfitter or hunting guide has no control over, such as weather, short term game law changes and many other things.

What I first will investigate are the service provider’s reputation and professional conduct. For this I will conduct intensive research by local wildlife departments and former clients to ensure that the outfitter is legitimate and offers a quality service based on client satisfaction. I am aware that it is impossible to please all the people all the time in the service industry and I take this into consideration in my final review. The final step in the process of the review will be a personal hunt (field test) with the outfitter or hunting guide to obtain a personal impression of the operation and the service provided.

As with the product review, if I find an outfitter or hunting guide to be lacking in service the review will no be published. Instead I offer advice, based on years of experience in the service industry, to the outfitter on how they can improve their service for their clients. Since choosing an outfitter is a very personal matter my reviews are to be regarded as a general guideline based on my findings and my perception of fairness. I cannot guarantee 100% success or 100% trophy harvest in any review of fair chase hunting outfitters. What I can do is provide information and point my readers in the right direction of a quality service, while at the same time give reputable outfitters the credit they deserve for their hard work.

October 2008

(Product Review Policy may be changed at any time without prior notice.)


If you would like me to write your product or service review contact me by email