duckhunt
Well-known member
Funny I was also just thinking the same thing
2014 Alaska Moose
- Thread starter thecrittergitter
- Start date
Funny I was also just thinking the same thing
lastlight
Well-known member
If there ever was a "he got off easy" this is it.
Yellowknife
Member
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2017
- Messages
- 11
Funny thing about this.
The camp and operation seems to have been sold and re-named to "Dillinger River Outfitters"
https://www.dillingerriveroutfitters.com/
Flashy website. Active instagram account. Lots of marketing speak.
After that, it starts getting fishy....
The listed owner is another CO guy (which is where Shankster was from) named Aaron DeRose. However, DeRose isn't legally able to book hunts, as he only has an assistant guide license (issued in March of this year). To get around that, right on the front of the website it says "All Guided Hunts Conducted Under Supervision Alaska License #GUIM148"
Guess who's license that is? Yeah.... Mr Shankster himself. Although his name is never mentioned on the website, if the hunt is booked under his license, he has a number of supervision and communications requirements by law.
At some point, this might get interesting. I suspect that when the Big Game Commercial Services Board finally gets around to reviewing the case Shankster stands a decent chance of loosing his guide license. If DeRose doesn't have a work around by then, some clients are going to shorted. Currently, despite his trouble with the law Shanksters license is still active, so technically a legal thing for him to do as far as I can tell.
mdhunter61
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2010
- Messages
- 438
They need to grab his license and get him out of this business. Some guys save for many years to do their dream hunt; based on posts I have seen on several forums, he has ruined quite a few of those dream hunts.
thecrittergitter
Well-known member
Hey guys!! Sorry I've been off the radar for a long time! Some due to critter killen, mostly due to having 5 kids and coaching 3 sports and multiple teams
Oh and running a company by myself.
So a little update for everyone that has followed this situation. Tom plead guilty for 4 of the 8 charges against him and was fined $35 grand and 30 days in jail. Yes, I couldn't agree more that this was a slap on the wrist for everything he did. So, I was surprised when I got a call to testify against Tom for the potential to lose his outfitting license. I took the stand today and testified to all I recalled from the hunt for 90 minutes. I honestly can't even believe there is a consideration to allow him to keep his license. He still maintains that I never paid him, that there was never an agreement for me to pay him, it was our responsibility to get our moose out of the field.....etc. Even though there is hard evidence against him. As Yellowknife mentioned, two guys are operating under Toms license, as I understand it, Tom is essentially getting paid for the use of his license and plane.
This will be the most utter embarrassment in outfitting history if he gets to keep his license after all that has been stacked against him, even AFTER being convicted and charged!!!
I guess we sit and wait again for the judge to make his recommendation to the Commercial Services Board.
Oh and running a company by myself. So a little update for everyone that has followed this situation. Tom plead guilty for 4 of the 8 charges against him and was fined $35 grand and 30 days in jail. Yes, I couldn't agree more that this was a slap on the wrist for everything he did. So, I was surprised when I got a call to testify against Tom for the potential to lose his outfitting license. I took the stand today and testified to all I recalled from the hunt for 90 minutes. I honestly can't even believe there is a consideration to allow him to keep his license. He still maintains that I never paid him, that there was never an agreement for me to pay him, it was our responsibility to get our moose out of the field.....etc. Even though there is hard evidence against him. As Yellowknife mentioned, two guys are operating under Toms license, as I understand it, Tom is essentially getting paid for the use of his license and plane.
This will be the most utter embarrassment in outfitting history if he gets to keep his license after all that has been stacked against him, even AFTER being convicted and charged!!!
I guess we sit and wait again for the judge to make his recommendation to the Commercial Services Board.
Gerald Martin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2009
- Messages
- 8,649
Good for you on sticking with this. Hopefully, he loses his ability to ever guide or outfit in AK.
genesis273
Well-known member
Thanks for the update. I've been wondering about this and the outcome. And thanks for sticking with this, although his doings keeps costing you considerable time and money.
Thanks for the update! I know for me, a hunt like that would be a one of a kind trip and a big $$ sacrifice. I can't imagine how pi$$ed I'd be having to deal with that. Kudos to you for sticking to your guns and working for justice.
havebowwilltravel
New member
OverlordBear
Well-known member
Incredible thread, thank you crittergitter for sharing your story. I learned more in this thread than any magazine article about Alaska hunting. I definitely have some potholes to avoid when I go up to Alaska myself some day. Makes me wary of outfitters will definitely be longing for suggestions from long time members of the hunttalk forum before I ever hire a guide myself. Love seeing everyone’s character and thoughtful comments on the thread really shows how neat of a community this place is.
Just figured I would close the loop on this one. Tom Shankster suffered a stroke and passed away last month.
Thomas Shankster Obituary (2021)
View Thomas Shankster's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.
www.legacy.com
