Gentlemen, I have followed this thread closely, for what seems like a lifetime, and have a few observations to make about the content, the way it has been conducted and the behaviour of a few involved, and not necessarily in that order.
Firstly I think congratulations are in order because on the whole the thread has been conducted in a very civilised manner! You notice I say on the whole, this is because there have been one or two slips which for the most art were rectified by way of an apology or explanation, so well done there were definitely less ropes than usual in the lynch mob.
There were a few instances of trying to put words in admins mouth and coerce us into taking certain actions, well let me assure you that will not happen. Plus these types of statement are reckless, an example being a reference to rogue traders and a list being compiled as we already have two to start it off. This led to a trade member being named and the instigator of this idea coming back and saying that they did not mean the person mentioned, too late the damage is done! If you intend to put that sort of thread on the site then please be sure that you are very clear in what you are saying, state your meaning clearly and in an unambiguous manner and do be prepared for any comeback as a result of the post.
Now in relation to the trip itself, I think this can be broken down into two separate sections. Firstly I think there was a culture difference here, with two separate understandings of a traditional hunt by Finnish standards and UK standards. There is also the difference in expectations of the catering and sleeping arrangements. So I think that although the sausage on a stick over an open fire at lunchtime is traditional nobody would have really minded if a hot drink had also been available. Then there is the question of accommodation this appears to have been better in some cases than others, and breakfast and evening meals seem also to have been a bit hit and miss. Having said that these things happen when there is a cultural crossover and nine times out of ten add something to the trip. This I think was apparent from the level of camaraderie, the lasting friendships made and the abiding good memories of the trip.
Then there is the question of the hunt itself, this is a bit of a different story. It would appear from the original post advertising it that there was an abundance of moose, and other game, with no restrictions on the numbers taken and that the party would consist of no more than a dozen people. It transpired that there was not an abundance of game, limited tags were available for moose, and that there were some seventeen or eighteen guns present, not quite the initial impression given. I have spoken to several people, including Scandinavians, and it would appear that a normal moose hunt is in fact more like you experienced as opposed to that which was advertised. So it would appear that from the enquiries I have made etc. that the hunt was misrepresented, and until I am convinced otherwise that shall be my opinion.
Of course my opinion means little or nothing, especially as I have never hunted moose or even seen one! However my opinion about our site does carry a little weight and my opinion is that this thread has been both destructive and informative and in some small measure cleansing. No matter how well it has been conducted, there has been and there will always be casualties and in truth it is the sort of thread that does nothing to enhance the reputation of the site.
Therefore Hunt n Seek will no longer be allowed as Trade members on the site, their current contract expires in a couple of days and will not be renewed. It is also worth noting that any trade member who falls short on delivering what they advertise will also be banned from advertising on the site.
I am pleased to hear that some form of refund has been offered and accepted, and hope that people reading this thread will have learnt from it.
John