Advice needed On Habitat Consultant

[Weed Wacker]

So what is a reasonable time to expect a habitat plan from a consultant? Me and a friend of mine met a well known consultant on our property back in January and at that time paid him in full, $1,500.00 for the plan. At that time we were told we should have it in a couple weeks. As of mid July we still don't have a plan. We called him multiple times and left messages, which he did answer 3 different times and every time he promise that we would have it by the next week. All three times that week has came and went and we still don't have our plan. We were hoping to have it by spring turkey at the latest so we can start on some of the work. The property is located in NY. The consultant lives within 15 miles of the property.
Are we being impatient? What should we do from here?

 

[Buckly]

If you know where he's at, I see a road trip.

 

[JFK52]

I am guessing that the consultant wanted his money up front. I NEVER pre pay for anything as it is just an invitation for such a situation as you have currently. Pay AFTER you get the plan or the work done. He has your money and is jerking your chain. My next step would be small claims court.

 

[bbcoach]

Is this guy, legit? To your knowledge, has anyone else used his services and do you have any references. Sounds to me like you are …….! One, you paid EVERYTHING up front, he has your money and he's in NO hurry to give you any information. Two, if you press the issue, he will just give you something off the wall to shut you up. Three, if you go get a lawyer or go to small claims court, you'll spend additional money probably for nothing. I would write down ALL of my conversations with him and call him a couple of times each week for two weeks. If I didn't have what I payed for, in hand after those two weeks, I would go see a lawyer and make a determination if I wanted to spend additional money to force the issue. Good Luck and keep us posted on the outcome.

 

[homerj]

Sharing the name of the "well known consultant" may help others avoid similar poor results.

 

[Bill]

Have you just asked for your money back?

I'd get the money back, (if possible). Then call Steve Bartylla, pocket about $900 of your own cash and get a decent plan with life time questions answered.

If you have to have boots on the ground call Jeff Sturgis.

 

[bueller]

I fear what @bbcoach mentioned. You may get your plan by upping the pressure on him, but it may not be of good quality as it seems the deal you had with him already went south for whatever reason.

 

[Livesintrees]

Who is the guy?

 

[Weed Wacker]

I don't want to be too hard on him you just never know what someone might be going through in life but the very least he could do is communicate with us. we did ask for our money back in the last message that we left him so I'm not sure where that will go.
I am sure that some of use might know him he was a good friend of Charles Alzheimer and he has wrote some articles for deer and deer hunting. I don't like to bash people so I will leave his name out, but it is very frustrating.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Have you just asked for your money back?

I'd get the money back, (if possible). Then call Steve Bartylla, pocket about $900 of your own cash and get a decent plan with life time questions answered.

If you have to have boots on the ground call Jeff Sturgis.

I am well pleased with bartylla's work

His book is also a good read

bill

 

[Livesintrees]

I don't want to be too hard on him you just never know what someone might be going through in life but the very least he could do is communicate with us. we did ask for our money back in the last message that we left him so I'm not sure where that will go.
I am sure that some of use might know him he was a good friend of Charles Alzheimer and he has wrote some articles for deer and deer hunting. I don't like to bash people so I will leave his name out, but it is very frustrating.

Very respectable decision. I just hope you guys work it all out. To me it sounds like the plan was to be well prepared to have a plan in place and at least started for this season. At the very least you should receive some form of compensation for the extreme wait. I could see if you were having someone come out to do the work and outside influences beyond control delayed him. In which case a simple explanation would have gone a long way bc at the end of the day things happen and life has a way of throwing us ALL a curveball. But at some point if all the service is providing is a map with a general guideline/suggestion I couldn’t see it taking more then a couple weeks. Good luck to you guys. I had considered having a big name come out simply for a perspective on things. But in this area it’s just not done as it would in others, plus some of the costs are simply astronomical.

 

[wiscwhip]

You have about a 10% chance of getting a really good recommendation plan at this point. If he knows you are looking to recover your cash and move on, he will likely provide you with a trash habitat plan that you could have gotten from any guy with a few years of experience doing this on their own place. Hell, you might have gotten better advice by sending some info on your land to a few guys on sites like this that you trust or having someone from your own area who has done this to their own land stop by for a "land tour" at your property to give you some tips. I'm afraid you might be at a point where you will have spent that money for nothing, or very little at least.

 

[bbcoach]

Very tough situation to be in. What gets me is he stated a couple of weeks and it's been 26-28 weeks. Way too long in my book. Has he responded to your message that you want your money back, if he hasn't then he plans on keeping it. 7 months is way too long to wait for something that was promised in 2 weeks. Time to get some legal advice IMO.

 

[ghilliehunter]

You have about a 10% chance of getting a really good recommendation plan at this point. If he knows you are looking to recover your cash and move on, he will likely provide you with a trash habitat plan that you could have gotten from any guy with a few years of experience doing this on their own place. Hell, you might have gotten better advice by sending some info on your land to a few guys on sites like this that you trust or having someone from your own area who has done this to their own land stop by for a "land tour" at your property to give you some tips. I'm afraid you might be at a point where you will have spent that money for nothing, or very little at least.

Great advice from wiscwhip. The folks on this site have about seen it all. Now that the horse is out of the barn, too late to shut the door. But, you can help others avoid a costly mistake in the future.
PS- when this incident is over, name the consultant.

 

[Weed Wacker]

I have used the same consultant to do a plan for my property in Pennsylvania it took a little longer than I expected but was acceptable I think it was around 2 month but then after I had the plan a couple years later when I had questions he would not return my calls but when we left him a message about a new property close to him he was very responsive all the way up until the day that we walked the property and gave him his check after that very unresponsive it is very disappointing I just don't know how people like that think but we are hoping to be able to work it out just very disappointing. I should mention that after he did not respond to my plan I emailed it over to Steve bartylla they there told me that it is a very solid plan that there is little they would change but my property is a hundred acres this new property in New York is 385, much different. The reason we went with this guy again is because he lives right there. I feel it's always best to have boots on the ground if you can.

 

[Tree Spud]

So what is a reasonable time to expect a habitat plan from a consultant? Me and a friend of mine met a well known consultant on our property back in January and at that time paid him in full, $1,500.00 for the plan. At that time we were told we should have it in a couple weeks. As of mid July we still don't have a plan. We called him multiple times and left messages, which he did answer 3 different times and every time he promise that we would have it by the next week. All three times that week has came and went and we still don't have our plan. We were hoping to have it by spring turkey at the latest so we can start on some of the work. The property is located in NY. The consultant lives within 15 miles of the property.
Are we being impatient? What should we do from here?

You have been screwed. He is taking fees for cash flow and is now backed up. Get on his social media and start to complain and criticize.

As stated above, Steve Bartyla for $500 and you'll get feedback inside of 2 weeks.

Make sure you put your consultants name & website here, we can all apply pressure ...

 

[Reagan]

Based on what you have said so far, we can take an educated guess as to who this guy is.

You should name him. There may be a good consultant who fits what you have said so far and will be guilty by association.

At this point, he should have your plan completed. If not, he is going to do it from memory this long after seeing your place. So even if he sends it, it will most likely be garbage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Natty Bumppo]

The guy sounds like a schmuck. He wants to be a professional but has no idea how to actually act like one. Didn't return your phone calls on the 1st plan. Then took your money and ran on the 2nd plan. If I were in your boots now 7 months out I would accept nothing less than a refund.

 

[Buckly]

In the mean time while you're trying to get this sorted out, are there things you remember talking about during the walk around. Access, roads, plot location. hinge cuts. You should be able to get started on some of the basic stuff just to get something accomplished this year.

 

[j-bird]

I fear most of the others are right and that he has gotten himself into a cash flow issue and is now covered up or simply going to give you a bunch of BS so you go away. You have lost in either case. Demand your money back and move on. Even if he took notes during the visit the ideas and the like in his head are long gone. Imagine walking a property you never have seen before 6 months ago and now trying to make a decent plan based on those memories.....on top of all the other places he has seen as well. I would never pay everything up front. Maybe half for travel and the like, but never the entire thing. In many cases I think you would be better off finding some folks in your home state that would be willing to make a visit for some burgers and beer. A visit like that will get you lots of opinions and you can sort out the ones you like best. And you may make some good friends along the way. Folks I would consider are Steve Bartylla, Jeff Sturgis and Jim Ward if your determined to have a true professional help you.

 

[JFK52]

I can't guess who this fellow is so if you feel like he needs the negative publicity he is entitled to please name him. Keep this from happening to other property owners.