On October 18, 2010 my uncle signed a contract with Todd Rice of Sonoran Outfitters to hunt Desert Bighorn Sheep in Sonora, Mexico.
On November 18th he arrived in Kino Bay, Sonora for his hunt. The next day he began hunting and on November 24, 2010 he shot a nice 165” ram with dark horns that were broomed off. The ram was aged at 10 to 10 ½ years old. (Pictures of my uncle and his Ram are on Todd’s website)
November 25, 2010 my uncle returned home with Todd promising to deliver his Ram within 2 or 3 weeks, which he never did. After 10 months of Todd Rice refusing to even communicate with my uncle he decided to file suit in Coconino Superior Court. He had his first Court Arbitration Hearing in Flagstaff on September 12, 2012 with Court Appointed Judge John Trebon.
On October 12th Todd offered to settle with him by providing the horns and cape into his possession. Several more months went by with Todd stalling and refusing to deliver my uncle’s trophy. As it would turn out, Todd Rice defaulted on the settlement because he never purchased a tag for the Ram prior to or after the hunt.
Fast forward to April 9, 2013, in front of Judge John Trebon, Todd offered a new settlement. This offer was another Desert Sheep Hunt in Sonora. My uncle was to arrive on February 2, 2014 and start hunting the next day. If Todd failed to follow through a judgment would be awarded to my uncle for the cost of the original hunt plus attorney's fees and expenses.
On December 3, 2013 my uncle had not heard anything from Sonoran Outfitters about his upcoming Sheep Hunt so he sent Todd an e-mail. He explained that he needed to know the details of the hunt so he could purchase a plane ticket and make plans for the upcoming hunt. Todd responded right away saying he would get back to him in a couple of days with all of the details.
As of January 10, 2014 my uncle had not heard from him so he sent him another e-mail requesting the details of the hunt. He never got a response. He then began trying to reach him by phone but Todd never answered or returned any calls. So February 3rd came and passed without a single word from Sonoran Outfitters.
On the 4th of February my uncle’s attorney filed a Motion of Default against Todd Rice and Sonoran Outfitters in Coconino Superior Court requesting that a Judgment against Todd Rice and Sonoran Outfitters be completed. Hopefully my uncle will be able to recover all of the money he has paid out to Todd along with all of the other fees and expenses, so that someday he can go on another Desert Sheep Hunt with a reputable outfitter and get his trophy he has dreamed about.
I’m spreading my uncle’s story as we don't want other hunters to fall victim to Todd Rice and Sonoran Outfitters.