Reno, NV- Like most hunters, Montana hunter Rick Vukasin spent years looking forward to finally being able to afford to hunt a monster Marco Polo sheep (also known as Argali) in Asia. That dream has now turned into a nightmare, which is detailed in a lawsuit Vukasin has filed against the Canada-based outfitter that provided his hunting trip, Ameri-Cana Expeditions Inc., of Edmonton, Alberta.
Vukasin is alleging that upon return of his hunt, where he was successful at killing a trophy quality Argali, Ameri-Cana failed to send him his own 58-inch trophy set of horns. It is common for hunters to return home from overseas hunts and wait months before their imported trophy clears customs. However, after the long wait, Vukasin knew right away that something was wrong when he opened the wooden crate that was supposed to contain his horns.
“I knew right away,” Vukasin told the Associated Press. “It made me sick.”
Not only were the horns not his prized pair he spent so much money to harvest, but Vukasin says the horns they actually sent were dried, weathered and cracked. In other words, they were an older set that were not properly taken care of.
Vukasin spent weeks and even months trying to get his actual horns sent to him, but the outfitter never complied. In fact, at the beginning of this sad fiasco, a representative from Ameri-Cana Expeditions actually claimed that those old weathered horns were indeed the actual ones that were attached to the Argali that Vukasin killed. The claim was so dubious that Ameri-Cana finally did admit they made a mistake and that they would send Vukasin’s actual horns right away. However, not before they incidentally insulted Vukasin by telling him, “It’s just hunting.” This absurd response triggered Vukasin to take some action.
The 65 year old electrician is seeking $75,000.00 in damages, which include reimbursement for the loss of his horns. He is also suing for worry, anxiety, loss of sleep, and physical and mental distress.
He chose to file the suit in a Reno, Nevada court because Ameri-Cana actually does business in the state of Nevada via hunting conventions where they advertise for hunting clients.
Everyone knows there are risks when traveling abroad to hunt, but most people don’t expect any problems to occur after they return from a successful hunt. Unfortunately and fortunately, Vukasin will never forget his trip to Tajikistan where only 60 Argali permits are issued annually.
