I hired a guide for a bear hunt in Canada, since its the law if you're not a resident.
I asked for a list of successful and unsuccessful clients. He provided me both lists and I contacted folks from both. One guy was from Joplin, MO. All the people I called gave a good reference. When we got there, a cold front moved in and we didn't see a bear hardly all week. The last day, the guide offered us a free hunt if we came back in the fall. It wasn't his fault about the weather. As it turned out, I killed a bear my last day there. There are some shady folks guiding. It pays to do your homework.