WOW,
I suppose this forum is a bit old but bowedark,
really struck a vital here. I don't think he deserves some of the rude comments sent his way.Like most of you, my sentiments are somewhere in the middle.
First of all, where you live will have a huge impact on your perspective, no one is wronge here, but no one is entirely right either. Of course if you live out east or in a mainly privately held agriculteral state you will have a different hunting concept than someone from Alaska. No need to be rude, but to suggest a private ranch hunt in Colorado is the same as a private land hunt in Mich. is a little off base.
And by the way, it could just as easily be argued thatsome ofyou are a bit sensitive because your own trophy's were taken on a managedhunt as the case that you make of bowedarkjust being jealous.
First of all virtually all non-residents need a guide and outfitter to hunt Western Canada. Does that mean their Sheep cant be scored for B and C?
Of Course not. I don't think a single Stone Ram was ever taken on private land and hopefully that will never change.
I too subscribe to the notion that the B and C Records attemptsto honor the animals. Sure there are hunters who need a bit of an ego boost but I feel the Boone and Crocket is actually a reference book that biologists, and otherscan use to show past wildlife patterns,health, distribution etc. It really is a scientifically usefull book. To record pandered or animals who lived in a controled situation, within the B and C,destroys the credibility of this information. Those animals can go into the SCI or some other book.
For instance, only 4 elk scored over 400 B and C for the first 100 years or so of records keeping. There are hunt ranches today that will let you pick from dozens of 400 plus elk that you are guarranteed to take home. No kill no Pay. I know this is a bit of a stretch from a private ranch hunt or a guided hunt, but the extremes have to meet somewhere. Just where is this middle ground?
Guides are good people, many of my friends are guides, but please remember we are all resident hunters when we are at home. When I am sheep hunting on public land in my own province and the local outfitter is flying over my head all day looking for sheep in his airplane, should I think that any rams he takes are the same as someone who didn't use a plane? I think this is where bowedark is coming from and it is a valid arguement. This may not bea problem in the western US but arrived inNorthern BC and Yukon from Alaska about 20 years ago. This practise is not exactly illegal, but to me it is bothunethical and unnecessary. Often the non resident hunter booked with the outfitter is not even aware that his ram is being located from an aircraft. The question is do we accept both methods as being "equal?"Or does the measure of effort make one trophy more relevent than the other? Perhaps a ram located by aircraft should be ineligable for B and C on ethical grounds. Or should it definately be recorded for its scientific value.Don't worry, the truely big rams were taken on fairchase hunts that lasted weeks on horseback, but then rumour has it the Chadwick ram was shot by the guide. The Boone and Crockett stopped recording Alaska Polar Bears many years ago because it was standard practice to hunt them with a supercub. If polar bear hunting were reopened today, would we again allow their recording because we are now less ethical???
Remember that wildlife belongs to the public, that means you and me. This is a very important point. Its one of the reasons you fought the war of independence. Most of these arguments arrise when someone such as a land owner or outfitter start thinking that this public resource actually belongs to them. I guess when you fence it in, it would appear possesion is 9/10th of the law, no matter how big the ranch.
In England all the rabbits belonged to the king and lived in the king's forest. A starving man could be hung for eating one of the kings rabbits, or one of his salmon. In North America, all game whether on public or private land belongs not to the king but to the great unwashed.We should all rejoice in this.
So go hunting and have fun, be you a meat or trophy hunter. Remember that the most important part of hunting is the practise of fair chase. If this is not so, then you are no longer hunting (to seak), and we are no longer Hunters (seakers).We do no one more harm than we do to ourselves, by constantly redefineing what that means..
Happy Hunting