EKM .. do you really think that someone who has the "Big Five" hanging on the wall, an Alaskan Brownie rug in the trophy room and just about every other critter out there ... is automatically a better "hunter". I hate to burst your bubble here ... but the 4 guys I know who have actually done it .. the only thing they all have in common is they are rich. Very very very rich. Money and time are the only 2 prerequisites to take the critters .. definitely not "skill".

Now I admit I have a very small cross section .. 4 guys .. and I have only hunted with 2 of the 4 .. but they were not "good" hunters. In bear camp in Maine... hunting over bait... patience, scent/movement control and shooting ability would be the 3 skills a hunter could be judged on. I was there to video tape as I had a bear .. and I wasn't remotely surprised in the 3 nights we sat on stand he saw no bears. One night I did my best to point out a nice bear that hung up about 80 yards out, but he never saw it .. even through his swarovski's. The other man, while being very nice .. wasn't someone I would invite to hunt over MY dog again in grouse country. I love her to much.

They all have great stories from their "hunts" ... but knowing what I know now. I truly believe that money bought the majestic elk over the fireplace .. and the Cape Buffalo... and all the other "trophies" in the game wings of their houses. It doesn't take much skill to walk behind a guide, or PH if you paid to be in the best spot. I give them some credit of course as they made the "shot" and put in the time .... but they certainly aren't better hunters then many of the guys I head into the woods with.

I'm not trying to be argumentative .. I just feel pretty strongly that the size of the gun, or rack of the trophy for that matter doesn't make the hunter ... it's his ability in the field.