RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

thanks for answering my question CA and sorry you didn't get a bull even though you had many, IMO, monsters within shooting range.

something you may want to consider with regards to everyone bashing your statements....regardless of what you say or how you say it..being a brand new member coming on her and testifying to what you have seen may lead many questioning your story.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

However deeker's1 andonly post was on what heheard from other sourcesand many folks jumped right on that bandwagon bashing the MossBack crew and the hunter.

I see both sides of this story and think both extremes are a little out there.

On one side, this was a public land bull and many folks other than the MossBack crew and their hunter (including CAelknuts) had a chance to close the deal on this bull if they were able to find him. They did spend an entire month trying to close this deal, that has to say something about it being more difficult than shooting a penned animal. I know I would have had to quit and come home after a week.

On the other side, the guy did spend $100k+ on the tag and was payingto haveat least 6 other guys out there for a month helping him find and hunt this animal so that seems a little above what the average person would be able to spend in both time and money on a hunt like this.

Some folks are bagging on the guy for having the money to be able to afford to stay out there for a month and other folks are saying that he didn't put any effort into the hunt. How many of you have ever hunted a single animal for a solid month? How many have ever hunted for a month straight? I know I haven't.

Oh well, I don't think therewll bea winner in this argument! ;)

I'm still happy with my 245" bull I shot at 8:00am on opening morning! :D

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

I am not going to argue is this guy deserves this elk or not.....

But I highly doubt that he was in the woods hunting every single day for a month solid. From start to finish it may have took a month before he killed the bull but toactually huntevery single day from sun up to sun downchasing a single elk is pushing it quite a bit IMHO.

What is much muchmore probable is that he was in and out for a few days at a time over the time span of a month. I doubt he or any one else will confess how many days he actually spent in the woods chasing this elk.

Of course if hadn't fluffed his first shot it wouldn't have taken that long.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

You make a good point. People on here don't know me, as I've not posted here until just very recently. On the other hand, I've been posting regularly on other websites such as Bowsite and Monster Muleys for years. I understand how credibility sometimes only comes with tenure, which is probably part of why I don't post on here very often. I've got a great relationship with many of the other posters on those websites, so tend to stay where my comments do not get responses that are personal attacks just because someone doesn't agree with me.

In a way, it's too bad I don't have more familiarity with the posters here, as I did a live update nightly on both Bowsite and Monster Muleys of my elk hunt, and it was very popular. I had internet service up on the mountain, so would post my day's experience each night after we got back to camp. I was usually up past 11:00 writing, and everyone seemed to enjoy following along. There were over 400 responses between the two websites. I probably shouldn't say this, but will regardless...nearly allof the people over there were a heck of a lot more positive toward me than around here. But then, that's just a personal observation.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Glad to see someone killed off the freek.
congrats
Too bad it was such a circus. Both the grand old tradition of hunting and the elk deserved better.
Now this may be a public land bull but he is only half wild.
For the centuries before whitemen hunted elk in North America they probably never saw horns like that. In a hundred years of hunting 1900-2000 only a half dozen elk ever scored over 400 and then only just. And at a time when so much of their range was true wilderness and had little preasure.Now there are farms with dozens of 450 plus elk walking around behind those nice safe fences.
The reason was preditors............something this bull knew nothing about.
Wolves would have disspatched the freek long before he grew into a 500 plus bull.
Wolves have no seasons or tags to worry about.
DoesUtah have the best jean pool or is it just a good safe farm?
When they kill a 450 bull in Montana, Idaho or Canadaon public land, he will be the true survivor.
IMHO

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Not my words

Not my words again.



yep I said that.


Now back to this elk,he's a great bull anyone one of us would have shot it.We agree to disage if this was hunt.There are more important issues in our lives to deal with.This was animal that saw his end aswell as the begining.
Am I going to pat the back of those involved probaly not.Was this fair chase depends on who's mind.
If we all big $$$$ would we care about what I said or you said about this or my hunting,not for a second.

Now Caelknuts sound like you had a great trip and seem some good elk(in my eyes) didn't get one that sound like personal choice and maybe on that oneyou passed on might grow to be Spidey II and he will make the fatal mistake of stoping in your crosshairs or your pins or Daddy Worbucks and we can have this conversation again.
As for the personal attacks,it realy wasnt personal you just opened your mouth thats all,my bad.You are entitled to your opinon and your choice of dwelling.
Have a good day!!;)
BBJ

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

+1

This is something that I cannot figure out about this elk. How is it that it just showed up this year and is over 500" You would think that with all the hunters, guides, scouts, horn hunters, outfitters, photographers, ... that this elk would not have been talked about last year. Certainly it would have been in the 450" range with the drop visible last year, or even the year before.

???

There are some very nice bulls in South Jordan Utah as well!

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Yes, however, if he had been squirreling away all his time doing that sh!t, he wouldn't have the $63,000 for the tag.... he might be the po' johnny six pack hunter, but he wouldn't have the money for the tag. These guys typically have multiple irons in the fire at one time and are at a breakneck pace.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

All I can say is, I don't respectthe guy as a realhunter. With the time frame allowed, no way it should be allowed in the record books. I'm not sure why I feel the way I do, but after reading about it on multiple sites, that's the way I feel. I wish a true hunter would have killed this bull, not a check writer.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Tang hit the nail on the head. This was an absolute freak show, bought and paid for, disgusting.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

ooops sorry :)

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

I must be missing something...I do not understand all the irritation people ahve over some guy paying a guide to get him a bull...

I have hunted DIY my whole life, never once had a guide...and take people out all the time...I scout for them, know most of the elk that are in the drainages I hunt...and if someone comes out to hunt with me, the first question asked is what size bull...most dont really know...some are VERY keen on certain things...(I generally wont hunt with folk who are ONLY concerned about size)

Reason I ask about size/quality of bull is to get a feel for what kind of hunt they want, and what they are looking for...the two guys I took out this year...just wanted a killer father/son thing...however we got into bulls within range 6 times in 4 days...one well over 380 most under 270...

this guy has a lot of money...that does not make him evil...this guy paid a guide service to get him a specific bull...that does not make him evil either...

there are a LOT of executive folk that spend a tremendous amount of time literrally flying from place to place in order to make things happen...their time is typically much more valuable than most of ours combined...Neither does that make them evil...just facts of life...

Do any of you even know the man? DO any of you even know how he got the money? And does ti really matter?

Incredible bull was taken on public land...took even the best hunters almost a month to locate him, after the bull sat in plain site along a road for months...

No one tagged him with GPS...
No one poached him...
No one, to my knowledge, did anything illegal to get him
No one got hurt
No one killed themselves getting him...

the above 5 points say more to me abotu how incredible this bull really was, since he supposedly didnt ahve a snowballs chance in !!@# of escaping with all the publicity he had created...to me, it makes elk even that much more special...which is why I continue to hunt...

but oh well...

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

You're right, you are missing something. First off, some rich guys time is not worth more than mine or anybody elses, just ask my kids. Secondly, this bulls picture was posted, and a mad dash insued to kill him. "Wow, look at that huge bull, lets kill him no matter how much it cost." How any self respecting hunter can support some guy paying of the game commission to hunt longer than Joe six pack is beyond me. This governor tag, special raffle crap is garbage. Suckers like you and others on this board go "wow, it is a boost to game management." Bull****, is is buying tags and expoliting the people b/c one can afford to do it and getting special privledges. So many people get on these boards and yap about the Antis. Who cares, it is the commercialization of hunting that will destroy it, bought and paid for by people like you supporting this crap. Everyone should by outraged that another hunter gets opportunities at public wildlife you don't because they can buy their way into a special tag, outrageous. [:@] This isn't about begruging somebody with money, it is about equal opportunity for game that the public owns.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

To you and your family, you are right...to your friends your right...but have you ever gone to a concert? paid to get in to a game? same thing...Somones time is worth you paying for it...Your employer pays for your time...tomatoe tomato...simple fact of life...People make more money than you per hour...just a fact...


Well, I more than consider my self self respecting...and I more than consider myself a hunter...Have knocked down plenty of bulls and bucks that would hit well into the books, and not one of them has been entered...I personally volunteer my time and money to take others out hunting because they cannot afford to pay guides or taket he time (because they are joe sixpack) to scout for the elk...I speak with my actions...

I take other peoples kids out hunting to teach them about how to respect the game and the laws...


might want to re-read my post while trying to put aside your bias...I didnt defend anyone...nor am I a "sucker"



Is it equality that out of staters have to pay more for tags? those elk and deer are on federal lands...is it equality that out of staters have to apply in Montana? Is it equality that we have to apply for tags in other states? Is it equality that certain states require you to have a guide?

life is not fair...people are not treated equal...it is life...Money affords different things in life but it also comes at a cost...sometimes your family...sometimes your life...sometimes...

you have a different value system and ethic than someone else...no matter whether you call me a sucker or not use vulgar language or not, it does not make you right nor me or him wrong...

I intentionally did not defend anyone...in fact made a point to cal lout how insane it is that hunters are attacking others for stuff in which they know nothing about.....you know, like you attacked me...and yes, I reported your post for vulgar language, as kids read this and dont need to see that stuff...

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Mt, the guy that shot the bull can be well respected for having been succesful in life. He cannot be respected as a hunter, only a check writer. If you can't see that now, then we can't explain it to you.

Are you serious, you reported him for vulgar language? Get a life! I need to be careful what I say, I don't want to get reported!

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

he paid a guy to get him on a bull...in this case a specific bull...and a lot of money...would we be having this conversation if it was $25,000? Would we be having this conversation if only 3 guys were used to locate the bull? woudl we be having htis conversation if it was not the pending world record? The answer to all of the above is no...

i know VERY respected hunters that routinely Pay $20K+ for the elk they are routinely getting written up about in journals...how come no outrage over that? they didnt scout them...they paid a guy to locate them (specific bulls over 400), and paid a rancher to hunt them, and paid a group to help locate the bull, and paid etc. etc.

However, my comments have been about how ludicrous it is that people are jumping on each other about this stupid bull...I have also commented how you may not know the facts...and jumping to conclusions with the internets version of facts well...that is less than wise...I wont bother with the Assume lesson, but it truly applies...

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Do we have a picture anywhere of the bull, or just the headline?

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

I think there are four words to describe the hunter, guide service, and all of those giving this so much attention and energy. Jealousy, Envy, Greed, and Awe I think that covers everyone.

My .02,
Joel

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

I'll just post my 2 cents worth. Am I jealous, Envious, or greedy heck no! Am I in awe to the fact that this bull has 500'' of antler on top of his head, yes sir I most certainly am. Do I think this bull should be eligible for the record books? Well yea he was a fair chase bull on public land and any joe schmoe could have shot him. Had the mossback crew used something to give them advantage, (blocking roads, helicopters, or anything of that sort) Then no I do not think this bull should be eligible due to the piss poor sportsmanship exhibited by those actions; However there is no proof that they did any of those things so ladies and gentleman Spidey will be your new world record elk.

Now there is a difference between this elk being a world record and actually hunting. I don't think the guy is a hunter, not at all. Anyone... ANYONE can put the crosshairs on a bull that has been found for them and had someone keeping an eye on it. The mossback guys are the hunters in this case, this guy was just lucky enough to pull the trigger. Would I do the same if I had the money? No I wouldn't, but that is because I have been doing it DIY for sooo long. If I had the money that this guyhas I would be doing drop camps so I could still pretty much do it myself but would get to hunt in every state imaginable:).

This bull has caused a lot of riff raft, and right fully so. It's almost an unfair advantage on those who are spending THEIR time out looking for a record book bull. In all honesty, I could care less if I ever shot a bull like spider. I'd be dang happy with being able to take a 360'' bull.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

I think all the videos, calls, scents, gimmicky suits, trail cams etc are all outrageous. Hence the "commercialization of hunting", it is getting prostituted. However, you have to view this whole "spider bull" show in its complete context. First, pictures cropped up, things were posted and the mad dash to kill him ensued. Some dude buys an opportunity that others can't, then hires an army to track and locate, it is garbage. BTW, I own my own company, I am the boss, and Iwrite the checks to my employees, andI have never considered my time superior to theirs, they have families too. My REAL beef is with this auction/govenors tag crap that has become so popular. Money, should not buy special opportunities sanctioned by the game departments, that the general public cannot buy for a limited publicresource. If a guy can afford his own ranch, and hunt it, then good for him, he deserves it. I have no problem with my neighbor driving a Porsche, good for him. I do not believe in the redistrubution of wealth or that all jobs are created equal. However, there is a scurge developing that is pricing the general public out of the general publics resources. Land leasing has made is ugly way into Montana, and it sucks.
BTW, I reported your post to the mods for vulgar ideology, have a nice day.:D

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

10/11/08-10/15/08 That is the dates I get to hunt next week. I don't care how much money the guy spent, we all spend to much money. What bothers me, and makes me believe this bull should not go in the record books, is the amount of time allowed a rich guy to hunt. It is total BS, and is a practice that should be stopped. Everyone should be dealt the same hand. JMHO

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

So if a guy making $30,000 a year quit his job and spent a month hunting and shot a big elk it shouldn't count because you can only take a week off?

There are so many circular arguments here I'm having a hard time keeping track.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

No, NP, the guy paid for an extended season not open to the general public, your comparing apples and oranges. If one 'special' expensive tag is good for the Game dept coffers, then 2 would produce even more. In fact, lets just change all tags to high-end tags and let only those who can afford it hunt. Can you imagine the dollars that would getpumped into game management?:eek: Heres a thought, rather than have 'special' tags for the wealthy, what say we hold our government accountable for the millions they squander and put those savings back into game management, theres a novel concept.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

The people that have the point of view that this guys money bought him the bull are exactly right. Had this guy only had the regular season that every other average hunter has he would have not got the bull as it took the mossback crew a month to find him. In all reality by these special expensive tags it's our own fish and wildlife departments showing the greed. Yes the money may go to a good cause, but seriously it's not right. Two records have now been broke this year because of this "Governors tag". After thinking about it, it's not really FAIR chase because not everyone is allowed the same rules that apply to the rich folk. Nope I'm not whining, nor upset about it, just think it's kind of bogus.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

I'm not an expert on Utah's hunting seasons. I know their archery season is nearly a month long. There are a bunch of different rifle seasons general, special, CWMU, etc. with some of those being 2 weeks and some being 2 months. Based on your post in a different thread, you didn't even know the elk rifle seasons in your own home state, so I'm not sure you are the expert on whether this guy had an extended season license or not though.

Several states have drawings for these special licenses as well where you pay $5 to get a chance at one of them (Including Montana). Should those be eliminated as unfair as well?

I really think Joeldavid m hit the nail on the head with his post.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Is your google button broke? I know intimately the rifle regulations in Montana. The rifle season rut hunt you were referring to is back country only, not a general season hunt, and was, irrelavant to the discussion in that thread. Now google the governors tag and read for yourself.
As far as the 5 dollar tag, as per your MO, you are once again comparing apples and oranges. If Montana wants a 5 dollar chance drawing that is fine, I believe the vast majority of the populace can engage in that, however, I do feel chance purchases should be limited.
Finally, several members on this site are avid outdoorsman. Frankly, it is offensive to me, and others I am sure, to be accused of being jealous or some crap over any animal taken by somebody else. How petty and childish. I have passed on countless opportunitiies trying to get others into range and set up on bulls. I basically gave away 4 years of hunting taking my son out and always giving him the best shot. Everybody hereknows a simple call to Muley and he'll be there to help you pack out your bull and give you a big congrats and a cold beer. I have invited others out for hunts just so they could share in the bounty of this beautiful place. To reduce my passion for the outdoor lifestyle into a envy thing is absurd. I have not, nor ever will be, infatuated with "trophy" animals. I have no problem with taking big bulls, I like those myself,but my, and others arguments here are not jealousy based, they are ethical.[:@]

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

With all due respect Npaden, there is a hunter posting in this topic that hunted over there. From the looks of his hunting dates he was able to hunt less than two weeks with his stick and string in the monroe unit.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

The archery season dates aren'tas confusing as the rifle seasons are. The archery season was August 16th to September 12th. I'm guessing CAElknut just had a couple weeks of vacation to burn and then had to go back to the daily grind of making a living.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

I'm not on here trying to say that this guy is some great hunter or anything like that. I'm just amazed at some of the arguements that some of you are using to say that this elk doesn't belong in the record books. It was a public land bull that many others had the opportunity to harvest.

If somehow the infamous Mossback guys had pushed this bull too hard and he ran across the road in front of some local slob hunter on a 4-wheeler and the guy stepped off the road the required distance for it to be a legal shot and killed him would he have been a better hunter than the guy that paid all the money? Would the elk deserve to be in the record books then?

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

makes you want to puke don't it ?

I dunno, lets google him and see .......





96 2/8
Denny Austad
Pronghorn Guide Service
AZ
2006
Denny Austin - Scores 380 B&C ( elk ) 416", 385"
228" mule deer

Thats some world class animals there, don't you agree ? He's obviously A. a very wealthy man and B. addicted to shooting the largest antlers he can buy

MTdream what is the root of all evil ? yeah, MONEY, and when its entered into the equation of HUNTING nothing good can come of it.

hmmm first off, I don't know that he DOES have a right because he's a non-resident. Maybe the residents of Utah have a right (maybe not, I'm uncertain) but Mr Austad being able to hunt with a gov tag is all given to him by the Utah G&F and he paid $170,000 for that privaledge. I could have bought that bull too - any of us could have to be honest.

Second, and this is a big one ....... when things happen in my sport that negatively affects hunting, then its affecting ME and this kind of thing is negative

is that what hunting is now ? paying someone to get you something ?


sad [:o]


we've not degraded hunting to a big game ?


I would be having it, I've been having it for a long time.

Money and Horn Porn is destorying what hunting is. This is a prime example

aint none of them hunting then

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

ROFL that thar is funny!!!!

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

We have mods?[:'(]

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

not gonna bother resonding...I am done with this topic...

You would be surprised at the boys in the videosthat people idolize that are hunting bulls and bucks that are hand picked on private land (paid the rancher), paid the guides, and paid the campers to watch the bulls...not my cup of tea, not my idea of hunting...but it is what it is...

As long as there is money and prestige involved I am confident that people will take whatever short cuts possible to get what they want...there is nothing new with that philosophy been around as long as mankind...

as forme, I take no pleasure in this bull, will not buy the video, but do marvel at the critter for what is possible in areas managed for trophies...Which keeps me excited when I hit the woods, but then, I am easily impressed as the hair still stands on my back when Ihear the first bugle of every year...

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

I'm only responding since a couple of the posts a page or two back addressed me; otherwise, I'm done with this thread.

I only hunted from September 1-12 because that was all I was able to afford being away from work this year. If I'd have been able to afford being away from work longer, I'd have not only taken the entire season to hunt, but would have probably taken at least a week before the season to scout. The only reason I didn't do exactly that is, being in the mortgage business, I simply can't afford that much time away at this point.

Spider bull notwithstanding, I knew that this tag is one of the better/best elk tags I'll ever be able to draw, and if I could have afforded the time away from work, I'd have been there as long or longer than Mr. Austad spent on his hunt with Mossback. I certainly can take that much time off work when times are good financially, as I'm in a "commission only" job, I just couldn't afford it this year.

When I draw Arizona archery elk, Arizona strip deer, Nevada elk, Oregon elk, etc.; I'll be hunting the entire season, as well as days before the season to scout, as long as I'm able to afford to being away from work for an extended time. I've got a ton of bonus/perference points built up all over the west for most tags. As I draw the premium tags I apply for, I'll be hunting the entire season more often than not. In that regard, most special tag holders won't have much of an advantage over me.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Makes perfect since Elknuts.. I'm not sure how the season works in Utah so I was just taking the post how I saw it. That's my bad. A big elk was killed and it wasn't how most of us would have done it. so what what we say isn't going to change anything so we should just drop it and go harvest elk for ourselves:)

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

the love of horn porn hurts what hunting is - it makes many hunters want to puke and all non-hunters and in the future at some point, hunting will end for the common person, maybe altogehter end and things like the Spider bull are just one little edge closer to that happening

enjoy your horn porn love - if that's what hunting has become I don't want any part of it

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Yeah Stealthy, I love (your description, not mine)horn porn. That's why I've come home another year without killing an elk. I had good archery shot opportunities at bulls bigger than most hunters will kill in their lives, and I never raised my bow. Let 'em walk away, waiting/working/hoping for a bigger bull. Of course, some people who aren't so cynical as yourself call that selective trophy hunting, which is a term I prefer to your cynical "horn porn" term.

Don't worry about hunters being the end of hunting. It'll be the anti-hunters, aided by cynics who don't understand who their true enemy is.

Oh, and Clint, you have nailed it. We should be worrying about harvesting our own elk, not someone else's.

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

I 100% agree, anti-hunting WILL kill my sport. Paying a gang of guys big money to find an animal with a big rack and hound it until you get there to shoot it IS ANTI-HUNTING, its NOT what hunting is, the very definition of NOT hunting.

CAelknuts if you are paying an outfitter to do what was done in this Spider bull kill, you're not hunting, your anti-hunting and you're killing our sport.

I often wonder if we'd be better off as a hunting community to ban outfitters.

Again, the love of money and horn porn entering into hunting is going to kill our sport, directly or indirectly. No good can come of it.

CAelknuts why do you hunt ?

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Stealth,

Sun Tzu gave some very appropriate advice...

Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous.
- Sun Tzu

If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
- Sun Tzu, the Art of War


Notice a common theme? The pro hunting folk are too busy fighting eachother to fight eh greenies...and they know it...they are using our un-dcisiplined attack tendencies against us...and the worst part..we let them...


oh well, keep fighting against the wrong things and continue to lose or focus on getting the whole team together and see what happens...

RE: Spider bull has been killed
 

Stealthy, the reasons I hunt are many. Mostly though, it is for the great memories of wildlife encounters and good times shared with friends. I hunt game large and small, as well as birds. I get as much enjoyment out of a simple deer hunt 30 minutes from my house, as I do from an adventure in Alaska or Africa. That said, some of the best moments I've enjoyed have been some of the more exotic. Hunting Cape Buffalo in thick cover is incredibly tense, and exciting. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. Another memory that will remain vivid until the day I die is nearly being trampled by an enraged bull elephant that I shot at 10 yards as he was bearing down on me. On the other hand, I can also still recall the first duck my son ever killed, which was a hen woodie that he killed on opening day of the season when he was 9 years old. He also shot his first turkey that year, a jake that I called across a deep draw, got him to fly over to us and my son shot him when he landed and then strutted into our view. Those are some of the reasons I hunt. Heck, I can remember the first duck I ever killed, some 40 years ago. It was a drake green winged teal that I made a lucky shot on (I assure you, no skill was involved) out of a flock that was streaking by just above the water on my end of a sunken blind on a very foggy morning.

I get as much enjoyment out of watching a blacktail buck where I hunt near my home as I do watching a grizzly or dall sheep in Alaska, and have enjoyed both extremes plenty of times.

Other reasons include the chance to share days afield with good friends. I still remember some of the final duck hunts my father and I enjoyed before he died on Christmas eve of 1980. He was out in the blind the day before he passed, and died at our club's house. I'll never forget those memories, and they're a part of why I hunt. The very best memories I have of my father are those times we shared hunting together.

Another is the pleasure I've derived from taking many kids out for their first hunts. Whether it's been a kid shooting a mallard or wood duck for his first bird, or a Rio Grande gobbler, I've taken a few dozen kids out for their very first hunts, and I get more pleasure out of those hunts than most of those kids do. I always look forward to hunting in the marsh when the leaves are turning color, and the willows and cottonwoods are golden, with a breeze and birds in the air. I also enjoy those frigid, foggy days when everything on the marsh is gray, like you might see in a Chet Reneson watercolor. One of my most cherished duck hunting partners was a fellow who died a few years ago at 95 years old. The last time I took him out he was 92, and it didn't matter a whole lot what we killed or didn't on those trips. That we got to share days togehter on the marsh, watching the sun rise over the Sutter Buttes, did matter. Those are a few of the reasons I hunt.

I also hunt for the challenge of killing animals with large antlers. When I was younger, I used to hunt to kill something, and it didn't have to be large, as much as it had to present an opportunity to shoot it. These days, I don't worry to much about whether I kill something or not, buti if I do shoot something, chances are that most of the time it will be a mature animal that has lived most of its life. Those animals usually carry large horns or antlers. I'm not always that way, as the last elk I did kill a few yeas ago was a small 6 point that was probably only three or four years old. I'd decided before I left home that I was going to shoot the first 6 pt. bull I had a chance to take, regardless of his size, so when I got the chance I took him, even though he was a smaller bull than I'd normally draw my bow back to shoot. On the other hand, one of the last bulls I killed before him was a giant that was probably 10-13 years old. He'd definitely qualify for your term - horn porn. Does that make one better than the other, or worse? Not in my book. Both gave me great memories of enjoyable hunts, and both adorn the fireplace in my game room. If you were to view my game room (don't worry, you'll never visitit) you'd see a mix of animals that are large and small. Some probably don't qualify as trophies to many, but they're included because of special memories I have of them, or the hunt for them. Others are large, with Boone and Crockett, Pope and Young and Rowland Ward caliber animals displayed. None of them are entered into record books, nor will they likely ever be. I'm sure you'd find some of them offensive because they surely qualify as your term of horn porn.

The reasons I hunt are many and varied, as I suspect is the case with most people. I don't know why you hunt, don't really care. You asked the question, so you got an answer. I'll worry about my hunts, you worry about yours.