Thats exactly why i trophy hunt when it comes to deer.if i was just after meat my tag would be filled on the first day.moose and elk are diffrent story,i still have mydeer tag from last year i just never saw anything big enough but it was still a great year.

I dont buy into the saying,if its brown its down.i believe in let them go let them grow

So for those of you who dont believe in "bragging" about your kill and sharing pictures, do you read any hunting magazines?

Can't imagine you just read it for the advertisments

Why does there need to be a separation Pete? Why not let hunters hunt? There's the Barta way, Pete's way, and Will's way-among others. At the end of the day, at the end of all the long/hard fought seasons, at the end of our lives...do those trophies hanging on the walls or sitting on the shelves, whether they are tangible mounts, readable books, or viewable photographs, mean anything to anyone other than you? For me, the answer is maybe, maybe not. I will not deny any hunter his walk on this planet. I will even congratulate him whether he's successful or not. The mere fact that he/she was out there legally hunting is enough for me. I will look upon them as a kindred soul-contest or not. All too often we hunters are blinded by our own arrogance. It is one thing to preach/teach, it is another to practice what you preach/teach. Life is way too short to have to worry about enemies...

All the time and couldn't agree more.

I would buy your book.

I have to quote myself once again?

"Others are free to do as they please."




I don't believe i've stopped anybody from hunting their way. Why would I? If I express how I do it, or how I feel. Why do you insist that i'm trying to get you to do the same?


If I say to you. I love to fish with bamboo fly rods, silk line, and tie my flies with only natural materials. (I do) Why would you think i'm trying to get you to do the same thing? I'm simply telling you what I like. If you ask me what I think of how you do it. I'll give you an honest opinion of how I feel. Does that mean i'm trying to get you to change your ways? No, of course not!

Stop twisting what I say.

We've had this conversation before. I don't want to do it again. I had my say, and i'm done. No, i'm not running away. I just don't have anymore to say about this. Anymore, and it will just be an argument, and i'm not interested in that.

Sometimes saying nothing says everything. It leaves little room for misinterpretation. Enjoy the rest of your day, I will do the same. Thank you for your thoughts.

Pete---I would love to read a book like you mentioned you're thinking about writing and I think many more guys would too. You're getting up there in years and I believe you're a few years older than I am at 65, so we both have seen many days in the field starting as young as we both did. I can truthfully say that the last ten years of my life outdoors have been the happiest and it's because I could care less whether I have a tag or am just helping a friend or mentoring a young kid getting into our sport. It's too bad so many look at the kill, size of horns, "the BOOK", etc. in order to be satisfied with a hunt. I've always felt that if a big one came along that was great (very seldom happens), but the overall hunt itself is what counts. I've never been the "have to kill something" type and actually lost a developing friendship with a nice guy that was just the opposite and was never happy unless he saw a lot of game and killed something. It got old quickly when he was never happy unless that was how a hunt ended and we parted company. If someone is that way, IMHO they don't really see the big picture of why we go out, but no two people are quite the same and that's what makes the world go around.

Why is it too bad Top? I am not sure I understand your line of thinking? Should we all be forced to walk in your footsteps, even if we think and act differently? Should we drain the pool water if someone jumps in and is in direct opposition to your way of life? They did that with men of color before the 60s, ya know? Was it really too bad the Pilgrims left England for a new world? Was it really too bad competition pushed America to the moon? By golly, when you totally realize the rest of us hunters take in the very same air, do you think the world will come to an end?

A friend of mine said, "I'm of the opinion that they [gay men and women] can do as they please, so long as I'm not forced to abide by their lifestyle, I wont force them to abide by mine." I couldn't agree more! Is that too bad?

Contests......head mounts on the wall.........hero photos.........PHOOEY !!!!!!!

I just draw pictures of my hunts on the living room wall like my distant ancestors did.
My wife keeps confiscating my crayons though. :(

Pete---It now looks like a certain person that lacks reading comprehension wants to hassle me and start something when all I've stated is what makes ME happy just like you did and that may well differ from others. What is so friggin hard to understand about everyone to his own and who cares what other people think? We're not attempting to force anything on anyone else!!!

Yes, and I loved every minute of it! Big buck contests are a great way to meet new friends and share experiences...win or lose. Anyone else?

Iv enjoyed the ones iv been to,i dont see how something that brings people with the same interests together is a bad thing,you can bet peta has their own gatherings.

Before anyone states that contests give groups like peta ammo for their cause just let me say,it doesnt matter.their goal is to take hunting away peice by peice.if you start giveing them what they want they will never stop.

Skinnner, Peta worries me in the very least. They've been exposed enough of late that they have lost plenty of steam. For the most part, the air has left their sail. I am more worried about these growing elistists within our community.

I was in a big buck contest in South Dakota. The proceeds benefitted a 15 month old girl diagnosed with a rare form of skin cancer. Hunters raised over $20K to help support her parent's travel and living expenses while she had an extended stay in a treatment center in Texas. I can tell you, when it was all over, we all felt like winners. The lad who actually shot the biggest buck received a ballcap and a congratulatory pat on back the from the rest of us.

I did another which raised money for a breast cancer patient- she had been denied insurance. The request to participate came from a good friend who runs an outfitting business in Arizona (the young lady involved was his neice). Because of his connections in the outdoor world, he was able to acquire some pretty nice prises. Those prises, in the end, were never taken. Rather, they were auctioned off to the general public outside the contest. The hunters did their part to care for a community member. The point should be made, the contest was the intial rallying force. That was ten years ago, and to my knowledge the young lady is a survivor.

I was in another within the Bowhunting.com forum. My teammate and I won-we received a few trinkets from the website. The enduring friendships we received from each other are priceless. Today, all ten of us, from different walks and regions of the US, are like brothers.

Not all things are "too bad", and if someone wants ammo, there it is!

When I write my book, I hope to have more than Xs and Os representing me and the deer. I may consider a few crayon drawings in spite...

Fund raisers don't work without prizes?

Sorry for the delayed response Pete. I had a little business travel which needed my full attention. I don't mind answering your direct questions.

Can you please define “prizes”? I mean, I have been to fundraisers where I have walked away with art and sculpture. I have also been to fundraisers where I’ve walked away with a sense of satisfaction. Both could be considered a prize. If by prize you mean something tangible, then sure. It is possible to have a fundraiser without a prize. I'm pretty sure you already knew this. Are legitimate prizes a bad thing Pete? If I pay the money, am I not entitled to a prize?

Wow, this is still going huh?

You talked about a big buck contest/fund raiser. Your point I assume was that some big buck contests do good. Maybe so, but it's still a contest with prizes. Even if the only prize is winning the contest. I'd be willing to bet the majority of the hunters are in the contest more than the fund raiser.

So, is it a big buck contest disguised as a fund raiser, or a fund raiser disguised as a big buck contest?

If the hunters were really interested in contributing to the cause. It can be done without the contest. Which comes back to the question in my above post.

I'm sure for those who don'tr agree with big buck contests. The above fund raiser is just another big buck contest. The prize, or lack of prizes doesn't matter. The prize is bragging rights.

Whatever Pete. You are pretty vocal (mostly against) for a man who doesn't care how and why people hunt...which brings us full circle.

That was the question.it wasnt who here is against/for big buck contests.no wonder a post like this turns into something like this.maybe if you dont have anything good to say why say anything?

Have you ever been in one pete?

The question was, has anybody been in a big buck contest.

So, the answer could be yes, or no. Both need an explanation.

I used to come on this Forum quite a bit a few years back but it's been a while, some may remember me but who knows. (grin) I've taken a few decent animals over the years but never entered them in a contest because I never thought of it? This year I took a couple more animals & was coaxed into entering both a Deer & Elk, heck I won both contests but it wasn't for any selfish gain instead it was for fun, it didn't hurt anyone & lots of folks enjoyed seeing them, I too enjoy others harvests!

The elk was an online photo contest & the deer was at a local Sportsmans Show in Idaho. For what it's worth here's the photos of the two. Hope they don't offend anyone.

ElkNut1

Those are two great animals and no wonder you won some contests with them. It looks like you're wearing a Sitka jacket in that elk photo. The one I got from you was fantastic last Fall and I'm now sold on their products. Hope things are going well for you and the business!

TopGun thanks! That's a Sitka pullover longsleeve shirt, you have my Jacket! (grin) Glad it's serving you well.

ElkNut1

Those are some very nice critters elknut!congrats and thanks for shareing.