RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

The guideSHOULD touch the antlers first. He is, after all, the reason that animal is dead. All the hunter did is shoot it. I have no problem with someone going on a guided hunt. I've guided whitetail hunters for several years and have, myself, hunted with outfitters for antelope and mountain lion out west. But the truth is, with my whitetail hunters, they're harvesting deer that I have spent weeks, or even months, patterning. They're hunting scrape lines, rub lines, trails, funnels, and food sources that I have found, out of treestands that I hung. I killed those deer. It's justhanging on their wall, instead of mine. The same thing goes for my antelope and moutain lion. Could I have killed those animals without the guide. Hell, No! I had never hunted either of the two animals before. I had never even seeneither of them...... in the wild anyway. I enjoyed the trips, and the experiences are something I'll always remember. But when it comes right down to it, I didn't do anything! The guide killed those animals.I'll continue going on guded hunts, for animals that I don't have the privelege of hunting in my area. I don't have the time to travel across the country, and spend months trying to learn their habits, and be ableto successfully hunt these animals on my own. But all the credit will be given to the guide. As it should be! Like I said before, I see nothing wrong with guided hunts, but make no mistake about it, it is the guide's accomplishment when you harvest an animal. He can touch it all he wants. He can make love to it for all I care. He earned that right. I just pulled the trigger.

RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

I see the point of view regarding the guide doing all the work but the bottom line is, for the time the guide and hunter are out on the ground the hunter is the boss. The guide is on the clock earning money that the hunter is forking out, if he says "ok I see him, go back to the truck while I shoot him" thats the way it should be. This is a boss/employee relationship. That said, I don't see what kind of guy would do that, I have never been on a guided hunt but I would think that by the time you are pulling a trigger on an animal, you have spent enough time together to develop a kind of "good buddy" relationship and that would make the kill and celebration all the more fun regardless of who touches the rack first.

RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

nope i wouldnt care...

RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

I wouldn't care if someone else grabbed the antlers first. In fact, I probably wouldn't even be thinking about it. I'd be so caught up in the moment.

RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

Personally I like being the first to touch one of my animals and will stand by when a friend takes an animal with me. I like knowing that I was the first human to ever, ever touch this animal and with me, it pays a respect and a bond between myself and said animal. Call me crazy if you want to but there is something special about the relationship between predator/prey....so, come hunt with me but don't touch my buck first...;)

RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

PS...

the worst thing is an arse poker.....poking them on the butt and saying oh he's down, yeah right![:@]

RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

Rob I fell the same way you do. so your not crazy to me. No one should touch your animal before you.

RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

Thats eaxactly what i'm talking about. I do the same. When my buddies shoot a buck and i happen to come up to it first, i alwasy say, get in here and grab your buck. The Hunter should be allowed first touch, to let the animals soul run through him...

my 2 cents

RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

My thoughts exactly.

RE: You know what Makes me MAD???
 

Never really thought about it before. I mostly huntalone in the vicinity of family members. I am always the first to getto my deer unless I am tracking after a poor shot. Nevertheless, if my brother or Dad decide to touch it first, I would not care, because they are going to help gut and drag...............:)