Bobco....

Let me give you this scenario:

You take off a year going to CO, elk hunting....and you learn wrangling at a local horse ranch. You then take the next year you were going to hunt....and you go out to CO and simply spend the 5 days scouting and learning the area. You do this for 4 more years, straight.....never taking a weapon with you.

On that 7th year......you go to CO and do everything yourself. Everything.

I NEVER bashed anyone for taking a guide. My ONLY question would be.....which hunt would be more rewarding to you. The guided hunt....or the self-guided? There's NO wrong answer. I mean that. I don't begrudge ANYONE who uses a guide.

I've got a friend who went out to CO and did just that (Although he's a heckuva horseman). He now goes out 2x a year and guides his own archery elk hunts.

Everything leading up to the shot....AND after .....is part of the experience. I don't want someone field dressing my kills. I NEED to do that to experience the total hunt. I need to do that to make sure the animal (even in death) is respected. I need to do my butchering (although for practical reasons I have someone else package it for freezing). I need to scout my area. i need to hang my stands.

It's personal. "I" (emphasis on "I") would feel less accomplishment....if I subcontracted these things out. I mena NO disrepect for those who for WHATEVER reason don't feel the same as I do. It's not about me....for them.

Respect.

Jeff

SB, there are a few things that you mentioned, but also left out a few. One of my (and my family's) biggest concern is safety.

Also, you did not mention equipment. I'd have to spend an aweful lot for this one hunt just on equipment that I don't have. Things like water purifiers, tents, etc.

So let's assume I'm single, I have all the equipment that I need, I'm proficient in survival skills and wrangling.Also assumeI live in a very high elevation, and I don't need to rest and catch my breath every few minutes in 11,000 feet elevations(FWIW, I am in great shape, but I have a hard time with elevation).

Then sure your scenerio would be a greater achievement and a better reward.

Unfortunately, it would not be a possibility for me. And I would think the more logical thing to do would be to use the money and time spent for all of the lessons, scouting trips, and equipment and go on a few guided trips.

FWIW, I have a huge respect and admiration for survivalists. Someone that can go into the wilderness with absolutely nothing except maybe a knife and survive for a week or two at a time. Believe it or not there are people who do it for "fun". I believe Arthur P used to do it. It's fascinating stuff.

Like I said Bobco....NO wrong answer.

I respect your choices.

Jeff

SB,
I'd much rather have 5 hunts than 6 years of working up towards one hunt. Seems like an awful inefficient use of energy and resources. But I understand for some people the struggle and payoff is what they enjoy. There's a thread on another website Bob and I post on that has a guy who has dedicated a good portion of his life to raising llama's so that he can do just what you suggest. He likes hunting his way and being self sufficient, he makes a lot of his own equipment (he's also a doctor). That works for him but personally I couldn't do all that stuff and still have quality time with my family. Hunting isn't my god. I don't offer up the largest chunk of my time in order to do what I do. I spend a lot of time hunting and preparing to hunt but I know what's important in my life and I try to maintain personal balance. I can make the money needed to do all that stuff much faster than I can learn all of it and buy all that I need and then maintain all that equipment and animals during the off-season. But I also am trying to build my own bow so I see the appeal to both sides.

EXACTLY, Talondale!

I'm betting MANY people would tell my buddy he's crazy for doing what he did. I'm betting many of these same people might be the same ones that choose to spend the time needed to become proficient w/ a stickbow....when the compound would take less time and effort. If I'm hearing correctly.....part of the mystique and allure (and overall satisfaction)of the stickbow is for EXACTLY that reason!

All of this we do is VERY personal. There are VERY few "absolutes" in hunting.

Jeff

HuntinGUS its much more difficult to shoot a traditional bow, you are correct.

BobCo19-65 and thats fine and dandy, to each his own. I like it tough, hard and as challenging as I can make it. Fact is, the most dangerous thing a bowhunter can do is climbing up and down to his treestand. I pushed it pretty hard this past fall, I knew I was close to going over the limit and did the things I needed to do and all was well. Unlike the previous year when I ignored the warning signs.

I greatly admire solo bivy hunters who pack for days with a trad bow on public lands, and bring out big bull elk. THAT is bowhunting at one of the most diffcult levels.

SBGobblers I'm not as politically correct as you. The guy doing it all himself is doing it much harder than the guided hunter. His rewards and accomplishments are far greater. There IS a correct answer there, and its not to take away from the guided hunters accomplishment, rather its to simply recognize that the do it yourselfer did it in a far more diffcult way.

BobCo19-65I live in Arkansas, very low altitude. I hike my ass off in the summertime, 105 degrees and a 40 # backpack oin black asphalt for 2 hours or more, 5-7 miles or more. Why ? Getting my legs and back and shoulders in shape for carrying in and out weight in the mtns. I spend hundreds of hours getting ready, and when its time, I spend all day walking into my hunting area, slow steps that hurt every bit of the way. I probably couldn't if I didn't spend all those hours in the summertime getting ready, or it would certainly be much harder.

And I hunt for days, no hot shower, no good meals, no heated tents, just a Cabela's tent and re-heated foods on a propane burner. And I don't have a lot of clothers, clothes are bulky, can't take a lot of bulky stuff 5-6 miles into the wilderness. I walk everywhere I go, to and from camp.

It use to be a lot harder when I didn't rent llamas, I do it easier now that I rent them.

But guys who pay for guides, and pay for the camps to be set up, the food to be waiting, the horses to ride around on ......... there aint no comparison to the hunting. Its a lot easier when you have those horses. Its easier when you got llamas vs backpacking too.

I'm not taking away from anyones hunt, rather I'm simply recognizing how difficult one type of hunt is vs another.

Just like recognizing that shooting a trad bow is MUCH more difficult than shooting a compound

It simply is

I don't care who you got with you, if your humping up and down the mountains after elk,your damn sure earning your shot.

Actually, I don't think I choose it, it choosed me.Best way to describe it is asan addiction.

As Talon said, hopefullyeveryonefinds their own niche and are happy. that's what it's really all about.

I actually just wonder if Ted Barta is using the "Hunting the Hard Way" phrasesince Howard Hill used it. Is he really just out to compare Trad against Compound, orcomparing Bowhunting (all forms) against Gun Hunting as Howard did.

May want to check this link out.

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1309286&mpage=1

Buster, what do you want from me?

OK, you hunt harder then me. Fine. I'm very happy that you are doing something you enjoy.

Hunting is only a part of archery to me. I get as much enjoyment taking my wife, son and his friends out shooting as I do from hunting. To me there is so much more in Archery that I can focus on and personally enjoy then the things you have mentioned.

Amen, Motown.