Sick of the Arrogance

[billrquimby]

The problem here is the dumb emphasis on hunting strictly for trophies that has spread like a cancer over the past 25-30 years. And, like other cancers, it eventually will result in the death of its host.

 

Bill Quimby

[CEI]

The problem here is the dumb emphasis on hunting strictly for trophies that has spread like a cancer over the past 25-30 years. And, like other cancers, it eventually will result in the death of its host.

 

Bill Quimby

 

[Outdoor Writer]

The problem here is the dumb emphasis on hunting strictly for trophies that has spread like a cancer over the past 25-30 years. And, like other cancers, it eventually will result in the death of its host.

 

Bill Quimby

 

 

A perversion of sorts, actually.

[Rembrant]

Nothing wrong with killing big animals or wanting to kill big animals. The problem is in the human ego. The first and original meaning of the word "pride", which is an overly high and undue opinion of one's self. It is a condition that has plagued humanity since the first man.

 

Mike

[SirRoyal]

The problem here is the dumb emphasis on hunting strictly for trophies that has spread like a cancer over the past 25-30 years. And, like other cancers, it eventually will result in the death of its host.

 

Bill Quimby

 

Awesome statement and coming from a hunters Hunter

We are spoiled here in Arizona we kill the biggest bulls in the world! A 300 archery bull used to be like WOW,. now days its like whats a matter with you. Most of us are to worried about what others think and not what we want in our heart.

We should pursue our own levels of accomplishment that makes us feel good about the whole hunt from the scouting to the kill!

If a guy wants to continue to pursue a animal thats bigger than what he has harvested before more power to him. Its all about personal achievements!

I'll be honest with you guys I put to much pressure on myself based on what others see and percieve!

I have more fun helping someone else harvest thier game than mine!

Just my 2 cents

[tjhunt2]

The problem here is the dumb emphasis on hunting strictly for trophies that has spread like a cancer over the past 25-30 years. And, like other cancers, it eventually will result in the death of its host.

 

Bill Quimby

 

Totally agree Mr. Quimby!!

 

I waited almost 10 years before I drew my one and only archery bull elk tag in 2009. Here's the end result:

 

 

A lot of guys gave me crap for "wasting" my tag on a spike. I couldn't care less what guys said. I hunted hard for a week and took the first bull that I had the opportunity to shoot. Plus, I got to spend a full week in elk camp with my dad. It was just him and me for the whole hunt and I couldn't have asked for a better hunting partner!!!

 

That's a great picture and the memories will be forever etched in your mind. Congratulations and thanks for sharing. It's stories like this that I enjoy the most.

 

TJ

[bowhuntaz1]

Plus, I got to spend a full week in elk camp with my dad. It was just him and me for the whole hunt and I couldn't have asked for a better hunting partner!!!

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[AZ RANGER]

The problem here is the dumb emphasis on hunting strictly for trophies that has spread like a cancer over the past 25-30 years. And, like other cancers, it eventually will result in the death of its host.

 

Bill Quimby

 

Totally agree Mr. Quimby!!

 

I waited almost 10 years before I drew my one and only archery bull elk tag in 2009. Here's the end result:

 

 

A lot of guys gave me crap for "wasting" my tag on a spike. I couldn't care less what guys said. I hunted hard for a week and took the first bull that I had the opportunity to shoot. Plus, I got to spend a full week in elk camp with my dad. It was just him and me for the whole hunt and I couldn't have asked for a better hunting partner!!!

 

That's awesome!

I made some great memories with my dad on my first Archery Rut tag too, and we came home without a bull. 8 years later I finally drew another tag and got my bull. Had just as much fun on the first hunt though.

[billrquimby]

Too many people judge their manliness and hunting skill -- and that of others -- by the size of the horns and antlers brought home.

 

It did not take many years of editing the SCI record book to realize that skill is not necessary to kill the biggest and the best. If you have lots of money anything is possible, including a Coues whitetail that would shove Ed Stockwell's into second place, if that's what you set out to do.

 

There are guys out there now who are hunting ten to twelve months of the year all over this world, and spending $500,000-$750,000 each year to do so. They can afford to hire a crew to work as long as it takes to locate and take them to the new world-record Coues whitetail, but if all else fails they can always pay to have one grown for them in Mexico.

 

All it would take would be an unlimited budget, five or six years, a deer-proof enclosure stocked with a dozen Coues deer with good genetics, and a qualified d biologist/deer nutritionist to supervise the operation. I suspect such projects already are underway in Sonora and Chihuahua.

 

At any rate, I feel sorry for those who still judge the quality of their trophies with measuring tapes instead of memories. I fell into that trap early on, but eventually outgrew it.

 

Bill Quimby

[MattMan]

Too many people judge their manliness and hunting skill -- and that of others -- by the size of the horns and antlers brought home.

 

It did not take many years of editing the SCI record book to realize that skill is not necessary to kill the biggest and the best. If you have lots of money anything is possible, including a Coues whitetail that would shove Ed Stockwell's into second place, if that's what you set out to do.

 

There are guys out there now who are hunting ten to twelve months of the year all over this world, and spending $500,000-$750,000 each year to do so. They can afford to hire a crew to work as long as it takes to locate and take them to the new world-record Coues whitetail, but if all else fails they can always pay to have one grown for them in Mexico.

 

All it would take would be an unlimited budget, five or six years, a deer-proof enclosure stocked with a dozen Coues deer with good genetics, and a qualified d biologist/deer nutritionist to supervise the operation. I suspect such projects already are underway in Sonora and Chihuahua.

 

At any rate, I feel sorry for those who still judge the quality of their trophies with measuring tapes instead of memories. I fell into that trap early on, but eventually outgrew it.

 

Bill Quimby

 

 

Bingo.

 

Other hunter to my wife - "What does he score?"

My wife - "Who cares? I found him and shot him on my own. And I haven't been this excited in a LONG time."

 

I respect a DIY guy that earned and shot a 2 point fair and square on his own, a heck of a lot more than a guy who was led by the hand to a 115 buck.

[gotcoues]

I certainly understand someone who is a stranger in a strange land hiring a guide, but for the life of me don't see the reward in hiring one when you hunt in your own state. I consider myself a trophy hunter, but we ALL enjoy the heck out eating wild game and I find a huge sense of pride in doing so as well. I don't think there's any shame in going home empty if you were trying to harvest a biggun and I feel that lots of guys shoot smaller animals because they will feel inferior in some way if they come home empty handed. I normally set my goals high, hold out and then as the hunt is winding down, lower my standards.

 

I also would be sickened a bit by a guy who hired a guide to kill a whopper and then let it go to his head. I hang out will all DIY guys so I don't run into this scenario though.

[OpticNerd]

The problem here is the dumb emphasis on hunting strictly for trophies that has spread like a cancer over the past 25-30 years. And, like other cancers, it eventually will result in the death of its host.

 

Bill Quimby

 

This has got to be one of my all time favorite statements I've read on any hunting forum. You have an awesome way with words Mr. Quimby.

[gotcoues]

I certainly wasn't implying don't shoot smaller animals, to each his own. I finally drew another archery bull tag and I will shoot anything on the last day for the meat. I was just saying it's ok to go home empty, there's no shame in setting goals and sticking to them.

[DesertBull]

At any rate, I feel sorry for those who still judge the quality of their trophies with measuring tapes instead of memories.

 

AWESOME!

[COOSEFAN]

Man, I've been reading this thread since the beginning and could probably write several pages of a reply! I've got a ton of experience relating to most of the thoughts in this thread and some I agree whole heartedly with and others I don't.

 

I think I remember who Catclaw was referring to at the start of this thread, I think he had that bull in his avatar? I think it was a 400" class bull with extra kickers up top maybe? I remember hearing the story and being very impressed with that individual for taking such a huge bull on his own, but now hearing he covered up the fact he was guided only upsets me for ever being impressed.

 

I'm always way more impressed with a hunter who gives credit where credit is due, regardless if it's a guide, a friend, or even if it was pure luck! The hunter that is honest and humble is the one I respect and admire the most.

 

One thing I don't agree with is folks getting upset or being negative towards somebody else becuase they don't hunt the same way or don't share the same trophy standards! It's THEIR tag, who cares if they want to pass on a 360" bull, who cares if they shoot a spike, it's THEIR tag!

 

I'm happy to see folks pass big stuff and go home empty handed (only as long as it's not my client ) because that's one more bull or buck left in the woods!

 

Also, who cares if there is a bunch of "lazy" hunters or guys that road hunt all day, that only means you'll have less folks hiking into your honey hole!! I wish there were more lazy road hunters!!!

 

I've got a good example for ya'll, Last year, Early rifle bull hunt in one of the best units. I had a client pass up a bull that no doubt was bigger than 390" and most likely was pushing the 400" mark and was a straight 6!!! Keep in mind this was the middle of the hunt, I had nothing bigger picked out, and it wasn't a special tag with unlimited time to hunt, he only had a couple days left! It was very hard for me to comprehend that we were passing this bull up! What you need to understand, and what made me feel better about it was that this hunter knew the risk he was taking. He knew that he would probably go home empty handed and he didn't care. In his mind, shooting that bull would only end his hunt and he then would have to go home!!! This particular hunter already had 2 380" class archery DIY bulls on his wall at home and he was bound and determined to hunt until the last minute of his hunt for a true 400" bull! His words, and they are still etched in my mind, were, "I'd rather hunt the whole hunt for a true 400" bull and go home empty handed than shoot a lesser bull halfway thru"! The thrill of passing up giant bulls, the excitement of having the tag in his pocket and not knowing what was around the next tree were all reasons for him not to kill that bull. He was there for the hunt and beleive it or not, there is a lot of folks out there that hire guides and share the same thoughts as this particular hunter....although i doubt they would've passed that bull! LOL!

 

And another thing is that guy didn't care one bit about what others think. It was his own personal goal to kill a bull scoring at least 400". His drive was fueled only by personal reasons, he never would've wrote a story or posted the pics, even if it was the world record, it was his goals only.

 

Granted, that is only 1 scenario and 1 hunter, but I gotta say, folks like that are more common then most tend to beleive! I don't know if maybe it's the class of clientele that I attract or what, but 97.5% of the clients I've guided in the last 10 years are folks that are respectful, honest and enjoy the hunt, not just the kill. Just because somebody hires a guide doesn't mean they don't have the skills to hunt on thier own and it doesn't mean they are only interested in making a name for themselves. Most clients I guide have actually killed more and bigger elk then myself! It is BS if a guy uses a guide but then covers up that fact later, I don't agree with that at all! But there is no reason to think less of a guy in general just because he used a guide. In those situations I give credit to the guide but also to the hunter for successfully doing his part as well. I do place more respect with those individuals that do it all on their own because I know what goes into it and how hard it can be, but some of those and even some of the guided ones were all luck! Just be honest about it and happy you killed your trophy.

 

Bottome line, to each his own, and it's all just apples and oranges in the end. Killing a bull with a guide is still a great accomplishment, killing one on your own is a better accomplishment. Being honest and humble about it will win you more respect. And most importantly, for me, "The trophy is in the eye of the tag holder". It's not our tag so who cares, only once it is our tag does our opinions of trophy class then become relevant! OK, i'm done for now. JIM>