Maybe it is just me, but.................

[SlickWilly]

Maybe I am the one that is off here, but it seems to me that some people draw these coveted tags then get on web sites like this saying that they have no time to scout and know nothing about the area in hopes that a member will fill them in on where to get the biggest buck/bull. Why put in for somewhere you know nothing about? I can guarantee you this, if you are asking people you do not know for advise on where to go, then go opposite where they tell you. I would assume that most are not going to encourage more people to come to their spots, hell there is most likely enough there anyway.

If you have to pay for the these premium tags, then why not take the time to make it worth it.

 

[huntinfanatic]

i drew a paunsaugunt muzzy elk tag this year. it isn't quite in the category of coveted but i plan on spending every spare minute i have scouting and preparing for this hunt i feel like i won the lottery, i couldnt even imagine having a tag that took 15 years to draw and not put every ounce of energy i had into preparing for the hunt. some people put in for these hunts just because they think it will be easy to get a big bull. so in short slickwilly i agree with u 100%!

 

[REDDOG]

well slick, e-scouting has its limits, but if you never apply in areas you have never been, then you are selling yourself short IMHO. also i have got and given some advice that has led to making new friends, its the information age, you know.

 

[nickman]

Well, remember that you started this.........."their spots"....Why would anyone have the right to pick a spot as their own? Who appointed you the next Daniel Boone?

I get so sick of this crap. "I worked hard to find this spot"....BS...somebody showed it to you and told you not to spread it around.

The chances that you, or anyone you know, drawing a particular unit anywhere, is remote at best.

As a good sportsman or hunter, why would you not be willing to help another person have a great hunt? I don't get it, never have. Sometimes, people need help and it's the right thing to do.

Just because they cannot afford to invest extra days in scouting, dosen't make them less of a hunter than you.

"Life" interferes with alot of the things we would like to do. Your son's first high school football game? Your parents 50th wedding anniversary? Your daughter's piano recital?.........lots' of things are more important than a hunting trip for some people.

I guess that my way of thinking must be screwed up, because when I show someone a good place to go, half the time they don't believe me.

 

[Scrillznac]

LAST EDITED ON May-01-09 AT 10:59AM (MST)[p]I don't really agree. When you spend 10+ years applying for tags and when you draw it costs $280 for a RESIDENT elk tag, then I think you deserve to get some advice on where to start your efforts. I don't really think it's a matter of stealing someones honey holes but rather a starting point to start your summer scouting. I don't think someone who drew a coveted tag is going to ask for spots, then not scout and just go hunt that 1 spot on opening day. It's give and take. I have been asked questions about a deer unit that I drew last year and I'm glad to give out some info. I'm not going to tell people the EXACT spot I shot my buck but rather the "general" area so I know they'll still have to work a little bit to find the deer. Why not help people out a little when you know it would be nice in return?

 

[hunter03]

I would have to disagree on this one as well. I had a limited entry tag last year hunted and scouted like crazy, had some input from others on some areas to check out, some of them I checked others I didn't check out. If someone asks me about the area I will glady offer some information to them to help make their hunt more enjoyable, heck I will even go up scouting with them and show them some areas to try out. Why not help someone else make their hunt enjoyable? We don't know the situation they are in, maybe they love to hunt but just don't have the resourses to hit every area on the mountain prior to the hunt and can't put in the time they would like to. Thats just my opionion though

 

[GSH]

Why not help a guy out? Especially if it's a LE hunt? Even it it is YOUR honey hole, there is no way you get to hunt that unit every year, so what's the big deal? I can see if it was a general unit and you would be hunting it every year. I work my a$$ of every year on the general unit I hunt, and it's still not that great, so yea, I won't be giving much advice to a stranger in that situation. Sometimes I think we hunters forget we are all on the same team!

 

[littlejoe]

I was fortunate and drew a OIL Moose tag at 15. My dad still has not drawn and continues to put in. People ask me all the time where and when and I will tell them the exact location of everything. What does it matter. I might need help from them later. I give people suggestions for all other species as well. I personally hate it when you ask someone where they harvested their animal and you get an answer like Secret Pond or No Tellum Ridge. I don't expect the exact spot but a general location is great. Am I going to head right there, absolutely not. Would others, maybe. With almost all tags having to be drawn it is not like a person can just go buy the tag and be in that spot each and every year. People willing to help and give you some general idea is great. In my case, due to work and family, I have very very little time to scout. I want my days for hunting. It is a decisions that I choose to make. Some would say I am not the hunter they are as they start scouting May through opening day. That is not my cup of tea but I would gladly put my trophy room and my best friends against about anyones. Just because you don't scout alot does not make you any less of a hunter. Good friend does not prescout in Wyoming and has shot several wall hanger mulies. He knows the area and keeps going back.

 

[oilcan]

Well i"m glad not every one feels the same way you do.Like a lot of people on this site i apply for units every year that i have never stepped foot in.If i draw i"ll throw it out there if some one offers advice great if not thats fine to."E-scouting" is a small part of gathering information on a unit but not the only one.Just because some guy gives you a tip doesn't mean you'll stop gathering information and just hunt there.

As far as your statement"I can guarantee you this, if you are asking people you do not know for advise on where to go, then go opposite where they tell you. I would assume that most are not going to encourage more people to come to their spots, hell there is most likely enough there anyway".Only a real prick would mislead some one and give them bogus info when they knew the person was driving from out of state spending there hard earned time and money on the hunt.And for your information there are a lot of great people on this site who are willing to help as much as they can including me.I have given specific locations in units to check out in premium tag areas i have hunted in the past.So what i will not draw the tags again or at least not in the near future and if i can help someone have a great hunt so much the better.I'm a firm believer of what comes around goes around.You never know you might need some help yourself one day.

 

[alp75]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with hunting a new area that you are unfamiliar with and nothing wrong with getting some advice from locals that know the area.

Last year I had to drop some equipment off in Idaho for some repairs that were going to take a week to get done. I decided to hunt mule deer to kill the time and see some new country. I contact someone from this site and he gave me about half a dozen areas to try. No honey holes just some areas that with a little work would hold some mature bucks. I got to one of the areas and hunted it hard the first three days. After not seeing the quality of animals I was looking for I moved to a different area (not far from where I was hunting)and took a nice 174" buck. If I can dedicate a week to hunting even without being to an area, I am pretty confident that I can hunt the area successfully. Don't get me wrong, if it is at all possible to scout I will spend a lot of time doing so. But if the circumstances don't warrant the time to scout it, it should by no means be a reason not to hunt. This was one of the most fun hunts I have been on and I was by myself in a totally new area that I was able to learn and experience.

 

[BoneJunkie]

I found a nice little honey hole in a Colorado unit that was a sleeper. I killed two real nice bucks in two years. I was keeping it a secret so I could go back and hunt it some more. My brothers, brother in law figured out where I was going and he put him and his buddies in for that unit. When I showed up to my secret spot they were camped right on it. They totally screwed things up for me. I dont mind helping people out a little but that really pissed me off.

 

[Camper_A1]

LAST EDITED ON May-03-09 AT 11:32AM (MST)[p]I was under the impression that this site was here to help each other out. I'm glad most of you feel different than the original post. Sometimes it seems the hunter asking for a little help gets slammed. I too am willing to help anyone I can have a better hunt. I drew Monroe Elk in '96 and would love to hunt it again someday. I met some fellow hunters down scouting one summer and became friends. Still keep in touch today. If I can't hunt some LE area I can still enjoy someone else sucess. I think we all enjoyed CAELKNUTS hunt last year and most of us didn't know him. If you don't want to share your honey hole that's fine, most of us don't, but information to get someone started in the right direction won't hurt either.

 

[Califelkslayer]

There is a huge difference IMO between high demand/LE/tough draw units and OTC/1 point type areas.

I drew a great tag last year after waiting 13 years. Most of my pre-scout was contacting HuntinFool members that had hunted the unit, same season. 5 calls, shortest lasted just over an hour. They all pulled out their maps and told me exactly where they hunted/saw bulls/saw big bulls. I only got to hunt 3 of the spots cause they all held lots of elk. I'll have and will continue to return the favor.

Now, I hunt an area in No. Colorado that you can draw a cow tag in every year, ES usually every other year, Archery hunt every third year. I don't give any specifics on this area although I have mentioned the unit here before. REASON?? #1) I was told about the area by the same guys I hunt it with and at least some of them are there every year. #2) I'll most likely be there so why send others there too? #3) My wife and step-son will kill there first elk there next year.

IMO there is a significant difference.

But back to your original post. The guy should get there at least 3-4 days early to scout. Might not be enough but better than going in blind. Of the 50 or so hunts I apply for each year (Me/wife/son/step-son) only about 15 are close enough for me to scout before season. The others would entail me leaving 7 days early. That gives me 5 days to scout. Seems to work.

 

[AZbowhntr]

I have helped several people with general areas to start looking in units that I know. I have even helped people when I have the same tag. As in this year here in AZ for elk. That doesn't mean I am telling them what drainage to go look in but general info on where most the the animals are. I don't see anything wrong with that and I hope someone would be willing to help me out in the same situation.

 

[2lumpy]

What a great discussion. Lots of different and respectful comments. Such diversity of thought, a real interesting window into the differences in human nature. Each feeling comfortable in their belief in what's normal.

Personal I get great satisfaction from helping others have successful hunts. Not as much as harvesting for myself but it's a darn close second. Directing someone, especially if they are friendly and appreciative kinds of folks, is nearly as euphoric as pulling the trigger myself. I've enjoyed hundreds of days afield that I never would have experienced if I hadn't been helping some sportsmen who has contacted me for a little help. Some of these folks have become life long friends, others hardly bother to stay thanks but regardless of how they behave I get a great feeling from doing what I can and often times a memory that stays with me for ever.

I have buddies who hate it that I share with strangers but that's okay, they get their jollies a different way than I do. We still have great times together.

I've hunted in many different States and a few Canadian Provinces and there is one thing I've learned. For me at least, if you don't get a little input from the old boys that know the ropes your going to have to be darn lucky or spend a lot more time than I ever have to spend being successful. But that's me, they's a lot better hunters than I and maybe they can gett'er done with out help. Good on'em.

Someone once said: "Happiness is like perfume: you can't give it away without getting a little on yourself. " It worked for me. Whatever works for you, go for it.

dc

 

[ironranger]

For me, it's a matter of travel time as live 1200 miles from the Wasatch unit that I drew for this fall. I'm hoping to go out a week early as we have an office out there and get acclimated plus do some morning scouting trips and then work my evening shift. If I lived out there I'd be out there every weekend but it's just not happening. I appreciate any help I can get and will be scouring the areas I've been told about on my map software for now.

 

[cabinfever]

Unless you are an outfitter why wouldn't you want to help someone on a limited entry unit that you have hunted in the past. Geesh, it's not like you are going to draw the tag every year. I have received some very helpful and accurate info from people on this site and I have also helped others.In regards to your honey hole you hunt every year.....thats an entirely different story.

Mike