I have to admit, I was never a frequenter of hunting forums until recently. I always hunted growing up, but back then there were no computers or forums. I got away from hunting while I was in the service, but a couple years ago I started back into the sport and like many of you it has started dominating my interests. While preparing for this years elk hunt, I started reading hunting forums to hear about rumors and maybe get an idea of new areas to scout and hunt. Low and behold, the first forum I visit has a video of a huge bull and next thing I know is I am caught up in Spider Fever.
So I start following the threads and every one of them seem to turn into a bashing/defending of some guy named Doyle. It was only a couple years ago that I moved to Utah, so I had no idea who Doyle was or why it was such a big deal. Being the rational person I am, I did some searching and found out he was Mossback. While many of the bashers painted a picture of an evil villain that is the worst thing to happen to Utah hunting, the defenders made him sound like just the opposite. The problem is that it was all just rumors and hearsay on both sides. To get a better picture of him, I decided to rely on what could be easily verified as fact. The one, most telling fact I found is a video of Doyle carrying a disable hunter on his back up a mountain in order for him to take a deer. Every year Doyle gives a free guided hunt to a disable hunter, which to me shows he is a better person that he gets credit for. Until such time as someone has proof of him or his guides doing something illegal or unethical, I'm going to look at him as a guy that not only consistently finds the best trophies, but who does it while helping those who would otherwise have no chance to get into that caliber of game.
As for the spider bull kill, I have somewhat mixed emotions on it. In the end, I have decided I'm glad it was a Mossback hunter that got him. Yes, it would have been nice to read about some Cinderella story of a guy on a DIY hunt defying the odds and taking it without help or spotters, but that's all it would be. Just a story to read about and a couple pictures. With Mossback guiding the hunt, we all now have the opportunity to watch this hunt as it unfolds. Hopefully he will do it right and make an entire video dedicated to this one hunt, starting with the initial scouting of Spidey, the heartbreak of Mr. Austad missing with his first chance, only to get a second chance weeks later. Then we get to see the joy and excitement as they finally take what will almost certainly be the new world record for many years to come.
As some poor guy from up north that still camps in a tent, I know I will never have the opportunity to hunt with guides. Hopefully one day I will draw out on one of the LE hunts, but if I do I'll be on a DIY. If I had the money though, you can bet I would be the first to call up Doyle. The hard work and effort he and his staff put into his clients success is incontrovertible, and in the end the results speak for themselves.
What saddens me most about the whole spider bull mania is what has transpired between members of this and other forums. Perhaps I have just been lucky, but all the hunters I have met have been some of the most honest, helpful people. I don't know if it is an honest dislike of guides, jealousy of the results that Mossback produces, or just 12-year-olds with an elevated sense of internet bravado. What I do know is the fighting between forum members does more harm to the perception of hunters in general than any law abiding guide service could ever do.
To the people that say hunting is now a rich mans sport, take a step back and really look at it. 99% of hunters do not hire guides or pay for spotters. We just go into the mountains, set up a camp, and hunt - same as they did 100 years ago. Anyone can buy an over the counter tag for just $35, and just about everyone in the state lives within an hour or two of good public hunting land. Any Utah resident can hunt both deer and elk every year of their life for a very small amount of money. After hunting in Nevada as a youth, it's amazing how good we have it here in Utah. Sure, it sucks that it takes 10, 12, or 15 years to draw out on a LE hunt, but we can buy tags in years we don't draw. I was never lucky enough to draw a Nevada elk tag, but from what I understand if you draw an elk tag you cannot even apply for another elk tag for 5 years. If you happened to kill an elk on your hunt, the wait is 10 years. During that waiting time you still have to put in for a deer draw and get a tag hopefully every other year. Utah has a huge amount of game, large areas of public hunting, and tags on the cheap for anyone that wants one, every single year.
There are negatives and positives to every facet of life. Instead of focusing on the negatives or what you think should be changed, why not look more closely at the positives. We as hunters get the opportunity to do help manage game populations while doing something we love. We get to take that animal home and have plenty of healthy meat to last most of the year. We get to spend time in the outdoors with other people that share our interests and passions. We get to meet people that, for the most part, are the most honest and friendly people you could ever want to meet.
As for me, I'm going to get back to packing my gear. I'm leaving tomorrow for an open bull hunt on public land where I'm sure to see no monsters, but plenty of nice average elk. I'm going to sit by a fire with friends and family, tell stories and roast hot dogs, and be reminded why hunting season is easily the most satisfying time of the year. When I get back, whether I get an elk or not, I will have new memories to last a lifetime. And in a few months, I'm going to be able to buy a video showing the new world record being shot?.in Utah?.on public land. For me, the cup is half full.
. Seriously though congrats to everyone involved and when I win the powerball I will insist my guide put my trophy in the back of a Ford.
