Don't get me wrong when I kill a deer or elk or antelope or whatever the first thing that happens is my "official" measurement. I have a tape in my backpack and another one in my glove box. I also support B&C and P&Y and enter animals in P&Y regularly.......BUT I wonder if tape measures are ruining this sport. I remember growing up my family helped guide on a ranch near Coleville Utah and I helped with that until I was 19 years old. In all the years of hunting there with family and friends and all the people we guided on hunts I don't EVER remember people asking about 200" bucks or 400" bulls. People would talk about the mysterious 30" buck but rarely a mention of scores like we hear today. If I got my client a nice mature 4 point or better they were THRILLED!!! Looking back some of these deer would push the 180" mark but many were in the 140-165" class and these guys were STOKED. If we shot a nice 25"+ buck we were EXCITED! Since that time I have hunted pretty much strictly on public land throughout SEVERAL states and I no longer guide. Each year it seems over the last 10-12 years I have heard MORE AND MORE talk of 200" bucks and 400" bulls. I think expectations have gotten SO HIGH THAT EVERYONE WANTS A 200" DEER AND A 400" ELK. Those expectations are VERY UNREALISTIC! 10-15 years ago we had 1 B&C ELK to our name in Utah and it was killed somewhere down by Price. I think ALOT of the reasons why we hear SO MUCH COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR HERDS AND OUR TROPHY OPPORTUNITY IS BECAUSE PEOPLE RELY ON A MEASURING TAPE TO TELL THEM IF THEY HAD A GOOD HUNT OR NOT!!! I personally love a challenge of any kind but in hunting you have to be realistic. In some areas shooting a 200" deer may be a realistic goal BUT NOT IN VERY MANY AREAS. I personally like to take where I am hunting into consideration and CHALLENGE MYSELF! For example: If I am hunting a general unit a 160-180" buck is a challenge. If I shoot a 160-180" it won't go on the cover of Eastmans Bowhunting journal but I am cool with that. It was a trophy for the area I was hunting. If I am hunting an easy draw hunt for antelope in wyoming and I kill a nice 13-14 inch antelope with my bow it is a trophy. In some areas even shooting a 4 point buck may be a challenge. We don't have to settle for any buck but it is OK to take the area into consideration and CHALLENGE OURSELVES! To many people have forgotten the fun of hunting hard and feeling the satisfaction of a job well done because their measuring tape does not add up the the inches that they hoped for. I have seen so many people misjudge the score of a deer and they are SO EXCITED ABOUT IT and then the animal is measured and the EXCITEMENT IS REPLACED by disappointment.
I THINK IF PEOPLE WOULD REMEMBER WHY HUNTING IS FUN, SET YOUR OWN STANDARDS FOR SUCCESS, AND BASE SUCCESS ON THE EXPERIENCE AND THE AREA BEING HUNTED INSTEAD OF A MEASURING TAPE WE WOULD NOT HEAR SO MUCH COMPLAINING AND DOOM AND GLOOM ABOUT OUR WILDLIFE. JMO
Jason Yates
Basin Archery Shop
http://www.basinarcheryshop.com
5% OFF to all MonsterMuleys.com Members!!!
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I THINK IF PEOPLE WOULD REMEMBER WHY HUNTING IS FUN, SET YOUR OWN STANDARDS FOR SUCCESS, AND BASE SUCCESS ON THE EXPERIENCE AND THE AREA BEING HUNTED INSTEAD OF A MEASURING TAPE WE WOULD NOT HEAR SO MUCH COMPLAINING AND DOOM AND GLOOM ABOUT OUR WILDLIFE. JMO
Jason Yates
Basin Archery Shop
http://www.basinarcheryshop.com
5% OFF to all MonsterMuleys.com Members!!!
Discount code = monstermuleys