What's the REAL K. Darner story?

Antilocapra4 · Sep 19, 2003

Hey---who has the skinny on Kirt Darner? Was his "fall from grace" really due to poaching, ethics, or ex-wife...or what?

The guy's dropped off the radar screen...what've you heard?

Anybody read the new Chuck Adams "biography" yet? Your thoughts?

Bogeyman · Sep 25, 2003

After he claimed to shoot the buck that was killed in Arizona in the 40's, he was stripped of all his notarity. He's still around but he's been ruined by all of the misfortunes. He also claimed to have a buck that would beat the Burris buck as the world record typical, but would anyone believe him??

HunterHarry · Sep 25, 2003

Don't be too quick to jump on the rumor mill!
I was believing a bunch of that crap that has been circulating around for years!
I have been told by reliable sources that he voluntarily removed his record book bucks due to a beef that developed between him and B&C,not due to the legalities of his entries.
I would absolutley love to have him post up his explanation of all the charges and rumors pointed at him.
I have also been told that he has taken MANY more monster bucks in the last 20 years!
I now believe that most of the attacks levied at Kirt Darner result from one thing....JEALOUSY!
I have put forth the proposition before, "Show Me The Proof!"

Story Teller (Guest) · Sep 25, 2003

Whats the real story? Its a long a twisted one unfortunately. Let me preface this by saying I have met Kirt numerous times and found him to be a most gracious and friendly person who seems sincerely nice and doesn't mind talking or sharing his time and information. Bottom line is Kirt didn't kill all of the bucks he owns. Some have split skull plates to make them wider. Some have weatherchecked and cracked antlers that have been restained. The kill photo of his velvet buck doesn't appear in his book and it has a reddish color to the coat clearly indicitive of mid-August not September. Also he claims to have had his wife along on that hunt yet they didn't take a photo of him with the buck.

Kirt has taken some tremendous bucks legitimately and some have questions surrounding them. There is no doubt whatsoever that he is an extremely knowledgable mule deer hunter, an outstanding outdoorsman, and a pretty nice guy. To bad he went too far and crossed the line. B&C club didn't haphazardly yank his records going off half cocked. They had undeniable proof on one buck in particular and there was no doubt in their minds that Kirt didn't kill that buck. The rest were therefore suspect. They either took his bucks out or gave him the opportunity to do so.

I realize that there are some around here that thinks he was railroaded and is totally innocent and I wished I could believe it but I don't. I read his book like it was my personal bible and still remember seeing the Remington advertisement with the heads hanging on the mountain cabin with the snow capped San Jauns in the background. I was in awe of him and the book and considered him my own personnal "Superman". I even bought piece of crap Redfield scopes because he endorsed them.

I don't resent Kirt but just feel sorry for him. I wish the things he did weren't true and I feel like the embarrassment and shame is a heavy burden to carry. I don't feel like he should be spending the rest of his life paying for his mistakes but he might have to.

Personally, I save my hatred for child molesters, wife beaters, and cowardly terrorists and other scum. I know some have some real strong feelings against him but I don't consider him the kind of person deserving of hate.

Story Teller (Guest) · Sep 25, 2003

As far as him owning the world record typical mule deer? Its true, he does. It was killed by a late friend of his and he owns it. It was officially measured by Rusty Hall of Trophy Hunter magazine and the score is legit. B&C will not accept it for entry and recognition as long as he owns it and enters it. That is from a official panel measurer from B&C to my ears not second hand.

Muley_Magician · Sep 25, 2003

If its the world record why not accept it? ISNT that what we are looking for in boone and crocket to accept world records no matter who it is from.

HH, your right jelousy! I would like to see his collection up close! That would be awesome.

Kirt is the man. I also heard the same as hunterharry told.

later, MM

GET REAL (Guest) · Sep 26, 2003

No it isn't the B&C clubs responsibility to accept world records no matter who they are from! Pull your head out of your sphyncter. Its about fair chase and ethical hunting.

kingfish · Sep 26, 2003

A good friend of mine knows Kirt and I have been told he was or is battling prostate cancer. Hopefully he is fine...I saw his collection years ago at an outdoor show in Seattle before he was caught doctoring some of his heads..He does know his stuff...Lets just say......Sometimes good people do dumb things and leave it at that....Keith 46.

Bogeyman · Sep 26, 2003

I too know and have met Kirt. We did some shows together in the past. He is a super person! I have no doubt that he has killed some of the bucks in his collection. But I do know for a fact that he made a bad decision that cost him dearly.
I did not mean to degrade him in any way in my first post. I think the world of the guy! I think we all have made some bad/dumb decisions in our time.

HunterHarry · Sep 26, 2003

AMEN BOGEY!
Without any self-incrimination,I would like to see how many guys on this site have S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D the rules a little now and then!
I think Kirt just got wrapped up in all the fame and money and used some bad judgement.
Some can forgive and some cannot.

cd (Guest) · Sep 28, 2003

a lot of us could have trophy bucks if we hunted out of season and cheated. but some of us hunt because we love it not because we need notariety.

Huntsomemore (Guest) · Sep 28, 2003

WHO CARES! GET OFF THE LAPTOP AND GO HUNTING!

terrisue · Oct 2, 2003

I too have met Mr. Darner. He seems to be all the good things that have been said about him. He saw the hey day of mule deer hunting. I don't think B&C is about hunters, ethical or otherwise, it's about animals. If the club believes an animal to be taken by other than ethical/fair-chase means it can be published as such. I'm for seeing the best, regardless of the reputation of the taker/owner.
I'd love to see Mr. Darner back in the limelight and hear more of him

Get Real! (Guest) · Oct 3, 2003

Get Real terrisue! The B&C club cannot have a book full of listings with asterics beside them denoting "buck has serious doubts abouts its harvest being legal" or "this buck was poached and recovered but who cares about all the guys that busted their tails and hunted their whole life for a buck, lets list this one anyway". The records and the list of entries have to be beyond reproach and without question. You may not agree with all the stipulations of listings but it is their "tea party" and if you don't like it you can go list your buck in "Rich, old guys who don't like deductions so they started their own listings to make their bucks seem big enough to match their egos record book" otherwise known as SCI.

This post does not refer to Darner.

nmtaxi · Oct 3, 2003

B&C is all about conservation, fair chase, and ethical hunting. That was the whole reason it was founded. The record book came later. B&C record book is for hunters who ethically took their animals. The world records are the biggest animals killed in a ehtical, fair chase situation. It's all about the hunters, and how they conduct themselves, and their accomplishments.

NMRaptor (Guest) · Oct 3, 2003

I see nothing wrong with SCI scoring. It is basically a B&C gross score. In my opinion, an animal should get credit for all the bone it carries. SCI scoring is not about hunter egos, its about not penalizing the animal for lack of symmetry. Also, SCI does more to protect hunting rights than B&C.
-Raptor

HoundDawg (Guest) · Oct 3, 2003

Hard to judge a man until we've walked a mile or two in his shoes.

But I have a sneaky suspicion that put in the same circumstances as Mr. Darner, 8 or 9 out of 10 guys on this site would have done the exact same thing he did.

And his loudest and most vocal critics would probably have been the first ones to do what he did and then defend their actions.

I'm thinking of the old saying about beating a dead dog. The sucker is dead and buried and no amount of beating or kicking is gonna make the dog more dead than it is right now.

Ain't it about time to bury the sucker? ;-)

-Dawg
www.cougartracks.com

terri sue (Guest) · Oct 7, 2003

Get Real: When you were talking about egos you made my point - it shouldn't be about egos (and therefore about hunters) since hunters have egos. Nevertheless, you're right - the B&C has their tea party and there are plenty of us who don't agree.

Rockwell (Guest) · Oct 8, 2003

Its too bad that we are known for our last worst act - but we are. The only way to deal with that is to honestly confess our faults and ask for forgivness. After that, the issue lives in the heads of the people sitting in judgement and not on us anymore.
Too bad pride trips us up and prevents us from confessing, leaving us in wide open grey areas for everyone to be rightfully suspicious of.
The record book should be clean. It is a trajedy if a great head is ommited from the book because of foul play. We feel like we've been robbed, and guess what? We have. Poaching is stealing something that belongs to all of us. The consequences must be fierce or we will live in a culture of liars and thieves, and the book will be meaningless.
Our heros must be honest even about their mistakes and then they will be worthy of the respect and fame they were after when they screwed up in the first place.