If you pay $8000 for an Elk, is it a Trophy?

[Washington Hunter]

Well, Moosie requested I start a thread if I want to discuss this topic, so here it is. The question is, if a guy pays $8000 for a guided hunt on a private high-fenced ranch for the opportunity to shoot a mature domesticated elk, would you consider an animal taken in this situation a trophy? If you went on a hunt like this, would you be proud when telling your family and friends the story of how you took this magnificent domestic elk? Or would you look at it about the same as if you had driven to the nearest meat market and bought a half a beef to fill your freezer?

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-15-2004 19:50: Message edited by: Washington Hunter ]</font>

 

[GatoMan]

I would be proud to say I got 8 grand to blow. A trophys only in the eyes of the beholder anyways. Big deal fence no fence, I just hope whoever that hunts and whatever type hunting they do, they show up at the voting poles when the time comes to protect the sport

 

[Calif. Hunter]

Good point, Gato Man! But there will be those who disagree with you, feeling like this type of hunter is scum and we don't need them on our side.

 

[Hunterman]

An elk,is an elk, is an elk..Who cares how a person get his elk??( as long as its within the law)Who are we to tell some one that the elk he shot ain't worth chit..

The person who offers the hunt for $8000,is just trying to make a living, and the person who pays that much is helping him make a living..If he gets his elk, and the hunter feels its a trophy of a life time to him,,well I say congrats to him,,Nice elkl..

Hunterman(Tony)

 

[tnctcb]

if i paid 8 grand for any animal it BETTER be a trophy.kill it eat it hang it on the wall.

 

[beardown]

I think its fine if thats what you feel hunting is all about. But I dont think any such animal should be recorded in any kind of record books.

 

[JoseCuervo]

It is a trophy, just like the trophies they give out for Bowling. C'mon, how proud can you be for rolling a ball across the floor and knocking down some funny shaped wood things.

People call all sorts of stuff trophies, that are ridiculous. If you can be proud of a bowling trophy, earned while wearing somebody elses' shoes that just got sprayed with bug killer, then you should have no problem calling some tame Elk behind a High Fence a trophy.

I think it is funny that you have to have a guide.....

Hunter: "Is that a good one?"

Guide: "Let me see his ear tag number"
Guide: "Hmmm.....H72..... He is a dandy, on October 14 we scored him at 354....Then we have fed him Grain Mix for the last 60 days, to increase the flavor...."

Hunter: "Can I shoot him?"

Guide: "Absolutely Not!!! We need to get out of the Pick-up first." "Can I borrow another Cigarette?"

Hunter: "OK, but it is chilly outside"

Guide: "You'll be warm with him hanging next to your Fireplace next Winter." "Can I borrow your Lighter?"

Hunter: "But can we drive closer?"

Guide: "I don't think so... That would require me opening another Gate, and I would need the Packer to do that."

And so on, and so on... One of those memorable bonds, between a Guide and a Hunter, courtesey of the High Fence Hunt.

 

[Elkhunter]

It is not a hunt that I would want to do, but if that is what another wishes, so be it. Just because one chooses to hunt in a different manner than I do, does not make him wrong for doing it. It is his money and his choice and to him it may be just as much of a hunt as a wilderness pack hunt. Who am I, or you, to say that because one chooses to spend $8000 on a hunt like that, it is not hunting or is wrong?

 

[Moosie]

The way I see Game farms:

It’s still hunting. Plain and Simple. If someone disagrees. Please tell me what hunting is then. To me, Hunting is going somewhere to look for something, hopefully find the something you’re looking for, and having a good time at it. If it's with a weapon after an Animal ya hope to get a chance at it and bring it home to boot.

I look at a ranch hunt like I do an Easter egg hunt. You can hide an Easter egg in a forest and have someone find it, or hide it in the middle of the living room and find it. If they were looking for it, find it, and had a good time doing it, who cares if it was easier?

I hear a lot about “Some FAT ASSED hunter giving hunting a bad name will shoot an elk and then Brag and lie about it”. Think about it. WHO CARES ?>!>!> Everyone lies about hunting. Heck, go read and ADVENTURE WITH posts in the waterfowl section or the one buried in the elk section. Why would they "ALWAYS LIE". thats silly. thats like saying All Americans Drink coke and Chew Bubble gum...... (OK , maybe a bad example)

I’ve never went on a ranch hunt for elk/deer. But, if I did go on one, so what ? hunting behind the fence doesn’t make me any less of a hunter.

If the gripe is about how easy it is, then Ask yourself if you were on a late season deer hunt and was driving up to your hunting area, and a 30” buck came across the road and to legally take it all you had to do was shut off the truck, step of the road and pull the trigger, that you wouldn’t do it. I know DANG well I would. And..IT WOULD STILL BE MY TROPHY!!!

NO difference. NONE !! some people have 100’s of thousands of Dollars to throw around. I think most of the stuff I read is that “Even if I had” comments. That’s lame.

I slipped over to Accurate reloading there and people were talking about Game ranches. Africa is Mostly a Game ranch. The same people that would go to Africa and shoot a Wildebeest out of a truck dissed Elk hunting behind the fence. I almost have to laugh. Cuz its funny how people se things their way only.

 

[antlershed]

Remember it is not a level playing field for everyone. Some people due to disabilitys are not able to get to the wilderness. So I would be hesitant to condem them for shooting a animal on a farm. It is not for me at this time but who knows about the future. If I were unable to hike and had the money I would be waiting at the gate.

 

[beardown]

I just want to know if P&Y and B&C accept caged pets in their books? By the way we were just talking about this yesterday and plan on buying a bison this year from the tribe. I plan on buying the biggest bull we can find , then I'm going to put him out back here and shoot him with my bow!

I think it will be great, but I deffinetly will be looking at it as a joke. I'll probably put the head and pelt on e-bay and get the meat for free!

 

[Moosie]

If it's shot behind a Fence, B&C nor Boone/Croc accept it.

If you buy a Bison, Don't be a puss, Get a longbow and ride a horse and Arrow it from there. It's the Only "FAIR" way

 

[Oak]

What is hunting? Well Webster says:

To go out and kill or catch game for food

Ok, so what's "game"? Webster again:

Wild birds or animals hunted for sport or for use as food (see also Big Game)

Ok, "Big Game":

Large, wild animals hunted for sport, as lions, moose, etc.

So I don't really think a domestic animal behind a fence qualifies. Guess we need to call it something besides "hunting". How about shooting? Webster says:

shoot - to hunt game in or on a tract of land

Yep, I think we may have a winner. Looks like you guys are talking about shooting, not hunting.

Oak

 

[Moosie]

Oak, We can Play this Game ALL day if ya want :

HUNT :

1 a : to pursue for food or in sport

SPORT

1 a : to amuse oneself.

SO.....

If you're pursuing food or for Sport, And having fun doing it, You are Hunting by WEBSTER's definition.

I didn't scroll down either, I used the 1. a Definition.

We are still talking about HUNTING

 

[Washington Hunter]

It’s not so much the guys who pay the money to shoot a domesticated trophy elk that bothers me, and it’s not that it’s “easy” either, because as you say Moosie, a lucky hunter can get an “easy” wild deer or elk right alongside a road. What it all boils down to is that to me elk are meant to be wild and free to go where they choose, not bought, sold, traded, bred, genetically manipulated, fed, etc. and then “hunted” in an area that they cannot escape. Since these game farms do exist, in states that haven’t banned them yet, I don’t necessarily have a problem with the elk being sold and shot, but I would like to see an end to this private ownership of elk, at least in states that have populations of wild elk, like Idaho. It sounds like Idaho is in need of an initiative to get “canned hunts” banned, like Montana voters approved a couple of years ago. With CWD and all the other negative things associated with game farms, there is no reason to continue to allow them to exist. Why not let Texas have a monopoly on the game farming business, just like Nevada has a monopoly on prostitution?

 

[Moosie]

I think the Origional Question was Missed as well......

Would it be a "Trophy" was the Question... NOT if it was "hunting".

If you BUY a painting you didn't draw yourself, Would you consider it a nice Painting still, YAH, I think so. Even shooting something in a 4'x4' Pen you'd at least still have a hand in it... taking the animal. therefor more of a part of the experience then just buying a "PICTURE".

 

[Washington Hunter]

Personally, I would be embarassed and ashamed to put an elk head on my wall that was not a wild elk. But that's just me. I could almost see buying an elk for the meat(if the price was right), but not for the head.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-16-2004 10:40: Message edited by: Washington Hunter ]</font>

 

[Moosie]

HaHa !! That just shows that you care what others think too much if you're "embarassed and ashamed".

Why is it OK to buy the MEAT off an Elk but not the head. Thats like saying it's NOT OK to buy the Wool off the sheep unless you eat it.

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[mtmiller]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> If you pay $8000 for an Elk, is it a Trophy? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
No.

 

[Moosie]

Acording to OAK's Webster Dictionary it is :

"Main Entry: tro·phy
Pronunciation: 'trO-fE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural trophies
Etymology: Middle French trophee, from Latin tropaeum, trophaeum, from Greek tropaion, from neuter of tropaios of a turning, of a rout, from tropE turn, rout, from trepein to turn
Date: 15th century
1 : something gained or given in victory or conquest especially when preserved or mounted as a memorial
2 a : a memorial of an ancient Greek or Roman victory raised on the field of battle or in case of a naval victory on the nearest land b : a representation of such a memorial (as on a medal); also : an architectural ornament representing a group of military weapons
3 : a game animal or fish suitable for mounting as a trophy -- usually used attributively
4 : one that is prized for qualities that enhance prestige or social status -- usually used attributively <a trophy wife> <a trophy house>
- trophy transitive verb "

3 : a game animal or fish suitable for mounting as a trophy