So what happened to the "let's bash landowners thread"?

[Stillookinfor200]

GH says...."The last thing I want my kids thinking when they get older is that hunting success is measured in inches".............So what did you mean by this?,

GH says..."As for your daughter passing on young deer, in hopes to find an older buck – that’s great. I hope my children have the same interest."

As usual the "new" guy must have misunderstood you. Oh wait.... I forgot the "and best achieved by writing a check" part.

So how big of a check is OK Kid? The price of the tag? The cost of the upgraded rifle and scope? The pack that fits you a little better? The fuel to travel to where you want to hunt in the state? The price of horses to pack in camp or their feed? The Danner boots? (or whatever you prefer) mabey a better spotting scope or skinning knife. MOST of those things are probably justifyable to you, but paying a little change to manage an area to see if the 185 bucks get any bigger? (because I still think Mt is having a hard time doing that for the most part) Now THATS where you and Jose draw the line? Uhhhh, sorry, Im not sayin....Im askin'. How much is OK to spend before you or I have "bought" the mule deer buck that we are proud of? Its all relative...

I am thinking of that HYPOCRITE definition again...

So how much is OK? What can I spend it on? Whats ok in YOUR book, as thats what REALLY matters.

 

[Tom]

The thing that's wrong with welfare hunting to me is that people grow up thinking you don't have to manage the habitat. Its the habitat that supports the deer, food, cover, and water. A consequence in Texas of the "corn flingers" is that every acre of inhabitable habitat can have deer on it and probably does. I haven't been everywhere here, but I've posted pictures of places others here think would not have deer and we have deer there. They can survive a droubt, with supplemental feed, and they are supported by the hunters, not the federal government. Hunters learn here what it takes to support a deer's life by doing it. There's mulitple views on most all these issues.

They do dog drive hunts in some states for deer and practice good deer management. Anybody object to that? If so, why? The owner's of the dogs have to get their dog drawn for a hunt and the hunters that get deer chased by them have to get drawn.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Passing on young deer means you're measuring the success of your hunt in inches? Spending money on good gear is a shortcut to hunting? Why call me kid?

 

[Stillookinfor200]

Many things are a "short cut" to hunting? I mean really, sure much is "trivial" or "minimal" but whats OK to splurge on and not? I mean, where DO you draw the line? Whats OK in the "GH ethics book?" Need to know what my budget is before I am accused of "buying deer" as it dosent seem you have labeled yourself as doing so.

I like when one doesnt have a reasonable answer to a question, it is just totally ignored or the subject changed quickly.

I admit I dont have all the answers, and obviously nor do many people that post here. Why is that so hard to admit?

 

[The Hedgehog]

I’m not one to preach ethics and haven’t authored any books on it, nor do I have any tips for you on your recreation budget. But it’s my opinion those who feed the leasing machine are not doing Montanan hunters any favors. Sportsman should be appreciative of good stewards of the land, whether they hunt private property or not. You can’t blame landowners for trying to make a buck – but you can give grief to the hunters who feed the machine.

 

[Stillookinfor200]

Well said, kinda...

Think Ill go see what else I can find (in the lease dept) Make you a deal...Ill let you know AS SOON as I take the buck I have been waiting on for so long, at that POINT you can rant a bit about how easy it was and how I bought it, instead of working for it.

Hint.....I probably never will kill the Muley I am waiting for, and the odds are against me (even on well managed private land) I believe, more than the odds are against you taking the size of bucks you do on public land. What you are trying to acheive (taking a nice, mature buck each year) is a challenge, what I am trying to acheive...is too (a challenge) More than likely you may take another nice muley next year, and the year after....more than likely I will match you in effort/foot miles and persistence (you know blood, sweat and maybe a few tears)and I again, will not shoot a Muley.

BUT, IF I do, you can give me crap at that time, Ill take it with a smile as no matter the circumstances surounding that kill, I will never have forgotten about the dues I have paid the rest of my life.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Well said, kinda...

Think Ill go see what else I can find (in the lease dept)

Just so the rest of us who don't travel in the circles of Texas and Montana leased hunting, what is the "lease" rate of a "well managed" mule deer property?

We talking a couple of cases of Keystone Light or a new 4x4 for the Rancher each year?

 

[Stillookinfor200]

Jose....are you implying that I am encouraging the exploitation of our "wildlife recource?" Is that what is wrong with leasing or are you just pouting because you havent worked hard enough (like me) to afford a lease?

 

[The Hedgehog]

Stilllookinfor200, Don’t read too much into my jabs. I hope you’re rewarded with a buck that will make you happy someday. This might surprise you, but I’ve walked away from some pretty great animals and have eaten some premium tag soup. I do like heavy backpacks full of meat and antlers though...

Was it your daughter that I saw shoot a bull elk several years ago on Turner’s ranch, in January, just above the driveway going to the outfitter’s house? If so, did that hook her on elk hunting or ruin her?

 

[The Hedgehog]

Jose..

I've some friends that leased a 700 acre field in MT for 10K a year for elk hunts. I believe they were out priced when somebody offered the landowner double that. They arrowed and gunned an impressive stack of 350-400" elk on the place over the years..

The kids, wives, brothers, and friends, were slamming big bulls when they'd come to the fields to eat out of the surrounding breaks. Right next to the interstate nearly underneath the irrigation pivot.

 

[Stillookinfor200]

I surely couldnt afford Turners, although he's been sellin some Buffalo meat pretty cheap. Hmmmm, wonder if penned up Buffalo will start another rant? I really dont have much of an opinion on them, although Ive never shot one, I could care less if someone else does, alternative livestock.

Never paid an outfitter in state to hunt, actually never paid one out of state now that I think of it, I HAVE PAID transporters/gear leases. Lord I apologize for that.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Well I thought it might be you. I took some photos of the gal and her bull. I don't have an opinion on the buffalo farms either.. shoot'm up. And who you pay to help you out is your business.. why apologize? I once gave a kid $100 to help me pack an elk out. Have always wanted to stop in front of Walmart and grab one of the "Will work for food" guys and have them help out..

 

[The Hedgehog]

Stilllookinfor200, ..Was it your daughter that I saw shoot a bull elk several years ago on Turner’s ranch, in January, just above the driveway going to the outfitter’s house? If so, did that hook her on elk hunting or ruin her?

You sure that wasn't you, another guy, and your daughter??

 

[Tom]

Here's the most help I ever got, it was well worth the $150, what do you think? The ATV pulled the guts out with a rope after a few tries and a lot of cutting. I just kept sharpening knives, taking pictures, and handing knives to the guy in the middle. He's been charged and nearly trampled by a few of these big and mean something or others!

 

[noharleyyet]

That pic's gonna get ya an astronomy lesson Tom. Some multi-polar yuppie nitwit from Idaho's gonna tell ya how Montana is the center of the universe.

...wait for it.

 

[MattK]

I know a lot of farmers who utilize farm machinery to take care of their oat fed cows...They might even shoot them but it's usually at a few feet away. My uncle was just telling me how he was over 70 years old when he shot his first deer...not because he was opposed to deer hunting, he just liked the taste of angus a lot better. He used similiar equipment to process his angus...Cows were probably as difficult to hunt (they sure do look similiar).

 

[Tom]

This one was way big, compared to an oat fed cow MattK. Its hoof could cover my face. I shot it twice with a 250 grain 338 in the neck to get it down and neither bullet went through. Then we shot it twice with a 50 cal pistol to make sure it didn't get up and trample us, like the one shot before this one did at the ranch.

It was bigger than one of those African cape buffalos. I went by Cabelas the next day and had a comparison.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Jose..

I've some friends that leased a 700 acre field in MT for 10K a year for elk hunts. I believe they were out priced when somebody offered the landowner double that. They arrowed and gunned an impressive stack of 350-400" elk on the place over the years..

The kids, wives, brothers, and friends, were slamming big bulls when they'd come to the fields to eat out of the surrounding breaks. Right next to the interstate nearly underneath the irrigation pivot.

I am not one to pass judgement on others, so, I guess if that floats their boat, I am glad they were able to be like StillLookintoBuya200 and enjoy their hunting objectives.

Actually, the $10k doesn't sound too bad when you consider how much those Texans will pay for ranch raised elk or somethingorothers.

What is the going rate for a mule deer lease?

StillLookintoBuya200,
If I were to decide to work some 80 hour weeks, how many of them would I have to work to be able to hunt with you?

 

[JoseCuervo]

Photoshop.

Look at the way the arm has been cut and pasted into the picture as it goes behind the tree. You can tell it is fake.

I don't understand people who have to photoshop themselves into pictures and try and pass them off as killing big critters.

This one was way big, compared to an oat fed cow MattK. Its hoof could cover my face. I shot it twice with a 250 grain 338 in the neck to get it down and neither bullet went through. Then we shot it twice with a 50 cal pistol to make sure it didn't get up and trample us, like the one shot before this one did at the ranch.

It was bigger than one of those African cape buffalos. I went by Cabelas the next day and had a comparison.

 

[The Hedgehog]

That's badass!! The thing almost trampled you guys eh? I bet that was really scary. What's it cost to hunt one of them bad boys? Heck if it's cheaper than a cape buffalo, why bother going to Africa? That would make a sweet mount too. I really wish I lived in Texas.