Life's not fair

[Pine Donkey]

This is a post that I have wanted to make for several days; ever since reading the thread about Alan Hamberlin's 410 bull. I am starting this new thread because I do not want to detract from all the well deserved congratulations in the other thread.

 

I have no idea who Alan Hamberlin is or how he was able to afford a governor's tag. It's really not of interest to me. If I wanted to know more about him I would Google his name...I really don't care. What I do care about is the great, yet rapidly eroding, economic basis of our country. Americans have the right to spend there money however they wish within the constraints of the law; it is really nobody's business how Alan Hamberlin chooses to spend his. The concept that it is not fair that he was able to purchase this tag is very offensive. It falls right in line with our president who wants a redistribution of wealth because it is fair! This is crap!

 

LIFE IS NOT FAIR. Some people are born into money, others earn it, others never have much. Some people are born into health, others never have it. Some people are born white, black, brown, short, tall, male, female...it's just the way it is.

 

I have a friend who was not able to apply for elk this year because of his personal financial situation, is it fair that others were able to pay for their tag? For the first time in my adult life I bought a bonus point for Big Horn instead of paying for my chance at a tag. I just don't have the money this year after draining our savings on an undiagnosed nueroligical condition my daughter has...its not fair, but it is what it is. I do not hold spite for those who drew a tag, I just hope they post pictures and stories for all of us to enjoy.

 

I have been blessed with a lifetime of hunting memories that I cherish. I have hunted with friends who struggle to come up with enough money for a license and ammunition, and others who have purchased governors tags or other similar auction tags. The memories are sweet because of the people, the animals, and the outdoors, not the money.

 

If you have money, good for you. I think it is great when you spend it on things that make my hunting better. If you are not into hunting, spend some of it on something you desire, and keep our economy pumping. If you don't have money for the things you desire, I hope you find a way to earn the money, or find a way to be content with what you have.

 

Many with money are very generous. Thank you Bill and Melinda Gates for your generous educational foundation. Thank you Don Diamond for your support of the Diamond Childrens Medical Center in Tucson. Thank you Larry Potterfield for your support of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and Thank You Alan Hamberlin for your support of hunting and wildlife in Arizona.

[yotebuster]

+1

[DesertBull]

awesome post

[anthonyrmatthews]

Well said!

[Dave_D]

Very Well said - and thanks for saying what I've been thinking for several days! Best wishes to you and your family.

[plumber]

Great post. Thanks

[Chef]

I wholeheartedly agree.

[.270]

if life was fair do you think casey would look like he does? poor guy. and i wouldn't be so smart, good lookin', rich, tall, strong, fast, funny and smart. oh yeah, i'm a better shot and smarter than the rest of ya too. if obama gets to redistribute wealth like he wants to they'll hafta chop me up to make it fair on the rest o' you losers. and nobody would get old or sick or be born stupid. life ain't fair. life and fair aren't even part of the same equation. life is what you make of it with what you have. i don't know who the guy is either and i don't care. it looks to me like he got screwed, for what he paid. that ain't a 410+ bull. he's a good one. better than anything i ever shot, but when you peel off the velvet, it's just a nice bull. nice 4th and 5th points, but not exceptionally heavy and has good, but not great main beams, 3rds and brows. and there will be bigger bulls shot this year by guys who got drawn and put in the work to be successful. and they won't need a "team" to help em on their "hunt". this guy "shot" a nice bull. i won't go as far as to say hunt, because in my opinion, these kind of deals go against the rules and concept of fair chase. and it ain't a monster bull. really good one. bull of a lifetime for most folks, but i think anyone on this sight could shoot a better one with the same opportunity. gettin all yanked off of over this guy shooting this bull or getting all yanked off because guys get yanked off over it doesn't do anyone any good. do the best you can with the opportunity you have. and come away from it being able to feel good because you know you worked as hard you had to, to be as successfull as you could be. this kind of thing is ok, because it's legal. if i can see my 83 year old dad get one more buck this year, even a one horned spike, it will mean more to me than this bull does to this guy. Lark.

[Coach]

Very well said. I agree completely.

 

If I may also add, there are many people out there who never get to experience the joy of hunting, or those who know it but can no longer participate. Some due to illness or financial situations, others due to not having a parent or mentor to get them into the field.

 

It's easy to get caught up in the desire to take trophy animals and the jealousy and competition surrounding that goal. But that's really not what it's all about, in my opinion. Just having the ability and support of family and friends to go hunting makes us very fortunate. Think about all of the amazing things you've seen and done while hunting, that otherwise you would never have gotten to experience. Watching an amazing sunset over the Arizona desert, a meteor shower at night many miles away from the city lights. Seeing your kids take their first game or catch their first fish. Seeing and hearing bull elk fighting for their breeding rights, or watching a herd of Javelina and recognizing the familial aspecs among them. Or even just sitting quietly in nature, looking, listening, smelling and observing how the world works outside of our "normal" world.

 

Money can't buy that, and it isn't measured in inches - it's measured in minutes, even seconds.

 

Those of us lucky enough to have a tag in our pockets, or a family member or friend who does, have an amazing opportunity to get away from the confines and stresses of modern life and enjoy hunting and the outdoors - especially here out west. Let's try not to squander that by getting caught up in the competition of the biggest buck or bull, or how "unfair" it is that someone else has more money, friends, resources. If we're lucky enough to be out hunting, we should count our blessings.

[Elkhunter1]

Best post I have read yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very well said. I agree completely.

 

If I may also add, there are many people out there who never get to experience the joy of hunting, or those who know it but can no longer participate. Some due to illness or financial situations, others due to not having a parent or mentor to get them into the field.

 

It's easy to get caught up in the desire to take trophy animals and the jealousy and competition surrounding that goal. But that's really not what it's all about, in my opinion. Just having the ability and support of family and friends to go hunting makes us very fortunate. Think about all of the amazing things you've seen and done while hunting, that otherwise you would never have gotten to experience. Watching an amazing sunset over the Arizona desert, a meteor shower at night many miles away from the city lights. Seeing your kids take their first game or catch their first fish. Seeing and hearing bull elk fighting for their breeding rights, or watching a herd of Javelina and recognizing the familial aspecs among them. Or even just sitting quietly in nature, looking, listening, smelling and observing how the world works outside of our "normal" world.

 

Money can't buy that, and it isn't measured in inches - it's measured in minutes, even seconds.

 

Those of us lucky enough to have a tag in our pockets, or a family member or friend who does, have an amazing opportunity to get away from the confines and stresses of modern life and enjoy hunting and the outdoors - especially here out west. Let's try not to squander that by getting caught up in the competition of the biggest buck or bull, or how "unfair" it is that someone else has more money, friends, resources. If we're lucky enough to be out hunting, we should count our blessings.

[tjhunt2]

Mr. Pine Donkey, thank you for starting a new post to let those, who feel the urge, to vent somewhere other than on Alan's parade. Your position on "Life's not fair" was well written and I certainly know where you are coming from. I had the pleasure of meeting your lovely wife and daughter last year on the women's pig hunt and you are a blessed man. I feel your frustration with the undiagnosed condition your daugther has. Yes, life just isn't fair and we all were not born on the same playing field. I pray they someday will figure out what's wrong and find a cure. She certainly is a sweetheart.

You hit the nail on the head when you said the memories are sweet because of the people, the animals, and the outdoors, not the money. You're right when you say there are alot of generous people, who have money, and spend it on helping others less fortunate than them. If I were to come into alot of money, not going to happen, I would try and make every child as happy as I could and give all my money away to cure all illnesses in the world. Money is nice and a must have to live but I am rich in family and friends and happy with what God has delt me. Everyone has the right to express their opinion, if they like, on Alan out bidding another for the right to hunt but they certainly don't have the right to judge a man without knowing where he comes from and what he's done to contribute to our sport. Just saying!

 

TJ

[bonecollector]

Great posts!

 

Pine Donkey I pray that they find a diagnosis for your daughter.

[tjhunt2]

Very well said. I agree completely.

 

If I may also add, there are many people out there who never get to experience the joy of hunting, or those who know it but can no longer participate. Some due to illness or financial situations, others due to not having a parent or mentor to get them into the field.

 

It's easy to get caught up in the desire to take trophy animals and the jealousy and competition surrounding that goal. But that's really not what it's all about, in my opinion. Just having the ability and support of family and friends to go hunting makes us very fortunate. Think about all of the amazing things you've seen and done while hunting, that otherwise you would never have gotten to experience. Watching an amazing sunset over the Arizona desert, a meteor shower at night many miles away from the city lights. Seeing your kids take their first game or catch their first fish. Seeing and hearing bull elk fighting for their breeding rights, or watching a herd of Javelina and recognizing the familial aspecs among them. Or even just sitting quietly in nature, looking, listening, smelling and observing how the world works outside of our "normal" world.

 

Money can't buy that, and it isn't measured in inches - it's measured in minutes, even seconds.

 

Those of us lucky enough to have a tag in our pockets, or a family member or friend who does, have an amazing opportunity to get away from the confines and stresses of modern life and enjoy hunting and the outdoors - especially here out west. Let's try not to squander that by getting caught up in the competition of the biggest buck or bull, or how "unfair" it is that someone else has more money, friends, resources. If we're lucky enough to be out hunting, we should count our blessings.

 

Amen!

[MattMan]

You're right... life ain't fair and for many, hunting has turned into a game of inches like a bunch of boys in a 7th grade locker room. I had somebody recently tell me that a true trophy hunter will go home empty handed before killing an "inferior animal". I guess I ain't a trophy hunter. We kill lots of cow elk and I like to eat whitetail so I don't go home empty often. First question my kids ask somebody when they get an elk is what the ivory looks like.

 

Glad for all the happy hunters, and I apply for a chance at those tags in the super raffle every year, just like everyone else, cause my choices in life led me to a place where I can't afford to get them at auction. My choices in life led me here, and I like it here.

 

I gotta think it's a heck of a lot easier to whack a toad with 365 days to hunt instead of 7 or 10... I'd sure like to give it a go.

[azslim]

somewhere in the 70's the focus switched from filling the freezer to putting big racks on the wall to brag about........was not for the better from this side of the fence

 

 

whiners should leave their quads in the garage and stay home and play video games - you can get real high scores on them