mc68 Report post Posted July 30, 2014 This is a topic that I have thought a lot about over the past several years. In my opinion the way that a lot of the outfitters are running their businesses now are screaming out for standardization and restrictions. I myself used to do a fair amount of guiding. This was done by going to whatever unit and glassing and walking country out, learning it. Today times have changed to where outfitters are offering very large sums of money for "finders fees", saturate areas with trail cams, hang tree stands on every water source etc etc. At what point is it too much? I have been told of a certain outfitter that has plans on putting 300 trail cams up on the Strip, 300!!! Is this not excessive? Is it even ethical? As we all know with having cameras out, there seems to come a sense of entitlement to that spot and we have all heard thr stories of confritations over who has the right to be there. I am just of the opinion that as Sportsman, we are at some point gonna have to have some restrictions. Why should there be cams on every waterhole in a unit during a hunt? Money changes everything, no doubt. I just am not crazy about someone paying crazy money to buy tags, then sit at home until an email comes with a list of animals to choose from, then thebguy picks which one he wants, hops on a plane, shows up, shoots it then pictures posted all over the internet of the great acheivemnt. I'm sorry but I don't get it. I honestly feel that there needs to be far more restrictions put on guiding in general. I am not saying that there are not any outfitters out there that I feel do a fantastic job and do it in an ethical manner. That is what I think is being lost is the ethics of the hunt. I know that there have been advances on equipment and that argument comes up, again I say when is it enough? Please don't take this as a absolute bash against outfitters. I know they have their place in the hunting world, and there are great ones out there. Your thoughts? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted July 30, 2014 I'm guessing at least 4 pages by the end of the day. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mc68 Report post Posted July 30, 2014 I hope it stays civil. I am just curious how others feel about it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edge Report post Posted July 30, 2014 "Goodbye cruel Internet, Ethel I'm coming to join ya." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted July 30, 2014 Is your primary vehicle a 1985 chevy pickup? Do you use a rotary phone? More over do you use the advances of the modern world in your day to day life? I think the real point is we are very different in how we choose to live this life... and what works for me isn't likely to work for you... and so in reverse I would likely feel the same. Any time someone says the word regulation I get a chill up my spine as I imagine some Law Maker writhing his hands together with and evil chuckle. Your analogy of hunting could be compared to our work force, those who are self-employed vs. those who are employees, and all walks of life and their pay scales, Athlete's salaries Vs. Teacher's Salaries... and I can go on and on. I think we have a very awesome and delicate balance in the American Dream... I am living my American Dream... are you living Yours?? I think too many people spend far too much time trying to "level the playing field" instead of living what they have for all it is worth.... We all were not created equal or with the same talents so we all have to do what we do and do it well... not all can be great at something... but when someone shows signs of greatness there are always haters... I would rather live what I got than worry about what you got... Business is business and hobbies are hobbies... why does someone always have to confuse the two?? Is it Ego... is it cuz "My dad is tougher than your Dad"??? Live your lives and enjoy EVERY dang second... I just lost one of my very Best Friends this month and I assure you Life is short. I know this is an allover the place rant but just tired of the flaming of those who are living it. Thanks. 18 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted July 30, 2014 Your thoughts? I don't think about it. Too busy with my own hunts and other things in my life to worry about how someone else chooses to spend their money and time. 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost85 Report post Posted July 30, 2014 "standardization" and "socialism" are much the same, and you will probably not like most of the responses that are going to come from this topic, based upon the title alone. i do believe that hunting is becoming more and more of a rich-man's sport, but there is still plenty of opportunity for those willing to get out there, burn some bootleather and find quality animals. if someone finds a way to make a good living honestly and doing what they love, whether it be "saturating" an area with cameras or not, i am all for it. anyone that runs a fair amount of cameras, like myself, understands how much work and time you have to have invested in them. most of the time when an outfitter has really made a strong presence in an area, they are after one or two animals in particular, it's not like every animal on a trail camera is "sold" and harvested by some rich dude with a private jet. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted July 30, 2014 Cant blame outfitters and guides if there are people willing to pay for their services. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector777 Report post Posted July 30, 2014 I agree with coues n sheep. Almost seems like if someone has the capabilities and time to spend to do something better than someone else the people that don't have those abilities and time wanna figure out how they can level the field. If you wanna kill huge animals year after year like outfitters do then put the same time and money into it as they do and you'll get results. If you don't have the time or money then you're out of luck. Just like people can go buy a jet and I cant. I don't think it's unfair that they can and I cant. If I want to I'll have to suck it up and figure out how and if I can't then I don't get my jet. The animals out there aren't claimed or taken by anyone until they die and have a tag around their antlers. Everyone has the same opportunity to go find them and kill them. Just some guys have more resources to do it. That's just life and has been that way in all things since the world began. Some people have to money for it and some don't. Get out there and scout hard and you'll find nice animals to kill. Some guys do it themselves and some guys pay others to do it for them. Whatever floats their boat. Their money and they can buy what they want with it. More regulations never has helped or will help anything in this world. 10 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues assassin Report post Posted July 30, 2014 Not sure how essentially donating 500k (if that is accurate) if not I know it wasn't cheap is a bad thing? Regardless of what he got out of it I would think you would enjoy seeing someone donate that much money to a good cause and not care how he takes his animal. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tines Report post Posted July 30, 2014 Very few outfits have the clientele or pocketbook to do what you've stated. Careful not to lump all outfits into one. It's always amazed me that with today's technology so much misleading information is spread. I'm just jealous I haven't found anything worthwhile where these outfitters are banging down my door. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pwrguy Report post Posted July 30, 2014 I'm with coues and sheep, no more laws needed. You hunt how you like and I will continue to hunt how l like. Money is always going to a factor but we don't need class warfare in the hunting arena. If I could afford it I would use a professional guide every time I hunted a new area, and if he owned 3,000 trail cams I wouldn't care. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted July 30, 2014 300 trail cameras screams one thing to me..... Dedication to finding, and killing the largest critter possible for his (probably high) paying client. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues assassin Report post Posted July 30, 2014 300 trail cameras screams one thing to me.....Dedication to finding, and killing the largest critter possible for his (probably high) paying client.[/quote Amen 300 cameras can't be cheap and running all those is a full time job 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gotcoues Report post Posted July 30, 2014 Less rules and less regulation please. For the love of God, does anyone truly value freedom anymore? As American Citizens, I'm not sure we even live in a free country anymore......... Good intentions pave the way to tyranny, and we have walked that path for many years. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
