Hunting has changed

[John McLaughlin]

I am a native Arizonan. Been hunting for some 50 years now, and I have seen lots of changes. In general, I have seen most types of hunting become more competitive. I suspect it has a lot to do with mass media and communications, in general. Back when I was growing up, there were very few, if any, hunting shows on TV. The internet was non-existent. The term "trophy" was largely defined by what we saw or red about in the local papers. Today, we are bombarded by all kinds of shows, videos and podcasts constantly showing us what a 'true trophy' looks like. I am as guilty as the next guy for allowing myself to be swayed by public opinion on hunting and trophies. The days when a trophy was any animal you worked hard to harvest are disappearing quickly. This is not necessarily bad IMO, just the natural progression of hunting.

What is lamentable, is that while big game hunting has become more competitive, hunter respect and overall conduct has declined sharply, especially with the younger generation. In recent years, I have become so disheartened by trail cameras being damaged or stolen by hunters (nobody else would hike that far back into rugged country looking for a big buck). I have been first on a water hole, only to be leap-frogged by other hunters who set up 300 yds off the same hole. (yes, they knew I was there. I went and spoke with them when they first showed up). I have had hunters walk right through my turkey decoys with me sitting in a blind 20 yds. away. I have been passed and cut-off by quads on a two-track trail in order for another hunter to race ahead of me to get to a stand first. I could go on and on. I hope such conduct is not a natural progression of hunting and that we can turn this around as hunters.

As far as sheep go, AZ has done a pretty good job of managing our sheep resources. Demand will always outstrip supply when it comes to sheep. Regarding the Utah sheep scenario, I see it not as a way for Utah to get more dollars, but rather a long-term project to make more tags available to future hunters. Those Desert Big Horn sheep transplants came from AZ, thereby reducing the number of tags available to AZ residents to hunt that year. But by sharing resources, we create a better situation for future hunters. AZ now has huntable numbers of Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep because of transplants from Utah.

I could certainly be wrong about this, but to my knowledge most of AZ's Rockys are from the Morenci and Eagle ck area in eastern AZ These sheep have naturally migrated from New Mexico. JM

 

[Mike 338]

Actually, from what I see, scads of hunters in the field look more like underwear models, ready to strip off their high-end duds and start dancing to a boom box. While driving to my spot in a pretty bad storm, I passed a middle aged guy (perfectly trimmed beard), standing in the middle of a dirt road, posing in his $700 rain gear for no apparent reason. No pack, no gun... just posing. Yup, hunting has changed.

Wish I looked like an underwear model!

 

[Antonio m]

Good post, I am in the 50+ year of hunting group too, Why would Arizona not transplant Desert Bighorns? Just curious.
Disrespect of hunting protocol is noticable, especially with myself, I am always horseback. Most hunters in the old days were raised around this stuff, Equine and ATV's mix like oil and water.
I suggest the motor sports crowd has moved into hunting, and permanently changed things.
Valley bottem trails are often cut to accommodate these ATV's. We are horseback or walk.

 

[nicholasjohn]

I live in AZ (Tucson). I lived in Flagstaff for the previous 40 years. Sooo, I've lived in some of the best Desert bighorn country. Unfortunately we can't "bank" wild sheep or any other wild game. In AZ G&F has been very active transplanting both Rocky Mtn and Desert sheep to historic ranges from which they had disappeared due to miners, disease and in some places loss of habitat. Because of the hard work of AZ Desert Bighorn Sheep Society members, and funds from auction and raffle tags (one each) G&F has been able to do this. There are now more tags available for both Rockys and Desert sheep here in AZ. Our draw is set up with bonus points. 20% of the tags can be drawn by those with the highest number of points. The rest (80%) are random. Folks draw with as few as 6 pts or lower every year, just luck for those.
I have had a bit of that luck over the years. Drawn and harvested both AZ Desert and Rocky Mtn sheep (one a B&C ) and drew and harvested a NR Colorado Rocky Mtn sheep. So it does happen. I've also taken a very nice full curl Alaskan Dall's sheep. Just so you won't be totally *Rule 4 Violation*ed of at me, I've hunted Stone's sheep twice in one of the best areas in BC for 28 days total and couldn't find a legal ram, never popped a cap.
Put in for the draws and you may get a surprise like the guy I personally know who drew an AZ Rocky tag with only 6 pts. It can happen to you. Get started. JM

Question : What is the "Rule 4 Violation" I occasionally read about on this forum ? I see that written here from time to time, but have never known what the guys are talking about.

 

[M T Roberts]

Actually, from what I see, scads of hunters in the field look more like underwear models, ready to strip off their high-end duds and start dancing to a boom box. While driving to my spot in a pretty bad storm, I passed a middle aged guy (perfectly trimmed beard), standing in the middle of a dirt road, posing in his $700 rain gear for no apparent reason. No pack, no gun... just posing. Yup, hunting has changed.

Wish I looked like an underwear model!

LOL!

 

[judgebill]

Another old-timer chimes in; I was born and raised in Los Angeles, Ca, not exactly the heart of hunting country. Joined the NRA in 1948, went on my first hunt (deer in Ca) in 1950 at the age of 13 (no luck) and when I could drive cut my hunting eye teeth on jackrabbits. Read all the magazines, books and manuals I could find. Yes, hunting has significantly changed. No longer can I hunt "locally", meaning any place to which I could drive my automobile (i.e., paved roads) and pitch my tent and have a reasonable chance of seeing game. Today I have to travel long distances, spend outrageous sums and be reasonably assured of success for deer, elk, moose, sheep...or spend even more to travel to Africa. When I can afford it I can have some great hunting experiences. When I can't afford it I can enjoy shooting at the range and dreaming. I finally moved out of Los Angeles, not because of the lack of hunting opportunities but to be able to breathe clean air and see the green trees and running streams. Mostly now I enjoy remembering past experiences and feel sorry for the next generations.

 

[Don A Parsons]

We have the same conversations up here in the North...

The trophy group wants the big ones,,, the meat eating folks take what ever comes along... A split 50/50 I guess...

Hunting to me """was""" putting food in the freezer,,, now its all about being out there at -20c of good times...

If the opertunity comes and I'm ok with hunter / gather of pull the trigger or stand-down,,, what might be a trophy to me might not be for the next person...

The question I mention is,,, do you hunt for substance or for substance and big horns... Or just the horns...

None of the words in my post will make a lick of difference since hunting / harvesting will continue to be debated for year to follow...

The only thing that matters in our hunting sports is what feet we put into our hunting boots...

Each of us get to decide what works for us...

Cheers from the North

 

[Deleted member 107796]

[QUOTE="Don A Parsons, post: 17420,, the meat eating folks take what ever comes along...
[/QUOTE]

We are rather picky when choosing a cow elk or doe deer or pronghorn.

 

[Litehiker]

Hmmm... the number of hunters in the US decreases almost annually yet there is more hunting pressure on some species like sheep and elk. Maybe it's the number of hunters with lots of money for outfitters, maybe it's the west filling up with us easterners.
And just maybe decreasing numbers o some game has to do with climate change.

My bet is it's decreasing habitat due to "development". Here in Henderson, NV I've seen desert sheep habitat destroyed by residential development. At Lake Las Vegas in 2004 I could regularly see a family of desert bighorn grazing on the border of a golf course fairway. But by 2008 they were gone B/C their land had been developed for high end homes. I still did see desert bighorns in that area only they were bronze statures in the center of the new roundabout. Talk about irony.

Eric B.
P.S. Then there's the story of mountain lions being pushed out of the hills just south of my own home. They were there when I moved in but then those hills began to get "developed". It never ends - "development", that is.
But thank God most of the area to my south is in the SloanCanyon National Conservation Area covering a huge section. I can still find lots of desert bighorn there and see mountain lion tracks. But no hunting there, natch.

 

[Joe Hooker]

I've put in for desert bighorn for over 20 years here in UT. I have a better chance of being eaten by a shark in Moab, than drawing a DB tag.

 

[Mach 1]

I don't know about sheep but if they are like white tail deer the mouth breathers shoot the small bucks. There could be a spike or 4 or 6 point standing next to a fat doe and these idiots will shoot the mini buck every time.

those idiot mouth breathers as you call them pay just as much tax and game permit fees as you do. To a lot of people taking a 3x3 whitetail is just as exciting as it is for me taking a 190 plus deer. To each their own. I feed the **** deer year round and I like to shoot a big deer as much as the next guy but the vast majority of people don't have many places to hunt and can't afford to take an entire week off to hunt. If they take Bambi legally more power to them.

 

[Antonio m]

I am very fortunate that I can hunt within minutes for a variety of big game in general open season.
I am a head hunter but we use all meat derived from the animal. If I were just hunting for meat the season would not be all that long or interesting. I have shot 6 point bull elk on my land but this is not hunting,just shooting,imo.

 

[Weaselthis]

[QUOTE="Don A Parsons, post: 17420,, the meat eating folks take what ever comes along...

We are rather picky when choosing a cow elk or doe deer or pronghorn.[/QUOTE]

LOL, we are too! When we're lucky enough to get cow tags, we all glass for the one with the biggest udders!

 

[turkeyfever]

Hunting has changed also in the south and southeast. Limits have in the two states I hunt are a total of 5 whitetail bucks and 18 does. Life is good.