Has a real “let them eat cake” ring to it right… probably a very unpopular opinion here, but I’ll shoot. If you have to have a guide to kill animals you aren’t hunting you are just shooting and killing.
I dunno if I’d go that far. I mean, lots of variables to consider, just depends on the hunter, the guide, the species and location, and the amount of money involved. I know some guys that have gone on guided hunts and had real good experiences and still worked real hard to be successful. There’s lots of valid reasons a person may choose to use an outfitter, and I have 0 problems with that.
And I don’t want to blanket all guides under this idea that they’re all handing everything to folks on a silver platter. Because while that does happen, that’s most certainly not true in every case. Guides can be a hardworking bunch, making an honest living, and no doubt love chasing critters as much as anyone else. I couldn’t be a guide, don’t have the patience for other people and I won’t put up with babysitting on a hunt.
But let’s play this out. Let’s say Hanes does 3 of those outfitters he’s known to use in a fall. That’s spending around 60k a year just in tags and outfitter costs. Not counting travel or taxi costs, and he gets his gear for free. Those hunts, directly or indirectly are being paid for by his followers. That could be either through sponsorships, social media checks, merch sales, etc.
Without a doubt, most of those followers are not participating in those same high end private ranch hunts. It’s not even an option and never will be. But he goes on those hunts, then turns around and turns them into content, which generate more revenue for him and his sponsors. Then he talks about promoting hunting, creating more hunters and being an ambassador for hunting. But the very fact that he’s hunting exclusive high end ranches, means he doesn’t even get impacted by the “promoting” he’s doing. He claims to hunt for meat, yet pays 60k a year for the biggest elk antlers in the country. He is certainly not showing up and testifying in front of legislatures to advocate for the average Joes hunting opportunities. It’s all just elitist self promotion.
I have no doubt Hanes is in phenomenal shape, and would probably be successful if he hunted public like many of us. But to pretend that he’s some badass hunter and ambassador for every hunter because he shows up to a 20k ultra premium private ranch, with an outfitter who already knows where all the bulls are, has them named and scored, shoots a bull who’s barely even seen a human that fall, then goes to the next ranch and does the same thing all over again? No, Cammy. I can’t relate to that at all. He isn’t doing a damn thing to advocate for the wild places or wildlife I care about. In fact, he’s calling me a socialist for doing the advocating. He might love elk hunting, but it’s all about $, and he’s killing for content. He doesn’t represent me or advocate for hunting in a way that benefits me or anyone like me.
Did he work hard to get where he’s at? I’m sure he did. And if hunting high end ranches was his dream and his idea of making it to the top, well then good for him. But don’t get it twisted, Cammy, You don’t represent me. I’ll take Randy over Hanes every effin day of the week, without hesitation.
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