Pending Archery World Record Sheep

[Dinkshooter]

Propably had pics of this animal at the convention where the tag was "purchased" instead of being drawn by others who had applied for 20+ years in the draw. The true essence of hunting at it's finest.

PS I bet there is another ram in there around the same size or a little bigger, available to all who drew the tag to take a bow in there and beat him!!!!!!!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Personally I think a few tags auctioned off the way that MT does it is fine. There is plenty of accountability, and we know where the money goes. It's not like Utah or CO. In order for this to continue though, there has to be strict regulation of the tag. If Jim Hens can afford to put $300,000 on the ground for conservation, I'm glad that he chose to spend his money that way. I saw a press release from the Wild Sheep Foundation that showed the put over $3 million on the ground for Sheep conservation in FY 12. That's pretty damned impressive.

As far as Lewton and crew and what they do, it is what it is. It's certainly not my style of hunting. I agree with Draath. he was clearly hedging his significant bet by hiring an outfitter and getting in touch with guys who know most of the rams in the Breaks. You don't get 3 WR's by being an outfitted dude who's biggest physical accomplishment is rolling out of the sack in the morning. I'm willing to guess he worked for everyone of those rams.

Is it all a little hypocritical? Yes. It is.

 

[spook12]

One way this is different than Randys hunt in Nv. Randy was hunting with his friends, not a bunch of guys who would need to wear name tags just to know who is who.

 

[noharleyyet]

Takes the pressure off getting to 700 inches. He only has to shoot a Dall around 142 inches or so

C'mon Ricky Bobby, don't crash on the restart.

 

[sbhooper]

Personally I think a few tags auctioned off the way that MT does it is fine. There is plenty of accountability, and we know where the money goes. It's not like Utah or CO. In order for this to continue though, there has to be strict regulation of the tag. If Jim Hens can afford to put $300,000 on the ground for conservation, I'm glad that he chose to spend his money that way. I saw a press release from the Wild Sheep Foundation that showed the put over $3 million on the ground for Sheep conservation in FY 12. That's pretty damned impressive.

As far as Lewton and crew and what they do, it is what it is. It's certainly not my style of hunting. I agree with Draath. he was clearly hedging his significant bet by hiring an outfitter and getting in touch with guys who know most of the rams in the Breaks. You don't get 3 WR's by being an outfitted dude who's biggest physical accomplishment is rolling out of the sack in the morning. I'm willing to guess he worked for everyone of those rams.

Is it all a little hypocritical? Yes. It is.

It is admirable for sure that someone with that kind of money is spending it to further the conservation of the species. I guarantee that if I did spend that kind of money, I would have every available person helping me find what I was after. It would be the same way if I drew a tag on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. I WOULD have a guide, even though that is really not my thing.

He is not the only person to have a whole tribe helping him find something. Chuck Adams has used lots of extra people to help him over the years, too. I cannot fault anyone for using whatever resources are available. He is obviously a good hunter and a great shot to pull that off no matter how much assistance he had.

 

[montanadogs]

As far as DIY hunts and public land there are many hunts that you aren't allowed to do without a guide. It doesn't make the hunt less memorable or worthy. The show encourages and helps show others that it can be done OYO but really doesn't go into bashing others. Didn't see anyone bashing Critters sheep hunt or any of the other hunts done in Alaska that had to be guided. And rightfully so they were as much of a hunt as anyone could do.

Example of what Lawnboy is talking about look into Wyoming laws concerning hunting in wilderness areas. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but the way I read it, it states that non-resident hunters hunting in wilderness areas will be guided or something like that. (don't have time to look up the exact wording)

 

[mdunc8]

One way this is different than Randys hunt in Nv. Randy was hunting with his friends, not a bunch of guys who would need to wear name tags just to know who is who.

That's not the point. The way they hunted is essentially the same regardless of whether they paid or did not pay for their hunting companions.

 

[mdunc8]

Example of what Lawnboy is talking about look into Wyoming laws concerning hunting in wilderness areas. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but the way I read it, it states that non-resident hunters hunting in wilderness areas will be guided or something like that. (don't have time to look up the exact wording)

You need a guide or resident to hunt with.

 

[montanadogs]

Thanks mdunc8.

 

[spook12]

May not be the point for you mdunc. But i suspect it is for some. Thats like asking what's the difference between humping an animal out on your back or hiring a guide to pack it out for you. In the end the animal is out so whats the difference? Alot to me.

 

[AZ402]

Auction tag outfitted hunt and a gang of guides. Doesn't get any better than that.

Propably had pics of this animal at the convention where the tag was "purchased" instead of being drawn by others who had applied for 20+ years in the draw. The true essence of hunting at it's finest.

Most if not all western states auction wildlife off to some degree whether it's SCI auction tags,transferable landowner tags, commissioners tags, etc... It truly amazes me how this turns into a "gray area" for the people on this OYO adventures forum which I thought stood for DIY hunts on public land like are depicted on the show.

 

[Elkmagnet]

What a joke! How many guys who make under 50k a year will ever have 3 WR sheep?
So fwp bought 5 new trucks who cares they sold him a world record sheep IMO the residents of Montana got ripped off.
Throw him in the middle of Idaho with an over the counter deer/elk tag all by himself and see what he walks out with. If its a WR ill eat my boots. If he even killed a b&c award animal I'd eat lawnboys boots. I'm betting 75 percent of the guys I know could hunt him into the ground. Then get within 40 yard to the animal to kill it. 80 yd what an amazing archer uhh arrow flinger..

 

[Elkmagnet]

some people are so starstruck by rich people and money but they don't see the evil that it/they do. Then they start defending them like some kind of groupie. I really wonder what disgusting things some of you guys would have done to have shared a 2 man tent with him after he shot that ram. Groupies.

 

[mdunc8]

May not be the point for you mdunc. But i suspect it is for some. Thats like asking what's the difference between humping an animal out on your back or hiring a guide to pack it out for you. In the end the animal is out so whats the difference? Alot to me.

I agree with you. However, a lot of the posts are directed at the fact that that the guy had a team of guides helping him. My post was addressing that. Not the fact that he went guided at all.

 

[wyoming556]

Happens all the time, pic of an animal is used to increase bidding.

Had the none of the outfitters or guides really never seen this ram before?
Just happened to find it after the tag was bought?
If I were a betting man I'd bet somebody had seen this ram before the auction.

Comparing a 300K auction tag to a standard guided hunt is apples and oranges. When Joe Hunter draws a tag like everybody else and pays a landowner or outfitter to access private land during a regular season that is completely different than pulling out your checkbook and jumping in front of all those who were in the draw for the last 20 years and taking thier tag and then being able to hunt any area they want with gangs of guides whenver they want outside of regualr seasons.

Comparing Doyle Moss or any other well known auction tag outfitter to an alaskan sheep outfitter is also apples and oranges.

We all know there are a handful of these guys out there who make a living from these auction tags. It is pretty clear they all support "Auctioning of Wildlife" as that is how they make a living.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Just waiting for the day

Great ram. Congrats to the hunter and the guides. Job's well done. Looks like they all had fun.

I am just waiting for the day that somebody spends a few hundred thousand on tag and then throws his pack and gun in his truck and drives to the breaks, antelope island, or wherever he can hunt and hunts. And I mean hunts. As in searches for the animals, figures out what they do, where they live, how to get close enough for a shot and then stalks and takes an animal. Then takes care of the meat, throughs the quarters on his back or horse and gets to work. You know what I mean, what most of us do and love.

If I am jealous of anything with these tags it's that I would give my left nut to be able to wander the entire state of Montana, hunting for a ram.

 

[spook12]

mdunc ,Not sure i follow your thinking. You said that the two hunts were the same, other than how the tags were secured. I'm just suggesting that they had a lot less in common than that.

 

[mdunc8]

The way Randy and this other guy hunted were the same. I assume both hunts were fair chase on public land. Both guys had several other people spotting game for them, which the hunters then pursued. Again, I agree that Randy's hunt would be 1,000,000 times more enjoyable from a pure hunting standpoint. However, based on the information provided in the thread, the logistics of the two hunts were identical.

 

[noharleyyet]

The way Randy and this other guy hunted were the same. I assume both hunts were fair chase on public land. Both guys had several other people spotting game for them, which the hunters then pursued. Again, I agree that Randy's hunt would be 1,000,000 times more enjoyable from a pure hunting standpoint. However, based on the information provided in the thread, the logistics of the two hunts were identical.

...aside from the monetary incentive provided to the brushbeaters and hazers. *note the wink

 

[spook12]

mdunc we are just gonna have to disagree on this one. Other than more than one person behind glass, i don't see it. All that said,i think the guy killed a great ram. And if his hunt was done lawfully than good for him!

When i asked about what you Mt. guys thought,i got about what i expected.It seems like there are some very different opinions on these tags. I for one would like to see all these tags go the way of the dodo bird.IMHO they are nothing more than selling wildlife.Sure the money can be used to do good work.Once we decided that wildlife can be sold, we have set ourselves up for so many more problems.