Let them walk.

[WYO300RUM]

I remember a very similar post last year, also about pronghorn.

Growing up here in Wyoming, I have seen a ridiculous amount of pronghorn taken, and I do have to say, they are probably the most poorly judged big game animals we have to offer. Pronghorn can get hard to judge, and when you see so many of them that is essentially becomes "shopping" for your animal, a 72" buck with decent diggers may seem like a standout from all the small bucks you have been seeing, that it seems mature. However often times with mule deer and elk, you don't even see any legal animals. Many people just don't have the self control for long enough to find a trophy pronghorn buck.

The last pronghorn buck I took green scored 82 3/8, and before finding him, I had laid eyes on probably 100-150 other bucks. I harvested him on the third day of my hunt. There were several bucks that were probably 75-78" that dang near got the bullet, I had to talk myself out of it, because I knew they likely weren't breaking my bar of 80", but knew they were close. However, I have spent hours looking at videos of bucks with known scores practicing to get better at judging goats, they are not easy. I keep pictures of 75", 80" and 85" goats on my phone to reference when glassing one up.

I completely understand what your getting at, and I too endorse the point of attempting to harvest mature animals, and letting the young ones walk. This post is not for people like me and you and others that already do this, there is no point to patting ourselves on the back. I think you made this post for the people that may want to do this, or haven't done it yet, but might try "trophy", or "mature animal" hunting yet, and you are attempting to prove a case for why this type of hunting can be more beneficial as a conservationist, and a hunter. I completely back you up on that. If that is what your trying to do, then I think there are a couple places where some change in tactics may help to better achieve your goal. Please don't take offense to this, I am trying to help your end goal....

I understand your frustration, I have been there too, but starting off a post on a defensive, and subtle threatening (will block you) tone is going to render far less success in changing people's minds, than something like suggesting a slightly alternative approach to the way one hunts. The vast majority of people here are intelligent, common sense folks, and if you present a fact based, non-confrontational, common sense argument, you stand a good chance at winning people over vs an argument that sounds like "I'm gonna say this and hurt some feelings and don't care about your feelings because I'm right about this". Even if everything in the latter argument is true, the fact is, if people with an opposed mindset enter your debate, and start off feeling disrespected, you certainly aren't going to change their mind, it will just be a pointless argument of opposed opinions.

I say all this because the same post last year rendered similar results to this one. Either people that already agreed with you continued to agree with you, or people that didn't agree just argued with you. No one's mind got changed, no one really considers the others methods, and no ground was really gained in accomplishing your goal.

I respect you, and I know you aren't necessarily here to make friends, shake hands and kiss babies, but because of my respect for you I felt compelled to write this post. We all should strive to learn and grow, as well as gain and give knowledge to and from each other, but for one person to listen to another, there must be a mutual respect brother!

I hope this post is taken as the way it is intended, there is a lot of frustration in our world today, and at times it can be challenging to have the "give a dam" to take the time and effort needed to present a challenging subject tactfully, but that is all I'm trying to do.

Take care, and God bless.

Happy independence day as well. America!

 

[Hugnot]

There are no veterinarians in the woods to care for sick, injured, or suffering animals. To be subjected to a meciful death by bullet is preferable to a fearsome agonizing death by starvation, automobile injury, or yotes (preditators earning a living). Animals or trophies with big horns have usually are at their peak size and have limited time to live but have certain ecomomic value to hunters and those associated with sport hunting. I have no problem with "let them walk". Sport/trophy hunting as nothing to do with waste & ego.

 

[WYO300RUM]

trying to get everyone to do the same thing.
If it was easy to to do , we could change a whole lot, but it's not happening .
Another aspect is if you pass up a smaller animal , the next guy might not , so it got harvested anyway , 1/4 away from you or the next day, etc...
A lot of people spend a lot of time and effort to hunt, so if it's legal , have fun .

Amen brother

 

[WYO300RUM]

Lots of truth in most words you have shared with us on this last thread of yours. However, if most folks that disagree with you or of different opinion/beliefs than yours and disturbs you than maybe you would be better off on another forum. Just saying and hope you can find content somewhere. Good luck.

 

[Deleted member 115360]

The best part about true conviction is that it doesn't require accomplices. If a man is resolved in his thinking, he doesn't feel the need to get other people to agree with him. This post is about attention. It's about you telling everyone else how you think they should hunt. You literally made a post to tell other hunters that it is immoral to see the hunt differently than you do. That is awful arrogant. I take strong positions on many things. The people who know me well would tell you that I am very strong willed, but at some point you learn that there is a big difference in stating your views and vomiting them onto everyone's shoes. Your post was arrogant, presumptuous, rude and more in line with the communication strategies of the left, (the cancel culture has been mentioned, although my post about it was deleted, even though I violated no rules). I'll bet you are a good dude, and we would probably agree wbout 99% of things in this world, but this post should have stayed in your head along with how you think the rest of us should hunt.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Your account is one of the most impressive examples of poisoning the well I have ever seen.

Between taking paragraphs preemptively attacking the people that disagree with you and insult them, and going on a side rant about lying to children by acting excited for them when they kill their first buck if it's not enormous it's truly amazing and disengenious because it implies everyone acts like every 4 point a child kills is enormous, we don't. We are excited because they are excited, and it's pretty obvious to everyone with a pulse that the 130+ on the wall is bigger. Kids get that too. The tirades at clouds about undisciplined living are just so far out there man.

I have no issue with the letting walk concept, I think it naturally comes with some age and we try to foster it some with hunters that lease land from us, but in the end they are there to hunt and they get to hunt as they wish. I try to only take bucks that are bigger than what I have previously killed, that's getting harder and I let a lot of deer walk every year. My friend doesn't, he has less time to hunt and if he sees a young buck he is going to take it and eat it. I am happy for him, and grandstanding about how undisciplined he is hardly seems like a good quality in a person to me. He is an American that followed the law and fed his family on game meat, that's damned good enough for me.

The constant implications, nay direct statements insulting anyone that disagrees with you are truly exhausting. They are logical fallacies and they make your points seem weak.

Right on the money brochacho!!!

 

[Yehti]

I hesitate to engage here but the Lord I serve teaches us to not judge others or place ourselves above them. It seems to me that you do both, so that was a flag right out of the box.

Don't feel bad, I fight that stuff in my own personal interactions all the time. That is why living in God's grace is so great. We are all so imperfect and yet the Lord gives us a path to Heaven. So cool!

On the issue of the pronghorn, I appreciate the education on what constitutes a trophy because I have never hunted this species. I would generally depend on an outfitter to make that call as I don't have access to pronghorn habitat and I am too old to just take-off across the tundra on a DIY hunt. Just a suggestion, maybe emphasizing the educational aspect and pulling back on the preaching will render a better outcome. IMHO

 

[Deleted member 123841]

Your account is one of the most impressive examples of poisoning the well I have ever seen.

Between taking paragraphs preemptively attacking the people that disagree with you and insult them, and going on a side rant about lying to children by acting excited for them when they kill their first buck if it's not enormous it's truly amazing and disengenious because it implies everyone acts like every 4 point a child kills is enormous, we don't. We are excited because they are excited, and it's pretty obvious to everyone with a pulse that the 130+ on the wall is bigger. Kids get that too. The tirades at clouds about undisciplined living are just so far out there man.

I have no issue with the letting walk concept, I think it naturally comes with some age and we try to foster it some with hunters that lease land from us, but in the end they are there to hunt and they get to hunt as they wish. I try to only take bucks that are bigger than what I have previously killed, that's getting harder and I let a lot of deer walk every year. My friend doesn't, he has less time to hunt and if he sees a young buck he is going to take it and eat it. I am happy for him, and grandstanding about how undisciplined he is hardly seems like a good quality in a person to me. He is an American that followed the law and fed his family on game meat, that's damned good enough for me.

The constant implications, nay direct statements insulting anyone that disagrees with you are truly exhausting. They are logical fallacies and they make your points seem weak.

Bruh…Do us all a favor and just stick with your mid tier Gen III razors.

 

[WYO300RUM]

It took me 48 years to get to Montana to hunt. A lifelong dream of mine. I took an Antelope in 2020 and a Mulie the next year. Still the best two hunts of my life since my grandfather passed and I was able to hunt with him. My antelope and my mule deer hang on my office wall. Nether would be a "trophy" by your standards.
I got to hunt with my best friend, hang outdoors for 8-10 days straight, see some beautiful country and came home with memories and the desire to make more.
I'm glad we live in a free country where ideas can be expressed openly. Opinions are like a holes, everybody has one and they all stink. To each their own.
I'll be the guy dragging my tiny "trophy" and having a hell of a time. Y'all have a good one.

 

[Barehandlineman11]

Ive been saying for years. 4 point buck or better in many western states and 6 point bull in most units. It really does land on fish and game and have them set a standard.

 

[bultinkle]

Bruh…Do us all a favor and just stick with your mid tier Gen III razors.

Pretty rich from a guy that probably shoots bushnell trash

 

[Deleted member 123841]

Pretty rich from a guy that probably shoots bushnell trash

Well at least I win in my production class PRS matches. Those matches get me good enough to vaguely hit animals at a 1000+ yards.

 

[338 dude]

You know I can think of someone that was banned from this site and did not stir up near as much trouble are sponsors getting played as favorites because they are sponsors?

 

[WYO300RUM]