"canned" hunts

[steve1 5]

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I think we need a Dropzone.Com hunt.. in Montana guided by Steve1


I saw several herds of elk to the north of the DZ at Lp this year....

Friggin Mulies were thick as fleas on a Georgia coon dog...

and a moose on the west side of the DZ on my way into town early one morning...

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Hey Jean,
I wish I had a brighter picture to paint of hunting in Montana. Things here have changed a lot in the 45 years. That's how long I've been hunting here. I've never seen so many other hunters, as lately. Many are paying big bucks to hunt private ranches where the game is a lot more plentiful. I hate to see the day come where only the rich can hunt, but it's not far off, in my opinion.

When I was a kid, big game hunting season would open in September and close at the end of November. Wilderness areas and Nationa Forests had plenty of good places to hunt. Most ranchers would let you hunt for free. You could buy a Mtn. Goat tag over the counter for five bucks. Some times you could hunt most of the Fall without seeing another hunter (if you went back far enough). Those days are long gone.

The valleys are now filled with tons of houses, and there is a never ending supply of out of state hunters. Even 50 miles back in the Bob Marshal you'll find plenty of hunters with horses and mules. God...I'm a depressing old bastard, aren't I!

To me, Alaska is the last frontier. I've hunted up there some, and loved it. But even there people are starting to complain about all the damn airplanes with hunters in them. Alaska sure beats Montana for hunting these days. Maybe we could all meat up there.

My family went on a do it yourself caribou hunt, up near Prudoe Bay, several years back. I pulled a horse trailer behind a pickup, all the way up there. We camped in the back of the horse trailer, and I also had a wall tent. Killed a caribou with my bow. My wife and daughters helped me follow up on the blood trail. Canned the meat in the wall tent. Caught a bunch of fish, out of our canoe. Man, that was living!

My daughters hated some parts of the trip, but loved other parts. Some of my fondest memories are of that trip!....

[rehmwa 2]

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But, you wouldn't do it if you didn't harvest the meat. If you did, I'd have little respect for that.

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Taking care of meat is really important to me. I figure if I kill something, I owe it to that animal to make use of it the best I can. I hate people who kill game and then waste meat. I often tan the hide and use the feet for gun racks, etc. I also do taxidermy and mount a lot of heads each fall. In fact that's how I finance my skydiving when the weather warms up here in Montana.

[akarunway 1]

"Alaska sure beats Montana for hunting these days. Maybe we could all meat up there."---------------------------------------------------------------------------------LOL. Pun intended?

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[steve1 5]

I owe nothing to the animal any more than I owe something to the tomato or ear of corn. But I wouldn't waste either.



I'm confused - is your primary goal the activity, or the product - ie

do you hunt because you want the meat and the rest?
or do you use the meat and the rest because you want to hunt?

I don't care much either way, but I'm in the first camp (I take pleasure in hunting, but it's not the goal) and only marginally understand the second camp other than at least they aren't wasting the meat.

Hunting is romanticized by many. I don't agree, but it doesn't bother me either.
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I think I am confused by some of your words too. So, I'll try to explain this better if I can. I'm not trying to romanticize anything here. Every hunter I know goes afield with a set of ethics in his head. These ethics guide his actions.

Using a high powered rifle to go out and kill something involves a lot of responsibility. Hopefully someone has the right sense of values and uses the right kind of judgment while hunting, and particularly prior to pulling the trigger on something. There's plenty of hunters out there who may not have the right kind of ethics in their head. Many have earned the name, "Slob Hunter".

I respect the critters I hunt. They are more than just so many hamburgers or steaks, in my mind. They are a living creature who ranks far higher (in my mind) than a domesticated cow or chicken. I think wildlife deserves to be killed quickly and cleanly and not wasted. To do otherwise is not showing any kind of respect. I also think there needs to be some challenge involved, or why hunt? I guess we can inject all kinds of complicated thinking into this, but this pretty much sums up my thinking on this....

[warpedskydiver 0]

BTW if you are ever interested in someone who trains horses who hunt, and ground tie, as well as being absolutely sure of themselves in all terrains and conditions contact me, I will forward you the number for Tony Brewer, of Formac Stables.

Formac is the home of nearly every champion gaited horse, and Tony is the head apprentice to Mr. Connell

The hunting horses have become his side line, due to his needs for such a horse, in order to track down loose high value horses for others.

The horse he showed me was Crazy Horse, and it was an amazing animal, it went 72 hours straight on the trail, and after feed and water, was ready to go again.

It is like having the Humvee of horses.

[warpedskydiver 0]

I will contact you if Rainbo or I get a record Buck this year.

There is a good chance something truly amazing might be taken.

[steve1 5]

I'm getting to where I really enjoy horses. I'm breaking a two year old right now. I'd could always use some more advice. I'd like to raise some mules also. They make super pack animals. They just don't have the same personality of a horse though...

[kbordson 8]

I have several friends that have done "canned" hunts. Trophies up on the walls... stories of braveness and cunning I find them distasteful and sad (and canned predator hunts even moreso). There was no "hunt." As you said, those are "livestock" and not wild. I think you can enjoy the meat, but you lose big points on bragging rights.

[PLFXpert 0]

Finger-printing & DNA samples should be pre-requirements for it.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[JohnRich 4]

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Finger-printing & DNA samples should be pre-requirements for it.

For what? For going on a canned hunt? Why?

[Andrewwhyte 1]

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Finger-printing & DNA samples should be pre-requirements for it.

For what? For going on a canned hunt? Why?

because anyone who considers butchering a captive animal 'hunting' is a sick fuck, and quite possible sociopathic.

[JohnRich 4]

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anyone who considers butchering a captive animal 'hunting' is a sick fuck, and quite possible sociopathic.

So people who work in slaughterhouses to stock our grocery stores with fresh meats are possibly sociopaths?

Or would it be okay as long as they didn't call it "hunting"?

[Andrewwhyte 1]

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anyone who considers butchering a captive animal 'hunting' is a sick fuck, and quite possible sociopathic.

So people who work in slaughterhouses to stock our grocery stores with fresh meats are possibly sociopaths?

Or would it be okay as long as they didn't call it "hunting"?

Correct. They are doing a job. It is possible that there may be one or two sickos in that industry that do it because they get off on killing, but I am sure the majority of slaughterhouse workers do not put stuffed longhorns on their den wall.
Finding your prey is an integral part of hunting. If you already have the beast in your possession it is not hunting; it is farming.

[JohnRich 4]

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Or would it be okay as long as they didn't call it "hunting"?

Correct. They are doing a job. It is possible that there may be one or two sickos in that industry that do it because they get off on killing, but I am sure the majority of slaughterhouse workers do not put stuffed longhorns on their den wall.
Finding your prey is an integral part of hunting. If you already have the beast in your possession it is not hunting; it is farming.

So if they called it "harvesting" instead of "hunting", then you would be okay with canned hunts?

[Andrewwhyte 1]

If there is a legitimate purpose for the slaughter that's fine. Putting a trophy on your wall is not, to my way of thinking a legitimate reason; for the pure joy of killing something even less so.

[JohnRich 4]

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If there is a legitimate purpose for the slaughter that's fine. Putting a trophy on your wall is not, to my way of thinking a legitimate reason; for the pure joy of killing something even less so.

That's the point I was getting to: As long as the meat is used, then you're really not opposed to the practice of canned hunts, other than the name used for the technique. So the controversy is really all about the name, rather than the actual practice.