SPIDER ELK

[WARRIORBOATMAN]

Denny Austad's Bull Elk shot in Utah was recoqnized by B&C as a New world record.

After reading the story in OL I have to admit that I thought B&C got it "wrong"

Hunting in a area where all other hunters were only allowed to use Bow & arrow.

Paying $200,000 for a Governors tag and having Guides keep tabs on the Bull

while he hunted for 13 days seems "not" quite right to me.

I mean if I am Bill Gates I can pay money to have various people put me on a Big Bull and I get the recognition for killing it.

It just does not feel like hunting to me.

Is Hunting & Fishing all about money,thee Who has the most money wins?

I personally do not like the smell of this.

WBM

[Gissert]

While the money aspect of it rubs me the wrong way, the bull was taken in a wild area under fair chase. There were other people hunting the area too.

[picksbigwagon]

I agree with gissert, now if the guides were scaring people away from the bull that would be a different story. Never being on a guided hunt or guided anything, isn't part of the guide's job knowing what the animal (what ever the animal is) habits are? If I go ever go on a guided hunt, I want my guide to know where some quality animals are, that's what I am paying him for. Wasn't that tag bought through the Rocky Mt. Elk foundation at a banquet?

[mrklean]

I have been reading different stories on different forums for a few months right now about this bull and its very interesting, different stories about this bull have came up many different places, some think it was pen raised because many never saw it the years before, some say the roads were blocked off, tons of stories.

[Leaddog]

Personnaly, I can't see hunting elk with a rifle. Hunted them many years with a bow, never a gun. I do gun hunt, that's not my issue. What is, is that I've had so many bulls within a few yards of me that would never happen if I was carrying a rifle. The addage is "When the rifleman pulls the trigger, the archer's hunt is just beginning." How exciting would that bull have been at 20 yards when only holding a pointy stick!

That's HUNTING!

Just not impressed by rifle shots, long distance doesn't make it more impressive. Only shots from within an elk's comfort zone are worth talking about. If you're not that close, it's just shooting. Muzzleloader, rifle - doesn't matter.

[vister]

i'd be proud as heck to have a world record anything. however, i'd feel guilty as heck spending 200,000 bucks for the tag, especially when your holding a rifle, and everyone around you can only shoot with a bow.

I hope that guy doesn't sleep well at night!

[Gissert]

Lets not forget where a lot of the 200k went - right back into elk habitat and programs. Mr. Austad may have spent a lot of money, but he believes in the mission of the RMEF.

It's thru the efforts of the RMEF and money donated that makes units such as the one Spider Bull came from a reality. There are many areas now protected that could easily have condos on them without the efforts of the RMEF.

[USDA3]

To me (and I hope most folks), hunting is a little more than just shooting an animal, no matter if its firearms, archery, dartgun, crossbow, slingshot or spitballs. The time spent, the people your with, the preparation and excitement leading up to the hunt, the stories you'll tell, that's hunting. 400 yds or 40, its not about how skilled you are or how quickly you bag your buck or get your limit. Its about enjoying yourself. Thats hunting

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

Very nicely said

[jeffreyd]

Being the president of the Arizona Deer Association, I can say that we too auction off governors tags each year at out banquet. The funds are transferred directly to the game and fish habitat conservation program. This year because of the fact we can auction of a deer tag on the Kaibab for 135K added to the total of nearly a half million that we funded alone in HPC projects.

Whether it is using a rifle, bow, or throwing rocks, I have to agree with USDA, that it is the part that I can spend time in the field with my son and friends. We offer all types of hunts at our fund raiser and the money is used to fund other projects all in the name of wildlife.

I appreciate everyones thoughts and welcome you to visit our HSOforum.

Kind regards,

Jeff

[Joe15]

I agree with alot of you are saying about it being all right that he bought the tag for so much and a kill is a kill. Would a bow kill be more impressive to me? of course. In my opinion it takes alot more skill to get within bow range of an elk of that caliber or any elk for that matter, that vs. sitting 400 yds from the elk with a big rifle.

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

But man is that a nice shot though 400 yards isn't like shooting pop cans in the back yard with a pellet gun.

[96trigger]

Jeff,

Thanks for your response. If someone wants to donate the money for that cause and gets to shoot a bull elk we should not prosecute him. This would not even be discussed if it were just your average 6x6. But now, all of the sudden its a new world record and all the questions get raised. If you went to a whitetail banquet and spent 20,000 on a 2,000 dollar whitetail hunt and shot the new record, would you want somebody going after you, even though you just donated 18,000 so some of those same people can continue to enjoy whitetail hunting? I think not.

It would have been different if he just flew in and shot it in its pen..

[mrklean]

I had brought that up before mn have a auction for a moose or elk license maybe wolf down the line, could bring good money but most the people said they dont like it cause its for "rich people" only and what not. If that one person spends that kinda money yea it stinks because they have money they have a better advantage but that money also give normal people better advantage as well, money goes right to nature.

[vister]

i don't care if all the money went to the outdoors or not. its a shame thats how our favorite pastime gets donations. its great mother nature got such a great chunk of change. however, the bottom line is the new world record holder is only so due to the fact of $$$$$$. my buck listed in pope and youngs record books has an asterick next to it because my bow was over 65% let-off. his spider bull entry should have flashing lights and sirens next to it because the ONLY way he had the chance to harvest it was because he is more or less a millionaire! And, he was the only one in the area allowed to hunt with a firearm, while everyone else was bowhunting.

fair, i think not!

only because he had money was he able to take such a magnificent creature. anyone who believes he is entirely legit on taking that bull should feel ashamed of themself!

[PEATMOSS]

^ Pretty well stated.

I respect this record with the same esteem that I hold Bigheaded Barry's home run record. This is a sad example of where our heritage is headed.

[Bear55]

I kind of have mixed feelings on this one, I would hate to have the elk removed from the record books because he really did nothing wrong, why should a true record elk be punished because of a hunter with deep pockets took him.

On the other hand the guy basically buying a world record certainly leaves a bad taste in your mouth and leads us down a road we all don't want to go.

I'm starting to think its not the best idea in the world to name these record deer after the hunters that shoot them (not sure how else you would do it) it seems more and more the records are going to the guys with the $$$. Thankfully in this case I think most people will remember the name "Spider Elk" instead of the shooters name.

[fishuhalik]

Keep in mind, it was never a guaranteed kill. While he did have a small company of guys in the field looking for the animal, there were alot more people in the woods with a bow gunning after the same elk. Would it have been a better story if someone that hunted the same woods for 40 years shot the buck at 15 yards w/ a longbow? Absolutely.

BTW, the rumor of it being a ranch elk are not true. All ranch elk get a brand on their lip (upper or lower, I can't remember) and this one didn't have it.

[deerminator]

He got it legally, right? End of story.

[Walleye Guy]

To each his own. If the guy has the cash and he gets enjoyment out of a hunt like that then more power to him. If I had the cash would I do something like that? No chance.

Some guys bow hunt, some guys gun hunt, some guys like to hunt over bait, some guys like to shoot driven animals etc. Its all a matter of preference. Don't forget we are all on the same team fighting to keep our great sport available and affordable. I don't think what Austad did goes against any of those things.

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

Amen to that deerminator!!!

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Don't forget we are all on the same team fighting to keep our great sport available and affordable. I don't think what Austad did goes against any of those things.

Except for keeping it affordable.......

[fishuhalik]

Honestly, it makes it more affordable. If it wasn't for the guys willing to shell out BIG $ for these tags, they'd have to raise the price on all the tags.

[CodyDawg]

If someone would have shot it at 10 yards with a bow would not have made a better story in my book. I get a little sick of the elitist mentality of SOME bow hunters (not all of them). A great hunt can be had with a bow or a gun, it makes no difference and NEITHER is better than the other.

In this particular case the cost of the tag doesnt bother me. the fact that he was guided doesnt bother me. The fact that he had, what 8 or 10 guides kinda rubs me the wrong way though. Assuming they did everything legal...no radios or whatever makes it all ok for the record book, but c'mon, that many guides makes this a different type of a hunt. Still legal, but it leaves the bad taste in my mount. No asterick on this one in the record book like Bonds, but a bad taste nonetheless.

[Joe15]

As long as sports exsist on earth there will always be people that can go out and pay to get and do the best. Others have to work harder to get it. In my mind I think it would be cooler if some kid got out and shot an elk close up with a gun or a bow and it was only a small one. Ya Austad payed alot to get the elk. He was guaranteed the elk. He got out there and worked for what he wanted. They did it legally and he shot it legally. Congrats on the record