It's not jealousy. It's just an instinctive feeling of what is real vs. what is artificial. Hunting is a lot more than simply killing an animal - no matter how big it may be. The sad thing is your friend probably does not know the difference.



I have a feeling times are changing on all this though. I can sense these winds of change.

He did in fact, save hunting (along with a few other forward thinkers of his day). The way he did it was to emphasize the "fair chase" ethic inherent in sport hunting vs. the goal of simply killing animals then exemplified by commercialized hunting. IMO that same dichotomy is just as important today.

An acquaintance just posted up a monster typical that is growing behind one of 'his' HF places on the Book of Faces.

The deer he posted is impressive - no question. However, you can see the two-row high wire mesh fencing right behind the buck. That deer seems to be all the rage based on the comments. I just feel like there should be an asterisk hanging from the deer's antlers. I don't really want to call him out and be a 'Richard' on social media - but I need to express the conflict I feel somewhere. My bride would say get over it and I realize that is the best course of action.

He is a guy that was born on third base, thinks he hit a grand slam, but married into the Hall of Fame. - I do not begrudge him for these things - I actually enjoy getting to tag along on the adventures he sets up.

They fly the jet to the airport, jump in the chopper at the hangar, and fly directly to the ranch house. Then take their top drive, camoed up, Rhino Lined, Super Duty out, smoke cigars, drink whisky, pull the trigger, and call it hunting - I don't know that I have ever seen them clean their own animal. The element of pursuit appears to have been taken out of the 'hunt' at their place. I have done all of this with them, but never once did I think I was hunting.

I think I am feeling a twinge of jealousy here, because I am proud of some of the deer on our LF place this year - deer that wouldn't hold a candle to a 190"+ typical. But there is something else there too; a feeling I can't quite put my finger on. ...I feel like they just don't get 'it.' 'It' for me is the pursuit; the hunt. On the other hand, perhaps, they look at me and say, "he just doesn't get 'it'" I am not sure what 'it' is for them.

I'm rambling/venting and see how this could go into a HF/LF debate real quick - not what I am looking for. Just a random collection of thoughts I have right now.

He did in fact, save hunting (along with a few other forward thinkers of his day). The way he did it was to emphasize the "fair chase" ethic inherent in sport hunting vs. the goal of simply killing animals then exemplified by commercialized hunting. IMO that same dichotomy is just as important today.

How'd they get those animals to restock? (Yellowstone elk herd)

An acquaintance just posted up a monster typical that is growing behind one of 'his' HF places on the Book of Faces.

The deer he posted is impressive - no question. However, you can see the two-row high wire mesh fencing right behind the buck. That deer seems to be all the rage based on the comments. I just feel like there should be an asterisk hanging from the deer's antlers. I don't really want to call him out and be a 'Richard' on social media - but I need to express the conflict I feel somewhere. My bride would say get over it and I realize that is the best course of action.

He is a guy that was born on third base, thinks he hit a grand slam, but married into the Hall of Fame. - I do not begrudge him for these things - I actually enjoy getting to tag along on the adventures he sets up.

They fly the jet to the airport, jump in the chopper at the hangar, and fly directly to the ranch house. Then take their top drive, camoed up, Rhino Lined, Super Duty out, smoke cigars, drink whisky, pull the trigger, and call it hunting - I don't know that I have ever seen them clean their own animal. The element of pursuit appears to have been taken out of the 'hunt' at their place. I have done all of this with them, but never once did I think I was hunting.

I think I am feeling a twinge of jealousy here, because I am proud of some of the deer on our LF place this year - deer that wouldn't hold a candle to a 190"+ typical. But there is something else there too; a feeling I can't quite put my finger on. ...I feel like they just don't get 'it.' 'It' for me is the pursuit; the hunt. On the other hand, perhaps, they look at me and say, "he just doesn't get 'it'" I am not sure what 'it' is for them.

I'm rambling/venting and see how this could go into a HF/LF debate real quick - not what I am looking for. Just a random collection of thoughts I have right now.

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The how premise behind that entire quote is a voter play against wealth accumulation via land. AKA National park system

I can't discuss this with you Bobo. You would throw your Momma under the bus if it meant defending anything that results in an animal dying. (Or maybe just to argue with me, I'm not sure which.)

If you don't know what TR did for both hunting and wildlife conservation in this country, I cant help you.

If you don't know the founding premise of the B&C Club wad conservation and fair chase (still is today), I cant help you there either. The record keeping part of B&C didn't even exist in the first 30 or so years of the Club's existence.

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The how premise behind that entire quote is a voter play against wealth accumulation via land. AKA National park system

Studies show that the happiest people are those with enough financial security to be able to be secure in the essentials - but not so much as to fulfill their every whim.

This is factual, not fantasy. There a whole lot of mega-rich folks who lead miserable lives. I know a bunch of them. Jealousy plays zero part in my observation. Money truly does not buy happiness.

Hold on now, considering the timeframe, we're talking about public land being deeded out....that's not exactly land wealth accumulation, that's protecting a public resource.

I sat on a hill in Kansas and watched guys chase antelope on a 4 wheeler and watched groups of guys push deer out of standing crops to shooters. Both leave a bad taste in my mouth and are not what I consider hunting. Others view it differently and it is their choice. Some go to any means to get their name in a book. I don't hate on the animal or the height of the fence. I hunt where and how I choose these days, not how someone else wants me to so I live with my choices. By the same token I do not tell anyone else how or where to hunt, they have to make their choices and live with their results. If they invite me, I can go and hunt my style or refuse to go on the trip.

Unless you're dropped off buck-naked in the woods without pre-made weapons of any sort, just about any 'hunting' you partake in has some element of convenience built into it. Your acquaintance just happens to have a lot more convenience built into his hunting than you do. I don't really think it's jealousy but a bit of that feeling is certainly envy, which we would rationalize with 'Well, I wouldn't do it that way because it's not really_________'. Well, look in the mirror, because there is probably someone less fortunate than you looking at the way you do things and making the same rationalization. It's just human nature; almost all of us do it in some form or fashion. Just keep doing what you're doing and don't worry about it too much.

Aka why the National park system exists and expanded...To be owned by all.

That whole quote NP provided... "private" game reserve, is to pit voting masses against rich private land owners "private game reserves" to expanded or protect public land against individual ownership.

How'd they get those animals to restock? (Yellowstone elk herd)

He was in the NY State Assembly in 1893, 51st District of Manhattan. He was not speaking to the "voting masses" - he was penning his thoughts on conservation and sportsmanship.

I would say ...President Grant did a fine Job.


Do you want the rest of NP's Teddy quote?

"a system of large private game preserves, kept for the enjoyment of the very rich." Aka large ranches.... When you exceed one animals home range you are a large ranch...