436-4/8 points bull elk out of eastern washington

[Legacy]

Rockwheeler:  To clarify some confusion on your part...you want to see Dan Agnew's face...he's the guy on the left side of the picture with the bull we're talking about on page one of this post, it's the second reply. And, I've spoken to him...he has never been on a moose hunt in his life.

[westsidehntr]

From the comments, hunting is hunting whether it is a game ranch that grows 500+ bull elk or 200+ deer. If all I got to do is walk out and shoot it I guess that is all that counts right? I mean who really wants to spend the time scouting anyway.
Its all good gents.

I guess I missed the part that says this was on a game ranch. So lrh would you shoot a trophy if you spotted it while driving?

No I would not shoot a trophy nor have I shot at large bucks as well as the oryx in new mexico when driving out in the desert.

Well hats off to you for passing up easy shots on animals to go for harder more rewarding kills. But I still don't see the need to bash others for taking whats available.

[boneaddict]

Its more rewarding to bust something at 800 yards. 

longrangehunter338

.
  Just making a point about different viewpoints.

[boneaddict]

No worries Rockwheeler, I didn't notice there were guys standing in that photo either.

[longrangehunter338]

Gents,

Its all good, whether is money or time people invest into hunting. In my own opinion, if someone pays a large some of money for someone to put them infront of a trophy so be it. Same thing has been said about lee & tiffany lawkosky, food plots and huge whitetails in their backyard. To each their own and we have the freedom to do so.

Side note, interesting read as to how hunters are shooting themselves out of deer.
http://www.wideopenspaces.com/top-10-worst-deer-hunting-states/

[jackelope]

Its more rewarding to bust something at 800 yards. 

longrangehunter338

.
  Just making a point about different viewpoints.

Well said.  There could be a whole new rant thread about that if we wanted. Some may call long range hunting lazy or not hunting or whatever. Oh wait. That's already been aired out a few dozen times just like this bull and hunt's story has over the last 6 years.  Different strokes for different folks. Division and disdain between hunters will be the death of us as a group. Please keep that in mind.

[BABackcountryBwhntr]

The whole jealousy argument is a joke. Is like playing the race card. It's the argument that is used when you have no valid argument.

With that said, that's one hell of a bull!

Where I think the negativity comes from is that he didn't do anything (other than earn money) to earn that bull. Guides did the work. They know the land, they know the bull, they have a good idea where to find him. That guy shows up, makes a 15 minute stalk, and is done. He didn't do anything other than pay a lot of money for that bull.

To me a bull that scored 200 points less that was DIY on public land would hold more value. Just like a guy who makes a longbow by hand vs buying one. Or putting together a classic car vs being the highest bidder at an auction. Nothing wrong with using the money you earned to get you things, but when you put in all the effort on your own and do it all yourself it just means more.

Spot on.

[Reidus]

I don't think anyone has spent as much on elk hunting as Dan. Hopefully it goes to a good cause.

[greatnw]

My brother-in-law has hunted hard for years and his best bull was his easiest. Beautiful 7x7 that he heard coming through the woods as he was walking down the road with his rifle on his shoulder. He said it jumped out right in front of him and the hardest thing he had to do was get the rifle off his shoulder. No aiming, he said he literally could have almost put the barrel on it it was so close. He saw it as a gift and didn't feel bad about it because it was too easy. We all know how much time and effort he has put into chasing elk.
I love the fence post looking beams on this elk and the crowns are just amazing!

[longrangehunter338]

Taco270 spot on and easy/lucky hunts happen, not saying they dont. My personal opinion was thathe bought this elk. Just my opinion but the only diff between this hunt and a game ranch was that there were not fences.

[Taco280AI]

To look at it a different way, married guys:

I'm sure your wife appreciates you taking her out on the town with a great meal at a fancy restaurant now and then. She appreciates that you can do that with the money you've earned and you should be proud of that. But what she appreciates even more, is when she gets home, you tell her to go take a hot, relaxing bath while you cook dinner for her. When you look up a recipe, go to the store to get all the little ingredients you need to make it, when you do all the prep work, when you cook it, and serve this home cooked meal that you put so much thought, time, and effort into. Then when you clean the kitchen yourself while letting her relax some more. That means more to her than you simply picking up the tab at a restaurant. It's the thought, the effort, the meaning behind it all.

I was thinking about the elk I've taken and my biggest bull was almost forgotten. My first means a lot to me. My first archery bull means a lot as well, especially when I called him in from 300 yards down to 42 yards after all the effort I put into simply finding him. I put in a lot of effort to get him. There was a bull that I never even saw, but interacted with him three separate days trying to get him - he means more to me than the five point I got. Not that I don't appreciate the meat and all the meals he provided, I absolutely do! But in terms of memories, he's last. Why? Because I didn't do anything to get him. It was pure, dumb luck. Opening day I was with my neighbor and we were driving to another location to go still hunt some stick stuff. Unknown to us, there was a couple hunting that very plot of trees who had pushed a herd out into the open. We came around the corner, there were the elk. I jumped out, went off the road and shot him. That was it.

I hope that bull means the world to him and he's proud of him. Nothing wrong with using your money to get you things. I just judge my hunt from the hunt itself and not the size of the rack, which is why my best bull ranks dead last in memories and satisfaction.

[pianoman9701]

But what did Fred know about hunting?

[bankwalker]

This whole guides doing the work argument gets to me.

So i need to get this straight from you guys making this stupid argument. 

If you hunt an area for 10+ years, you learn every inch of said land and you see every big bull. This land is not a bull legal area and you have to draw a permit for said land. 
Your buddy draws this permit for your hard hunted and learned land. You offer to take him into this area and help him get the shot at a once in a life time bull...which you know is there and have seen him year after year.
He shows up in camp and kills that bull the same day on the first stalk.

Your buddy did no work at all. So his trophy is worthless??

[334OKH]

Agnew is a very decent person and has turned down many animals and ended seasons without kills when he could had still taken some respectable animals.

[Landowner]

Each to their own.  Apparently it has not hurt his chances at trophy bulls because he has the mounts to prove it, but buying tags for big money and using that type of crew hunting will keep you from getting permission to hunt a lot of prime private ground in the Dayton area.