Can't help but wonder about all the record book trophies taken and aren't registered.
Would you register yours?
Would you register yours?
Record Books, Would you even register your trophy?
- Thread starter HuskyMusky
- Start date
rjroberts15
Member
Work2hunt
Veteran member
Not for me. I have multiple white tails that would make the pope and young book. But, I've never bothered.
JimP
Administrator
I have three animals that would make the books if I ever decided to enter them and one of them is the second largest in the class that I would enter him in. But all entering one into the books does is to give a person a boost in his ego. Also 99% of the book entries are never seen or no one outside their group even knows the hunter, so why enter them. This is just my personal opinion.
gypsumreaper
Active Member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 308
- 0
Imo if you enter an animal into a book all it does is, drives people to that area. If they know the area that it came from then everyone is gonna want to start hunting that area for a chance at a book entry, if you are like many people you don't want more and more people flooding the are you hunt. I know many people with animals worth being in the book but don't want tons of people knowing where it came from.
Another thing I've seen first hand is tv shows harvesting big animals and telling where they came from. This has flooded areas I have hunted and guided in, just because someone on tv harvested a very large animal.
So it's a tough call, we have a hunter who harvested a bull in our unit this year on camera. He was not allowed to say the drainage or anything like that just our business name and where we are located. If the show airs it's either gonna drive business for me or it will flood the area, now this was not a record book bull but the footage was epic and that's one reason we decided to release it was just because of the footage we got of the bull before the harvest.
Another thing I've seen first hand is tv shows harvesting big animals and telling where they came from. This has flooded areas I have hunted and guided in, just because someone on tv harvested a very large animal.
So it's a tough call, we have a hunter who harvested a bull in our unit this year on camera. He was not allowed to say the drainage or anything like that just our business name and where we are located. If the show airs it's either gonna drive business for me or it will flood the area, now this was not a record book bull but the footage was epic and that's one reason we decided to release it was just because of the footage we got of the bull before the harvest.
CoHiCntry
Veteran member
I haven't yet & probably never will. The only exception would be if it was freakishly large like a state record or something like that. I'm not a big fan of scoring and even less a fan of entering animals in the "book", like JimP said it's just an ego trip for some guys and drives hunting in a direction I'm not interested in going.
CrimsonArrow
Very Active Member
I've got 3 or 4 bowkills that would make the books, but I only registered my Canada moose, because of how exceptional it is I wanted to see how it ranked.
Tim Hughes
Member
It seems like the majority of guys on in this forum are of the same mindset as me. I have taken a couple of animals that would have went book, like the mule deer in my avitar. Some of my dearest trophies wouldn't even make it to the taxidermist for most guys. I have to say my two favorite mounts on the wall are both of my boys first buck. I have an ego like everyone else, but I don't need my name in a record book to feed it. Just my opinion since you asked, ha ha.
how many people mount a small 2x2 buck or a small rag horn elk? how many people mount a large bull or buck but don't mount the small ones? I think there is a lot of ego boost behind doing big shoulder mounts. not only is it a good memory to look at but its fun to brag about as well. nothing wrong with being proud about harvesting a record animal. id have no problem putting it in the books along as long as unit could be left out. if my boy shoots a record animal ill add it for sure, he would think that would be the coolest. all artists sign their name to their work....
I wouldn't. I have a P&Y whitetail but what is the point in entering it. To me the animal just has to be legal and meet my standards on that day in that moment. Sometimes "the spirit moves me" and I take something I am happy with right then. Other guys shoot for holding out for something bigger than they have taken before. Whatever floats your boat. I would probably have something scored if it were a world record I guess.
For those that want to see how their animal measures up or where it ranks in the book, how do you account for the fact that probably a good share or even half or more of book animals are not entered? I have laid eyes on plenty of B&C and P&Y white tails that have never seen a tape let alone a score sheet.
I agree also on the book entries leading to pressure. The MRS takes book entries into account. The last thing I'd want if I found a honey hole would be to start putting book animals in from someplace that is overlooked, probably under pressured and possibly easy to draw. Look at Kansas and Iowa for WT. it wasn't like that in the 1980s or 1990s.
For those that want to see how their animal measures up or where it ranks in the book, how do you account for the fact that probably a good share or even half or more of book animals are not entered? I have laid eyes on plenty of B&C and P&Y white tails that have never seen a tape let alone a score sheet.
I agree also on the book entries leading to pressure. The MRS takes book entries into account. The last thing I'd want if I found a honey hole would be to start putting book animals in from someplace that is overlooked, probably under pressured and possibly easy to draw. Look at Kansas and Iowa for WT. it wasn't like that in the 1980s or 1990s.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Many years ago I got caught up in the record book stuff, but not hunting. I used to have IGFA & ISFA World line class records for fishing. After awhile the fun part of it wore off and it became an obsession. I finally realized that it really wasn't fun anymore and quit fishing the species I held the records in and eventually they were all eclipsed.
Hunting is a lot different, but I can see how someone could get caught up in it. It is definitely an ego thing. I do have mounts on my wall, but only animals that have a lot of meaning to me personally. Yes I have a forked horn mounted, but it is 25" wide by 22 high with perfect brow tines. It has special memories for me and it is on the wall to remind me of them. I do have an antelope that would make the "book", but I do not have it registered . Just my choice.
Hunting is a lot different, but I can see how someone could get caught up in it. It is definitely an ego thing. I do have mounts on my wall, but only animals that have a lot of meaning to me personally. Yes I have a forked horn mounted, but it is 25" wide by 22 high with perfect brow tines. It has special memories for me and it is on the wall to remind me of them. I do have an antelope that would make the "book", but I do not have it registered . Just my choice.
tdub24
Veteran member
If I get the animal officially scored, I might as well enter it if is qualifies. Doesn't the fees go to helping conservation anyways?? Definitely would not want the exact location mention though.
B&C yes, for many good reasons.
SCI, no, for many good reasons...mainly any decent hunter would go broke on entry fees as the minimums are way too low. Don't like that they allow high fenced animals either.
I've entered 3 B&C animals, my wife has entered 2, and my dad entered 1. I have another from this last fall that needs to be scored, its really close, but should make the awards book.
I also entered one exceptional bull elk in P&Y that I killed in Wyoming.
Its no competition thing for me, more of a way to look into the past to see how animals and certain species have done over the years. I'm glad that past hunters have shared their animals, I feel a certain obligation to do the same. There is a lot to learn from the trends, how management or mismanagement has impacted animals over the years, and what the future may look like.
I've also found that most people that say they would not ever enter an animal, likely aren't ever going to have to worry about doing so. I also know many that said they wouldnt, right up until they killed one that qualifies. It takes a pretty exceptional animal, no matter the species, to make B&C minimums.
I also like the work that B&C does on behalf of conservation, and its a way to support them.
As far as worrying about drawing attention to an area...that ship sailed a long time ago and has no merit in a serious discussion. For starters, there aren't many, if any, secrets anymore. Secondly, social media has wayyy more impact on drawing attention to areas.
Want proof? Just look at the new WR archery bull elk killed in Montana this year...anyone that doesn't know where that thing came from either lives under a rock or simply doesn't care. People knew about it long before it was officially scored or entered.
SCI, no, for many good reasons...mainly any decent hunter would go broke on entry fees as the minimums are way too low. Don't like that they allow high fenced animals either.
I've entered 3 B&C animals, my wife has entered 2, and my dad entered 1. I have another from this last fall that needs to be scored, its really close, but should make the awards book.
I also entered one exceptional bull elk in P&Y that I killed in Wyoming.
Its no competition thing for me, more of a way to look into the past to see how animals and certain species have done over the years. I'm glad that past hunters have shared their animals, I feel a certain obligation to do the same. There is a lot to learn from the trends, how management or mismanagement has impacted animals over the years, and what the future may look like.
I've also found that most people that say they would not ever enter an animal, likely aren't ever going to have to worry about doing so. I also know many that said they wouldnt, right up until they killed one that qualifies. It takes a pretty exceptional animal, no matter the species, to make B&C minimums.
I also like the work that B&C does on behalf of conservation, and its a way to support them.
As far as worrying about drawing attention to an area...that ship sailed a long time ago and has no merit in a serious discussion. For starters, there aren't many, if any, secrets anymore. Secondly, social media has wayyy more impact on drawing attention to areas.
Want proof? Just look at the new WR archery bull elk killed in Montana this year...anyone that doesn't know where that thing came from either lives under a rock or simply doesn't care. People knew about it long before it was officially scored or entered.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
I fully support B & C (I am a member) and all of their efforts. SCI...sorry not much. B & C is much more than just lists of exceptional trophies as it supports research, conservation and management of big game species.
I guess I'm on the other end of the spectrum. Back when I took my one and only NV bull elk it was rare to even see one. To have been able to harvest one that would make the record book when my brother and I had never hunted them before seemed like quite an accomplishment.
None of our friends or anyone we knew had ever done this so I did enter my bull.
As far as drawing attention to the area, our quotas are quite low so there is no chance of over hunting. It is still producing book bulls 20+ years later.
None of our friends or anyone we knew had ever done this so I did enter my bull.
As far as drawing attention to the area, our quotas are quite low so there is no chance of over hunting. It is still producing book bulls 20+ years later.
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hoshour
Veteran member
I'm fascinated by the number of guys who said they have animals they have not entered. We use B&C records quite a bit in the journal charts and sometimes the maps and I've always wondered what the percentage is that don't register.
Just by looking at historical records, it is apparent that many more do today than used to. It started to pick up in the 1960s and I think the percentage who enter has increased a fair amount since then, but what it is today vs. 10 or 20 years ago, I couldn't say. B&C has no statement on that which I'm aware.
For the record (so to speak), I did enter my mountain goat. It doesn't make me a snob or braggart. As far as identifying the area, B&C and P&Y records only go by county in the U.S., so while that does narrow it down a bit, the top counties are already easily known to anyone who make any effort to find out.
Just by looking at historical records, it is apparent that many more do today than used to. It started to pick up in the 1960s and I think the percentage who enter has increased a fair amount since then, but what it is today vs. 10 or 20 years ago, I couldn't say. B&C has no statement on that which I'm aware.
For the record (so to speak), I did enter my mountain goat. It doesn't make me a snob or braggart. As far as identifying the area, B&C and P&Y records only go by county in the U.S., so while that does narrow it down a bit, the top counties are already easily known to anyone who make any effort to find out.
Very well said! I've entered all my animals in P&Y. I don't do it for the ego thing. If you don't prefer to enter an animal then don't. As far as people finding out where an animals was taken they eventually will, by some else or the game dept office. Doesn't take long because people talk.
I'm also not a big fan of the SCI scoring and they allow high fence animals to be entered.
Entering an animal is a personal choice.