Legendary Hunts

by Boone

  That so many entries are contributed during a three year period is a testament both to the success and recognition of the Awards Program, and also to the successes of the various state and provincial wildlife agencies throughout North America. Their efforts are proof positive that sound game management can restore and maintain game populations at levels that are appropriate for the carrying capacity of the lands they inhabit. Moreover, it should be noted that the Boone and Crockett Club continues to recognize new World’s Records as part of each triennial Awards Entry Period – demonstrating that these same, sound game management techniques produce high quality trophies as well.

  Finally, it should be noted that several of the outstanding trophies featured in this anthology will live on, not only in the written words of those who took them, but also by virtue of the fact that they are seen by literally hundreds of thousands of people every year in Cody, Wyoming. It is in that northwestern Wyoming city that the Club’s National Collection of Heads and Horns is housed, inside the Cody Firearms Museum, itself one of the five museums comprising the world famous Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

  This author would be remiss if he did not recognize the extraordinary contributions of the many individuals who have contributed to the success of the Awards Program over these many years. First and foremost, is Jack Reneau, who has been Director of Big Game Records since 1983. Throughout these years Jack has tirelessly processed record book entries, trained hundreds of Official Measurers, answered countless questions relating to the scoring of big game trophies, and meticulously proofread the tables and text that make up both the Awards Program books and the All-time records book – Records of North American Big Game. Without his dedicated service, it is unlikely that the Big Game Awards Program would have risen to the level that it now enjoys, and received the accolades that it rightly deserves. The author also owes a huge debt of gratitude to Jack, and his encyclopedic memory, for having provided so much of the detail relating to the early years of the Club’s records-keeping activities.

  Additionally, the Club has benefited from the expertise and devotion of a number of Chairmen of the Records of North American Big Game Committee. Three of these Chairmen are no longer with us – Philip L. Wright, Walter D. White, and C. Randall Byers. The Club properly recognized the contributions of Phil Wright when it bestowed upon him the Sagamore Hill Award in 1996 for lifelong commitment to conservation, for dedication to the principles of fair chase, and scientific integrity with the records program. Today, the Records Committee is ably led by Eldon L. “Buck” Buckner, who continues the traditions of his predecessors by constantly displaying his expertise, enthusiasm, and wise counsel.

  Finally, the quality of the Awards books, as well as other Club publications, has improved dramatically since the Club recognized the considerable talents of Julie T. Houk, when it hired her in 1993 as Publications Director. Julie has now reached the point where she is broadly recognized throughout the publishing industry as a first rank professional, and the Club is deeply indebted to her for her contributions.

  Now, we invite the reader to sit back and enjoy the stories of those men and women who have taken outstanding trophies. We are sure that you will see, as has this author, that there are a considerable number of common “threads” that run through these stories. Yes, there is an element of luck associated with the taking of an outstanding trophy, but the author is reminded of the old saying “the harder I work the luckier I get.” You will read of the tenacity of one hunter who pursued an individual buck over a number of years, until he finally downed him, and secured a World’s Record. You will read the story of a dedicated bowhunter and of the meticulous preparation and tactics that resulted in his taking of an outstanding bull elk. You will share with the authors their recitals of rain, snow, sleet, and harsh conditions. Finally, and most importantly, you will see that each of these authors embraced the concept of fair chase, and for that they should be applauded.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Robert H. Hanson is the Secretary of the Boone and Crockett Club (1992-1997 and 2001 to present), and a member of the Club’s Board of Directors. An Official Measurer, he is also a member of the Records of North American Big Game Committee, and served as a Panel Judge for the 24th and 25th Awards Programs. He is an avid North American and African big game hunter, and lives with his wife, Arlene, also a Club member, on their ranch near Wapiti, Wyoming.

  Photo from B&C Archives

  C. Randall Byers, Big Game Records Committee Chairman from 1995-2002, discusses the specifics of a particular measurement on a typical whitetail deer at the 20th Big Game Awards. The captivated audience also includes, from left, Eldon L. “Buck” Buckner (current Records Committee Chairman), Walter H. White (Records Committee Chairman 1987-1994), and on the far right bottom, Philip L. Wright (Records Committee Chairman 1978-1986).

  Entering Your Trophy

  By Jack Reneau

  Boone and Crockett Club

  IF YOU ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE TAKEN A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME TROPHY LIKE THOSE FEATURED IN THIS BOOK, YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF, YOUR TROPHY, AND THOUSANDS OF HUNTER-CONSERVATIONISTS TO ENTER IT INTO B&C’S PRESTIGIOUS RECORDS BOOK. NOT ONLY WILL YOUR TROPHY RECEIVE THE RECOGNITION IT DESERVES, BUT THE CONSERVATION RECORD ATTRIBUTED TO THE EFFORTS OF HUNTER-CONSERVATIONISTS IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT IT.

  In order to submit a trophy into Boone and Crockett Club’s Awards Programs, you must first have it scored by a B&C Official Measurer. You can obtain a list of measurers in your state or province, as well as a list of minimum entry scores, by calling the Club’s headquarters in Missoula, Montana, at 406/542-1888.

  If your trophy meets or exceeds the minimum score for your category, the Official Measurer will provide you with a list of entry requirements and assist you in submitting it to B&C for listing in records book. This chapter includes a complete list of entry requirements with tips for streamlining the process.

  SCORECHART

  The most obvious and basic item needed to enter a trophy is a fully completed, current, original score chart, signed and dated by an Official Measurer appointed by the Boone and Crockett Club. Photocopies of score charts, as well as incomplete score charts, are unacceptable. Entries submitted on Pope and Young Club score charts, or on outdated score forms, are also unacceptable. When an entry is not submitted on the correct (and properly completed) score chart, all other processing steps must wait until a correct and accurate original score chart is received.

  ENTRY FEE

  A check or money order for $40 in U.S. funds must accompany each entry to cover the entry fee. If the entry fee is not included with the entry materials, or if the incorrect amount is tendered, the trophy owner is notified that the proper entry fee is needed.

  ENTRY AFFIDAVIT

  Another item of importance that must be submitted with each hunter-taken trophy is an original Entry Affidavit properly signed and witnessed. The correct Entry Affidavit is on the back of all current score charts. The hunter’s signature on the Entry Affidavit needs to be notarized by a notary public, or witnessed by an Official Measurer. Once a trophy has been measured that makes the minimum score, the Official Measurer should give the trophy owner an opportunity to read the Entry Affidavit on the back of the score chart. Once the hunter is satisfied that he/she understands and meets all aspects of the Entry Affidavit, he/she should sign it in the presence of the Official Measurer who should then witness the hunter’s signature by signing and dating it in the spaces provided on the score chart.

  Please note that the Official Measurer’s signature witnessing an Entry Affidavit on the back of the score chart is in addition to the Official Measurer’s signature on the score chart verifying his/her measurement. The Official Measurer must actually be present and see the hunter sign the Entry Affidavit before the measurer signs it, or the Entry Affidavit is unacceptable.

  The notary public is still required in cases where trophy owners have no direct contact with an Official Measurer. For example, measurers frequently do not meet trophy
owners when they are scoring trophies for big buck contests, or when a friend, taxidermist, or other individual delivers a trophy to a measurer for the hunter. Canadian trophy owners only can also have their signature witnessed by an employee of a fish and game department, in lieu of the notary’s or Official Measurer’s signature.

  PHOTOGRAPH REQUIREMENTS

  All bear and cat entries must be accompanied with clearly focused, close-up photo prints (black and white or color) of the front, left side, right side, and top of the clean, dry skull. All trophies with antlers, horns, or tusks must be accompanied with clearly focused, close-up photo prints of the front, left side, and right side of the trophy, preferably with a plain background. Slides are unacceptable.

  Field photograph submissions are highly desired but not required for trophy acceptance. We accept any submissions and publish photos showing the hunter with the animal in the landscape where the hunt occurred, excluding vehicles or structures. Please note that not all field photos will be published

  Digital photographs, which were previously unacceptable for many reasons, are now acceptable in place of regular print photographs. The primary reason is technology to make and reproduce high quality digital photographs needed to guarantee and protect the integrity of the Club’s archives is now adequate to meet our needs. Many digital photographs we receive are printed with poor resolution (less than 1,200 dots per inch) and/or are printed on plain copy paper. Such photographs are unacceptable because they cannot be reproduced in B&C publications and are highly susceptible to damage. The Club needs high quality photographs that will last forever with each trophy entry. The photographs, especially field photographs if available, need to be high quality to be reproduced in books and magazines.

  Digital photographs submitted for acceptance into the Club’s Awards Programs, must comply with the following criteria:

  A. Camera quality - the resolution level of the image must be 2 mega-pixels and above.

  B. Printer - digital photographs must be printed at 1,200 DPI or better.

  C. Paper - digital photographs must be printed on glossy, photo-grade paper.

  D. Photo size - 3”x4” or 4”x6” singly or three or four photographs per page on 8”x10” or 8.5”x11” glossy photo paper.

  HUNTER, GUIDE, AND HUNT INFORMATION FORM

  Each entry that was taken by a hunter must also include a completed Hunter, Guide, and Hunt Information (HGH) form, even if the services of a guide were not employed on the hunt. The hunter simply needs to complete the parts of the HGH form that apply to his particular trophy. The HGH form, and all other required forms, are available from the Official Measurer, and from the Records Office. The same forms can be downloaded from the Club’s web site.

  LICENSE AND/OR TAG

  A photocopy of the appropriate hunting license (and/or tags, if applicable) must accompany each entry that was taken by a hunter. If a copy of the license and/or tags is no longer available, the Club will accept a statement from an appropriate Game and Fish Department official who will certify that a license (and any required tags) was possessed by the hunter at the time the trophy was taken. If the Game and Fish Department no longer has records at its disposal to verify the purchase of a license, a written statement, on official letterhead, from Game and Fish personnel stating the fact that the license information is no longer available is acceptable. The hunting license copy requirement will then be waived.

  The last three items listed above, the Entry Affidavit, Hunter Guide and Hunt Information form and the hunting license copy, are only required for trophies that are known to have been taken by hunters. Trophy owners submitting picked-up trophies, trophies of unknown origin, or trophies taken by deceased hunters are not required to submit these items to complete the entry. However, entry materials of picked-up trophies and trophies of unknown origin, must now be accompanied with a narrative that tracks its origin and history.

  In addition to all of the items previously mentioned, there are several other items or pieces of information requested for each entry. The first item is an accurate location of kill for each entry. In most cases the office simply needs the county or geographic location (e.g., river, mountain, etc.) and state or province where the trophy was taken. All trophies from the lower 48 states are listed in the records books by county and state, while all trophies from Canada and Alaska are listed by geographic location and state or province. Trophies from Mexico are listed by state and country. In cases where a trophy is harvested near a category separation boundary (e.g., mule deer/blacktail deer; grizzly bear/Alaska brown bear; etc.) the exact location of kill, pinpointed by marking an “X” on a map, is required.

  Finally, if available, the Club would like to obtain the age of each trophy entry if the age was determined by a competent authority. The Club also would like to record the rack or tusk weights (in pounds and ounces) for walrus, caribou, elk, and moose. Complete details for providing this information are given on the back of each Hunter, Guide and Hunt Information form that must be submitted with each hunter-taken entry. The age data will likely be useful in managing big-game populations for trophy animals, as well as supporting the case for trophy hunting. The rack and tusk weights can be used to make comparisons between various North American big-game species, as well as comparisons with their counterparts in other parts of the world.

  Incidentally, up to four people can be listed in the records book as the hunter for a single trophy. However, in order to list more than one person, each hunter must submit a signed and witnessed Entry Affidavit, as well as a copy of his or her hunting license/tag, for the trophy being entered. There are no special requirements to list more than one owner.

  RECOGNITION ITEMS

  Once your trophy has been processed and passed the Club’s due-diligence process, it will be accepted and you will be a sent a handsome acceptance certificate with an image of Theodore Roosevelt on it. In addition, your trophy will be listed in one issue of B&C’s Fair Chase magazine, and a copy of the Awards Period records book, as well as the next edition of the all-time records book, if it exceeds the all-time records book minimum entry score. Finally, you can obtain several special recognition items to memorialize your accomplishment. These items include a shadow box, a laminated certificate plaque, a belt buckle, and a ring with the category and score of your trophy.

  Bears & Cougar

  Black Bear

  Grizzly Bear

  Alaska Brown Bear

  Polar Bear

  Cougar

  Photo from B&C Archives

  Black Bear, Scoring 22-8/16 Points, Taken by Fred Peters in Gila County, Arizona, in 1985 (pictured with the author’s hound, Jake).

  Lean, Raw-Boned Fighter

  By Fred Peters

  19th Big Game Awards Program

  CENTRAL ARIZONA MAY SEEM AN UNLIKELY PLACE TO HUNT BLACK BEAR, BUT BEAR DO INHABIT THE BRUSH- AND CACTUS-COVERED MOUNTAINS AND CANYONS, AND AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF THEM REACH THE HUGE PROPORTIONS THAT HUNTERS DREAM ABOUT. MAYBE IT’S THE MILD WINTERS AND ABUNDANT FEED, OR BEING ABLE TO REACH A RIPE OLD AGE IN AN ISOLATED AREA, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE ARE SOME ENORMOUS BEARS IN ARIZONA.

  Ingrained in the Southwest is a long and deep tradition of hunting bear with hounds. Many of the greatest of the lion and bear hunters, men like Ben Lilly and Monteque Stevens, Uncle Jimmy Owens and Homer Pickens, the Goswicks, the Evans, the Lee brothers, and many others, did their hunting in the rugged southwestern mountains. Teddy Roosevelt made numerous trips to Arizona and Colorado to hunt bear and lion behind a pack of local hounds. And even today, there is some fine bear hunting within sight of Zane Grey’s cabin, where the author wrote many of his western novels, and chased bear and lion with hounds. A man riding these hills today is following in some famous footsteps as he pursues his elusive quarry.

  My own pack of seven dogs is a mixture of redticks and blueticks, out of the big game hounds of Clell and Dale Lee. I was fortunate to have hunted with Clell and Dale, and I learned by their exam
ple the meaning of persistence and long rides, of fair chase, and true hounds. Bear hunting from horseback, using dogs in the dry and rocky southwest, is an uncertain and sporting proposition.

  I live in Show Low, Arizona, and have hunted for bear and lion with hounds for the past 16 years, mostly on the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation. This 1.7 million-acre reservation is famous for the trophy elk taken annually from the high, aspen- and pine-covered ridges, and there is also good hunting for deer, bear, lion, and javelina.

  One day in October 1984, my son Joe and I decided to hunt some of the pinyon-juniper country that borders the Salt River Canyon, where I had found a particularly large bear track the previous spring. Cut a small section out of the Grand Canyon and drop it in central Arizona, and you’d have a fair replica of the Salt River Canyon. It is this type of ruggedness that discourages hunters and, we hoped, had allowed some bears to grow both old and big.