A-con
New member
Rumor is that the Arizona Governors Elk Tag went for $382,000.00, at the RMEF in Vegas.
Wow Randy, I hope the hunt is worth it.
.
Wow Randy, I hope the hunt is worth it.
.
$382,000 !!!
- Thread starter A-con
- Start date
Bowhuntrben
Well-known member
You know..I was thinking about buying a house, but what the heck, an elk hunt sounded better!
dustinf
Active member
http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/newshound/2012/08/440-inch-bull-taken-governors-tag-arizona
If I had an extra $382,000 laying around I'd think about it.
If I had an extra $382,000 laying around I'd think about it.
WV Hunter
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2009
- Messages
- 1,763
Extra is the key word there.
SFC B
Well-known member
This makes me reflect back on the spiderbull.....I realize the conservation benefits of he $$$ but the ethics of it bother me. Even if Austad didn't have a personal, professional platoon of guides chasing after and keeping tabs on that bull (which I believe that he did), should he be the "world record holder" becausehe had the $$ to buy an exemption to the law? I guess that since I am not the trophy hunting kind of guy I just don't get it. Seems to be quite different from what I see as hunting. Just questioning the place of such programs in hunting I guess. I would rather work for a small bull/buck than to be given a monster. SFC B
7MAG
Member
I can understand as long as it's going to a good cause I suppose but I'm with you in that I'm not gonna pass up what puts meet in the freezer, but If a trophy crosses my path that's just a bonus.
There in lies a lot of the difference. Guys wanting to fill the freezer and guys that already have more freezers full than they could eat in 2 life times.
Elkmagnet
Well-known member
...
noharleyyet
Well-known member
...would buy a lot auodads
spook12
New member
...would buy a lot auodads
HA!!!!!!
Art Vandeley
Well-known member
When I'm rich I'm going to buy all the governor tags!
Elkmagnet
Well-known member
I would love to out bid one of these lazy bastards then give the tag to a starving child in a third world country. Come home buy a tag and hunt. That way I can actually call it a donation. Enough daydreaming...
L. I. Yankee
New member
Me first!.....
SFC B
Well-known member
I don't want to use names for his privacy BUT I can tell you that there is a billionaire in CO who takes 30 guys from my unit and their kids to his ranch on the South Platte every year for the waterfowl opener weekend. I got to go this year with my son and it was unbelieveable. We were treated like kings and he had two MoH recipients in attendance too (Sal Guinta and Drew Dix). Got there at lunch on SAT, ate and then went upland hunting for the afternoon. It was the first time wing shooting for both my son and I and we both got a couple pheasants and a couple chukars. Dinner and drinks that night with our host and the other guests. Sunday we were out the door at 0430 to go set up for geese. We put out about 200 decoys in a large winter wheat field and had 26 shooters. An hour and a half after sun up we had 104 geese on the ground!! It was amazing and my son (15) almost couldn't contain himself. More upland later that morning, then lunch in the field (crab legs, shrimp, corn, potatos etc) and home we came. The whole time we were there we had a guide assigned to every 2-3 of us and they took care of every thing. Incredible not only because of his generosity but also because I will never be able to afford something like that on my own. I would love to hit the big $$ and be able to share some incredible hunting experiences with regular folks. Seems to me that would be much more rewarding. If I can find the pics of the bird hunting I will post when I get to the house tonight.
DreaminofMT6X6s
Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2010
- Messages
- 800
If a guy has $382K laying around, let him buy the tag! Better it go to conservation then sit in a bank and do nothing for anyone. Clearly he has enough to go around to let go of that much so what the hell! He feels better having done something good for conservation and he goes on a killer hunt that he thinks is worth that kind of money.
Most people can't understand it because they don't have that kind of money (myself included), but to someone with that kind of money a tag like this is probably a drop in the bucket. If he wants to enjoy spending, let him. You can't stop him so why try.
Most people can't understand it because they don't have that kind of money (myself included), but to someone with that kind of money a tag like this is probably a drop in the bucket. If he wants to enjoy spending, let him. You can't stop him so why try.
SFC B
Well-known member
Elkmagnet
Well-known member
That's awesome. I wish it was just as easy to go hunt birds in the field without "charity".
SFC B
Well-known member
Yep, I had to thoroughly brief my son as to this wasn't reality for the most part I think he gets how lucky we were to be given the opportunity. The guy bought this 50K ranch specifically for the bird hunting (flyway+upland habitat)....it is nice that he shares it. He not only has us up there he also does youth groups and various other LE/MIL folks. He is very generous and makes us feel like honored guests.
I think he gets how lucky we were to be given the opportunity. The guy bought this 50K ranch specifically for the bird hunting (flyway+upland habitat)....it is nice that he shares it. He not only has us up there he also does youth groups and various other LE/MIL folks. He is very generous and makes us feel like honored guests.
Rumor is that the Arizona Governors Elk Tag went for $382,000.00, at the RMEF in Vegas.
Wow Randy, I hope the hunt is worth it.
Not sure I could afford that, even if they allowed me to pay in Monopoly money.
As much as auction tags can be abused by some groups/states, the way Arizona does it should be the model that other states follow.
The selling agent, RMEF in this case, gets nothing for doing this. Zero. Nada.
In some years, RMEF even ends up paying the credit card fee associated with the sale. Not sure anyone has a $382,000 credit card balance, so hopefully they didn't incur a fee on that one.
The money all goes into an earmarked habitat account with strong criteria and protocols. A very transparent process and the money does make a big difference for elk in Arizona. Most hunters can see the value of a tag under those conditions.
And, if I understand correctly, there are only two of these auction tags, rather than some states who print them like the US Treasury prints money. With the same amount of raffle tags, giving some lucky raffle winner the same tag as the guy willing to pay $382,000.
Add all that together, and in my mind, you have the model for why these Governor tags were established - For wildlife conservation.
Few tags, equal number of raffle and auction tags, no fee to the selling group, transparency, and accountability. That results in maximum benefit to the elk.
Now, if a few other states could follow the lead of Arizona, the whole issue of auction tags might be a lot less controversial and might generate a lot more benefit for wildlife.
Elkmagnet
Well-known member
Not sure I could afford that, even if they allowed me to pay in Monopoly money.
As much as auction tags can be abused by some groups/states, the way Arizona does it should be the model that other states follow.
The selling agent, RMEF in this case, gets nothing for doing this. Zero. Nada.
In some years, RMEF even ends up paying the credit card fee associated with the sale. Not sure anyone has a $382,000 credit card balance, so hopefully they didn't incur a fee on that one.
The money all goes into an earmarked habitat account with strong criteria and protocols. A very transparent process and the money does make a big difference for elk in Arizona. Most hunters can see the value of a tag under those conditions.
And, if I understand correctly, there are only two of these auction tags, rather than some states who print them like the US Treasury prints money. With the same amount of raffle tags, giving some lucky raffle winner the same tag as the guy willing to pay $382,000.
Add all that together, and in my mind, you have the model for why these Governor tags were established - For wildlife conservation.
Few tags, equal number of raffle and auction tags, no fee to the selling group, transparency, and accountability. That results in maximum benefit to the elk.
Now, if a few other states could follow the lead of Arizona, the whole issue of auction tags might be a lot less controversial and might generate a lot more benefit for wildlife.
I agree that IF these tags are necessary then this is the system to use. Thanks for the info.
