Let me start out by saying I use to be a long time member. Quit after the board over rode the vote of the membership NOT to allow 80% let-off. Thereby allowing animals into their record book that are within 20% of a crossbow.
I'm also very very pro (trad) bowhunter. When I first saw part one asking for P&Y animals, I asked myself why not Compton Animals for the name of the tread (minimums are about the same). After all we are trad guys and I feel our money should go to an organization that supports what we do.
I will not put my animals in A&J because of the above. They go to Compton.
BUT, the longer I thought about it, maybe they should ALSO go into A&J. (I call the organization Allen & Jennings.) When we put our animals in Compton almost all the people who see them are trads. Put that same animal in A&J and it promotes trad. Like "Hey, we're shooting animals as big as you, but we're doing it with a bow." Does our sport get more bang for its buck at A&J than Compton?
How do you guys feel when that wonderful time arrives? Do you enter it in one or the other or both? I know there's guys that don't enter them at all and that's surely up to you and not this thread. We probably need another thread on "why?" enter them, but not this thread.
Feelings?
Bowmania
I'm feeling left out...I didn't even know there was a "Compton's" book. I know BC, SCI, and the long-forgotten "Buckmasters" but, really there is a Compton's book?
Reckon the reason I don't know about it is because I've been absent from the traditional front a very long time and I've never killed anything with traditional that I couldn't pick my teeth with - yet.
I have a black bear in P and Y, and a couple of whitetails that would probably qualify, but if I enter any more animals, it will be in Compton's. Just a bit more my style; Traditiional!!
I am with ya on Comptons. Just last night I was looking at the 2008 Compton "book". It is really neat to look at those names and realize they are doing it like I want to...Traditional. I have never entered an animal and have several that would make it. After reading the forward by Mr. St Charles why would I NOT list them now, in "our" book.
I still enter them in both. But I become less and less impressed with P&Y with each passing day.
I had one whitetail entered in P&Y when the let off limits (or lack of) vote took place. I pulled it shortly there after, i do have a bear in Compton. i have thought about putting my whitetails in compton, but then other days think about taking the bear out.. i have a real distaste for horn porn and feel a raghorn is as good a deer as a 160" buck there is no diffrence in pride or worth, and it might have been alot harder to take the buck with the smaller rack but i do like the way Compton recogonizes the method and equipment the animal was taken with,and seem to put more emphasis on the animal, I am done with P&Y and thier asterik....Bowmania i hope i didnt stray from your question to much
I have mixed feelings about entering heads in record books . We have what we call head boats or party boats for offshore fishing at the Jersey shore . You put 20 fishermen on a boat together . 5 are great fishermen , 10 are mediocre and 5 never fished before in their lives . Some one is going to catch the biggest fish but it could be anyone of them , not always the best one . That said I was fortunate enough on a 94 Alberta Moose hunt to arrow a monster. Jimmer McClosky , who is an offical measurer talked me into entering it in P&Y . I'm glad I did . I attended the Bi-annual P&Y banquet in Traverse City Mich. and got to meet Glen St. Charles . I spent some time with him and G. Fred Asbell retelling my hunt and they were both genuinely interested . They were glad to hear I had taken my Moose with a BW recurve and Zwickey heads . I don't know how the organization is now but then it seemed for real . I've since taken some exceptional animals , most recent a good Boar Black Bear on BQ4 , which everyone assured me was P&Y , but I haven't entered him and not sure if I will . I'm not real familiar with Comptons but if they only let entries that were traditional harvests that would be great but maybe as Bowmania suggests we would get more exposure and possible impact at P&Y where as at Compton's we are preaching to the choir . I'm not stirring up things here just thinking on my keyboard . I don't mean to offend anyone .
Fred,
Nothing in what you said could be offensive!
Here is a little info about the Compton Archives:
http://www.comptontraditional.com/read.cfm?id=8
First animal I killed with a recurve was a 19 2/16" black bear and I did enter it in P&Y. The only other animal I have taken that would meet the P&Y minimum is a caribou and I shot in 2003 and I entered it, along with the bear, into the Compton archives. I have no problem with entering and animal in a record book. It is a personal matter that the hunter must decide for himself. If I am fortunate enough to kill another "record book" caliber animal I would most likely enter it into the Compton Archives as I am a member and want to support the organization. Mike
Are there any offical measurers in my parts?
When I finally realized that books are not about the animal but about the hunter I decided to never enter an animal. So I don't/ I do love to see nice trophy animals though. God bless you all, Steve
TJ,
At the bottom of the page I linked above is a PDF of Compton measurers. Looks like one in Cadiz and Greenville KY. Don't know if either is close or if there are any closer.
You could always bring them to the Rendezvous.
Didn't know about the compton's book either. I'll have to look into that.
Steve O ... thanks for the link info, I have never had any of my critters measured for Comptons in part because I did not know where to get it done. I actually know Jay St Charles very well and he is the closest measurer as I now see. It was in Glenns shop that I forked over my $$ to be a charter member of Comptons many years ago.
While I have shot a few qualifiers I have not had an animal put in P&Y in some time, just not as important to me as it once was.
Bowmania, you said it.
When they allowed 80% Idaho was one of the few remaining states that stood by P&Y standard of 65%. I was heavily involved in the Idaho State Bowhunters and there was no way we could stop the movement to 80%. I felt betrayed by the P&Y club of which I belonged to who's mission statement was to "Preserve and Promote" or some crap like that. I quit the P&Y and never looked back
Sorry for the rant, it still stings.
Not to hijack the thread, but other than the initial entry/listing fee does it cost to have them "listed" each year in either organization?
Nope--just the one time entry fee.
Thanks for the link Steve , very interesting . And thanks for encouragement . Fred
IMO, Pope and Young is still the main reason we enjoy bowhunting today...80% let off or not!!! I'll enter mine in both, if and when I kill them!
Fireman_3311, I would disagree with that statement. Main reason is because guys in WI and MI fought to get archery equipment legal and then got stand alone season for archery equipment.
A&J had nothing to to with promotion of archery in comparison to the above and Bear's add become a 2 season hunter.
Bowmania
I've entered one bear into P&Y mainly to show people that there are Big bears in Quebec. He's not my biggest animal but he's the only one I'll enter. The hunt is between me and just being free in my element...everything else is secondary. Maybe because I'm an elder hunter or statesman as a good friend likes to say...Doc
Bowmania, it is naive to think P and Y was not instrumental in the acceptance of bowhunting as both sport and management tool. Not to diminish those early state orgs, but their contribution pales by comparison. I suggest you do some research. Even now, P and Y stands head and shoulders above the individual efforts of most State orgs in the national promotion of archery and the preservation of that history. Just so you know, I am a life member of PBS, a regular member of P and Y, a card carrying member of Comptons, and an 8 year board member for the Iowa Bowhunters association. Pope and Young's commitment to our enjoyment of the sport is undeniable, unparalleled and continuing.
Gene Hall
Well now, it looks like this is going to get interesting...