Hey folks,
I have been thinking about making a thread like this for a while, and with it being the middle of winter and all the politic/bickering threads going crazy on here lately I thought now would be a good time for some hunting content. The idea is simple: I would like everyone to post up their stories and pictures about how HBC or individual members have helped them out on hunts in the past, and how that help has led them to success in the field. Whether you had no idea how to hunt a certain species and read all about how to do it on here, posted a question about an LEH you got, needed advice on gear, tips or tricks, or even just found a solid hunting partner on here, I want HBC to hear about your success and see the proof! I'll start.
Edit: Maybe we should go further and include ALL mentorship stories and ensuing success. Some of us young guys might not believe it but some people actually learned to hunt BEFORE the internet was around.
As a young teen I lived in a different town than my dad, who had taught me how to hunt and was the only person I hunted with. Between that and starting sports like hockey, baseball, etc I just rarely got a chance to get out hunting for a few years. The problem was, when I shot my first buck as a kid, I got completely hooked. I couldn't top thinking about hunting and all I wanted to do was figure out how to shoot more bucks more often, and learn how to get the big ones. I would go on HBC every single day and look up old threads about alpine hunting tactics, big bucks guys killed, etc. It didn't take long to become obsessed with the idea of alpine hunting and mountain species in general. I had no hunting mentors in that town, and never got to go out with my dad as much as either one of us would have liked, so often times I was stuck on HBC looking at everyone else's big hunting adventures and photos. Sure there are hunting magazines galore, but those massive prairie bucks in hay fields and 400" elk in sage brush seemed like they may as well have been on another planet. HBC had content that was close to home, attainable, realistic. And some of the folks were even willing to post up about exactly how to do their hunts, and sometimes even where to go. It was something to dream about while waiting to get a chance to do it for myself one day.
There are too many people to name that were a great help, but I will never forget sending Srupp a message asking about a grizzly draw I intended on pulling, and he responded with his phone number and said to call him. I sat down with a note pad and pen and called him up, and we chatted for quite some time while I jotted down notes and soaked up all I could. I always wondered if he knew my awkward pauses in conversation was because I was trying to write down what he told me. I believe I still have that notepad in a box of hunting knick knacks and memories somewhere.
Even longer story short, I weasled my way into a wrangler position (thanks to my dad and neighbour, got lucky) for an outfitter when I was 16 between school years, and since then I've packed, wrangled, and guided on about 45-50 big game hunts in BC, Alberta, NWT (as far as I can figure anyways) and done a bunch of awesome personal hunts both solo and with friends to boot. Unfortunately I've lost thousands of photos due to not backing them up on other sources and then losing phones and SD cards, but I will post a whole bunch of the ones I can find anyways, probably in no particular order.
Some of the old threads I remember digging through (not all, but some):
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