Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Farm Raised Trophy Bucks...Just Too Much

Time to vent on the following press release...if I offend anyone in some way...my bad. You may want to read the release first.

Maybe it's my old-school roots or just growing up in North Dakota, but damn, when did killing a farm-raised "cow" become such a great achievement. I can't even call it a "bull"...it's too masculine for the reference to this article.

Let me try to understand the concept. Take a piece of land, fence in the deer, brand and tag 'em, log 'em into the software, feed 'em, breed 'em with other like minded individuals (notice no negative reference to these individuals..I'm growing), sell 'em, kill 'em, CELEBRATION. I couldn't find one reference to Hunting! GMS Sell-a-deer module....that just makes me chuckle.

I just can't believe the idea of killing a monster buck is worth so much as to have to pay rediculous amounts of money to go to a farm to make your dreams a reality. How does the process go?
  • Tell that special someone you want to go "hunting"
  • Call the farm
  • Log onto the site
  • Pick your "cow"
  • Write the check
  • Drive your Hummer to the farm
  • Have a cocktail
  • Camo-up
  • Drive to the blind...over the feeder
  • Wait for the example of Pavlov's Dog Theory to happen
  • BOOM!

Beyond the arguements of "high-fence" vs. "fair chase", outfitters, blinds, and feeders...where is the attraction. In my humble opinion, I guess the attaction begins with the old "Pinky Theory" or to clarify..."mines bigger than yours".

When I first started hunting, dad had me shoot a doe, from there a spike or bigger. For some reason I got it in my mind..."if it isn't bigger than last year, it ain't worth shooting". Now I completely understand "feeding the family" and "filling the tag". The last night of hunting season in North Dakota for archery was typically New Years Eve and fifty below zero and I've thrown plenty of arrows at a lot of rags to fill the freezer. But the "hunt" was always more fun than the "kill".

Notice the buck in my profile and unless I pay someone on the "farm", I'm pretty sure it's the last "great" whitetail buck I'll take. Will buy the tag and continue to hunt, but will just have to be happy with the actual "hunt". Isn't that what it's all about? Thanks dad!

McKinney Whitetails Scores with GMS

WACO, Texas — Eleven-year NFL pro Steve McKinney has a passion for whitetail deer which inspired him to begin his own hunting and breeding operation with one goal — produce world-class whitetail at a reasonable price. To achieve that goal, McKinney knew he needed his operation to run as cost-efficiently as possible so he turned to GMS and the revolutionary game management software took his game to an entirely new level.

Designed specifically for the deer and wildlife industry, GMS assists breeding and hunting operations organize and maintain all of the pertinent information needed for quality deer and game management.

“For me, the GMS software is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” says McKinney. “There is so much information to keep track of when raising deer from pedigrees to shot records and GMS allows me to keep detailed records of each deer in a very user-friendly way. So when I need to look something up about a certain deer all I have to do is click one button and it’s all right there. Breeders who are not using this software are definitely making their life more complicated.”

The GMS Sell-A-Deer module allows deer breeders and wildlife managers the ability to automatically upload stored data on a particular animal, including pictures and pedigrees, onto the web for marketing. In addition to its marketing functionality, the Sell-A-Deer module also allows breeders to mix-and-match their deer pedigrees with the pedigrees of other GMS customers. The technology, available as a 12-month subscription service, combines the genetic characteristics and traits of any two deer and pedigree lines and creates a visual ‘what if’ scenario for potential offspring.

“The Sell-A-Deer program by GMS is, by far, the most user-friendly software available today to market your deer,” adds McKinney. “Why people would spend thousands of dollars on their deer herd and not a couple hundred for this program to sell those deer is beyond me. Sell-A-Deer is simple to use and you can update the deer you want to sell in a matter of minutes, rather than going back and forth with your webmaster. The ‘Dream Deer’ function is also a great benefit when trying to match those perfect genetics together before breeding season.”

McKinney Whitetails is located in Marquez, Texas, just a few miles from beautiful Lake Limestone. In 2006, McKinney took over the 10-year breeding operation and made the decision that no deer without a proven pedigree and record of proven performance would enter the property. McKinney has spent years improving his foundation doe herd with laparoscopic artificial insemination from top Northern and Texas bucks with a history of producing superior offspring, and today the ranch features bloodlines from Tommy Dugger, Lee Wheeler, Leo Hicks, Gene Gonzales, Bill Grace and Horn Heaven Whitetails to name a few. For more info, visit McKinney Whitetails.

“The feedback we have received on our new Sell-A-Deer program has been terrific and Steve gives a perfect example of how to use this new module and help a ranch operate more efficiently and increase sales,” says Mike Owens, president of GMS. “The Sell-A-Deer module is a proven tool to help breeders become more profitable and everyone can see it in action at Steve’s website at McKinneyWhitetails

The No. 1 tool in game management, GMS assists breeding and hunting operations and game managers maintain and organize information on their animals, track all aspects of a hunting property, develop plans to help maximize herd health, quantify herd ratios, compositions and age structures, develop a wildlife management plan, schedule hunts, record information in the field via Pocket PC technology and much more.

Press release found at The Hunting Wire

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

In America we have freedom of speech the last I knew so I wouldn't worry about voicing your opinion.

Deer Passion said...

What a passionate post!

Rod McBellanic said...

Gotto vent every once in a while. People just amaze me sometimes. Hope ya'll have been doing great.