$500,000 Mule Deer

[flatwater bill]

I have not been to the auction in 3 years. It is in SLC at the Western Outdoor Expo. Money spent in that auction makes SCI national convention look like food stamps. FWIW....several other deer tags are auctioned as well......not Governor's tags, but simply for one unit and one hunting season (say mzzldr) in Utah. The last time I was there several of these went well north of $100K for these short, well defined hunts. Like many of you, I would hunt Tanz, and the 'Stans, desert bighorns and such. But Red Leg is right......these guys can hunt it all and still spend some spare change on a Muley. One of the guys at my table bought a high dollar hunt. His story was interesting. He worked at a sand and gravel company for 20 years. The company fell on hard times, and he used his 401k to buy it. Along came Covid, the northward migration of Californicators with money to burn.....he was offered $23 million for what had been worth $350K.......promptly sold it, and attended his first high dollar auction. I talked with him at length.......I could tell he wasn't one of "them"......and he could tell I wasn't either. He asked me for advice. something no one else at our table would have even considered doing. He bought a bison hunt.......The year my rich friend dropped out of the Ant Island auction at $360k I knew he could afford to go higher, but he later said to me that he had scouted his opponent, and the guy could drop millions.....when I come back in my next life, rich, skinny, movie star looks, and hunt my ass off. .............FWB

 

[Uncontrolled_round_feed]

Needs to switch to Little Johns, EZ mayo

 

[Firebird]

For some of these guys it’s not “just” a mule deer or elk or whatever. It’s the chance to rearrange the record book with your name at the top.

 

[AimSmall]

Remember, someone was bidding against him!

Thank goodness for the funds raised for conservation!

 

[smokepole]

When I joined AH a few years ago I could tell there was a lot of money here and I could never go places and do things like they do. I am just glad I found this place. I have hunter in more places than I ever dreamed about. My first deer an 8 point hangs on wall next to me. I have had a wonderful hunting life. Of course I would have done more but I had a great life and made a few friends all over. I bet the money will be used wisely so my kids and grand kids can enjoy as much as I did. Good hunting to all.

 

[0002S]

I was always taught, don’t count other people’s money.

I hope the winner enjoys themselves.

 

[Philip Glass]

Here is a picture of the auction tag winner and his Antelope Island mule deer in Utah.

His bid was $500,000 for the tag, there is still a Utah resident hunter out there that has the same tag that he got through the draw process.

All I can say is that is one bunch of sandwiches from JJ's

There is also a $725,000 mule deer tag in Arizona that should be popping up.

View attachment 569415

These high auctions prices are caused by states giving away supremely valuable trophy animals through the draw system. Socialism versus Capitalism. My sour grapes are that I won't live long enough to draw a bighorn sheep and unless I win the lottery will never be able to afford one!

 

[dchum]

These high auctions prices are caused by states giving away supremely valuable trophy animals through the draw system. Socialism versus Capitalism. My sour grapes are that I won't live long enough to draw a bighorn sheep and unless I win the lottery will never be able to afford one!

what’s in your profile picture is grander than any sheep hunt! Look at it that way

I bet you get a sheep too somehow!

 

[JimP]

A few things on the deer hunt on Antelope Island that a lot of people don't know about or understand.

For years it was just a State Park in the state of Utah. Then around 2010 the decision was made to allow two tags for mule deer to be offered. One of the tags will go to the highest bidder at a auction, the second is drawn in Utah's deer draw that anyone can enter.

In 2011 there were two deer tags and two Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tags offered. Of the money from the auction tag 90% of it goes back into the Antelope Island State Park for wildlife habitat improvements.

The hunts are free range, there are no fences on the 28,000+ acres. For those who may believe that it is like shooting fish in a barrel need to take a trip out to the State Park. The tags are so rare that finding the animal that you want to shoot can take quite a while.

Anyone visiting the State of Utah in the North SLC area should really spend a day out on the island.

 

[flatwater bill]

My final thoughts on this thread: first, there are some VERY wealthy members here on AH. I think they kind of peek in to see what mortals are doing. Second, I know one member that has drawn two big horn tags in two years (ya) so hang in there @Philip Glass .......I'm hoping for you. Third, this website....AH, has helped me get some hunts that quite frankly were a helluva lot better than the Gov Tag hunts I went on. Cheap does not mean it has to be bad, that's for sure. Lastly, I think Utah has done a good job always throwing a bone to the common man (here in Idaho they put the bone instead of throwing) by giving away tags for CWMU's and super hunts like Antelope Island in a lottery. Otherwise the populace would be in revolt as the wealthy plunder the trophies. Here in Idaho, the "Super Hunt" is a raffle.....and often the same guys draw many of the tags because they buy 10,000 or more raffle tickets.....................FWB

 

[Philip Glass]

My final thoughts on this thread: first, there are some VERY wealthy members here on AH. I think they kind of peek in to see what mortals are doing. Second, I know one member that has drawn two big horn tags in two years (ya) so hang in there @Philip Glass .......I'm hoping for you. Third, this website....AH, has helped me get some hunts that quite frankly were a helluva lot better than the Gov Tag hunts I went on. Cheap does not mean it has to be bad, that's for sure. Lastly, I think Utah has done a good job always throwing a bone to the common man (here in Idaho they put the bone instead of throwing) by giving away tags for CWMU's and super hunts like Antelope Island in a lottery. Otherwise the populace would be in revolt as the wealthy plunder the trophies. Here in Idaho, the "Super Hunt" is a raffle.....and often the same guys draw many of the tags because they buy 10,000 or more raffle tickets.....................FWB

But Bill those were likely instate tags. Out of state hunters have a better chance of hitting the power ball lotto now!

 

[Philip Glass]

what’s in your profile picture is grander than any sheep hunt! Look at it that way

I bet you get a sheep too somehow!

Thanks

 

[IvW]

Maybe i am FITH but I am happy not to have so much money.....

 

[fourfive8]

Some thoughts to keep in mind about these "conservation charity" hunts.... They do funnel a very large shot of cash into sometimes very narrow, ear-marked programs. They massage the egos of the very few who can participate. They tend to alienate avarage hunters who are the backbone of grassroots conservation political clout.

 

[375Fox]

Some thoughts to keep in mind about these "conservation charity" hunts.... They do funnel a very large shot of cash into sometimes very narrow, ear-marked programs. They massage the egos of the very few who can participate. They tend to alienate avarage hunters who are the backbone of grassroots conservation political clout.

It seems you are quite jealous of those that can afford this. 1 tag that brings in a huge sum of money like this is good for other hunters whether they realize it or not, especially in an area you said you have zero interest in hunting anyway. The complexity of out of state draws and points is considerably more alienating to most than the few governors tags. Most probably don’t give any thought to the few governors tags offered.

 

[375Fox]

My final thoughts on this thread: first, there are some VERY wealthy members here on AH. I think they kind of peek in to see what mortals are doing. Second, I know one member that has drawn two big horn tags in two years (ya) so hang in there @Philip Glass .......I'm hoping for you. Third, this website....AH, has helped me get some hunts that quite frankly were a helluva lot better than the Gov Tag hunts I went on. Cheap does not mean it has to be bad, that's for sure. Lastly, I think Utah has done a good job always throwing a bone to the common man (here in Idaho they put the bone instead of throwing) by giving away tags for CWMU's and super hunts like Antelope Island in a lottery. Otherwise the populace would be in revolt as the wealthy plunder the trophies. Here in Idaho, the "Super Hunt" is a raffle.....and often the same guys draw many of the tags because they buy 10,000 or more raffle tickets.....................FWB

Any idea how much money the raffle brings in compared to the auction?

 

[dchum]

Some thoughts to keep in mind about these "conservation charity" hunts.... They do funnel a very large shot of cash into sometimes very narrow, ear-marked programs. They massage the egos of the very few who can participate. They tend to alienate avarage hunters who are the backbone of grassroots conservation political clout.

So because of this you commented on the deer and said “high fence” (knowing it wasn’t true I’m guessing now?)

A low IQ move I usually see on social media. Strange

 

[deewayne2003]

Nice Muley buck… Personally, I think his yacht is more impressive; we went by it while headed out for a shark dive while in the Bahamas a couple years back.

I don’t know how much that boat cost…. But he could buy LOTS of tags for just the cost of fuel and crew.

 

[Nevada Mike]

Money facilitates dreams and big mule deer are very hard to come by legally.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

There’s a group of a few dozen guys buying a lot of the Governors tags. Most of us can’t fathom the money they have and at the prices they’re paying the money is a drop in the bucket AND a tax write-off for them. They’re killing some absolute studs.

I had the pleasure of hunting the week after a Gov tag buyer killed a 436” bull elk with the same guide. If I had his kind of money, I’d be buying that tag as well. I’ll likely never draw that tag again, and would love to hunt there again.