Slams vs Your own Goals

[HornPorn]

The slams people chase or super whatever 10, 25, etc.

Personally, when I book a hunt it’s because I want to hunt that species. I want to spend time where it lives, I like the look of the animal and want one, want to experience that kind of hunt, or all of the above. When I look at some of the lists there are things I really have no interest in hunting. Either I don’t think the animal looks that cool, or where they live doesn’t interest me, or the hunt just doesn’t seem like much of a challenge, etc

I’m not throwing shade at anyone who pursues slams, but just curious who all out there uses their slam checklist as their goal checklist vs who just goes after what they want to hunt?

 

[wind gypsy]

Pursuing any significant big game "slam" just seems like a way to drain yourself of 100s of thousands of dollars to check off a list to me.

I just look for hunts that seem like cool experiences, pick whatever sounds most interesting/attainable on a given year based on how many points i have, and occasionally schedule something a little out of the norm that sounds fun.

 

[MuleyFever]

People like to collect things. Some people like to collect things so they can tell others how awesome they are.

 

[Jimmy]

If I was wealthy you bet I would be chasing some of those! They are cool as heck

 

[wildwilderness]

Its great to have options. I know wealthy hunters who have no interest in a Slam and I know "poors" dreaming of a Super Slam NA 29, NA 40, Big 5 or Dangerous 7, world Ovis etc.


The wealthy will spend the same amount one way or another- auction tags, governor tags, chasing a World Record etc. Some will want a Slam, or multiples. Chasing a slam generally doesn't preclude doing all the other hunts you want to anyway.

I've noticed that the "poors" will hustle and side gig to create extra money to afford the next slam animal. I see that as a good thing. Motivation to reach a goal they want to achieve. I usually don't see the same motivation to chase another whitetail, or elk.....

Of the various super slammers I have spoken to they still do their normal local hunts and favorites like whitetail, mule deer, elk etc. but add on an extra 1 or 2 hunts toward their next check. The Slam in a sense is the "goal" so it aligns

 

[Marbles]

I don't get slams. But, a slam is a goal. It provides direction. I do get peak bagging, not to tell people I've done it, but because it pushes one to do the peaks that would normally be passed up.

It really comes down to the why. Racing is equally as dumb, but it motivates me to train and makes me a more fit hunter (probably not better as if that was the only goal I could use my time more effectively doing other things). I race for my own enjoyment, if I started doing it to impress others, it would be time to stop. Equally, someone chasing a slam for their own enjoyment is awesome, chasing it to impress others, not so much.

 

[Northern Safari]

As someone who is very list-orientated the slams are appealing to me.

I’m sure it has something to do with some kind of ‘tism.

 

[ozyclint]

I'd rather not bother doing something that doesn't interest me just for the sake of crossing something off some arbitrary list.

The other thing I don't understand is people getting disappointed over the size of fish, horns or antlers.

They might be ecstatic until they measure it then become disappointed because a great specimen is ½" short of some arbitrary number.
You went hunting or fishing, you caught or shot something nice, be happy.

 

[madtinker]

Depends on the list and the scale. New Mexico has a trout challenge to catch every species of trout in the state in a calendar year. Sounds fun, could lead to some great adventures. A big-game slam? Not interested, for reasons others have said. If it floats someone else’s boat and they do it legally, more power to them.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Sheep slam = 4 very different and diverse eco systems= 4 very different hunts.

With that said if I could only hunt one animal the rest of my life every year it would be DBHS.

But yes, my application strategy is influenced by places and species I’ve never hunted

 

[grfox92]

Slams are about as pointless to me as the guys who are constantly dying trying to reach the top of some random mountain in Colorado or Wyoming for the sole reason of saying they made it there.

They are still trying to find that poor kid that worked in Yellowstone on Eagle Peak.

Sent from my SM-S931U using Tapatalk

 

[Ready2Rut]

The idea of basing your goals on a tick-list does seem kind of silly to me, especially when most of that ticklist involves shelling out big money to an outfitter so the hunter doesn't have to learn how to hunt the animal in its environment. (Big respect to Mike Kentner from the latest Rokcast for doing the slam DIY)

That being said, one cool side effect of these pre-made checklists is that it forces one to go to environments that might not look cool or interesting in the first place, but you might find you really enjoy once you are there. I'm guessing most people here have done hunting in an area that they didn't think they would particularly enjoy, only to find out once they are in the field to find out they love the landscape/game they are chasing.

 

[CMF]

As someone who is very list-orientated the slams are appealing to me.

Same.

That being said, one cool side effect of these pre-made checklists is that it forces one to go to environments that might not look cool or interesting in the first place, but you might find you really enjoy once you are there. I'm guessing most people here have done hunting in an area that they didn't think they would particularly enjoy, only to find out once they are in the field to find out they love the landscape/game they are chasing.

I think this is exactly it.

Before I even considered pursuing NA29, we had already started traveling full-time. We knew there were a lot of National Parks we wanted to see, but decided to try and see them all, along with doing something in each state. Seeing new species while traveling and realizing each new species would likely bring a new adventure is the reason I'm going for NA29. But I also want other North American(introduced) species that aren't on the list, like Oryx and Auodad, because I've already hunted them with my kids and enjoyed the hunt.

especially when most of that ticklist involves shelling out big money to an outfitter so the hunter doesn't have to learn how to hunt the animal in its environment.

I'm not really interested in guided hunts, but I know that at some point, there are a few species that can only be done that way, so I'll give it a try when the time comes. That is, if the funds ever come, lol. For the AK species, I plan to move there one day for at least a few years. For some of the hunts like lion, I'm hoping I can swap a saltwater fishing trip or something.
Like wildwilderness mentioned above, I don't plan to give up an annual hunt to chase other species; I plan to do multiple trips.

Slams vs Your own Goals
I wouldn't say a slam is at odds with my own goals; it is a goal, for the longterm. With my kids at hunting age though, I don't have alot of opportunity to pursue it.

 

[bowhuntercoop]

Everytime I hear the word “Slam”, your mom jokes come to mind.

I hunt and kill critters because I like shooting them and eating em, mostly deer and pigs. If a guys wants to shoot a giraffe or goat, by all means, have at it. Hopefully someone is eating the critter though.

 

[WoodlandCritter]

I'm generally not a slam guy, but I would love to have an NA squirrel slam. I'm sitting at Fox, Red, and Yellow Bellied Marmot. Still need a gray and a black color phase gray, and woodchuck for sure. Not sure what all other species you would need. Two crown jewels would be the Delmarva Fox squirrel and Malabar Giant Squirrel (not NA, but an insane purple and gold squirrel from India). Neither of those two are legally huntable as far as I can tell.

 

[voltage]

For the record... if I sold a billion sandwiches at a freaky fast speed, I would slam all your mothers and have every North American slam possible.

 

[Poser]

I'm generally not a slam guy, but I would love to have an NA squirrel slam. I'm sitting at Fox, Red, and Yellow Bellied Marmot. Still need a gray and a black color phase gray, and woodchuck for sure. Not sure what all other species you would need. Two crown jewels would be the Delmarva Fox squirrel and Malabar Giant Squirrel (not NA, but an insane purple and gold squirrel from India). Neither of those two are legally huntable as far as I can tell.

I recall reading an article some years back about a wildlife biologists for a state game agency who specializes in squirrel research. He apparently hunted and killed every squirrel subspecies in North America and I believe, if I recall correctly, that one of the sub species is not huntable, though he was able to hunt and kill one through a exception.

Anyway, the use of the term "slam" to describe hunting all of the variations of sub species is quite an embarrassing aspect of hunting. At a minimum, it trivializes the pursuit, borrowing a term from baseball for no reason. It shifts the narrative from "I am participating in the natural order" to "I am collecting assets to win a game."
That's just super LAME. It is a lame, unthoughtful use of language, it is an entirely lame way to think and talk about hunting. It is a lame representation of what hunting is and what hunting is about. Focus on the experience, not collecting arbitrary assets. If you're pursuit of experience happens to lead you to end up hunting and killing, say, all of the primary species of wild sheep across the globe, so be it, but there's respectable reason to call that a "Grand Slam."

 

[Mammoth Steppe]

I like the idea of the hunting "slams", they encourage you to expand your horizons, hunt new game, in new regions etc.

Now I just need to figure out what is the Working Man's Slam.

 

[WoodlandCritter]

I recall reading an article some years back about a wildlife biologists for a state game agency who specializes in squirrel research. He apparently hunted and killed every squirrel subspecies in North America and I believe, if I recall correctly, that one of the sub species is not huntable, though he was able to hunt and kill one through a exception.

Anyway, the use of the term "slam" to describe hunting all of the variations of sub species is quite an embarrassing aspect of hunting. At a minimum, it trivializes the pursuit, borrowing a term from baseball for no reason. It shifts the narrative from "I am participating in the natural order" to "I am collecting assets to win a game."
That's just super LAME. It is a lame, unthoughtful use of language, it is an entirely lame way to think and talk about hunting. It is a lame representation of what hunting is and what hunting is about. Focus on the experience, not collecting arbitrary assets. If you're pursuit of experience happens to lead you to end up hunting and killing, say, all of the primary species of wild sheep across the globe, so be it, but there's respectable reason to call that a "Grand Slam."

Didn't I say I'm not generally a slam kind of guy? I just like hunting squirrels and would like to try hunting every kind I can cause I think they're cool. You should probably go deliver your diatribe to someone paying 50,000$ to kill animals they don't even eat. I'll keep on with my quest to discover the tastiest squirrel in the world and won't lose a wink of sleep over it.

 

[WoodlandCritter]

I like the idea of the hunting "slams", they encourage you to expand your horizons, hunt new game, in new regions etc.

Now I just need to figure out what is the Working Man's Slam.

Probably slamming a 12 pack of Coor's while you skin your Whitetail.