Super Slam # 176 of 29 North American Big Game Animals

[Scot SS#176]

It took 33 years of amazing adventures to complete my personal goal of hunting all 29 NA species. I was fortunate to be able to have taken more than half of those species during the 1980s and 90s. Along the way I was humbled to learn that some of my animals qualified for entry in Boone and Crockett and Pope & Young record books. Having some of my animals be of Record Book size had nothing to do with exceptional skill on my part or passing on large numbers of smaller animals, but rather just good fortune and plenty of time spent in pristine, remote locations. Prices to hunt some of those awesome big game animals have now skyrocketed out of reach for the average hunter, but many are still achievable.
As we all know, time spent with family, friends and like minded kindred spirits in remote locations without cellphone service, offers the true "Quality of Life" we seek.
Good Luck to each of us as we follow our dreams and accomplish the true "Heavy Lifting" of wildlife conservation.
Scot

 

[wildwilderness]

Congrats on a lifetime achievement. What were some of your most memorable hunts? Favorite trophies? Let’s see some pictures!

 

[Thover]

That’s quite an impressive accomplishment. I imagine it would be too hard to pick just one experience as your favorite!

 

[PNWGATOR]

Congratulations!!!! Amazing accomplishment…

Pics and stories please!

 

[Maverick1]

It took 33 years of amazing adventures to complete my personal goal of hunting all 29 NA species. I was fortunate to be able to have taken more than half of those species during the 1980s and 90s. Along the way I was humbled to learn that some of my animals qualified for entry in Boone and Crockett and Pope & Young record books. Having some of my animals be of Record Book size had nothing to do with exceptional skill on my part or passing on large numbers of smaller animals, but rather just good fortune and plenty of time spent in pristine, remote locations. Prices to hunt some of those awesome big game animals have now skyrocketed out of reach for the average hunter, but many are still achievable.
As we all know, time spent with family, friends and like minded kindred spirits in remote locations without cellphone service, offers the true "Quality of Life" we seek.
Good Luck to each of us as we follow our dreams and accomplish the true "Heavy Lifting" of wildlife conservation.
Scot

Well, that's a nice accomplishment. Congratulations. Are you going to be added to this list? How would your experience in number of trips and total cost compare to this breakdown?

 

[Scot SS#176]

Congrats on a lifetime achievement. What were some of your most memorable hunts? Favorite trophies? Let’s see some pictures!

Hey Dr Philip, congrats on your excellent ram and thanks for being the 1st to post a Rokslide reply to my new membership posting. Fav Hunts - The Super Cub backpack hunts for Sheep (NWT & AK) were the most challenging and memorable. After completing my Grand Slam of Wild Sheep, I drew a California Bighorn tag in Southern Idaho. At last I was not required by Law to hire an outfitter and was able to take my sons and friends along and hunt Sheep for just the price of fuel. Sons got eyes on Wild Sheep for the 1st time in their lives and sharing that adventure with them was priceless.
Sorry about not posting lots of pics, but I abstain from all social media (except now RokSlide) due to hackers, Trolls, nefarious Deep State villains etc. Attached are some cropped pics.
Thx again for your reply.

 

[Scot SS#176]

That’s quite an impressive accomplishment. I imagine it would be too hard to pick just one experience as your favorite!

Congrats on your excellent Oryx! I've applied unsuccessfully over the years to hunt Gemsbok on the White Sands missile range but have yet to draw. Fav - As you well know each hunt provides its own unique favorite memories. Have to say the Muskox and Polar Bear hunts with temps & wind chill below negative 40F were extreme. Thought my bow limbs would explode in those frigid temps on my Muskox hunt. Honestly I'm glad I got those extreme Arctic hunts completed when I did and don't need to repeat that frostbite prone experience.

 

[Red Letters]

33 years for 29 successful hunts is pretty incredible in itself. I’m assuming you had to have tried to tackle mutable species every year? Were there just not very many goose eggs or were there just a lot of trips?

I’d love to hear more about your book animals as well.

 

[WKR]

Congratulations on your slam
Being from California, I'm curious how you got your Tule elk?

 

[Scot SS#176]

Well, that's a nice accomplishment. Congratulations. Are you going to be added to this list? How would your experience in number of trips and total cost compare to this breakdown?

Wow Maverick you are a tech wizard to include those two amazing links. Your 1st link shows the GSCO Super Slam listing up through number 173. I recorded my Super Slam with GSCO and was assigned number 176. The Winter 2021 GSCO Slam Quest publication shows that list had grown to 193 Super Slam holders. The 2nd link covers the incredible accomplishments of well known archer Jake Ensign. The prices he shows were valid at the time he took his animals but some are obsolete in today's overpriced market. Nobody would have known the price of Stone Sheep hunts would skyrocket as they have in recent years. Sad to know that some species can no longer be hunted (i.e. Lab/Q Caribou, Arctic Island/Peary Caribou, BC Grizzly). But encouraging to know there are more Polar Bears alive today than in the history of the planet (The Polar Bear Catastrophe That Never Happened by Susan J Crockford). Despite the brain damage in Washington DC, Canadian Biologists document that Polar Bear populations have been stable and increasing for many decades. Infanticide by mature boars is more of a limiting factor than regulated hunting through village allocations of tags. Price - unfortunately a hunter beginning his quest for a Super Slam must plan on achieving above average financial success in order to accomplish that goal. My number of trips and total costs were somewhat comparable to Jake's. However only half a dozen of my species were taken with archery gear. My rifle hunts didn't require as many repeats as diehard bowhunters experience. Cost - Embarrassed to say that only my Desert Sheep and Polar Bear hunts were "pricey". I did a lot of self-guided hunts and took more than half my Super Slam during the 80s and 90s so the prices were very modest. I spent a lot of time wearing wet wool before Goretex was available or affordable!

 

[Scot SS#176]

33 years for 29 successful hunts is pretty incredible in itself. I’m assuming you had to have tried to tackle mutable species every year? Were there just not very many goose eggs or were there just a lot of trips?

I’d love to hear more about your book animals as well.

Good observation Red Letters about a busy schedule with 29 species in 33 years. Yes I attempted to take at least one new specie each year with multiples in some years. I struck out and did repeats on Brown Bear and some Moose subspecies but fortunately did not have many goose eggs. Book animals - B&C: Bison and Canada Moose. P&Y: Antelope, Roosevelt Elk, Mountain Lion and Muskox.
I feel extremely fortunate to have drawn a free range Bison tag in the Henry mtns of Utah in 1987. Fish & Game rep saw my life sized Bison shortly after trigger time and estimated its live weight at a Ton (2,000 lbs). My brother found my Bison asleep in a scrub oak patch and if I had gone back to the jeep and retrieved my bow, it could have become the World Record #1 P&Y Bison at that time. I'm totally fine with his B&C score of 117 2/8. Its also kind of fun having my name on the same page as Ted Nugent in the P&Y book. He took his Muskox in AK the same year I took mine in the NWT.

 

[Scot SS#176]

Congratulations on your slam
Being from California, I'm curious how you got your Tule elk?

Congrats on your very fine antelope. Tule Elk - I learned of a large ranch outside Paso Robles, CA (Los Padres Mtns) with a resident (non-migratory) herd of Tule elk and got in contact with the Ranch Manager. In November 2010 I hunted and took a "Management Bull" for less than a third of the cost of a trophy herd bull. Enjoyable hunt.
PS I'll be forever thankful that a young archer from CA Chuck Adams opened my eyes to the existence of such a thing as a Super Slam. Chuck long ago moved from California becoming an Archery legend and prolific writer. Chuck has 210 P&Y entries to his name and was the first Archer to complete the NA29 Super Slam. Thx Chuck

 

[Blacktailaddiction]

Wow! Impressive feat to say the least. Most days I wish I was born 40 years ago haha. Love hearing your stories!

 

[Rob5589]

Amazing accomplishment, congrats!

 

[Jhy]

Congratulations!!!

 

[RedTimber]

Congrats on your excellent Oryx! I've applied unsuccessfully over the years to hunt Gemsbok on the White Sands missile range but have yet to draw. Fav - As you well know each hunt provides its own unique favorite memories. Have to say the Muskox and Polar Bear hunts with temps & wind chill below negative 40F were extreme. Thought my bow limbs would explode in those frigid temps on my Muskox hunt. Honestly I'm glad I got those extreme Arctic hunts completed when I did and don't need to repeat that frostbite prone experience.

that polar bear pic is awesome

 

[SWOHTR]

Congratulations.

 

[diamond10x]

I would really like to hear about the hunt for your Polar Bear. Assuming you weren't able to bring it back and only have a picture?

Since some species can't be hunted anymore is there exceptions to the NA slam now?

 

[Salmonchaser]

Outstanding.

 

[MuleyFever]

Congratulations. I remember being a young hunter and dreaming about how cool it would be to complete such a feat.

Did you ever end up in a situation on all of those adventures where you thought you wouldn't be making it back out alive?