I don't see the point in being hung up on a label, unless you have something to prove. And if you have something to prove....then maybe hunting isn't the way you need to prove it.
I absolutely agree with you! I think that the term or label DIY is way overused and I just find it interesting that so many hunts get labeled as DIY when the only difference between what they are doing and a guided hunt would be a transaction involving cash. The point being it doesn't really matter.
I see guys here say that guides do all of the hunting and the hunter just pulls the trigger. Trust me when I tell you that in my experience guiding hunters this is the exception rather than the rule. We do get guys that couldn't kill a deer on their own if you put them in a high fenced petting zoo with a bag full of apple flavored corn and for those guys you'd be right about the guide doing all of the work. I would say that the vast majority of the guys I hunt with are competent hunters that expend a lot of energy that contributes greatly to the success of their hunt. I don't feel that their accomplishments should be diminished in any way, shape or form because they had help.
There are two instances that got me to thinking about this and I have been hesitant to post them but after seeing all of the responses I don't think it will be an issue.
This is from a story here on Rokslide about a "DIY" sheep hunt....
The big question confronting me last spring after the draw results were posted was ‘do I go guided or unguided?’ With the help of Gilbert Villegas, the WSMR wildlife biologist /hunt administrator, and the overwhelming support of three of my closet, hardcore hunting buddies I opted for a “Do It Yourself” hunt. Scott McRae, owner of Alaska Summit Guide Service, flew down from Anchorage. Kent Boyington who is the best hunter I know behind the optics drove down from Utah, and Scott Hargrove, my mule deer hunting mentor of over a decade came down from Colorado. The dream team was assembled and ready to hunt!
So this is a DIY hunt? Its difficult for me to see "DIY" and "Dream Team" in the same sentence but thats just me. According to the website of Alaska Summit Guide Service the owner Scott McRae has 25 years of experience guiding hunts. Obviously there is no way to know what the role of each individual was or how each guy but you have a wildlife biologist/hunt administrator pointing you in the right direction, you have the best glasser the author knew, his mentor of over a decade and a professional sheep guide of over 25 years on a hunt with you and this is DIY.
I bring this up not to try and discredit the author of the story. I want to make it VERY CLEAR that I would have done the exact same thing, in fact, if I ever draw that tag I'll invite every one of those guys down and give them every ounce of credit if I kill a ram there! Especially on a once in a lifetime hunt. In my mind the help of those guys doesn't diminish any part of his hunt or the terrific ram he killed but its difficult for me to wrap my mind around that being a hunt that was "Do it Yourself". The interesting part of this is that had one tag holder hired one guide there are people out there that would think less of the accomplishment and they would have done it with half as many people.
The only reason I started this thread was to try to gain an understanding of what "DIY" means to different people. There were no wrong answers given and they were all interesting responses. I just want to try to point out to the guys that look down on guided hunts or at least don't feel that its not as much of an accomplishment that there may be more to the story. If a hunt is performed legally and ethically it doesn't matter to me if a guy was on a solo backpack hunt in the middle of a wilderness or if he was on a one on one mule deer hunt with a guide or if he had the 3 best hunters he knew helping him on a once in a lifetime hunt they are all wonderful experiences that shouldn't be looked down on and they shouldn't have to feel the need to label it as "DIY" if it was a team effort. Just my thoughts on the subject.
I will end with another quote from the story above and its all that should matter at the end of the day and opinions be damned
Having three close friends I could count on come all the way down to New Mexico to share in this adventure meant more to me than the horns lying in the dirt; this truly was a hunt of a lifetime.
.
