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BuckTracker: Trouble in Whitetail Paradise
Illinois, well-known as a trophy whitetail hunting destination, was also the site of illegal hunting activity by a high-profile sportsman in 2004. Allen Blevins, a Tennessee attorney and president of Whitetail Properties, a company that specializes in selling hunting land, was convicted of violating state and federal game laws on Monday. Blevins was fined $7,500 and forced to turn over three whitetail mounts. In a plea agreement, Blevins admitted he violated bag limits, tagging procedures, and transportation laws while killing three trophy whitetail bucks in November of '04.
Some reports state that Blevins was employed as a guide for Hadley Creek Outfitters (HCO) at the time of these violations, but HCO denies that Blevins was working for them in 2004. HCO is one of Illinois' largest whitetail outfitters--guiding on over 20,000 acres in Illinois' famous Pike County--and has been featured prominently in several outdoor television shows and hunting videos. Blevins' Whitetail Properties is also a significant advertiser in outdoor TV.
Obviously, game law violatons by anyone are bad news, but this case will receive national attention and remain high-profile for weeks to come. It also showcases the definite downsides to living in trophy paradise.
Whitetails are becomming a commodity among many 'professional' hunters. Too bad - poor reflection on all of hunting.
Posted by: Mike Ward | February 08, 2008 at 07:30 PM
Look, all hunters want to kill a big buck but this story perfectly illustrates the rampant "hornography" that is consuming deer hunting.
In many cases, people will do ANYTHING to kill a trophy buck. Have you ever paid attention to the covers of some of these hunting magazines? Really look the covers over the next time you are in the store. This stuff reads like the cover of a red neck cosmo magazine. Sure it sells magazines but it's also pushing the mentality that the only deer worth hunting is a mature buck and that does are just a nuisance that need to be culled.
What happened to hunting for the fun, the excitement and the thrill of getting a deer, any deer? Now, everyone is pushing food plots, mineral blocks, cameras, scent control, leasing, pen hunts and all sorts of new gadgets that come out every year promising to be the magic solution to YOU KILLING YOUR TROPHY BUCK!!!!!!!!!!!! And if that's not enough we have hours and hours of hunting shows every week that show GIANT deer dropping like acorns. Heroe shots, high fives and promises that you too can kill your dream buck @ XYZ outfitters. At what point is it just too much?
In the case of the story above, these guys are poachers, pure and simple, but how many of us would do the same thing, just to kill a monster buck?
Now, hunters are getting another black eye and more fuel for the anti's to use against us in their next anti-hunting campaign and I don't see this stuff changing anytime soon, because, there's too much money involved to slow this train down now.
Jim
Posted by: jstreet | February 08, 2008 at 10:28 PM
It's to bad there are so many poahers out there. It makes all hunters look bad.
Posted by: adam | February 08, 2008 at 11:12 PM
You are so right jstreet,
"ANTLER FEVER"!
It's rampant in the hunting community. I fully understand the objective in letting smaller fork-horn and spike bucks walk. I can also remember, as a kid, if it had hair on it, I was ready to shoot. By beginning to hunt in a buck only "era", I learned to be patient. I have let some small bucks walk in the last few years, so they could grow up. I actually prefer to kill does. They're alot easier to field dress and eat just as good if not better!
It's not just that "Marvin Wafflehouse" kills "Monster Bucks", it pervasive among the hunting community! "I wanna kill a B&C buck. If you ain't kilt one, you ain't no REAL hunter!!"
We, as hunters, need to try and get out to our younger hunters that it's okay to kill a wall hanger, but that's NOT what it's all about!
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | February 09, 2008 at 08:44 AM
Jim Street hit the nail directly on the head. We need to start seeing that horns aren't everything. When I bow hunt I feel that even a doe taken at less than 20 yards qualifies as a "trophy". What has happen to sportsmanship in hunting? I want to teach my sons and grandsons (and granddaughters, if I'm lucky enough to have any) about the true excitement, and dignity of hunting.
Posted by: Jon R | February 10, 2008 at 08:14 PM
i agree completely jon r
Posted by: dave | February 10, 2008 at 11:04 PM
i gree with jim to on all these gagets ya cant even read a bowhnting magizine any more and enjoy it all you see is ads for more garbage ,,three quarters of these guys dont know what hunting is they all think they can go buy a compund and kill a trophy buck,,and most of them can because they dont have to pratice with a compound just pick it up and shoot it,,there has been a few other guys that were popular in bowhunting that was cught poaching ,i dont even hear about them any more,,maybe the fun is over now that it aint all about a big buck
Posted by: dave | February 10, 2008 at 11:14 PM
Blevins is an owner of Hadley Creek Outfitters
Posted by: Paul | February 11, 2008 at 06:46 AM
It is shameful to manipulate the system like he did. Im glad he got caught and showed remorse. Sounds like he just got caught up in horn frenzy.
Posted by: GREG | February 11, 2008 at 09:16 AM
Either that or a case of the stupids.
Posted by: Blue Ox | February 11, 2008 at 09:26 AM
One of the grandest things about hunting, is that it can be about anything you want it to be. If you're after a big buck or a skinhead for the freezer. If you shoot a compound or a stickbow or a wretched crossbow, enjoy it, by God. Just don't break the law.
You guys against technology don't need to equate poachers with people not of your philosophical persuasion.
I LOVE deer horns. Spent 8 hours walking my ass off Saturday for sheds cause I love them so much. But I don't poach. An intrigue for antlers kinda goes hand-in-hand with an imbedded passion for the sport. There is great romance in all of it – from meat hunting to trophy hunting – when you pour out your blood and sweat to connect.
Posted by: John D | February 11, 2008 at 10:00 AM
JohnD,
I hear you! I spent this past Saturday clearing paths, looking for sheds (didn't find any) and marking out a new food plot for spring planting.
Jim
Posted by: jstreet | February 11, 2008 at 03:36 PM
It is because of the actions like Blevins who think they can get away with breaking law for what ever reason cause the legal hunters all the grief and give all of us a black eye. But, he is just a tip of the iceberg when it come to illegal hunting, just look around at those "good old boys" that bend the law to fit their purpose. These actions also make it that much harder to teach youngsters the honor of hunting (I help teach Hunters Safety) as they are shown in print and TV that you are nobody unless you get a large antlered buck to hang on the wall. This illegal activity also adds fuel to those who would ban hunting like peta.
Posted by: Sandy Dunn | February 12, 2008 at 08:57 AM
I have to Agree with Jon R seeing as i Can hit a a near Bulls eye from 50 yards with my bow...Pretty Good Huh?.. Well not good enough Cuz i can't hit a deer from 15 yards the Past 2 years I missed a Doe and a Buck at 15 and 20 yards respectivley so to me ANYTHING with meet on it is a trophy during Archery or Rifle Season... In my county even in Rifle we can Get the original Tags and then apply for any leftovers so i usally bag 1 or 2 doe a year and most years no Buck..
Posted by: Sexy Man | February 12, 2008 at 05:18 PM
Also we have a saying whn we hunt between me and my family IF IT'S BROWN IT'S DOWN... we ain't lookin at horns, we are looking right above the Shoulder!!!
Posted by: Sexy Man | February 12, 2008 at 05:30 PM
I'm not a trophy hunter and really don't believe in trophy hunt'n. I take the animal for the meat and nothing else. but don't get me wrong I love seeing a big set of antlers coming through the woods. I just don't go out look'n for um.
MPN
Posted by: MPN | March 08, 2008 at 12:44 PM