Stan Potts almost kills his 5th 200"

Mountaineer · Sep 7, 2011

..And you guys wonder why i have such an attitude. I basically kill myself trying to hunt these 140inch publicland bucks and these guys dont even break a sweat and kill 200" bucks. C;mon man.

Doit for all the right reasons or dont doit at all..C;mon man.

cotty16 · Sep 7, 2011

I do have to say, I agree.
When I was speaking of his reactions I was half being sarcastic. He does rub me the wrong way. Crazy eyes and all...

Eer has a point. We all bust our asses on here scouting, hanging stands, switching set ups, etc (I can go on and on) just trying to figure out how to kill a quality buck and it seems these guys are just plopped in a spot and BAM! There's a giant.

Are they great hunters or are they profiting off others' hard work?

hickslawns · Sep 7, 2011

I basically kill myself trying to hunt these 140inch publicland bucks and these guys dont even break a sweat and kill 200" bucks. C;mon man.

Give me 130-160" fair chase any day over 200" high fence. There is a HUGE difference though between an outfitter and high fence. High fence I have zero interest in. Outfitters I can go either way on. Some of them set you up with a place to hunt and do as much scouting work for you as they can, and others simply just want to make some money and could care less. There is a fine line between being greedy and not caring what kind of success you have, and making a living while trying to offer the best customer service to your patrons that you can. Unfortunately, they all get lumped together if they carry the title "outfitter".

In regards to Stan Potts, I will tell you he used to hunt some land my relatives owned. This was not an outfitting operation. Just got hooked up with them somehow. Back in those days, Stan had to hunt just as hard if not harder than the local guys. Sure, he had a great piece of property to hunt (which is why he hunted it), but they weren't sitting him in an e-z-boy recliner waiting for a 200" bruiser. I will give Stan Potts credit in this department. Had he not been a great hunter and made a name for himself, he would not have the opportunities to hunt where he hunts today. I won't knock him. Does he have it easier than he did 20-30yrs ago? Probably. Did he get where he is by being a slouch of a hunter? I doubt it.

cotty16 · Sep 7, 2011

That's a good point Phil. Outfitting is a business and obviously somebody is going to see where Stan killed this and want to go.
Just like I bet people pound the doors at Illinois Connection because of Legends of the Fall. It's good publicity.

Beentown · Sep 7, 2011

Great deer. Probably a good time on the hunt. I know I wouldn't feel as good about that deer as others I have taken in the past on my own.

People who use outfitters...go for it. Have fun. But I won't respect what it took TOO get it. Would I hunt at SOO...yep. If I shot a B/C there I know it wont be the same as any of my bucks I have mounted (no B/C yet just P&Y).

Beentown

bowhunter1023 · Sep 7, 2011

hickslawns said:
Give me 130-160" fair chase any day over 200" high fence. There is a HUGE difference though between an outfitter and high fence. High fence I have zero interest in. Outfitters I can go either way on. Some of them set you up with a place to hunt and do as much scouting work for you as they can, and others simply just want to make some money and could care less. There is a fine line between being greedy and not caring what kind of success you have, and making a living while trying to offer the best customer service to your patrons that you can. Unfortunately, they all get lumped together if they carry the title "outfitter".

In regards to Stan Potts, I will tell you he used to hunt some land my relatives owned. This was not an outfitting operation. Just got hooked up with them somehow. Back in those days, Stan had to hunt just as hard if not harder than the local guys. Sure, he had a great piece of property to hunt (which is why he hunted it), but they weren't sitting him in an e-z-boy recliner waiting for a 200" bruiser. I will give Stan Potts credit in this department. Had he not been a great hunter and made a name for himself, he would not have the opportunities to hunt where he hunts today. I won't knock him. Does he have it easier than he did 20-30yrs ago? Probably. Did he get where he is by being a slouch of a hunter? I doubt it.

There's no doubt most of the big names in the industry earned it to some degree. I have no doubts Stan is a fine hunter in his own right, but people love to spoon feed him now and he obviously loves to shoot big deer he has zero stake in. That is not to say he never has a hand in it beyond loosing the arrow, but largely speaking he is a killer for hire. To each his own and that is fine and dandy if it makes him happy. I think it would get old after a while and I see myself longing to do it the way the Drurys do it: Grow your own AND hit up an outfitter on occasion. That's why I've always been a fan of Mark and Terry, they are developing their own land and killing bucks they have sweat equity in rather than just showing up and killing deer. They do hunt out west with outfitters and frequent Hadley Creek, but they invest more in their season than someone like Stan IMO. I appreciate Stan's enthusiasm and love of the sport, along with respecting his ability to seal the deal. However, I'm not in awe of his accomplishments, nor jealous of them. If I kill one or two good bucks (150+) in my day like Moe that I build a history around and work my ass off to kill on ground owned by my father or myself, that's worth more to me than a wall full of spoon fed monsters. I'm just a simple man from BFE SE Ohio, but I love doing things the way I'm doing them and I'll be fine with that for years to come...

hickslawns · Sep 7, 2011

That's why I've always been a fan of Mark and Terry, they are developing their own land and killing bucks they have sweat equity in rather than just showing up and killing deer. They do hunt out west with outfitters and frequent Hadley Creek, but they invest more in their season than someone like Stan IMO. I appreciate Stan's enthusiasm and love of the sport, along with respecting his ability to seal the deal. However, I'm not in awe of his accomplishments, nor jealous of them. If I kill one or two good bucks (150+) in my day like Moe that I build a history around and work my ass off to kill on ground owned by my father or myself, that's worth more to me than a wall full of spoon fed monsters.

I am right there with you. Well said Jesse! I don't think the work my buddy and I are putting in on 75acres is going to bring us booners every year. However, it is reaping the rewards for the work YOU put in that is the payoff. Gives me an idea for a thread.

Jackalope · Sep 7, 2011

I think these pictures should be more honest.... Stan holding a big buck and the outfitter holding one of those big checks like the clearing house give.

tuffshot · Sep 8, 2011

Beentown said:
I will throw another newb question out then. What makes deer have dark racks if once power washed that one will be white as snow? Most of the deer in my area have almost chocolate racks.

Beentown

Ground/soil minerals can dictate rack color.

finelyshedded · Sep 8, 2011

Jesse said:
There's no doubt most of the big names in the industry earned it to some degree. I have no doubts Stan is a fine hunter in his own right, but people love to spoon feed him now and he obviously loves to shoot big deer he has zero stake in. That is not to say he never has a hand in it beyond loosing the arrow, but largely speaking he is a killer for hire. To each his own and that is fine and dandy if it makes him happy. I think it would get old after a while and I see myself longing to do it the way the Drurys do it: Grow your own AND hit up an outfitter on occasion. That's why I've always been a fan of Mark and Terry, they are developing their own land and killing bucks they have sweat equity in rather than just showing up and killing deer. They do hunt out west with outfitters and frequent Hadley Creek, but they invest more in their season than someone like Stan IMO. I appreciate Stan's enthusiasm and love of the sport, along with respecting his ability to seal the deal. However, I'm not in awe of his accomplishments, nor jealous of them. If I kill one or two good bucks (150+) in my day like Moe that I build a history around and work my ass off to kill on ground owned by my father or myself, that's worth more to me than a wall full of spoon fed monsters. I'm just a simple man from BFE SE Ohio, but I love doing things the way I'm doing them and I'll be fine with that for years to come...

Well stated Jesse! 100% concur to ALL the above!

Rutin · Sep 8, 2011

I think alot of us on TOO feel the same way. Take some of these "superstars" and put them on the same public OR private land that we have and see how well they do. Guarantee they arent making a show killing several book bucks a year. I personally bust my ass putting in food plots, treestands, running cams, and personally scouting. If KNOW these guys are not putting in the same work to reap the little results we sometimes see. I also understand that if they did work their tail off with NO results they wouldnt have a show.
Either way with Stans deer.... its obvious when hunting out of state and being successful on ALOT of your hunts, then your not the one doing the scouting or prep work. It bothers me a little bit about making a show geared around teaching people to become better hunters when your being spoon fed by outfitters that are trying to whore their service out. Theres a TON of shows out there with people whoring products and outfitters out which is fine, I just cant stand how FAKE the hunting industry has become. I just wish there were more shows about average people hunting public/private land and showing/telling the story behind a particular animal or all the hard work it takes to hope for that 30 secs of glory! Theres very few shows out there that keep it real and hunt specific animals with everyday jobs. Sure I could hunt a specific animal if I was off everyday and hunting was my carrer but take the average joe who dedicates his season to one or two animals and see how it goes, your def not making a "killing" show. It just amazes me how some people look up to these guys when they get paid to drive all over the country and setup on specific deer. Thats not hunting..... that just shopping!

Gern186 · Sep 8, 2011

Good points made by Phil, Jesse and Rutin...... You guys have covered it all.

rgecko23 · Sep 8, 2011

I wouldnt want one spoon fed to me, trying to figure out where they are and setting up in the right place is half the fun...

Mountaineer · Sep 8, 2011

Good rational points by all.:smiley_coolpeace:

On October 17th..Im gonna be facing over 60,000 acres of the Shawnee...Some of the roughest..toughest land to hunt in Ohio..Low deer densities..unbroken timber that runs for miles..steep unforgiving hollows. and some of the poorest chances at a mature in the state. I cant wait for the challenge...I wouldnt want it any other way. Because if you are successful..The feeling is undescribable

DJK Frank 16 · Sep 8, 2011

Well said fellas, nothing much more to add. I would rather earn it through hard work, or dry tag trying, then have one put in my lap. But I will commend his ability to close the deal on those monster in bow range, that would be a challenge in itself.

Gern186 · Sep 8, 2011

Mountaineer said:
Good rational points by all.:smiley_coolpeace:

On October 17th..Im gonna be facing over 60,000 acres of the Shawnee...Some of the roughest..toughest land to hunt in Ohio..Low deer densities..unbroken timber that runs for miles..steep unforgiving hollows. and some of the poorest chances at a mature in the state. I cant wait for the challenge...I wouldnt want it any other way. Because if you are successful..The feeling is undescribable

Actually you will have a decent chance at a mature buck in there if you get off the beaten path and use your knowledge... It's too bad they don't have that hunt about 2 weeks later when the bucks are laying down scrape lines and moving on their own a little more during daylight hours. Good luck and hope for cool weather.

uglykat26 · Sep 8, 2011

see when i see guys like this killing monster bucks every year , it makes me wanna start blurting out names of big name people i see at kg ranch every year . but i wont due to my buddy owning the ranch , and it would kill his income , but lemme tell you this , ya cant believe everything you see or hear on tv hunting shows, i have personaly seen the checks from big name " super hunters " for 40 and 50 grand for a so called 180 to 200 inch deer , that was made to look like it was not filmed behind a fence

hickslawns · Sep 8, 2011

Good rational points by all.

On October 17th..Im gonna be facing over 60,000 acres of the Shawnee...Some of the roughest..toughest land to hunt in Ohio..Low deer densities..unbroken timber that runs for miles..steep unforgiving hollows. and some of the poorest chances at a mature in the state. I cant wait for the challenge...I wouldnt want it any other way. Because if you are successful..The feeling is undescribable

Good luck Mountaineer. I will cheer you on. You are taking on a challenge to hunt unchartered territory for yourself. Reading aerials, learning what you can once you get there, and hunting while trying to digest all the information you are absorbing will definitely be a challenge. I have been studying aerials myself a bunch this year as well. I am spending the first week of the season in southern Ohio too. I hope to learn a lot being that I have only hunted flatland so far.

makes me wanna start blurting out names of big name people i see at kg ranch every year . but i wont due to my buddy owning the ranch , and it would kill his income , but lemme tell you this , ya cant believe everything you see or hear on tv hunting shows, i have personaly seen the checks from big name " super hunters " for 40 and 50 grand for a so called 180 to 200 inch deer , that was made to look like it was not filmed behind a fence

Umm. . . isn't that what you just did on a public forum? Minus the actual names, but you pretty much just told the world what we already know.

jagermeister · Sep 8, 2011

Nice buck... But I'm not impressed at all. Stan Potts is hilarious to watch on TV, but I don't think he's any better of a deer hunter than a lot of guys on this forum. He just has some serious contacts, some serious sponsors, and probably a hefty bank roll. Good for him, he's living the dream. I just don't think shooting monster bucks at an outfitter are anything to brag about. Just my opinion.

Buckmaster · Sep 8, 2011

"I've got a big one all scouted out and pin pointed, pushing 200". Now, grab the camera guys and come on over and shoot it."

Stan Potts almost kills his 5th 200"

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