Eastmans’ : The Original Trophy Hunting Magazine

I just got back from hunting the other day and it seems I have been going steady for some time without a break. I had a filming/hunting trip to Quebec and Guy, Cameron and I did well. It seems that traveling outside of the country is getting harder and harder. When you throw bows and guns in the mix it is almost impossible.

When I got back to the base camp here in Powell the crew pointed out to me a miss quote by Rusty Hall. I normally don’t really care about what he has to say, but when it involves the Eastmans’ Hunting Journal and me, I have to set the record straight. In his last issue Rusty Hall states that his magazine (Trophy Hunter) is the original trophy hunting magazine. Let me tell you a short story on this subject. Back in 1991 I was lecturing in Salt Lake City at the Holiday Inn at the airport on finding trophy mule deer out west. A guy came up after the lecture and stated he was going to start a magazine like mine. At the time I had been publishing for at least five years and was the only magazine devoted to western trophy hunting.

I don’t know why he would be so delusional. Maybe he is referring to the fact that you must harvest a buck or bull with a minim B&C score to get into his publication. We have never used score as a benchmark for sending in a story. I find some of the best hunting stories are not really about the high profile hunts or special governor tag hunts. That isn’t most hunters’ reality. Most are hunting a good area with a level playing field no matter their financial position. When I started the publication 20 years ago we would select hunting stories with very little regard to record book statues, and that hasn’t changed today. Oh sure, we give the score in some instances, but you name me one sport that Americans do that they don’t keep score. But it’s not the only reason to hunt and get out in the outdoors. I think some people lose sight of the other benefits of the great outdoors. To some a trophy classification is reserved to B&C only. Anything short will not measure up to this label, which isn’t right or fare to the sport.

I’m really getting off the subject a bit. I do want to set the record straight though. This magazine is the first western trophy hunting publication. The magazine has always, from issue #1 (March of 1988) printed on the masthead, “A Hunting Guide for Western Big Game.” Then in 1991 we changed it to, “Devoted to Western Trophy Hunting.” This is where I stand. Have a great fall.