Texas Hunting Forum
It's Over............Thompson Temple
Posted By: 7mag
It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 03:31 PM
Well the rest of the "Ram Posse" haven't made it in yet from what I can see. They may think the Forum is still down. Well 8 total went to Thompson Temple, seven hunted. Congradulations to Saginawhunter, he was the only one to take a Ram. I almost hate statring this thread, but here goes. It wasn't for me. I was just disappointed in the whole deal. "Canned Hunts" have come up before and continue to do so on this and other Forums, and this IMO was such a hunt. I know some of you guys have been there, and love it. I just didn't see the challenge of the so called "hunt". Small place and accomadations which I should have taken my tent, and been better off. There were at least 3 groups of hunters, possibly 4 groups. I was a bit gun shy when I heard the cracks of firepower going off, as I ducked for lower ground. To even say this place is a challenge with a rifle. I think one would be far fetched from the truth. The only possible way this hunt is/would be a challenge, would be with a bow. I saw 2 Texas Dall come in within 10 yards, with big red tags of course. I decided to pass. With that I thought, is this even a challenge with a bow??? They stood eating alfa for about 20 minutes, before they decided to leave. Some of the other hunters, killed the Rams, went and cut the heads off, and left the carcass there. That didn't sit well with me either. I know it's not a "game animal", but respect for what one has shot would be to bring it in and give the meat away. This is most definately a Horns Only type hunt. All the guys who took Rams, had them measured and left them to be mounted. Myself and another Forum member joked at how they could get a leash, within the 3 acre trophy pen, and have some one do it in. Sorry folks this just wasn't my cup of tea. Thompson has alot of repeat customers, I can say I won't be one. Only one Forum member went out on sunday morning, the rest paid our balances and slept in, or left. If you guys on here like this place more power to ya. It is totally different, and does nothing for my hunting senses or ethics at that. This is MY OPION and MY OPION ONLY. Some of our guys liked it and said they would be back. The very very best thing about this trip was great friends, EXCELLENT FOOD. CCH and Miss Lora cooked meals to die for. Those steaks Randall seasoned were as close to perfection as I have ever had. Lord they were good. The scenery was nice and of course the BSing was as always superb. Let the bashing began, cause I know it's going to be a thread from he!! when some of the Forum members get in on this.
Posted By: Texastaxi
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 02:46 PM
I'm sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy Thompson's.
I think I mentioned that the cabin wasn't a five star resort, but it would keep you warm/cool and dry.
Did you hunt the back of the ranch or did you stay close to the front and not venture up and over the hill? I think I talked about all the things, that you say you didn't like, in the other thread.
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 02:52 PM
No bashing from me Roy, my sentiments exactly. To say i was disappointed with the actual hunt would be an understatement. What i really enjoyed was the story's and the get together, that made the trip more than worth it. I think one of the things that bothered me most was Thompson's practice of hauling all the carcass's down to the creek bottom, some serious environmental issues come into play. I don't think his neighbors down stream would appreciate it, if they knew.
Posted By: Sethfish
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 02:53 PM
I agree with you 7mag. I have hunted both with a rifle and a bow on high fence game ranch operations and would not go back with a rifle. Some of them are "wilder" than others and I have been on both. There are plenty of places in the Hill Country with low fence and exotics and those are fun hunts cause you never know what you will see. There are hunters out there that have limited amounts of time, most hunters I would assume, and hunts in this fashion make the most sense.
Posted By: 7mag
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 02:56 PM
Yeah he took us on the "Nose Bleed" high elavation section. I didn't have anything, at all come in. There is no reason to be sorry. You obivously like it, and I won't take that away from you. It just wasn't for me. Different strokes for different folks as they say. Just too many guys out at one time too, for such a small place. It was still worth the 100 bucks just to get out and be with Forum friends and have a good time. Other then that, not for me. Like I will continue to say, if you have done it and enjoy it, good for you. That is what this great Country is about, if it's legal then by all means have at it.
Posted By: Crazyhorse
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 04:47 PM
Well, by the time I got thru with my original reply, the form was no longer valid, so I lost it all.
Thompson Temple is a legend in the Exotic hunting industry in Texas. He is a really nice gentleman, and Lora and I both felt honored that he shared supper with us and the THF group Sat. night.
Is this a hunt for everyone, No. Would Lora and I recommend this hunt to people, Yes. Just in my opinion, this hunt, and the majority of high fence and outfitted/guided hunts, regardless of the fence height, should be more properly called Collecting Trips.
I know that some or maybe even a lot of folks will not agree with me on this, and I don't care. I feel that anytime a person can go on a "HUNT", and have a 95%+ probability to kill the exact size and species of animal they want, that is a collecting trip.
Is this a trip I would go back on, possibly, but not probably. Did I think this was a good hunt, for me, it actually was, due to the fact that the game was not acting as predicted, and was acting the way normal game would.
Do Lora and I think some improvements could be made, yes. The accomodations do need upgrading, and personnally I feel that the number of hunters on the place at one time should be lowered.
Lora and I had a blast meeting Mike, Tandy, and Keith, getting to see Roy and Dave again, and sharing the trip down and back with Ken. I have got to where I have more fun on a hunt doing the cooking and BS'ing around the supper table. I don't mind killing stuff, I just don't have to kill something to have a good time.
Posted By: MarkE
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 05:13 PM
Pick your fish in the aquarium and scoop it out with a net! I had a buddy go to that place and purchased two sheep. One sheep they saw was actually bedded in the blind that they were going to sit in. I asked him why he shot something that didn't run away as he walked up to it. He just shrugged and didn't say much.
Wonder why ranchers don't sell hunts on a cow?? Now that would be some good eating.
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 05:14 PM
OK CHC, don't make us have to hold ya down and give ya a pinkbelly. Tell us how you did those steaks? I heard you telling somebody else, but i guess the milk in the little velvet bag causes memory loss, guess i should have checked the expiration date. Thanks for the cooking and the stories, enjoyed being around you and your wife.
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 05:21 PM
Quote:
Wonder why ranchers don't sell hunts on a cow?? Now that would be some good eating.
Give me 2,000 a head and you can shoot, I mean hunt cows on my place. For 5000 i may start some trophy bull shoots, i mean hunts.
Quote:
One sheep they saw was actually bedded in the blind that they were going to sit in.
There were sheep dropping in the bottom of the blind i was in Saturday morning. When i went to get in my blind there was at least a dozen ram's bedded down within 25 yards of my blind. They didn't move until a couple of other hunters walked within 5 yards of them headed to their blind.
Posted By: txtrophy85
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 05:46 PM
i kept my mouth shut and let ya'll decide for yourselfs. buddy of mine hunted with him and HATED IT. told me if he wanted to shoot someones pet he would shoot his neighbors goats. don't let this experiance sour you on all high fence hunts.
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 06:06 PM
Quote:
don't let this experiance sour you on all high fence hunts.
The hi-fence didn't bother me one bit. It's the shooting of farm animals and the way they disposed of the carcass's that really got my goat. Throwing all those carcass's in a stream bed that regularly flows water, is almost criminal in my opinion. The weekend before ours they took 38 rams. If you average that all year round, you've created an environmental nightmare down stream. That's not counting deer and hog's. The last night we were there, he tried to get everybody in the truck to shoot and old ram that had his testicles dragging the ground from some sort of infection. That ram was so sick he couldn't hardly walk.
Posted By: jbhlsu
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 06:11 PM
ROY YOU SHOULD HAVE COME WITH LOUIE TIGER AND I...EVENT THOUGH I WORE MY SWIM SUIT IN THE OLD MAN THE DEER WHERE MOVING PRETTY GOOD...I KILLED 2 HOGS...WE SHOT AT 30 MORE...OPENING MOURNING SAW 7 DOES 2 NUBBIN BUCKS AND A 9 PT..GOOD DEER....SAT AFTERNOON SAW 9 DOES ...SMALL SPIKE AND A 5 PT...SHOT A DOE..15 YDS...AFTER THAT WE WENT AND HAD A GREAT CHICKEN FRIED BACKSTRAP(FRESH)..ABOUT 9 PM SET MY HOG LIGHT UP AND BAITED..HONESTLY GUYS I WISH I HAD NIGHT VISION CAMERA...THESE TWO BIG BOARS CAME OUT AND I MEAN BIG...THEY WERE SWIMMING BACK AND FORTH FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE TANK...VERY COOL..I LET THE .243 GO BUT LIGHT DIED AND I JUST DONT KNOW IF THE SHOT WAS ONE...TO MANY ICE TEAS LOUIE T AND MYSELF SLEPT IN SUN MOURNING AND DID SOME WORK..WE HUNTED SUN EVENING AND SAW 11 DOES..4 PT...SPIKE AND MAYBE A LITTLE 8...WELL I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH MY FIRST SHOT..LITTLE HIGH..SHE RAN 75 YDS...SECONF DOE..PERFECT HEASRT SHOT..AFTER THE BARREL ROLE IT WAS 20 YDS...VERY GOOD HUNT CONSIDERING THE HEAT..JUST TO DAMN HOT..ESP. AFTER YOU CLIMB 30 FT IN THE GRAND OL MAN...
Posted By: txtrophy85
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 06:18 PM
people like tompson temple are what give hi-fence places a bad name. personally, if the animal wasn't born on a ranch, i won't shoot it. the lone exception was the axis deer i took, he was from another ranch that was over populated, tranquilized, and moved to ours. but he still lived on our place two or three years before i took him. in another two or 3 years we will have a native population save for a few old toads. i have never met a person who has one nice thing to say about tompson temple's operation. look at his website, guy even looks like a goober. and it upsets me that he pushes the "christian thing" to try and get business
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 06:20 PM
Quote:
he pushes the "christian thing" to try and get business
A bible in every blind.
Posted By: Texastaxi
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 06:21 PM
I don't want to get in a pissing contest here, so this will be my last post on this thread.
It's good that ya'll had fun around the campfire ... it's unfortunate that ya'll didn't enjoy the hunt (or whatever you choose to call it). Honestly, though, you all knew it was a ram hunt when you signed up. Thompson is the "genius" that decided to market all the colors of barnyard sheep as "exotics". He's running a business, plain and simple. He doesn't advertise this as a greuling, 14 day, bighorn sheep hunt ... they are, afterall, semi-undomesticated barnyard sheep! Some people like it, some people don't and everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Not defending Thompson, or his practices, but of all the times that I've been there, I've never seen water in that creek below the gut/carcass pile. Yes, it's pretty foul, but beyond the smell, I doubt it harms anyone.
If ya'll didn't like this one, I'll recommend a ranch (that's exactly the opposite) outside Bracettville that you're darn near guaranteed to NOT see a single exotic the whole weekend! And it costs a lot more, too! That should make everyone happy, right?
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 06:35 PM
Quote:
Not defending Thompson, or his practices, but of all the times that I've been there, I've never seen water in that creek below the gut/carcass pile. Yes, it's pretty foul, but beyond the smell, I doubt it harms anyone.
Had you walked down the creek you'd have noticed 2 small springs coming out of the side of the hill. 1 comes out right across from the first cabin. There was old bones laying in the creek, all the way down to the road. The wind didn't do that, that's heavy run off did that. Before you get too deep into this discussion with me you might want to check into the state of Texas's environmental requirements, concerning the disposal of live stock on your property. It prohibits the disposal of carcass's in know water sheds. I've got to haul mine over to the Caliche pit. What i saw was a serious violation.
Posted By: Texastaxi
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 06:54 PM
I certainly never claimed to be a watershed expert or even have a general knowledge of the laws.
I've never seen the springs, but then again, I've never looked for stuff like that.
Sorry again that ya'll didn't like it.
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 07:09 PM
No problem, my apologies, please don't think i was ragging on you. I'm a rancher also, and some times other ranchers do things that just gets on my nerves.
Posted By: Texastaxi
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 07:10 PM
I understand completely ... no appology needed.
Posted By: dgilbert
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 07:29 PM
Sorry to here about yalls canned hunt. I know the food & BS was good at least. Glad SH got what he was looking for.
Posted By: 7mag
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 07:36 PM
Quote:
Sorry to here about yalls canned hunt. I know the food & BS was good at least. Glad SH got what he was looking for.
As they say though dgilbert, is isn't all about the killin. I had a great time just hanging with this group. Was it worth the drive and the money spent???????? Dang right skippy 
Hearing war stories and good eats are what makes hunting half the fun, more so with a good group off this Forum. I am excited about the Forum doe hunts and the disabled hunts, and this in no way put a negative aspect on these hunts. We WILL have a great time and make the best of what we have got These type hunts arn't for everyone, and the ones who do like em, more power to ya.
Posted By: 7mag
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 07:58 PM
I don't think we have touched on what kind of shot Sag put on that Goat, er Ram. Man that thing was in the deepest canyon running full throttle, and blam!!!!!!!
Sag hits him right in the vitals, ok depends on where you think vitals are at on a Goat. The Goat is so tuff he runs again!!!!
Blam!!!!!!!! The thunder of that 45/70 made my ears bleed. All I can say is, if Sag where in Nam he would be a Sniper
I will let him tell his side when he makes an appearance
Posted By: mark3
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 09:04 PM
My trip to Thompson Temple 10-years ago was comparable. Our guide pulled up to 25 unsuspecting sheep and said pick your color. Needless to say six 18-year old kids did exactly that, we harvested and went home. We did field dress and carry our animals to town to donate them. Not my cup of tea, but an experience to say the least.
Posted By: SaginawHunter
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 09:37 PM
Posted By: SaginawHunter
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 09:43 PM
Here are a few more
Monkey Boy getting his dinner (I think he liked it)
Lora aka Campcook
Last but not least CHC
Mike, you lucked out I didnt get a single picture with you in it.
Posted By: Crazyhorse
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 11:04 PM
I tried replying to you earlier but guess this new configuration has some bugs!!!
It was a combination of getting the seasonings just right, having a really good Mesquite fire, and the anus relaxation quotient all of you that rode up The Hill and back down had, just knowing you had survived that trip. I will pm you with the list of seasonings I used.
Posted By: SaginawHunter
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 11:11 PM
Quote:
the anus relaxation quotient all of you that rode up The Hill and back down had, just knowing you had survived that trip.
ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted By: Crazyhorse
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/02/06 11:41 PM
Not really wishing to start anything with you, but Thompson Temple does not give a bad name to high fence hunting operations, no more than the Y.O. does. When they have a hunter come on that 50,000 acres that wants a certain size Eland, Greater Kudu, you name it, the word is put out and all the hands working on the ranch are on the lookout for that animal. When they spot it, they radio the guide with the animals location and the hunter is taken to that pasture. I am looking at doing a Nilgai hunt on the King, that is a One Day hunt, and the only way I won't kill a Nilgai, is if I can't hit my A$$ with both hands.
I have been on one of those hunts on a high fence operation that give those hunts a bad name, it was supposed to be a feral hog hunt, and you could make oput the place where the auction tag had been on the animals back.
Thompson Temple has been doing this for years, and from going over all of the information he puts out, I find no place where he makes any claims that these are wild animals, and that your chances of success are really low.
As 7mag and Hwy-man said, this was something that they did, and would probably never do again, or at least not at Thompsons place.
Lora and I raise the same types of sheep that Thompson sells on his hunts. Will we sell to him, even though ours are pets, YES. Simply because we are in the business of raising sheep and the Trophy market is the place we can realize the most return on our investment. Thompson is in the business of selling a product, in his case it is a form of hunting.
For any guide/outfitter, whether fishing or hunting, the only way you stay in busines ids for your clients to catch or kill something on a fairly regular basis. Thompson has had people, including some folks that participate on here, hunt with him several times over several years, there is nothing wrong with that. Conversely, for those that have hunted his place and keep going back, some folks just don't like that type set-up.
Posted By: 7mag
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 12:00 AM
All though we all had a different in opions, with the Ram hunt, one thing we arn't divided on is FRIENDSHIP. I may not agree with what any of these guys think or do, I would still hunt with them in a heart beat. If you haven't been around this group, your missing out. These are by far the best guys and a lady a hunter could ask to spend some time with. The only bad thing is that we are so far from each other, so I tend to value these GTG a little more. I don't care what you may think of us on this forum and behind the computer, but in person we all share the same passion, hunting. It has been brought up before about how we can't get along in here, but given a chance more so in person can work wonders for a person, with any sense. As I age I really tend to like the campfire more and more. CHC stated the same thing. It is about spending time and sharing stories and just getting to know people. Anytime these guys want to make a trip, not necassarily to TT, I would jump in a minute. I look forward to hunting and meeting a few more Forum guys and gals in the near future. We may not all agree on the subject of hunting, but this is what it is called, and I like that we have the freedom to do as we wish and hunt as we like. Like I stated I never have been a stout suppourter of these types of hunts, but if they are legal, and your paying for em, so be it. It's not for me or anyone to tell you what you can and can't enjoy. JMO, Roy
Posted By: Dave Davidson
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 12:27 AM
It's been about 10 years since I went on one of his "hunts". Beautiful, rugged country that I will never forget. I saw a couple of golden rattlesnakes that scared the pee out of me. I would almost pay to go back just for the scenery.
But, none of us elected to kill the barnyard sheep. That ain't hunting and I will have nothing to do with that kind of deal.
Posted By: campcook
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 12:30 AM
Ok, now that I have got Randall to do some chores and get off the confuser... I will give you my 2c.
Accomodations - All I can say is that the rooms where I am Camp Manager HAVE NO BUNKBEDS!!! And I clean the kitchen and bathroom. And I don't think the kitchen is an electrical fire just waiting to happen.
That trailer should have slept no more than 8 to 10 people at one time, not the 12 that it had. 3 in the back room, 3 in the front bedroom, 2 in the little room where Randall and I were. Add a fold-out couch in the livingroom. Some seating so that you can relax and not be outside. More light. I could probably fix up that trailer for less than $2000.
That may sound like a lot, but remember, Thompson made between $1200 and $2000 on just the folks put up in the trailer - and there were 8 in the A-frame. Personally I would not have liked the A-Frame, simply because half of the group would have had to climb up that dang fireman's pole, and the others would have had to be in those darn bunkbeds!
Once you get to a certain age, weight, and size, bunkbeda are not a good thing. And if you have to have them, attach them to a wall, add rails to the top bed, and provide a way up there!
I am glad that I bring a full kitchen with me when I go camping. If I had not, we would not have had an enjoyable time.
And it was enjoyable, I just think that I would have been able to do it a bit better.
Posted By: kolt
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 12:52 AM
I have been a member here for a few years. I don't post much usually just read the topics while I am bored at work, but this issue seems to be a reoccuring theme here. I am tired of listing to the holier than thou hunters so I am going to add my 2 cents. I grew up with grandparents that raised Holstein cattle. For those that do not know what these anmials are used for they are milk cows. My grandparents ran a small farm of maybe 50 head at a time raising babies till breading age, breading them, keeping the babies and selling the adults to dairy. Then the process would start new. Here and there you would get a "bad" cow that maybe did not give alot of milk or had a bad tit, ect. When this would happen the dairy would not want to buy it so as my grandfather would put it " she is going to feed us one way or the other, if she won't give milk she will be hamburger" or something to that extent. So we would lure this wary animal into a pen useing bait, sneek up behind her and shoot her in the head. Meaning we would harvest the resource to use for food for the family. My uncle worked in a commericial meat packing plant and when I was very young my grandfather thought it a good idea for the kids to know where food comes from so we took a trip down to the slaughter house and watched the whole process of a live animal becomming packaged meats like you would see in any local store. This is the ultimate " penned hunt" and these guys are good at what they do. In minutes they can take a live cow and reduce it to a side of beef even Rocky would be proud of. My point here is animals, just like crops are resources that need to be managed, nurtured, and harvested in humane manner period. If someone wants to go to a ranch where harvesting a resource is guaranteed as long as the animal is treated humanely then more power to them. Pick a side of the fence and stand on it, you can't straddle it and claim both sides.
Posted By: SaginawHunter
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 01:05 AM
Posted By: Crazyhorse
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 01:21 AM
Don't really know if you are directing the fence straddling at me, but if you are, I am going to tell you right now, that you can straddle the fence on any issue you choose.
Do I support Thompson Temple and the way he has decided to make a living, yes I do. He provides a service that a lot of people over the years have taken advantage of and evidently enjoy, considering the amount of repeat customers he has.
Would I be interested in going back down there and doing another hunt, probably not. Would I recommend his place, Yes I would, simply because a person is free to choose how they spend their money. I have found over the years, that people will either continue to spend money doing things they enjoy, or will never spend another dime on an activity they don't enjoy.
Too many people want everything to be black and white, and the last time I looked this world and life in general, is a technicolor feature.
If I am taking the intent of your post wrong, than I apologise, if not, then as I say, it is my choice how I look at this issue and I am not under any obligation to anyone, as to how I live my life, or think or feel about an issue other than the way I want to.
Posted By: HunterTed
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 01:32 AM
Glad you bunch of misfits and degenerates are home. Wish I coulda been there. maybe next time.
Posted By: shsuducks
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 04:17 AM
I have been on a few hunts like this and they are not for me. If someone wants to hunt this way, that's their right. I like to hunt and enjoy the bsing more than anything. The problem is these places have such a high volume of customers, the animals have to be raised in pens in order to keep up with demands. I saw some rams get turned loose on a place around mason about 3 hours before the "hunters" showed up!!! Not for me, I will stick to my wild ducks.
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 12:23 PM
Quote:
I am tired of listing to the holier than thou hunters
If you direct this at the individual in question them maybe they can explain their position.
Quote:
Pick a side of the fence and stand on it, you can't straddle it and claim both sides.
Once again, I'm not to sure who or what your talking about, but no one I've seen here has made a comment i would consider straddling. Could you please be more direct and concise with your comments.
Posted By: garrett
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 01:14 PM
Off topic question...I have heard mixed reviews on eating the meat from rams. Some say that it is good, others say they would not touch it with a 10' pole.
Which do I beleive? Can you clean and eat these Rams or is it just a horn hunt and the rest goes to waste?
Posted By: kolt
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 01:41 PM
My point is not to single out any individual or blast someone for their opinion. More to point out that there are lots of groups out there trying to make hunting look unethical or unjust. We need not do it to ourselves. I will stand behind anyones legal rights to harvest a natural resorce no matter if it is my prefered way to do it or not. No need to make others feel bad about how they choose to participate in this sport.
Posted By: dwoftx
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 01:49 PM
Ok, here goes another opinion..... First of all I want to say that I had a fantastic time with the group that we had. I would do it again in a heart beat (somewhere else). Thompson Temple is great guy and he has a great piece of property and that was a memorable experience. No, I chose not to shoot anything but I also will not badmouth the man for his operation. Yes, I do think he needs to make repairs to accomodations and move his graveyard form next to the camp. Whether we take an animal or not, it is still about hunting, campfires, sharing time with friends and the outdoors. For that, our weekend was a total success. I would recommend Thompsons place to other hunters with my opinion of the operation for understanding of what was to be expected before getting there. He is a very nice guy and he does try to please his hunters. It is not for me and I will not book another hunt there, but everyone is different. This would be a great place to possibly take a youngster to get a first animal. The food was great, the friends were the best you could ask for and the food was first class. What more could you ask for.
Posted By: FamousAmos
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 02:08 PM
I see more and more high fenced places every time I head toward my little postage-stamp-sized hunting spot, and my heart hurts. I understand the business side of Texas hunting and a many-thousand-acres place in a fence is still hunting, but these small spots with "wild" game that are more like pets is simply not hunting.
Great photos! I love the bear claws, CHC, or at least that's what I think they are. Reminds me of the Jeremiah Johnson movie! Griz!
Posted By: HWY_MAN
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 02:14 PM
I went back through the threads, and i didn't really see anything derogatory about hi-fences, they had more to do with Thompson's overall operation and practices.
Posted By: Crazyhorse
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 02:24 PM
Not bear claws, those are the tusks from the first Javelina I ever killed. I shot it down at the Chaparral WMA back in 1991. The other teeth on there are the canines from the last bobcat I shot, and the 7 sets of whistler teeth from the elk I have shot in Colorado.
Posted By: Crazyhorse
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 02:41 PM
Lora and I raise these type sheep, and the young ones are delicious. The older ones are going to be tougher, and a little stronger in flavor, but, any adult male animal is going to not be the most prime eating. It depends on a lot of things, including how it is cooked, as to how it tastes. With a lot of stuff, it is just the thoughts of the animal and how it smelled before it was skinned.
To me it is sort of like people that only like to eat crappie, walleye, and flounder, they want to eat fish, but don't want it to taste like fish. That is why a lot of folks will swear that sand bass and striper aren't fit to eat, because they taste like a fish.
As everyone on here has seen before, Lora and I are both pretty eclectic about what we will eat, and there are somethings that we will not eat. From our experience however, with a lot of people, it is just the thoughts of the animal or it stems from being told by other people that it is no good.
Worst case scenario when dealing with game meat of any kind, is trying to cook it like you would a quality steak. Game meat has to be cleaned better and all the blood has to be rinsed out of the meat, and all of the fat has to be removed, as on most game animals, the fat on them goes bad really fast. A lot of folks say Javelina aren't fit to eat, Lora and I can guarantee that we can cook where that except for being a little dryer, a person couldn't tell it apart from feral hog.
Posted By: Crazyhorse
Re: It's Over............Thompson Temple - 10/03/06 02:58 PM
I still am not sure if you are directing your comments at me or just at the topic in general, but nearly all of us that went on the trip, have stated that while we would not go back there again, we would recommend it to other folks if asked.
No one is blasting high fences, and some of us might modify our opinions if we went to a different operation with different animals and different conditions. In fact, I clearly stated that this was my 3rd. trip to a high fence operation, and while I felt there were things that could be changed, it was still better than my first experience on one, but not as good as the axis deer hunt Lora and I did with txbobcat.
As for not having these types of conversations because it gives all the non hunter/anti-hunter groups ammunition, it only hurts us when people call for clearly drawn battle lines, "Either you support such operations or you don't, and if you don't, then people that do go to them should not call themselves hunters."
This type operation is not for everyone, but if a person likes it, and as long as it is legal, I say more power to them, but the jury on such places is still out in my court.
As I said earlier, if I am mistaking the intent of your posts, then I apologise, but I think that all of us that made that hunt and are on The Forum have made our thoughts on the whole weekend quite clear, and I don't see where any of us trashed Thompson Temple, we just related how we felt about the operation and about things we felt needed to be done differently. Just My Opinion.
