Page 22 - Safari Trails Dec 2020

A TROPHY HUNTER’S CHECK LIST

Guidelines from 56 years hunting experience on six continents

M. William Lockard Jr. DDS

Past President, Oklahoma Station SCI

When it all Started

Returning home after 14 days in the Colorado Mountains I was very disappointed not to collect a
trophy elk. But, later, I realized that my first experience of living in the great outdoors, climbing
mountains, and glassing for hours with the anticipation of what we will see just over the next ridge
provided the essence of the hunting experience that has kept me on the trail for over 50 years.
Bill, my good friend, and I decided to schedule one major hunting trip each year in addition
to hunting birds and whitetail deer in Oklahoma. We especially wanted to hunt the mountain sheep,
goats, caribou and moose in Canada — and, of course, a grizzly and brown bear. We began to
scour the record books to see where the largest trophies were located and who the best guides
were. We called several guides and then carefully checked at least three of their references.

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