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For those who are interested in this sort of thing, I've just received word from our longtime client and friend Ed Yates that he will be the 2012 recipient of the coveted "Weatherby Award". When Ed Yates called Jeff and booked a Utah Mountain Lion hunt in 1992, he had very little experience on guided hunts, and in fact had only been on three guided hunts prior to the mountain lion. He booked a few more hunts in the next couple of years, then really went after it hard. In the mid 90's, he decided to go for the Weatherby Award, and in turn booked well over 70 worldwide big game hunts with us on his way to collecting an unbelievable 279 different species of Big Game . On his latest hunt with us, he darted an excellent black rhino to round out the animals needed to put him over the top for the award. Mr. Yates has done it all, and he's an outstanding hunter and the absolute definition of a gentleman (anyone who has met him can attest to the validity of both statements). He's been up for the award for the past few years, but finally and deservedly won it for the 2012 awards season. He'll be presented with the award at the 2012 SCI show in Vegas at the Weatherby Awards Banquet. 100% of Ed's hunts were done ethically, fair chase, and done the right way. He truly earned this award, and we're happy to have a small part in helping him along the way. I just wanted to congratulate Mr. Ed Yates on this outstanding accomplishment! It will be an honor to sit at the table with you next February in Vegas!  Greg Brownlee Neal and Brownlee, LLC Quality Worldwide Big Game Hunts Since 1975 918/299-3580 greg@NealAndBrownlee.com www.NealAndBrownlee.com Instagram: @NealAndBrownleeLLC Hunt reports: Botswana 2010 Alaska 2011 Bezoar Ibex, Turkey 2012 Mid Asian Ibex, Kyrgyzstan 2014 | ||
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Congratulations to Mr. Yates! I met him a number of years ago on a trip home from my second or third safari and he suffered through my stories with a smile on his face. He is a class act and deserving of the honor. On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch... Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son! - Rudyard Kipling Life grows grim without senseless indulgence. | |||
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Congratulations to the fortunate winner. Somehow, this reminds me of the Jack O'Connor short story "How J.R. Balz Won The Krautbauer Trophy" - to be read (at least) in the the "Best of Jack O'Connor". I'm not sure if that book is still in print, it is referred to here: http://www.worthpoint.com/wort...ng-big-game-75268468 - mike ********************* The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart | |||
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How did Ed make his millions? That story to me is often as fascinating as the hunting. After all, those hunts didn't come free... | |||
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me2 funny story that | |||
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A serious question. Good for Ed as I am sure it is important to HIM... but, is the Weatherby Award a relevant achievement to the majority of hunters? Seriously want the AR feedback on this. Thanks men. Dave Fulson | |||
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The winner of the Weatherby Hunting and Conservation Award is decided by vote of a selection committee assembled by Weatherby Foundation International. Many members of the selection committee are former winners of the award. Past award winners have ranked among the most successful big game hunters in the world. While lifetime hunting achievement and an impeccable reputation for ethical sport hunting remain two of the main criteria for the award, the emphasis on wildlife conservation has increased in recent years. Award nominees are evaluated in terms of their membership in conservation organizations and their active involvement in wildlife conservation activities.  | |||
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I do not think much of the award, as we regular people do not have enough money to go on many hunts like the rich do. The more money you have to play with, the more awards you get. | |||
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Good for Ed. These types of awards have relevancy to the average hunter in that those with the means heavily support the wildlife conservation organizations we all benefit from. Do they do it for recognition? Maybe, but I suspect they also have the passion for hunting we all share. It takes big $$ to pursue game all over the world and I do not begrudge those who can afford to do it.  Jim "Bwana Umfundi" NRA | |||
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Congratulations Ed! | |||
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Look I am very regular but have been fortunate enough to have been on hunts that I could only have once dreamed of and I have this discussion with close friends all the time. Yes without $$$$ its a given that you simply can't hunt all over the world and neither can you fly your own plane or drive your own formula car or date a super model. Oh well maybe you can find a super model to look after you and have all the above. But it still takes a lot of dedication and effort to shoot all the species to qualify for these big awards. I know two Diana award ladies personally and of course they are very well to do financially but they still have climbed all those sheep mountains and went on tough hunts like polar bear, etc etc.. and guess what they have worked their asses off to make all that money as well, no one gave it to them. | |||
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In the past you had to donate a lot of money to conservation to get nominated for the Weatherby award. I think it is too bad that rule has been tossed aside. It shouldn't be simply a contest to see who amasses the biggest scorecard. I don't know Ed; maybe he inherited a bunch of money like James Mellon. In that case, his accomplishment is not as impressive. But most award winners have two great challenges: they must spend a lot of time hunting, and they must generate huge sums of cash to pay for it. That is hard. The aspect of time is huge issue - even if you have the money, you often can't take time off from your occupation. I see CB has been nominated. Nothing from his accomplishments, but being in the industry makes it a lot more easy - not that it is easy for anyone. But there is probably not anyone else who claims to be financially poor who has been nomimated for the award. And of course, the issue of time is a non-issue for him - hunting is his job. On my first two trips to Africa I met two self made gazillionaires. They didn't strike me as particularly smart. But in the end, they made a huge impact on me, because they convinced me that if I ever wanted to hunt Africa, I would have to do something different with my life. If a guy like Ed does this for someone else, then he will have a profound impact on others. The 2010 award winner is a contractor (a big one, for sure) - hell, he might not even have a college degree for all I know. Sure, a common "joe hunter" can't relate to someone like James Mellon anymore than Craig Boddington. But if Tony Gioffre (the 2010 winner) convinces some kid in Ohio to take a chance, learn a trade, and become a contractor to earn more money for hunting, then he will have a huge impact on someone's life far greater than hunting. Personally, I don't think anyone in the industry should get the award (the first few were writers if you recall), whether they be writers, booking agents, or owners of companies that deal in the business (hell you could write off every trip in the name of "product testing"). But it's not my award, is it? | |||
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I do not begrudge anyone. As I have said to both winners and guys in the running " It has become nothing but a pecker measuring contest" in MHO. Should those that can go after this thing? Up to them, but when the pursuit of SPECIES COUNT is the driving force behind every hunting trip, than hunting for the love is taking a big backseat. And have zero doubt, SPECIES COUNT gets the votes, period. If I was Bill Gates rich, I would hunt what I want to hunt, not to impress the very limited amount of people on planet earth that even know what the Weatherby Award even is. But to each his own. Dave Fulson | |||
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As I understand the Weatherby winners, they had to take a LOT of game from all over the world. Kudos to those winners. Most Weatherby winners have to be in their 50's and 60's. It's quite an achievement given they have to hit the mountains to attain this. Personally, I've done 5 mountain hunts for either goats or sheep. My knee finally gave. No cartelidge. Had to go to a sports doc to have it broken and redone. While my goals are nothing as lofty as a Weatherby winner, you have to give these guys credit. They've withstood some serious punishment in their quest. I really look up to these guys. And so should you. In some cases these 'rich' guys are the ones who have forged ahead and given us some new territory to hunt (Uganda). | |||
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Well done to Mr Yates Dave to answer your question: I have guided a gentleman who has his sights on the Weatherby award (excuse the pun!). He is a great guy, totally self made, incredibly generous and has a fantastic family that he involves in his African hunts and we have become good friends over the years. BUT i have watched his hunting change from enjoyable vacations to all consuming list ticking trips and in my opinion it is not about the hunting anymore. It takes a lot of planning and a huge amount of money and time and is the preserve/desire of the richest of the rich. Frankly these or any hunting awards dont mean much to me but the huge positive is that these are the guys that keep the hunting of some of the rarer species open. I have no desire to pursue a bates pygmy or a zebra duiker but i think it is great that there are men out there still doing that and pushing the envelope. I love reading about their trips and knowing that there is such variety out there; so i beleive that in their own way these awards have a positive impact on the industry - certainly in Africa | |||
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A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Mr. Yates. I am sure he earned it !! However.....on a Higher Plain.....Once again today, I received the "Your the Best Grandpa in the Whole World" award from my grandaughter. We celebrated her 8th birthday today. Two years ago today (exactly) I was on Safari with her and she took her Impala and Warthog at age 5....oophs (6). I have won the award every year since she could make sentences at 3. Wouldn't trade that for 50 Weatherby Awards! But......CONGRATULATIONS MR. YATES. I have no doubt you earned it fair and square, and are deserving of the honor. | |||
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My thoughts exactly. Ed didn't inherit the money, he's a self made man who started a company and built it to a point where he could retire from it's sale. I think a common misconception is that money "buys" these awards. No one is in disagreement that it takes money (tons of it) to go on the hunts necessary to win this award, but money doesn't make the hunts easy. Yes, some safaris are fairly easy on the body, but Ed left the easy hunts behind years ago. The high altitude mountain hunts, the arctic, the rain forest (Ed almost died in Cameroon from a Flea making it's way into his heart), Alaska (Broken Leg on the Peninsula in 2005) pretty much anything in Russia, etc. are all difficult hunts and I'd venture to say a lot of hunters couldn't do all of them even if they had the funding. Ed is very involved in conservation of different species around the world, donating both time and money to multiple conservation organizations. He's not a young man, yet he is still going on these difficult hunts. He exercises every day to stay in the shape necessary to be able to do this. He wanted this award, badly, and worked his ass off to win it. Congratulations Ed, and good luck next year to all of this years nominees. Greg Brownlee Neal and Brownlee, LLC Quality Worldwide Big Game Hunts Since 1975 918/299-3580 greg@NealAndBrownlee.com www.NealAndBrownlee.com Instagram: @NealAndBrownleeLLC Hunt reports: Botswana 2010 Alaska 2011 Bezoar Ibex, Turkey 2012 Mid Asian Ibex, Kyrgyzstan 2014 | |||
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Congratulations Ed!  ______________ DSC, DU, MBS, NRA, QDMA, RGS, RMEF, SCI "Sherrill. Why do you belong to so many organizations?" "Well... I have this thing for banquets." | |||
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Just to be VERY clear, I am not bashing Ed, congrats to him for winning a award he obviously wanted to win. My chuckle is these guys spend literal fortunes to win a award that is only important to a very, very small percentage of hunters. I have attended many Weatherby awards dinners, and I get more of a chuckle than a sense of awe. If I spend that kind of money, I will hunt lots of elephant, brown bears, and leopards... but I will leave the species counters to those who feel that is important to them. Dave Fulson | |||
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Dave, Everybody is motivated by different things. For some it is also the travel to different places. I personally have no desire to hunt elephant, lion, leopard, hippo, or giraffe. I consider my self fortunate to have hunted Zim three times and RSA twice; however, I have no desire to go back to Africa. I would rather go to Mongolia or first class driven boar hunt in Eastern Europe. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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ED CONGRATULATIONS! Mike, you have no desiree of hunting elephants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That means more for me!!!!!!!!  Now, been serious, everyone wants different things. I am seriously elephantaholich. for some people is not their cup of tea. It is ok and we should not mind what others do while it does not harm our sport and I think The weatherby award is something good for our sport since it pays for some areas to keep open. Just my 2 cents diego | |||
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Congratulations to Mr. Yates! Roy Weatherby was one hell of a salesman and entrepreneur who took the .375 H&H and necked it down to about every available caliber size. Then he did this sort of thing with clients ranging from movie stars, potentates, princesses, etc. He published the Weatherby Annual. In the back of that were custom rifles, trophy rooms, beautiful women, and all you wanted to know about Mark V and rounds for it. For a young man with fantasies that many here experienced for real, it was a joy to behold. Ed Weatherby of course, has carried on his father’s work but to me a little of the joy is missing. -------------------- EGO sum bastard ut does frendo | |||
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This comment has nothing to do with the current winner (Mr Yates) of the Weatherby award. After all, I don't know the guy, and for all I know he may be a truely nice fellow. But in general, I find it amazing how humans are capable of turning everything into a show, a competition, an "event". Yet, hunting to me is a deeply personal and private experience that has absolutely nothing to do with any of the above transmutations. It reminds me of the (short) period when I was a member of the SCI and received the Safari Magazine. The magazine constantly presented this gala dinner or that gala show, complete with dancing girls and Hollywood (or was it Las Vegas?) style productions. I quickly let my membership expire... Power to the people who enjoy this stuff, power to the people who feel the need to turn their hunting into a show for the World. I'll happily continue to enjoy my modest hunting as a very personal experience to be shared with a few good friends. - mike ********************* The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart | |||
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Personally I think that the basis of the award is in very bad taste. This sort of thing has to fit into the same bracket as Canned hunting, its simply bad for the sport. I personally believe that there are many out there who would have qualified for the award who would rather die than associate themselves with it due to the nature of it and what it says about hunting. I have to agree with Dave, the rulers were out when this one was invented. | |||
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You have to remember that this exercise was started when gas was $.39 a gallon, and they were puting 7 litre engines in 6000 pound station wagons. Perhaps times and sensibilities have changed, but I try not to be judgemental. -------------------- EGO sum bastard ut does frendo | |||
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Congratulations to Ed. I met Ed in the departure gate in Jo'burg in 2005 when returning from my first safari. He initiated the conversation by asked me if I was returning from a hunting safari and then politely listened as I told him my stories. After I asked him a few questions I realized what an accomplished hunter he was. He was returning from Zambia and his 17th African safari after getting his 3rd lion and I think 7th buffalo. He still had a few other hunts scheduled for that year. He was a very down to earth guy who loves to hunt, talk about hunting and listen to hunting stories. I run across his hunt reports from time to time and he seems to be a hard hunter who loves his mountain hunts. "...Africa. I love it, and there is no reason for me to explore why. She affects some people that way, and those who feel as I do need no explanation." from The Last Safari | |||
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I have helped six Weatherby Award winners and one runnerup write their memoirs, and with only one exception, all were friendly, unassuming guys anyone would be proud to know. They all loved hunting and their families. They also spent a lot of money and effort on their favorite conservation projects. Bill Quimby | |||
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