For me, it's just being able to get outdoors! Scouting, hunting, camping, processing,the whole nine yards of it! I know that I don't, and won't ever spend the money that many people spend on trophy hunts, but I do accept that this is just a part of today's society!
As I have said many times, I support legal hunting! If someone chooses to spend big money on a guided hunt, or high fence, thats fine by me! I don't consider them to be "canned hunts," unless its a really small piece of property! Some people don't realize that many of these, "ranches" are 30-50 thousand acres! Those are not exactly feed lots! As I said, that type of hunting is just not for me, but it is for some people!
I really like watching wildlife, and Whitetail deer in particular!
Its the animals themselves that impress me!
Most deer we see in magazines, or on TV, are of the expensive type! I still love the animals though!
I've come to the conclusion that for me, a "trophy" is a better than average buck for the area hunted! For some, it may even be a freezer full of meat!
Some of us are blessed with areas with plenty of deer, some are blessed with big deer, that can rival big, "raised" deer!
Some are blessed with the money, and/or opportunity to hunt where they wish!
Maybe, it would be best if we just count allthese blessings, and enjoy legal hunting, instead of getting too side tracked on what the "others" are doing!
Again, to me, a "better than average" buck for my area is a trophy, and just getting out in nature is a real trophy!