Alsatian

I believe in freedom and tolerance and letting people live and do largely as they see fit. Don't take my comments negatively -- I simply want to suggest an alternative way of thinking. I have been a big game hunter since 2002 and I have never been motivated by antlers or antler size. I keep my antlers and in most cases clean them up and mount them up on a plaque of wood that I display in my house, but I honour all my kills not just the ones with more inches or more protuberances. I also have metal plates made that I put on the plaques that say who took the animal -- usually me, but one is a rack my father took -- the date, and the firearm used. If I have it, I attach the spent cartridge that I killed the animal with to the plaque. I leave any tags attached as well. All these are collectively a memento of the hunt.


I love big game hunting. I love making a clean kill, taking care of the meat myself, butchering the animal myself, and then cooking the meat myself. I like doing the acts of a hunt WELL. I love being in the woods where I hunt. It is not remotely essential to me that what I kill have a bigger rack or more points. Of course, it must be legal. I can honestly say that the last of three elk that I have killed was my most satisfying hunt -- and I took a cow elk on this hunt.


So, again, freedom is great. To each his or her own. If you are really keen on trophy hunting, go for it. But do be aware there are rich rewards in hunting that need not be measured in points or in inches.