I just opened a dictionary to look up their definition of "trophy". I happened to open it in the O's and on the top right of the page I see "outstanding". That about defines it for me.

To me a "trophy buck" has to be "OUTSTANDING": (conspicuous; eminent, esp. because of excellence.)

So to me "any deer" is not a trophy. Your first deer is not a trophy. A bigger deer than you shot last year is not nessasarily a trophy.

Not to say that "any deer, your first deer or a buck bigger than any you've shot" is not a great accomplishment and somthing to be very proud of. They are all that.

I shot a couple of does this fall. They are great eating and I was elated to harvest them. But they are not trophies they are venison.

If you hunt in an area where bucks don't get real big and a +1 year old fork horn is the average buck, then a 3 year old 4X4 with a B&C score of 130 would be "OUTSTANDING" for that area and a trophy.

I live in Alberta where there are BIG BUCKS dieing of old age each year. I have shot a few big bucks and so for me in this area 150 or better is a trophy.

Robin