I've been reading and shaking my head but I can't hold it any longer. The above mentioned ranch, dose it by chance have an "outclosure"
[:'(]
I wasn't replying to your post per-say, I was directing my reply to those who will say that killing a large buck on private land is not a real accomplishment. I was basically saying that those same people, given the oportunity, would jump on the chance to hunt on one of these large game ranches.
Keep digging. I hunt public and private land but not highfences. Not if you paid me. The reason I prefer private land to public is I don't have to worry about someone strolling thru a perfectly planned hunt. This often occures on public land. But in bolth cases
you do the work.
For me hunting it a total experience. From the 1st day after the season ends to the day I let an arrow fly. I love the woods, I love nature and it seems right I should have to pay my dues to get a crack at a quality animal. Paying to kill an animal in an inclosure is an injustice to the animal you kill IMO. Above all other aspects of bow hunting the relationship between hunter and hunted is what I love most. Whitetails are whittey creatures. They are more than capable of giving me the slip and often do and this is what makes hunting so great. I respect my opponents and a violations of fair chase is something I take personal. An animal taken in violation of fair chase is not a trophy in my eye at least.
So Charlie,
To answer your original question, What do I feel is a trophy? A trophy to me is an animal I take by means of fair chase that is bigger than my best. I never got him measured and probably never will but a deer in the 120" range is a trophy to me where I hunt.