Questions on trophy sizes?

What makes a trophy in your opinion?
Circumstances?
Size?
Endurance of the hunt to get the animal?
Is a private raised animal actually a trophy?

The reason I'm asking is all you hear in my opinion is hype. Hunt this state not this one. If I drew that tag I wouldn't shoot nothing less than a 340 bull or a 180 buck. Are those sizes even trophy's to professional hunters? Would Chuck Adams shoot a 340 bull. (you bet your sweet ass he would). Outfitters guaranteeing 350 plus bulls. It takes along time to grow one that big. And how many do they kill a year. People saying everyday that they see a 36" muley do they have a clue what that deer really looks like in the wild?

I have several elk and deer that qualify for the books. Ones killed in bow season, muzzleloading, and rifle. But have never put one in the books I have not felt the animal was way beyond a normal trophy for a man's house.

I guess my last question if a 380 bull is so easy to get where can I get one every year that's not on private land or genetically enhanced on suppliments?Same goes for the deer?

I personally think a bull that reaches the 300 mark and a buck that hits 165 mark is a for sure braggin rights animal on public land.

Cherokee Outfitters:

Personally I think it is a mistake to measure one's hunt by rack size/book score. I'm not saying you do, by the way. Also, I'm taking the view that when you talk about "trophy" you are talking about a rack, a set of antlers. Thus, even the talk about the challenge of the hunt being involved in evaluating the trophy, this is clearly based in the idea that the rack is the thing of value of the hunt. Basically the whole rack size/book score game leads to the conclusion that if you don't bag a rack that is bigger than 90% of the other racks or bigger than 95% of the other racks, you didn't succeed. What this means, using simple math, is that 90% or 95% of the hunters fail. Well, that just isn't true. I'm thinking that a lot of those other 90% or 95% of hunters enjoyed deeply satisfying hunting experiences sitting in the woods, perhaps hunting with family members. I'm thinking that a lot of those other 90% or 95% of hunters learned some valuable lessons about their capabilities, strength, weaknesses, what counts most in life. The game of comparing rack size is just too ridiculous.

Ask yourself who benefits from the rack size obsession? Guides and outfitters who can get you into the best territory, ranch owners who have property where the big bulls come down out of the mountains when snow hits the high country. Hunting equipment sellers who can sell range finders, latest camo, better telescopic sights, spotting scopes . . . because who would give up the opportunity to obtain even a slight edge in the competitive game of bagging a trophy? You don't have to have all that stuff if you are just taking a healthy big game animal, as evidenced by the fact that healthy big game animals were successfully taken many years before this expensive equipment was commonly available to hunters. Lord knows how Jack O'Connor and Elgin Gates ever bagged big game before there was 3-D camoflage, scent-lok clothing, and laser range finders. I think it is at least plausible that the current obsession with rack sizes and trophies is largely cooked up by folks interested in selling products to hunters. The hunting/outdoor sports magazines are complicit in this marketing effort because they depend upon the advertizing of the companies selling gear. How many articles in these magazines seem to be directed to praising the performance of such and such spotting scope, such and such a cartridge, such and such an outfitter? This rack size obsession turns hunters away from the essential, spiritual element of hunting to being consumers to be stimulated to buy new and more products.

At least that is my opinion. Other opinions may vary.

I throphy is different for every hunter. I live in Florida & catch fish that would blow peoples minds that don't live in an area like this, but on the down side our Deer can not conpare to out West. A Deer in the 120 + would be a throphy to me & I can not even amagine a 180 class!
I have a Deer & Elk hunt next month in Alberta & my zone is a 6 on one side for Elk. When the guide tells me he is legal, he will be a throphy in my book, that's why I wanted that zone.

The term "trophy" is kinda like "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder".If it's good for you then thats a trophy,yeah we have B&C books and P&Y charts to see how we stand as a trophy hunter,but thats all bunk to me.I hunt for the hunt and the harvesting of a good leagle game animal.In my quest I have been lucky enough to take some great animals.I have a 189 -3/8's mulie buckI killed 7 years ago,I have a 16 in antelope that scores in the high 80's.I wasn't out to kill those trophys but hey,I had a tag and they were there.

You see this all the time "I saw a 380 class bull here and a 370 there" so on and so on.90 % of these guys have never seen a 330 let alone a TRUE 380+ bull(I have seen only one in my life and I about crapped my pant's)I have seen several 340's-350's but not when I was pursuing elk or had a leagale tag in my pocket.I have a archery tag for the breaks this year and my wifes brother is going with me,he keeps telling me he is not going to shoot nothing under 350 B&C.Well he is going to be very disapointed,not cause they are not there but the chance of getting one is 1/1000 hunters.Me I'm looking for a good 300 class bull(hell 200 works)to put on the wall.I have hunted this area and I know that there are bigger ones there,but I have a tag and if they are there.Well let's hope I get a trophy to me.
BBJ

I think you can look at the states management plan for certain areas to qualify a "trophy". I think the story behind it or the endurance to get it is more the experience than anything and shouldn't go towards trophy status. Still, I can't argue above that it is in the eyes of the beholder and I fully respect that. Anything privately raised is a pet IMO and should never be thought of a trophy - at least from a hunting standpoint. From a ranching one, different story, almost like a prized beef bull.

I'm lucky enough to have a "trophy" tag in central utah this year. It's top 3 in the state. I'm hoping to kill at 320-340 class bull although I've seen bigger in my scouting already. I'm realistic and realize that I'll be very happy with a bull in that class and won't ruin my hunt searching for the lone 380 bull running around the mountain.

Here's what makes a trophy, pure and simple:
My son taking his first deer at age 10, a doe.
My son taking his second deer at age 11, a ugly spike buck you would have thought had forty points.
My daughter catching shellcrackers on the local river just this year, her first time.
My granddaughter going turkey hunting with me for the first time this year and only seeing a hen, should have seen her eyes light up.
The first deer (doe) I took with a bow, or the first dove I shot.
I could go and on, I think we have forgot what a true trophy is and what made it a trophy.
dog1

An honest trophy? As far as I am concerned, it is in the eye of the beholder!

To a trophy hunter, a 160 muley or a 300+ elk.

To me any elk and any deer. And especially when a young person takes thier first animal, regardless of size! Now that is a trophy!

It's not about proving your manhood! It's about time spent with friends, family, and all by yourself! Not the kill, to much emphasis is put on that.

I have shot many nice animals and have several on the wall, but let me tell you what my greatest trophy is. My dad and I went hunting back in the 80's when I was a kid, he shot a nice rooster that took wing just behind our house, he was thrilled as at the time in that area pheasants were pretty rare. I kept the tail feathers in a Pepsi bottle for years, then, about ten years after that, I killed my first bird in the exact same area, I kept those feathers too. Sitting on my desk in my office against the wall is a vase, which contains the featherslast pheasant my dad ever shot, and the first one I ever did. My dad passed on years ago, but the memories never did. Of all my trophies, this vase with tail feathers is my favorite one. When my son shoots his first bird, in will go the feathers, and three generations of hunters will be summed up in one little vase, in my book, that is a real trophy.

I agree with most. If its all size, then I feel sorry for that hunter. He has missed it all.

Don't get me wrong guys do understand the value of a animal(trophy) that has no antlers. Or like muley69 special bond with the association of his dad and himself. That is very special.

My main point was for the ones who constantly brag about having to hunt a monster of an animal to full fill the dream. That is the first question a client asks after he asks how much the hunt costs. Trophy is in the eye of the beholder. But for the ones who will kill nothing less than a 340bull or 180buck do they expect this everyyear. They sure put on like they do it year after year.