Trophy hunting... a.k.a. Horn Hunting, has ruined the hunting tradition. It's taken the joy of hunting out of the game. Now it's macho or you're a lesser predator. It's not the experience anymore.... it's the glory. A sad thing indeed. When there are only horn hunters willing to pay thousands to secure their place in glory land with macho buck left, hunting will end. When the people willing to pay thousands to shoot macho buck have control of most of the hunting ground, hunting will end. People will lease it to them for the last dollar. It's no longer an outdoor experience. It's business. Look at it. THe only reason we're having this discussion is for bragging rights. It's not for the health and welfare of hunting.

Motownhonkey,
I am in the same boat as you. I think that you are feeling the effects of burn out. I cannot let this contest cause me to compromise my goals. I have come up empty before and will come up empty again. No big deal, the buck won this time. I liken it to a chess match, a long match that will take years. At the end of the match you'll have wins and losses. The losses are where you'll get your learning from. To me they're not really losses because of all the great things I've learned and experienced. I understand that you have 2 buck tags? If so, take some time off and relax. Maybe re-evaluate your strategy. Late season can be a great time to hunt for a big one as well. Yesterday I saw 2 big ones bumping does and fawns. One of them was a real horse I'd never seen before, 155"+, 9 pt. with a sticker. My point is, that by passing on a lot of great bucks, I got to see more than I ever have before. This is actually my best season yet. To have 7 shot opportunities at mature bucks (including a miss!)and to have 25 sightings of mature bucks (10 different ones), actually makes me happier than if I'd of shot another clone of what I've already got. I'm sure that your outlook will change once you've had time to recharge your batteries.
Good Luck
Greg

They way you worded this implies thatin your minddeerhave been reduced tonothing more than "points"... "for a contest". Maybe that's not really how you feel and you just worded this extremely poorly, but if it is then I think something truly has "gone wrong" with your thinking. And no I can't relate...

What, you don't like the meat? I'm sure you do. Don't look at it as putting up points for a contest. Look at it as putting food on your table. Also, why not take a doe? You have to harvest doe for the good of the herd. Let me ask you this, did you shoot a buck, just to "say" you shot a buck? You maybe could have let the small buck go and take the doe. But in the end its up to you what you shoot at.

I started hunting deer in 2005 in mid October. I took one shot at a doe in the late season of '05.

So far, this year.....I've taken 4 deer with my bow. I'll likely take another. I don't know now whether or not I'll enter the HNI buck contest next year. I'll be a different hunter, next year. Like HCH....I don't think I'll ever shoot another buck I'm not going to mount. I shot one Saturday......extenuating circumstances......but I don't regret it one bit (and I won't have that one mounted). I think he was the last one that I'll ever shoot that doesn't go on the wall. That's my plan, anyway. I may not be a good teammate, next year.

I've got PLENTY of doe opportunities. I'll take them....because they need taking, here. I'll also take a buck that is RIGHT FOR ME. I second-guess EVERY kill. I wonder did I do right by GodAND that animal with its taking. It's a tough question I have to answer......but I respect these animals SO much. As long as I'm putting the meat to good use (I am)....and I show them the respect they deserve.....I sleep pretty good.

Hunting is VERY personal. The choice in the taking of a particular animal.....although it's sometimes made in a split-second.....is a tough one. I just hope I never regret my choices. I hope you don't regret yours. Only you know that answer, though. Good luck with your dilemma.

Jeff

You know there is some logic in his statement

I know this I have enjoyed seasons I have hunted until the end then my last two. Both I was done on the 29th Oct and I have not hunted Nov in two years. Man do I miss being in the woods

Being fairly new to bowhunting still I feel like every one of the 3 deer I have killed in the past 13 months, and the hogs, are trophys. 2 does and a spike. I take more pride in these animals than any I ever took with a gun. So, I am a trophy hunter. If I kill a forkhorn tonight it will be a great trophy.

Ya think? Shooting a buck that you're not satisfied with for an internet message board contest with people you don't and never will know? Wow dude time to check yourself IMO.

I'm at the trophy or nothing stage with my bow. I ate tag soup this year. I wasn't about to shoot something I didnt' set out wanting to shoot at the begining for anyone else. That's just weird. Even though I didn't take what I was after, I did get to full draw on him. I did enjoy every minute I was out there. My favorite part of hunting is having bucks (or does) that you pass on walk 5 yards by. Nothing cooler than that. My heart pounds the same as if it was a 150" buck. I feel sorry for you that you lost that feeling and your hunting season resorted to an internet team concern. Hunt for yourself dude. Enjoy the finer things of hunting. Enjoy just having the opportunity to be in the outdoors. Or sit home and get a hunting playstation game or something.

Trophy hunting ended for me when I started taking my son out with me. Taking a 9yr old out led to different hunts less time sitting and more time,bonding with my son. Now he 16 and he's taking deer on his own and I take my daughter out she's 8 and occasionally hunt by myself. I have enjoyed this season as much as any other I've hunted, and I haven't killed a deer yet. Did learn the correct way to eat a Kit kat bar one day sitting in a two person stand with my daughter however.

Hey hunt for whatever reason you want, but remember if we don't pass it down to our kids it's all over. I have friends that have kids ten and eleven that have never taken them out yet, they might not bag mongo if their kid moves.

BTW, I hate hunting contests.