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RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
I like eating wild game and will try just about anything. Saying that, I love venison and hunt for meat.I am not a rack hunter by any means but taking a nice buck does make me feel good and givesme some bragging rights.
There was one animal that I knew I was hunting strictly for a mount. That was my PA black bear. I wanted one bad and knew it was going to be full body mount. I even had the spot picked out for it if I ever succeeded in getting one. It happened in 2003. I didn't get to eat any of it. I drug the thing out of the woods ungutted. ( weighed 200 lbs.)I didn't want to mess it up for the taxidermist. I waited until the next day to help the taxidermist skin it. The meat spoiled because it wasn't chilled quick enough. That was my fault because I was more concerned about getting it mounted. Deep down I didn't feel right about that. I did talk to several people about bear meat and got mixed opinions. About half said it wasn't that good ( too greasy) and that I didn't miss anything by letting it spoil. Right or wrong, yes, I did hunt something strictly for the trophy.  |
RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
ORIGINAL: MOTOWNHONKEY This is the first year in the last six that I havn't sent one to the taxi. I've been busting myself in the sac for selling out this year. But I have learned it is killing a buck that I will mount that makes me happy. I'll never shoot another buck that I wont send to the taxi. I have to decide what size that will be. At the beginning of this season my mark was what I field judged at better than 150. I never even grabbed my bow on several 130 to 145 class bucks trying to reach that goal. Next season I think I will back that off to 140 because the 150 and up bucks are so few and far between. Yes, I learned I am a rack hunter. Thats what makes me happy. |
RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
I also take photos of every deer I get. Does and buttons included. So for I've taken over a hundred and have a pic of each one, starting with my 1st taken back in 1977 when I was 13.
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RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
Well, I never shoot something because it will or won't make a book. I never shoot something I'm not going to eat. That includes rabbits, foxes anything, except coyotes. I shoot them because I figure they're competing for my deer and kill the young. I may be all wet there, but that's the way I see it. GMATT, you had a good first year. Now multiply that by 30 or 40 and well, you'd run out of room for mounts and picture groupings.[8D] I mounted a couple early in my career but haven't mounted one in over 25 years. I do saw off a set of horns once in a while and hang them on a nail or plaque, but usually not. I gave away the nice 8 point I stuck in NY this year. THe guy couldn't believe I didn't want the horns after he cut it up. I said, nah... if you can do something with them fine...but I don't want them. But hey, that's me. Maybe it's a numbers thing. I've shot my best deerin the past 25 years but never thought of mounting one. Money's not the question, it's just not my thing. I got horns hanging in the garage, in buckets, hanging from the rafters in the basement, on club house walls in Georgia, all over. Even have some squirrels eating some.
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RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
ORIGINAL: John Deer When I was a young hunter, I'd shoot anything that came by. As I've gotten older and killed many deer, I've gotten selective. |
RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
We have both implemented the policy that if we aren't willing to pay the taxidermist' fee than the animal walks. Of course this does not apply to does. I feel that if everybody had this type of belief; there would be some monsters walking around.I will not put another person down for taking a small racked animal though. To each his own.
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RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
ORIGINAL: davidmil Well, I never shoot something because it will or won't make a book. I never shoot something I'm not going to eat. That includes rabbits, foxes anything, except coyotes. I shoot them because I figure they're competing for my deer and kill the young. I may be all wet there, but that's the way I see it. GMATT, you had a good first year. Now multiply that by 30 or 40 and well, you'd run out of room for mounts and picture groupings.[8D] I mounted a couple early in my career but haven't mounted one in over 25 years. I do saw off a set of horns once in a while and hang them on a nail or plaque, but usually not. I gave away the nice 8 point I stuck in NY this year. THe guy couldn't believe I didn't want the horns after he cut it up. I said, nah... if you can do something with them fine...but I don't want them. But hey, that's me. Maybe it's a numbers thing. I've shot my best deerin the past 25 years but never thought of mounting one. Money's not the question, it's just not my thing. I got horns hanging in the garage, in buckets, hanging from the rafters in the basement, on club house walls in Georgia, all over. Even have some squirrels eating some.
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RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
i started hunting when i was 10. back then a 5 pointer was a boone and crockett deer. i held out for a buck for my first deer, and on my second year after several misses i got my first deer with my muzzleloader. it was a five pointer and i couldnt be happier.
 after my 2nd buck which was identical to that one, i realized i wanted to hold out for a big one. two years ago i connected with a nice 8 point in my book, scored around 110-115 roughly. Didnt get one last year while passing on 10-15 different small bucks. havent connected this year yet either except a doe for the freezer in october. have about 3 weeks left for bow hunting tho. I mounted the 8 pointer and will never shoot another buck unless close to this size or bigger. i just turned 16 2 weeks ago, and i think the older i get the higher i will raise the minimum bar. either way i know i will be hunting until my body wont let me.  i wont neccessarily mount every buck from here on out, but i will display the horns in one way or another and always take multiple pictures to rememebr it by. im starting to video my hunts now so hopefully i can have a video to remember it by as well. |
RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
We have both implemented the policy that if we aren't willing to pay the taxidermist' fee than the animal walks. |
RE: Taxidermy question(s)....
Because of the liberal doe tags, we see no need to shoot little bucks. We have 6 doe tags between the two of us this year so why would I want to take a little buck that I could have let tgo and grow?Like I stated though, I won't put another guy down for shooting a little buck. Whatever trips your trigger. I myself don't live for what the antis' think or really give a crap. I have always done what makes me feel good and when they start paying my bills then I will care what they think. Just like I have been toldby people that I can't show any blood on an animal or they won't post my pic in their mag or that I shouldn't show blood on my website of a dead deer. Hey, a little blood on an animal is part of the hunt and I am proud to be a hunter and am not going to tone down anything to make antis' happy.
Edit: answer to your 1st question, no shoot it if you want. Displaying a rack is a form of mounting anyway. I just have tons of little racks from years of deering and have now hit the stage in my life where I want only big racked deer. |
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