I never knew it was such a personal decision until I started hunting whitetails. I was naive.....and figured anyone who shot a deer of (_______) size would "naturally" have it mounted.

Not so.....and I understand both sides of the fence.

Now.....my question.......

Would you shoot an animal.....ANY animal.....STRICTLY for the "trophy" aspect of said animal? There's no wrong answer, here.....and let's safely assume you have a legal tag for that animal.....season is in......etc...

I'll start. I have to say "yes". It's, I assume, "part" of the allure of the deer woods, for me. I've sent two items to the taxidermist, this year.....and I'll never forget either encounter. I'll never forget the others, either.....and I may have 1 more item to take my guy (taxi).

Another board member mentioned he memorializes his harvested animals via photos. That's great. Lisa and I are going to have a matted, framed group of photos to commemorate my '06 season. I want it to be nice.

What are you guys thoughts on this.....and what different things do you guys do???

In a way I hunt strictly for trophy, when it comes to bucks. But I harvest 1 or 2 doe per year as well, so the freezer is full. Since we're allowed only 1 buck here in Kansas, I usually hold out until a trophy presents an opportunity.

I do my own taxidermy, so the $$$ investment is minimal. But I still don't mount everything. But I do take pictures of everything!...

Absolutely. Every year I buy wolf tags for where I hunt in Canada. The only reason I want to shoot a wolf is for his hide. I will full body mount, make a rug, or just tan and hang every wolf I shoot in my house. The one in my avatar is now a rug, just completed by my taxi.

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. I've got two whitetails mounted. The first one I ever shot (a basket rack 8 point), and a nice ten point that I shot last year. I've killed many other good bucks that were just a little smaller than that 10 I killed last year, but I haven't gotten any of them mounted. Since about 2 seasons ago I just kind ofgot it in my mind thatI wasn'tgoing to shoot a buck unless it's one that I'd get mounted. I know some wouldn't agree with that mentality, but that's just the way I feel and I wouldn't condemn anybody for having a different view about it. If I want meat for the freezer, I'll shoot a doe, which I did earlier this year. I've yet to kill a buck but I've counted coupe on 20 different smaller, young bucks. I know that I could have taken the majority of them in my own mind, but I'm holding out for an old, mature, heavy racked buck. I have a lease with a few other family members and weall try to be selective with what we shoot. A couple of the others on the lease have killed very few deer so if they choose to shoot a buck that's smaller and one that they woudn't get mounted it's totally fine with me. I've found that most of my friends and family that have been hunting for awhile and have taken many deer seem to get more selective with the size of bucks they kill.

John:

I totally understand where you're coming from. I feel the same way. I've got friends in the Eastern side of the state that tell me to come down and shoot whatever I want to. I've got a family of 14 that I'v donated 2 deer to.....and I went down and shot a deer for them earlier in the year. Would I shoot that deer at home? Nope. I've sent one to the taxidermist.....and I might not be a good teammate in the HNI contest next year. I'm gonna be a doe slaying machine, though.

I'm hunting4 deer for next year. A nice 8 Rob/PA and I saw....a BIG bodied 8 that's the bull of my woods.... a nice, wide 8 that I didn't see this year (other than on trail cam)....and a 10 that I JUST heard of that someone saw in MY woods!

It should be fun.

Jeff

I haven't had a full mount done yet but I've made my own european mounts and will definately have a full trophy mount done when I feel it is worth the money.
I would do it for the visual reference for memories rather than for bragging rights. (although I'd do a bit of that too I'm sure.)

Along with pictures, I also keep all of my old licenses and unfilled tags. Some day when I'm old and grayI'll make a scrapbook.

"Unfilled tags"??? What's that?

Just kidding....I ate 6 last year.

Jeff

I guess I would say yes, because if my sole purpose was to get meat. I could shoot any deer that walks by my stand, but I have been holding out for a mature deer. I of course am in it for the meat too, it's just that I get plenty of it during gun season so I can afford to hold out on a big buck. Plus, who doesnt like the look of a nice mount hanging on their wall? I plan to have my downstairs full when I am an old man and have my own house.

As far as duck hunting goes, I would shoot a Wood Duck strictly for the mount that it would make, I could shoot mallards if I was going for meat quantity.

In this point of my hunting career im after mount'ers, Im not saying P&Y bucks but mount'ers being im many forms, tall and heavy, wide and heavy, real wide and not heavy, drop tine, or just a plain funky looking rack that maby im the only one that will like, but hey im in it for me.I havethree mountedand hangingin my game room and find myself sitting there and just staring at them. Im still entertaining learning Taxi work so i can mount them myself (deer only) As far as meat, me and the kids love it, so shooting Doe's (management) take's care of that, Me and my son killed does with our bow's this seasonand he killed a beautiful 8 point with shotgun this season that is getting mounted right now. On the wall baby, on the wall!!And we do like to take good pics, that i learned to do here on HNI.
Dan

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.