The trophy status is determined by the person taking that animal.....and no one else. Someone may see someone elses kill and think "Gee, that would be a trophy to me," but it's not theirs and they can't decide that for the person.

It is not determined by distance or any other measurable variable. It is determined by the person's perception of their accomplilshment.


There are guys on here that lay down buisers with consistency, and we have rookies who will soon go into the woods with a bow for the first time. These people will likely be going after different types of deer while they are hunting, but if they kill what they are after, they will both have taken trophies.

uh.... okay?


Wash, to answer your question... No, I don't think that every animal I kill with my bow or anything else is a trophy. I've killed stray cats... they aren't trophies whether I shoot them with a bow, rifle or a sling shot. For me... a buck or bull that is large enough for me to mount would be a trophy. Trophy does... I'm not sure about that.

But my answer is No.

WH, ol Jeff is wearing off on you. Difference between bow, ML and rifle is stealth, much stealth is needed to accomplish a bow kill. Rifle or ML you can sit on the back porch and kill.

For those of you who are of this mindset, why do you believe this statement to be true?
I'd love to see some of you pros hunt where I do.,.I know a few on here{ pros} that have hunted the area and refuseto go back..their answer..theres no deer..However ..60 were harvested last year..My area takes serious skill , work and the blessing of God..We can take does during archery but only bucks during general gun..In the Green Swamp WMA any deer is a trophy..you will be lucky to see 10 from your stand in 3 months..

At the same time, is any rifle kill a trophy?
For me...yes not literaaly a wall mounter but diffently one where I call all my friends and post on HNI even if it's a spike..NOW when I hunt in Missouri..NO..we are looking for decent racks..In central Florida WMA..any buck would be great.

Any muzzleloader kill? diffently

Any shotgun kill? yep

Why is bowhunting that much different as far as what constitutes a trophy? there is much more that can go wrong..
a. twigs
b. little bend in the rest
c.little bend in a fletching
d.shakes
e.must be closer so the risk of getting busted
f. I must stand up ...with a firearm I can sit.
g. with my bow the arrow could come off the rest
so the odds of scoring lessens..IMHO


I'm not looking for a debate on why bowhunting is better than any other form of hunting. I'm just curious as to what some of you think about this statement. We hear it often enough, but I've never heard anyone explain why.

As far as trophies..I fish in the bass capitol of the world..so what I consider quality fish is much bigger than my Northern friends..diffently must be 10 pounds or bigger to mount.Our deer are much smaller...a 100 incher is certainly a mounter here..

WH,
I like the idea you are trying to get at, I think some are missing your point.

Personally every deer I kill with my bow is not a trophy, some aresimply food.

I've killed 4 does in gun season with my revolver. 15,17,22,35 yds were the shot distances. These were difficult kills and I am extremely proud of them. Much more so than the last 4 does I've shot in archery season...MUCH.

Ryan, that is a great point ... it's all about what it means to the individual ...... unfortunately, what others say can affect what is a trophy to said individual ....here is the bottom line ....... be proud o whatever you shoot and to hell with the opinions of others that try and lessen it


On average, only 17% of bowhunters take a deer and 26% of gun hunterstake deer ... this includes doe, BB, Rob Bucks, et al.

When you take a deer, you are part of a small percentage

Trophy???? What's that? I do not personnally feel every bow kill is a trophy. They're cool and it's what we wanted to do, but sometimes it's just some steaks and backstraps. A trophy is to whoever declares it so. I don't honestly think any of them are trophys. They're deer. They're steaks and maybe a nice set of horns or something, but I don't look at ANY deer as a trophy. I think of a trophy as something I won in track in high school. To me a deer is a deer that I hunt for food and the enjoyment it brings when I succeed... or fail.[:@][8D]

"On average, only 17% of bowhunters take a deer" Preacher TOny


YIKES!!! now the pressure is really on..I guess I need a Caleb and Joshuaattitude brother Tony...The odds are against me but my God is able.

I believe any deer is a trophy, with any hunting means available, within the laws.
Hunting in NH is much different than my hunting trip to Texas last year or Ala. in 1994, we just don't have those deer numbers up here.
It's more of a question to me about what's more challenging?
Obviously Bow hunting, hunting with a pistol or hunting with a flint lock muzzle loader means you need to have deer closer for an ethical kill within your own abilities.
I use the flint lock as an example against an in-line muzzle loader.
As I can shoot 150 yards with my in-line, plus moisture is not as much of a concern, but probably wouldn't chance a shot over 60-70 yards with the flint lock.
This increases the odds of the deer and the ability of the hunter, along with the famed wind. Luck plays a factor sometimes too!
I am happy with what ever I decide to pull the trigger on, period.

I personally think every deer I kill, whether it be by gun or bow, is a trophy.