For me, my "route" has continuely changed and will keep doing so until I can no longer hunt. The things that made me happy for the last several seasons will gradually shift to a different area in the up coming years. As I near retirement, I plan on owning my own land in an area not known for huge bucks but where the people are great. I plan on getting my enjoyment from seeing what I can do with my own place, living it year round.

You've made a very good point and it should go without saying that obviously the ability to harvest 150+ class deer depends on geographic location. While here in Iowa I can pass on P&Y deer multiple times a season while holding out for a giant, that very deer I'm passing may be a giant in your locale and you may only get a crack at one like that once in a blue moon.A trophy is based on where you live, how much time you have to invest in hunting, and the average age of the deer population on the land you have permission to hunt. Although this stuff seems like common sense, they are good points to include in this thread.

It's suppose to be fun. If it isn't, do it differently.

X2

X2... sort of like successfully killing a zebra in Alaska, especially if that's what you went there for.

Great original post gr8atta2d, and some great comments made to it. It is all about what makes you happy. I wish you the best of luck in the future!

I think this sums it up perfectly.

GR8,
Great post. really makes you think while reading it.

I have 5 deer on my wall. My best "trophy" is not there (i'll get back to this one). When i go into my den and see the deer on the wall what comes to mind is memories of the hunt that put them there.
When people ask about them i find myself getting into the story of who was with me, the odd thing the deer did, how i got so lucky etc. I give thanks for every deer that created those memories. I have no idea what they would score
Now, my best trophy.
I would trade all of the deer on my wall for a doe that i didn't even shoot myself. My first hunt ever was with my 12 year old daughter on a youth hunt. We went out all day and she took a doe at 125 yards at last light. It ranks up there with the best days of my life.
I should have mounted that doe. It's the story i think of and tell the most about hunting.

I just had this conversation with myself last week. I set out Saturday with one tag left in my pocket and a plan to use it only on a nice rack. Well Iwas in my tree and ready at 6:40.At 9:15 I see a deer come through a field about 130 yards in front of me. I see that it's a young buck. Well he starts to leave the point that I'm on so I grab my can call turn it over a few times. He hears it and comes inon a string. At 28 yards I stopped him and heart shot him. Afterward I set there and thought that wasn't the buck that I had set out to kill but I was extremely happy. I came to the conclussion setting there that I'm not cut out to trophy hunt. I have gotten to where I can let little bucks and does walk but I've always been just a bowhunter not a tropphy bowhunter and Lord willing I'll stay that way.

I agree i was raised to hunt for the meat and every now and then u get a nice buck that walks past ya.

GR8,

Great post!!!
I came to realization a few years ago that I was a trophy hunter, i aspired to not just shoot that monster buck, but earn it. I watch many of smaller deer walk by everyday i hunt. In my youth i would have shoot those deer, now just years later i have learned to let them walk and grow. the other day i watched a 120' 8 point walk by. An hour later a 170 to 180 10 point came in on doe, I didnt get a shot with my bow, but i learned that deer was there. It gave me the motivation I needed to continue my quest for the season. I have passed up my fair of bucks and eat my fair share of tags, but the feeling you get when you see a shooter walk in is priceless, when my stomach flips i know its on.

I have shot my fair share of small bucks, and as my friend said once you 've shot a spike whats the point of taking another. Some might not agree but how will we ever have big bucks if everyone keeps shooting them when there young. Its a mentality issue!! If you want meat, shoot a doe!! just about every state would love to see doe kills go up. That small buck has potential.

I was dropping off a buck that my dad shot this weekend at the butcher and all the guys stood around it asking how it got so big, i told them as they were standing there with there fork horns, we let them grow!!! Now we see good deer almost every sit, the other morning i saw 9 bucks.

Sure the meat hunters argument is i shoot it for meat, but that meat hunter will show off a nice buck just as much as a trophy hunter will.

Im with GR8