"I only hunt for the meat"?
12-01-2004, 01:17 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 262
"I only hunt for the meat"?
How about another debate thread. I will start off by saying that I am not making any judgement on anyones personal preferences. This thread is meant for an intelligent discussion and is not for flaming. And last but not least, the purpose of my post is not to drive a stake that will ultimately end up banning hunting forever as some people ridiculously suggest.
I am curious about something? For all you guys that make comments like "you can't eat the antlers" or "I only hunt for the meat" what does that really mean? I don't buy it. Now by saying that I don't buy it does not mean that I think anyone is making it up, I just don't believe that is the sole bottom line reason for stepping into the woods with your bow. And that comment is always thrown out whenever anyone is discussing hunting mature deer or "trophy" hunting if you will.
Where I live they have grocery stores and restaurants where it is much easier and cheaper to obtain meat, if that is the primary concern. About the only person I can think of that may truly hunt for the meat is someone who is very poor and can not afford to buy food for his family. I know that is not the case here because those people would not be using the internet. Also, I know of a few of those types of people living on the backroads in the hills of Southern Ohio and let me tell you they do not use a bow and arrow! These people that truly need the meat for their family are not going to waste time with a bow, they use the most efficient method and if that is a high powered rifle at night then that is what they do.
I think of several valid reasons to hunt deer and I am sure there are others:
- Hunt for the challenge - for the excitement gained when successfully outwitting a wary whitetail, for the feeling of accomplishment.
- Hunt for the comrade - this is more likely during gun hunting and this is the bowhunting section. Less likely when bowhunting but does come into play when going on hunting trips or sharing your stories after a succesful hunt.
- Hunt to fulfill a primal instinct - there was a time when it WAS necessary for our ancestors to hunt to provide for their families. This is not the case today but I do think we may still have some of that primal instinct and maybe this is where the "hunt for meat" comment comes from?
- Hunt for the enjoyment of the outdoors - many people choose bow hunting because you get to experience the outdoors without a lot of intrusion.
I think we all have different reasons for deer hunting and it would be impossible to capture them all. I could look back at the other posts for examples, but I know the statement "I only hunt for the meat" normally comes up during a discussion about trophy hunting. Do the guys making those claims actually think that people who wait for a big buck do NOT eat the meat?
What does the statement "not a trophy hunter and proud of it" mean? A few people said that the memories are the important part and not the antlers. Of course the memories are the important part, just because someone is selective and does not shoot the first thing to walk by (for meat) does not mean they have any less value on the memories of the hunt. One could almost argue that they may have fonder memories. I have little bucks and does around me almost EVERY SINGLE DAY that I hunt. Shooting one of those for meat would hardly result in the same fondness and memories as shooting the mature buck that only comes around once or twice the entire year.
I can tell you that I personally hunt for the challenge and for the enjoyment of nature and the outdoors. I enjoy the sense of providing for my family but that is secondary to the challenge of harvesting a mature whitetail. My family will not starve without deer meat and I doubt many of yours would either……….
I am curious about something? For all you guys that make comments like "you can't eat the antlers" or "I only hunt for the meat" what does that really mean? I don't buy it. Now by saying that I don't buy it does not mean that I think anyone is making it up, I just don't believe that is the sole bottom line reason for stepping into the woods with your bow. And that comment is always thrown out whenever anyone is discussing hunting mature deer or "trophy" hunting if you will.
Where I live they have grocery stores and restaurants where it is much easier and cheaper to obtain meat, if that is the primary concern. About the only person I can think of that may truly hunt for the meat is someone who is very poor and can not afford to buy food for his family. I know that is not the case here because those people would not be using the internet. Also, I know of a few of those types of people living on the backroads in the hills of Southern Ohio and let me tell you they do not use a bow and arrow! These people that truly need the meat for their family are not going to waste time with a bow, they use the most efficient method and if that is a high powered rifle at night then that is what they do.
I think of several valid reasons to hunt deer and I am sure there are others:
- Hunt for the challenge - for the excitement gained when successfully outwitting a wary whitetail, for the feeling of accomplishment.
- Hunt for the comrade - this is more likely during gun hunting and this is the bowhunting section. Less likely when bowhunting but does come into play when going on hunting trips or sharing your stories after a succesful hunt.
- Hunt to fulfill a primal instinct - there was a time when it WAS necessary for our ancestors to hunt to provide for their families. This is not the case today but I do think we may still have some of that primal instinct and maybe this is where the "hunt for meat" comment comes from?
- Hunt for the enjoyment of the outdoors - many people choose bow hunting because you get to experience the outdoors without a lot of intrusion.
I think we all have different reasons for deer hunting and it would be impossible to capture them all. I could look back at the other posts for examples, but I know the statement "I only hunt for the meat" normally comes up during a discussion about trophy hunting. Do the guys making those claims actually think that people who wait for a big buck do NOT eat the meat?
What does the statement "not a trophy hunter and proud of it" mean? A few people said that the memories are the important part and not the antlers. Of course the memories are the important part, just because someone is selective and does not shoot the first thing to walk by (for meat) does not mean they have any less value on the memories of the hunt. One could almost argue that they may have fonder memories. I have little bucks and does around me almost EVERY SINGLE DAY that I hunt. Shooting one of those for meat would hardly result in the same fondness and memories as shooting the mature buck that only comes around once or twice the entire year.
I can tell you that I personally hunt for the challenge and for the enjoyment of nature and the outdoors. I enjoy the sense of providing for my family but that is secondary to the challenge of harvesting a mature whitetail. My family will not starve without deer meat and I doubt many of yours would either……….
12-01-2004, 01:55 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,994
RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
My feelings exactly.
I like deer meat, but am the only one in the household who will eat it. So, if I'm gonna eat it, it's gonna be a doe that I let hang a week or so.
I'm probably jinxing myself, but I can't remember the last time I went out and didn't have a shot opportunity at a doe. It's just not that much of a challenge around here. Due to this, I'm in no hurry, and hunt for a mature buck for the challenge it brings, and have no problem whatsoever eating tag soup if that's what the cards play.
I like deer meat, but am the only one in the household who will eat it. So, if I'm gonna eat it, it's gonna be a doe that I let hang a week or so.
I'm probably jinxing myself, but I can't remember the last time I went out and didn't have a shot opportunity at a doe. It's just not that much of a challenge around here. Due to this, I'm in no hurry, and hunt for a mature buck for the challenge it brings, and have no problem whatsoever eating tag soup if that's what the cards play.
12-01-2004, 02:18 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Phoenixville, PA USA
Posts: 5,541
RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
I'm not a true trophy hunter in the sense that I will only shoot a deer of X number of inches, but I am in it for the trophy. For me that means shooting a buck bigger than the last I shot or the biggest I have shot. There may come a time when I can only hope to shoot a comparable buck, but that hasn't come yet. If I need some meat, that's what I buy doe tags for. I'm not going to shoot a small buck and say I wanted the meat off of it. I hunt too hard to try to get a better buck to lessen my future opportunities by shooting smaller bucks. So, in a way I'm a trophy hunter, but my definition of a trophy may not be the same as someone else's.
12-01-2004, 02:18 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Western New York
Posts: 606
RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
valid points , sure I would love to have a huge mount in my living room but one of my main reasons for deer hunting IS FOR THE MEAT yes you can buy meat from a store but it is not VENISON be it gun , bow or whatever I enjoy hunting and the meat is a definite bonus
12-01-2004, 02:27 PM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Warroad MN USA
Posts: 187
RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
I hunt to feed myself and my family. My wife and kids all enjoy what my hunting brings to the table. Of course I could buy meat in the store. Where did it come from? What has been done to it? Cows get injected with all sorts of things like growth hormones. No thanks. I take pride in providing for myself. What if you woke up one day and there was no food store around the corner? Could you feed yourself? I could. Of course I enjoy taking a nice buck. And even though you can't eat antlers you can eat the deer they are attached to. I have take some danyd bucks with both rifle and bow. However, if I don't get a chance a a nice buck I will fill my tag with something to eat.
12-01-2004, 03:23 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Bremen, GA.
Posts: 2,091
RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
I really don`t think there is a right or wrong to this thing. But what ever personal reasons you hunt is your right and should be respected? Be it for the meat, antlers, or just for the hunt in itself. My family and i love venison so i enjoy taking a doe or two each yr for meat and for the enjoyment of hunting in itself. But i also think there is nothing like trying take a nice buck each yr also. (IMO) To me there is nothing like hunting the rut and trying to peace together a puzzle with rubs, scapes, trail, ect,ect and trying to outwit a muture buck. But when ever i see a hunter out somewhere? or a post of a hunter showing off a doe or small buck that he or she took and is very proud of there kill i am very proud for them and try to show all the respect i can no matter what reason they took it.
12-01-2004, 03:24 PM
#9
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hoosier Country, Baby!
Posts: 1,710
RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
funny you say that about poor people though, I consider myself one of those. I live in a one income house with two little mouths to feed as well as two adult mouths to feed. This is the last year we will be paying to process a deer, as it is awfully expensive. In fact, unfortunately, this year our two deer are taking away the money I had set aside for my kid's Christmas presents, so I am not even sure if they will get more than two or three things, and that thought had me in tears tonight.
My boyfriend's dad just gave us all of the equipment we need to process our own deer, so next year, the only cost will be the gas to the woods and the tags (which are expensive enough as it is).
We were not expecting our 2nd deer to be done until February, but they called tonight, draining that last $200 I had set back for Christmas...
Um... duh, I forgot to add the orignal debate topic... LOL
Well, I of course would be thrilled with shooting a monster buck, and would certainly at least have my boyfriend mount the antlers (prob. couldn't afford a full mount), but if it came down to saving hundreds on meat through the year by shooting a doe, I'd do it in a heartbeat, I have does crawling all over around my stand, not quite as many bucks, but a good number of them still... I have just gotten lucky with my first two years of hunting and harvested two bucks in a row.
My boyfriend's dad just gave us all of the equipment we need to process our own deer, so next year, the only cost will be the gas to the woods and the tags (which are expensive enough as it is).
We were not expecting our 2nd deer to be done until February, but they called tonight, draining that last $200 I had set back for Christmas...
Um... duh, I forgot to add the orignal debate topic... LOL
Well, I of course would be thrilled with shooting a monster buck, and would certainly at least have my boyfriend mount the antlers (prob. couldn't afford a full mount), but if it came down to saving hundreds on meat through the year by shooting a doe, I'd do it in a heartbeat, I have does crawling all over around my stand, not quite as many bucks, but a good number of them still... I have just gotten lucky with my first two years of hunting and harvested two bucks in a row.
12-01-2004, 03:36 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Elkview WV
Posts: 2,369
RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
What I mean by "I'm not a trophy hunter and proud of it" is that a lot of "trophy hunters" look down on those of us that consider the animal not just it antlers a trophy. By saying I'm a meat hunter I'm saying that I love bowhunting for all of the reasons that you have stated but although I would love to kill a monster buck I'm out there to put meat in my freezer not horns on my wall. I'm not knocking anybody that horn hunts it's just not the way that I do it.