"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……….

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.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Wow great post and thread guys.

I share the same thoughts and feelings.

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

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.

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.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

I hunt because I was born a predator.And I love to eat meat And The deer meat is healthier

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.

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.

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.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

I guess I hunt for meat, but it's not quite all of it and it's not quite that simple.

I love being outdoors and spending time out in the woods. It's peaceful. I can clear my head of the things that worry me. I love the thrill of the hunt. Call it instinct, but my soul feeds on it. I love being able to say that I can put food on my family's table without some of the modern conveniences of today's society. I love the comraderie of the people I hunt with: my family, friends, and neighbors. I also love the memories I keep from my hunting trips. Each one has special meaning. I am also now currently getting to enjoy watching my daughter get to experience hunting for the first time. And knowing that she will be able to provide for herself and her family later on in life.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

There are some great points made and great posts here.

However, based on my own personal experiences with most of the folks I know in MY area, "meat hunters" are just generally folks that can't hunt very well? Seriously, it seems to be a very good excuse for many folks to just drop the hammer on the first thing brown they see and then head home to brag about the deer they shot. We have also noticed that it is generally one with this "if it's brown, it's down" mentality that are just plain dangerous during the gun seasons around here! These are the folks that are generally involved in the rare hunting accidents that we hear about as well? They feel that they just have to get "their" deer. Like there are deer running around out there with their names on 'em and they just have to get their tag on one no matter what?

I have found that the vast majority of folks that call themselves "trophy hunters" are involved in the hunt, the experience, and overall love of whitetials that runs far deeper than most "meat hunters" could ever understand. I'm not saying that ALL meat hunters are like this but there are MANY! I do happen to know some great guys that will head to the woods every fall with the sole purpose of taking home some backstraps and that's exactly what they truly want to do, (just like some of the good guys in the posts above) BUT they are a rare breed. This is actually something I have heard talked about by many "trophy hunters" in this region. Overall, I just think the trophy hunter is a much more serious and intense sportsman! You see the same thing in fishing all the time. You've got the wanker on the bank with a stringer of bass and then you have the serious "sportsman" floating on the water in his bass rig releasing his fish! :D

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

What would make a person sit down and write a 1000 word essay on why he hunts. Who gives a crap! I hunt because I love it and I don,t care why you do. There sweet and simple.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

I've had this same arguement with others before. I often come the same conclusion as you do. They say they hunt for the meat in order to justify it to themselves or others. I agree usually it's a bunch of a crap when there is an aldi's right down the road, or a local butcher somewhere that you can buy meat in bulk. I normally end up spending more to hunt than it would cost to get that much meat locally. And when you figure time into it there is no comparison. I have seen guys end marriages over hunting, that just makes no sense to me.

When you boil it down, basically most hunt because it is a legal way to kill things. It sounds crude and brash, but it is the truth usually. There are few animals that hunt for the sheer sport of it, humans, cats and a few others. Most animals only kill when they have to though, for food or protection. I think cats are worse than humans, have you ever watched one, they are pretty mean and sadistic actually. The problem is with most house cats they are born hunters, they have all the instincts but don't really know what to do with them. We are sort of the same way, a lot of it is instinct and it feels natural for us. It is hard to deny that in some cases.

Not that hunting doesn't have its place in the modern world. I hunt because it still needs to be done. And because I enjoy it and it is legal. I don't feel a need to justify it farther than to people. If they don't want to do it, they don't have to. However I feel we need to hunt for population control. Our species is growing at an alarming rate and we consume much more land and resources than we actually need. This leaves no room for other species. Deer and other animals are not as intelligent as we are, they don't know they don't have enough room or habbitat not to reproduce. That is there only function in life, reproduce, so they do it. If there is not enough habitat to support them they will get weak, sick and die off. And possibly spread desease in the process. Or become pests and damage property and crops. Not to mention the amount deer/vehicle collisions we have. We either need to keep our species in check, or thiers. Since we don't have a poplulation control program for ourselves, I guess it's them isn't it.

If the state didn't want you to harvest deer they wouldn't issue the tags, it's that simple. There is a need for it, so we are allowed to do it. It is not our right, it is a privilage. Not to mention the government makes money from it as well. This is why I feel no matter what the anti's do, there will always be hunting in some form or another. As long as there is a need for it and it brings the government revenue it will be here.

Paul

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

When I rifle hunt I am mostly a meat hunter. I'll definately shoot a nice buck if I get a chance but the rifle season to me is a chance to get a few deer to eat for the year. I just got into processing my own deer and for me it almost as fun processing the deer as it was shooting it.

Bowhunting is a different story. Bowhunting I do more for the challenge of the hunt and pleasure of getting out in the woods.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

I hunt because I love the outdoor experience and the bounty it brings to my table. I hunt deer with bow and gun and enjoy it very much. I've taken 2 does and a 6 point buck with my bow and another 6 point with my 270 this year and I've passed on a couple bucks and smaller does already. I'm looking to take a couple more does and possibly another buck with my muzzleloader. I also butcher all my deer. The places I hunt don't hold what some people might consider a trophy and if I were a trophy hunter my freezer would probably be empty and that would be a shame. I like eating venison too well to concentrate all my efforts into hunting only bucks with big antlers. Do trophy hunters only harvest bucks? Is there a way to score a doe to determine it's trophy status? There's something magical about big antlers and all deer hunters most likely dream of getting that P&Y or B&C buck but if I never get one my ego won't suffer one bit. Life is too short to get hung up on antler size. Just hunt and enjoy the season and if ya get that big buck then more power to ya and if he don't come along take whatever you get and be proud of that too but more than anything enjoy yourself and be thankful you had the health and oppurtunity and don't be judgemental of others. We're all deer hunters whether we use guns or bows, hunt bucks or does.....Happy Huntin

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Where do you go that charges $200 to butcher a deer?

I pay $50 for a professional butcher job locally.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Blodg,
That's the best I ever heard anyone put it. I agree.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

well, i am a trophy hunter as in i dont shoot small bucks, because for one i want a deer with a big rack and also, i get a better feeling in killing a more mature deer. Also, i shoot does to, but not ones that arent at least 2 1/2 years old. I hunt for me, and to impress no one else

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

I think its safe to say that anyone in their right mind would rather shoot a wall-hanger than a little spike or button buck. But I think the guys who will only shoot big bucks are hurting deer hunting as a whole. That's one of the problems right now, people aren't shooting enough does. I love venison and so does my family and its a tradition to have venison steaks and burgers and I want when I have kids some day to have the same traditions. Maybe I wait and wait and wiat for a nice buck and it never comes and I just say there passing on does and smaller inferior bucks and wasting tags. It's our responsibilty for the deer herd to kill the inferior bucks before they can mate and spread that inferiority. And if nothing else for the farmers who provide the food source that takes a beating every year from all the does and little bucks your passing up on.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

I would say I fall under both catagories. I hunt for the meat as well as a wall hangar. My goal is to take two doe per year. That is my primary meat in the freezer hunting. My family and I all like deer meat and also have a good time when processing it.
I also look for a nice buck for a wall hanger. I have passed on 4 Bucks this season, each within 25 yards and open shots. I did take a larger 8 point with 3 small kickers, that field dressed at 192. It scored 144 so not a bad one at all in my book.
Do I have to hunt to feed my family..no I do it for the love of the hunt and being out, getting away from all the daily hassels life can bring down on us. Don't get me wrong, when I come out of the woods without a deer do feel a little bit of a letdown. But, I feel a heck of a lot better comming out than when I went in, with or without a deer. That is the biggest reason I hunt.....

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

I agree with many of the above posts but I probably identify most closely with WVCrittergitter's post. I'm mainly in it for the overall experience. I would have a pretty miserable time of it if I were to judge my success on the size of the rack I brought home. IL-Cornfed may have something when he says the meathunters are merely poor hunters. I admit I'm a novice. This is the first year I've really put any time into bowhunting although I've rifle hunted many years. That doesn't mean I enjoy it any less. I'm having much more fun bowhunting this year than I've ever had rifle hunting. I enjoy watching these wily critters in the woods. I love to watch them as they come in and just observe their habits and movements. I guess my "trophy" is the succulent table fare my hunting provides throughout the months following hunting season, provided I'm able to drag one out of the woods.

Whether I get a deer or not, I enjoy the other moments hunting provides, watching daybreak in the woods, the smell of the fall leaves, watching the squirrles, the jays, the woodpeckers and all the other creatures that happen by the stand. Then there's that rush when you catch a glimps of brown fur moving in your peripheral vision and realize you have a deer coming in.

I have several friends that are trophy hunters and that's fine. That's their enjoyment from hunting. I don't look down on them for the way they enjoy the sport just as they don't look down on me, (I'm hoping here!) for the way I enjoy it. There's no "right way" and no "wrong way" as far as I'm concerned. Life is too short and we all enjoy it for different reasons. I'm just thankful we have a site and message board like this where we can share our views and our experiences plus pass on some helpful tips and information to those of us that are less experienced.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

It's pretty simple for me anyway. It means if I couldn't eat the meat I wouldn't bother hunting! I was raised to eat what you kill and ONLY kill what you're gonna eat. If I couldn't eat venison then I wouldn't kill deer! I'd still hunt but my hunting would be with a camera. A succesfull season to me is filling up my freezer. If I shot the biggest buck in the world and didn't recover it until after the coyotes consumed the carcass that season would be a failure in my mind.
Whats hard to understand about that?

Thats where we're different. It's a good thing that people are different , dont ya think? Maybe alot of it's bloodline? Both of my parents grew up in single room cabins in northern Wisconsin during a time when you had to hunt if you wanted to eat. My dad didn't eat his first hamburger made from beef until he was sixteen years old. Putting venison on the table is top priority for me. Not only does my family love the taste of venison , it's healthier than anything I can buy at any store. I also love being in the woods but that alone isn't a reason to hunt in my opinion. I can grab a camera or a good book and go sit in the woods if thats the only reason I can come up with for hunting.
Do I love the challenge of hunting with stick -n- string? No doubt! Who doesn't? Thats primal instincts and/or heritage instincts. I have no problem filling my freezer with does , in fact I prefer doe meat over buck meat. If the seasons winding down and my freezer isn't full I also have no problem filling my freezer with young bucks.
Do I love hanging big racks on my wall? You bet!! Thats also primal instinct. Kind of like earning your warrior feather.
I dont have a problem with trophy hunters in general. I do have a problem with trophy hunters who want/expect everyone else to make it easier for them to get their trophy!

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

:(

Go buy your meat at Aldi's if you want. I prefer to eat clean natural venison rather then drug and piss soaked beef raised in a box.........but that's just me ;)




Are you freakin' kidding me???

If you hunt for a legal excuse to kill you are not a hunter.......you are a sicko freak.

I hope you were joking.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Thanks BOWFANATIC..........saved me the time of typing. That is perfect ;)

Why kill something if you aren't gonna eat it?

I have said it many times...........if a deer has antlers great......if it doesn't that's great too. They all look the same in the freezer. I have killed 8 deer in the last 2+ years (5 bucks and 3 does.......1 buck is a big fella) and I don't look at any of them any differently. They all provided me with great hunts, many memories and a bunch of meat for the long off season.

I really enjoy the bounty of meat from my successful hunts. I butcher them myself and love to cook so maybe that has something to do with it.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Everyone's a bit different, so what I say here, has to do with averages, not individuals. I've never bought into the argument that it's cheaper or healthier. It may be for some, but most spend more on hunting than the deer is worth. In addition, most are at least 20 lbs overweight and eat far more beef than venison, so they're not really into healthier, it's just wishful thinking. I do however, think all hunters enjoy the sense of accomplishment when they take a deer. I think this is the number one reason most hunt. Accomplishment is felt whether shooting a small doe or trophy buck. You feel it when you feed the deer to your family and you feel it when you think back on the hunt. Self-esteem is very high on the list of important human emotions, and hunting fulfills this need.

Some choose to get multiple, but slightly smaller boosts of self esteem by shooting anything they can, whenever the opportunity. Others, decide to have fewer boosts of feeling good, and prefer the one giant rush they get when doing something very difficult - like taking a trophy in an area that has very few. It's a known fact that accomplishing more difficult tasks, brings a greater sense of accomplishment. This is why almost all young hunters shoot the first thing that comes by, and some very experienced hunters will be selective. Some of the experienced guys have developed the desire to get a greater rush, by looking for deer that are bigger than they've taken before. They're adenaline junkies to a degree. I fall in this category. If you've shot 50 small bucks in 20 years of hunting, killing a small one doesn't give you the same feeling a guy gets, who's never shot one. In order to get that feeling, you have to up the ante, so to speak.

Neither shooting the first thing, or holding-out is right or wrong, but I can say without a doubt that a very small percentage are willing to forgo the small rewards, in search of the big one. This holds true in whatever endeavor you want to talk about. So, shooting the first things that comes by will be the norm anywhere it isn't restristed by law. Nothing wrong with that.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

This was in the first post:

"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. "

These arguments always crack me up, really. The truth is that hunting and the quality of it vary GREATLY around the country. There is simply no place around here that you could honestly make that statement. There simply are not enough deer in NH. We run an overall success rate around 12-13% statewide, archery only drops to around 7-8%. We have around 80K hunters who should around 10-11K deer a year. There are MANY hunters who do not even SEE a deer in a year, never mind get a shot at one. If you hold out for a BIG deer only you often times go home empty. We also are restricted to bucks only for most of the gun season.

I hunt for several reasons:

- my family enjoys the meat, no you can NOT get it at a supermarket.
- I enjoy it.

--Bob

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Good point.

Most people who have deer crawling all over their stands every day have no idea that it isn't like that everywhere.

A deer sighting of any kind is a good day for me..........a shot opportunity is a GREAT day.

I hunted 13 straight days of archery this year in 3 different counties on public and private land.


Saw 1 deer [:o]


Your views and success in hunting depend GREATLY on the land you are fortunate enough to hunt.


Anyone in this forum could kill a mature if they had access to land with plenty of them around..........likewise anyone here could kill multiple deer if they were on land with densely populated woods full of deer. On the flip side anyone in this forum would struggle if they were forced to hunt land that had no realistic chance for a mature deer and/or very limited population............if they aren't there you can't get 'em. Pretty simple.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

My point has been validated by a few on here with the comments of "Most meat hunters really just don't know how to hunt" and" these are the people that usually cause the accidental shootings". So just because I chose not to set in a stand from daylight to dark and let 20-30 deer walk every year I'm dangerous. The way that I look at it I'm not getting up hours before daylight and giving up the time with my wife and son jsut to set in a treestand all day and watch deer walk through the woods and not shoot one of them. Don't get me wrong I love the entire bowhunting experience but I get excitement out of every deer that I shoot not just the big bucks. Now if this makes me a slob or danger to society so be it. But I can promise you that in my 35 years of hunting I have never put anyones life in danger.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Good post. I agree with many in that hunting is the total experience. The trips to the sporting goods store for supplies, planning for the hunts, scouting, setting of stands, hanging with my friends, practicing toward a goal, thinking, dreaming, reading, and watching videos - it is a long term psych up that gets released when my personal standard comes walking through the woods toward me.

Then, what no one has alluded to is the actual kill. I don’t hunt exclusively for the pleasure of the kill as suggested someplace in the woodpile. The kill without the preparation would get boring very quickly. HOWEVER, without the kill, why bother? That is the last stage, the final bow, the moment when all the preparation and planning and patience meet with the chance and the energy is suddenly released. What a feeling. I try to think of it every time, man, when it all comes together in the quick death of the animal that I was after, it is a rush with a good dose of relief and sadness. In those moments of coming down after the shot, after a successful recovery, the moment of aloneness with the animal I just killed as I pay my respects is intense. The kill is often the shortest part of the hunt, minutes or even seconds in most cases but the emotions are like winning that state championship football game and hearing of the death of a family friend on the way home. Is that weird?

So yes, I think myself a meat hunter...for the practical side of my experience. My family and I eat seven deer a year. My laws cater to the meat hunting mentality in that we have to shoot does to be able to shoot bucks. (earn-a-buck stuff) I hunt on property that deer cross three other properties to get to. If I don’t shoot them someone else will. I live in NJ, see many bucks in the books from NJ? Why doesn’t anyone want to book a hunt here? We do have nice bucks here and a lot of them. On one property, I wait for the big one. On the other property, there is no big one and that big old doe that busted me all last year is my goal. She knows my routines and I know hers. Who will win?

To dig a bit deeper, I consider my acorn collection from hunts with friends and family a trophy collection. The buck skull I found while tracking with a friend is another trophy in my “study.” I have beaver chewed wood, feathers from ducks killed and eaten, antlers that I’ve found and from deer I’ve killed, a full mount turkey, coyote skulls, deer hides, “Flounder” my personal best buck, photos, notes, poems, they are all my trophies. My favorite little corner is my collection of spent 20 guage shells. One marked Ryan's first duck, another Ryan's first goose, another Ryan's first deer. Ryan is my 11 yr old son. Now that is a trophy collection! So are all the memories that come flooding back as I sit here writing this.

So I guess that answers somebody’s question. I wrote this 1000 word essay about why I hunt because it made me think about 1000 of my hunts. Anyway, if I didn’t want to write it, why would I log on to the bowhunting board?

Greg

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

There's no doubt I'm addicted to bowhunting and all aspects of the hunt. But I "truely" do meat hunt. I try to have atleast 5 deer in the freezer each fall. Wife and I make jerky, corned roasts, salami,brats,beer sticks and burger. We eat it 3x week, and it really saves $$$ for us. I don't trophy hunt at all and feel those that due are hurting our hobby....that being said, if a mounter walks by while I'm on stand, he fair game for me. Taz

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

I also stated that you could go to a local butcher and get your meat. There you can get meat from local farmers that raise there own beef. My family used to raise cattle for this purpose. It's not all nasty chemical injected crap. Our beef ate the same thing deer did pretty much, and were well taken care of. I don't see how it would be any less healthy except for the fact that venison is leaner. And how really knows what deer are eating in the wild? They could be eating pesticides and all kinds of other chemicals you don't know about.

As far as me being a sicko, No I don't think so. I said the truth of it, and when you boil it all down that is the case. The honest truth is in the modern world you really don't need to hunt in order to survive, period. You are either doing it for sport, or population control. If you feel other wise then maybe you are in denial and using it as excuse to justify it to yourself and others. I don't feel the need for since it's legal, that's enough for me. It's not like I'm out sacrificing the neighbor hood cats or something.

I think you can feel the way you want to about it, and I can feel the way I want to about it. I don't believe either of us is mentally unstable and I don't really apreciate being called a sicko. I bet you have killed way more animals than I have in my life, you just seem to have a better excuse for it.

And if you were really there just for the experience, why not take a camera instead of a gun?

Paul

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

How in the world can someone that sits in stand, lets 5-10 small bucks walk, maybe shoots a doe. And IF he's lucky takes a trophy. Be hurting our hobby. If anyones hurting our hobby, its the guys that shoot any thing that moves!!!

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

I don't think the way either of you hunts hurts my sport. It is when one hunter holds up another hunters way of doing things as wrong and shouts that out for others to hear - that is what hurts our sport. The fact that you choose your way and I choose mine is what it is...just fine.

Greg

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Gryan,
Your right!
It just bothers when people look down at "trophy hunters". I worked my way up to where I am with years of hunting. I also believe that unless you shot anything that walks by your stand, you are a "trophy hunter" in some sense!

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

There has been a lot of looking down on others ways of doing things around here lately.

I know what you mean about working your way up to a "trophy hunter." I get closer every year but I'm just not there 100% yet. That is in terms of the deer. Boy do I have a lot of other types of trophies.

Greg

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

This is actually a pretty good thread and it is turning out better than I thought it would. :D Like I said, I mean no dissrespect to many of the "meat hunters" on these boards but it has been my experience that the ones that call themselves this is my area are simply not that good of hunters. It is far easier to make excuses and kill the first deer that steps out than it is to truly learn the habits of older more mature animals in any given area. Many hunters simply aren't willing or can't take their hunting to the next level. However, I seriously tire of the "meat hunters" constanty making it sound like "trophy hunters" are "bad for the sport! [:@] Have ya heard of the B&C or P&Y clubs??? These orgs most certainly haven't been "bad for the sport".... in fact, they have made the sport what it is today!

I guess ultimately it is the unpredictable nature of the beast that keeps me so hopelessly addicted. Thus a "trophy hunter", IMHO, is simply a serious sportsman who set goals and then thrives on these challenges. That's what it's all about for me! I learned long ago how to "trick" the "average" deer and these days I would rather watch and learn anything else I can from them then send an arrow through their lungs. MY goal is not to take a buck unless I would be very proud of him. It just make absolutely NO sense to me to kill a buck just to saw off the rack and toss it in the closet or my garage. If he is not nice enough to want to proudly display than I have NO business in taking his life. Plus, I have also learned..... IF it is meat that you want then WOW do you get alot of it when your buck weighs 300#!!! IF it's not antlers that you want and you don't care at all about them then PLEASE take a Doe so the herd won't grow and let that yearling buck walk! It's all about a quality experience with a quality herd. Good luck to everyone regardless of what you're shootin' for this season :)

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Well it sounds like some people really just don't know how good they have it. Blodg compared to atlasman, If blodg has all these deer and even sees mature ones a couple times a year it's obvious that atlasman's deer would be much more of a trophy, much more challenging and rewarding then a deer that you see all the time. The real question is can you trophy hunters tough it out when your not seeing deer. Can you go a week without a sighting never mind being in bow range.. Can you go out knowing it will take you years to get a glimpse of your so called trophy, and if it doesn't present you with a shot, oh well wait another decade.

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

standsnblinds,

Can you point out the things that you look for to tell if a buck is inferior? What steps do you go through to determine it?

RE: "I only hunt for the meat"?
 

Like what was stated earlier! I'm not going to shot an animal unless I'm going to be 100% proud of my accomplishment! I would not be proud to shoot a small buck! I've been lucky, a Buddie of mine hasn't shot a deer for 5 years. He has a goal of around 150" and he hunts State land.