RE: What do you consider to be a trophy???
 

I consider myself a "trophy hunter". By that, I mean that I do not hunt to fill my freezer. In my family, I'm the only one that will eat a lot of venison. My son likes it, but he's only 6...not like he can put away several pounds all on his own ;) One deer a year in the freezer is plenty for us. Thats why when I go into the deer woods I'm very particular about what I harvest. Many years I pass on everything and do not harvest a deer at all. I just enjoy being out there as much as anything else. So..to me, the definition of a tropy changes over time. Its got to be a bigger typical buck than the one I have mounted now...or its got to be my first non-typical. Other than that, they get a free pass from me.
Good luck to all this season,
SC

RE: What do you consider to be a trophy???
 

The term "trophy" is just that a trophy something you hold in high regard and show off. Yes put it on a shelf, sort a speak. But what makes a "trophy" to me isn't the same to you. A lot depends on area, experience, up bringing, needs, etc. A harvest is a reward, rewarding yourself with meat and the experience...it should be all taken with graditude and the feeling of great accomplishment.

I am a "trophy hunter" i get a thrill out of the rack, I also live in an area that a "rack" is always a real possibility. I believe in harvesting does, not small immature bucks, I also believe in harvesting large mature buck that don't carry the headgear of my min. standards...why I believe all will lead to healthier, better quality & larger deer heards. Shooting a 2 year old buck presents little challenge or worth to me. Harvesting a vet is a "trophy" experience plus it allows the heard to get stronger. Now I said this you'll all say....you do look down your nose at the spike, etc hunters...no I don't "I said to me!!!!!!". I also said " in my area, it is not shoot or hang the tag in the closet" I also never started out as a "trophy hunter". But as my experience, knowledge and confidence grew..."I" desired more.

Do i think big racks have been over commercialized, "oh yeah". I teach hunter saftey and the kids that have never toted a weapon are telling me they want a big buck (which is every one dream), 150 B&C min. and are trohpy hunters all the way. Well this is unrealistic, you have to start somewhere IMO. I feel that a lot probably comes from the parent who is a avid deer hunter...but to rob these kids of the rewarding experience is a bad thing. To me hunting is nature, experience, friendship and evolving ( you can't evolve if you ain't been to step one, however same said if your stuck on step one!)

I often here from others from different places, they think Saskatchewan, Alberta etc has big deer everywhere and that it is simple to kill a record deer. Well this is a direct product of tv and hunting shows, that show 3 hunts in 20 minutes. This is not the case, yes we have loads of good quality bucks, but finding them and tagging them ain't to easy.

If I want eats it's doe's & other big game for the freezer.

I don't expect or want anybody to be like me. we are all individuals and hunting is are common ground. I see or make no division between the "meat hunter" and the "Trophy hunter", we are all hunters and most of us respect the land, animals and sport we hold so "deer".

Wish you all the best of luck, whatever you may look for. Remember be safe and continue to pass on the worths and joys of this sport!

RE: What do you consider to be a trophy???
 

I'm a "trophy hunter" too I guess. I am not willing to shoot just any buck that walks by. For example I have not killed a buck since 1998, because I have been passing up the young ones, waiting on a big one. I also stand by the rule of, "if you kill them young, they can never grow big". I am not a meat hunter but I do love venison.

I live in an area that is not known for big bucks but because of more people practicing QDM in the last 10yrs, there are getting to be some very nice deer around. I have killed two nice 10pts both scoring around 120-125. They are very nice deer for our area and I'm super proud of both of them. However, I've seen bigger deer in our woods in the last 3-4yrs that are really monsters. Now, I'm hunting them. I've passed up some very nice bucks waiting on one of these big bucks to step out and if it takes another 4yrs for me to get one, that's fine by me. When I want meat, I will kill a doe. By doing that I kill two bird's with one stone. I've helped the deer herd by getting rid of a doe and I got good tender meat on the table.

I don't think I'm a better hunter than guys who kill the first buck that walks out, I think I'm just a more patient hunter. It's just like baseball; you can be happy with those base hits but I'm waiting on the perfect pitch for a homerun. If I get 3 strikes and go to the bench, big deal, there is always next time.

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Hunting the Piney Woods of Deep East Texas.