I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

Crap!![:@]!!! I was out hunting yesterday, 3 bucks and a doe walk in. The bucks were hanging out at about 60-70 yards. The doe was about 80 yards. There was a 6 point with a good spread and some mass, a 10 point which I would shoot but he was in some thick crap, the doe was a good size, and when I walked out, a smaller 4 point trotted by me. I was hunting in a pouring down snow shower, I never took a shot. Just waiting for the big one to get out the thicket. What have I turned into? I would just usually take anything that comes in range...Now a 14 year old trouphey hunter! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

sounds smart to me

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

Exaclty what I and 99% of the others on the board would have done.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

Many of us yes,but certainly not 99% of this board.If you spend time on this board you will learn that many people here will shoot any legal deer that presents itself.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

I would've done the same and waited. The chance to take a nice 10pt just doesn't come along that often. Good job on not taking the shot. There are lots of people who would've blazed away and hoped for the best. In my book that makes you a good hunter, not just a trophy hunter.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

I figured someone would jump on me for this. You misunderstood. I meant in this situation 99% would have waited for a shot at the 10pt.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

Relax , there's nothing wrong with being a trophy hunter , just keep it in perspective . Take a doe or two now and then to balance it out and put some meat in the freezer .

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

I did not misunderstand.Most people would have waited a very short time to see if the larger buck would present a shot.However if this didn't happen quickly ,or the other legal deer started to leave,many people would have killed a smaller deer while the opportunity was still there.They would not havebeen ableto pass up thesmaller deer hoping for a larger oneif there was any chance that they would go home empty handed.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

You use the words "trophy hunter" like it is a bad thing. If I see a small 8 point all alone I won't shoot it, so my tag is preserved and more buck hunting is possible. I passed on quite a few legal bucks this year. What does that make me? My own man, that's what.
If you let the little ones go, they turn into BIG ones. Plus, the younger hunters have more of a chance of getting that first buck with more bucks running around. I wouldn't mind at all if I passed on a small buck and some young kid shoots it ten minutes later. I would consider it a GOOD day! And so would he, I bet.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

OMG! Is that what deer hunting is about? Here I have been, hunting for 26 years, for all the wrong reasons. EMPTY HANDED! I hope somebody other than me gets a little more out of a day in the woods. So, it is black or white....success or failure....well, not for me...thankfully.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

My 1st thoughts were the same as liv's. Holding out for a nicer deer does not make you a bad person. Shoot what makes you happy, if that takes a nicer buck, so be it, there is nothing wrong with that at all.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

It is to some people.Then again I have passed on 20-30 different bucks and my tag went unfilled as a result.However,I did enjoy every minute that I spent hunting,and did not regret passing up those bucks.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

then what is the problem?

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

Is a trophy hunter a bad thing now? :(I thought they were experienced, management minded, upstanding hunters who were tops in their field and most were to be admired for their past as well as consistent success'? Now they are being demonized? I think alot of that comes from many on this board IMHO.

Now for the question about a 14 year old trophy hunter. NO I DON'T think you are a trophy hunter from just this one incidence. You actually saw a 10ptr so you knew he was there and the possibility existed that you might get a chance to take him even though smaller bucks were around. That isn't trophy hunting, that is taking an opportunity that presents itself. Now if you continue to let small bucks go and wait for larger bucks that you cannot (or never have) seen then YES you ARE then trophy hunting. I don't see anything wrong with that other than the fact that at 14 you probably haven't taken many deer and run the risk of getting burned out early after you go a season or two and take nothing. But that's another topic.

BTW, who was it that told you trophy hunting is wrong?
RA

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

whitetailblaster, if I read your post right, it sounds that you are 14 years old! Believe me, you hopefully, have a lot of years ahead of you in your hunting career. ENJOY THEM! Don't get caught up in the success or failure attitude about hunting. Enjoy every minute in the woods! It's not about whether you're a "trophy" hunter or not, of which there is nothing wrong with, except for the fact that you have a lot of years ahead of coming home empty handed. Have fun!!!

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

I have to agree just because you waited for a shot on a big buck when he wwas standing right there doesn't make you a trophy hunter. To me that's what most hunters would do because most would like to shoot a big one.

To me, trophy hunting is waiting for a big one that you can't see that moment and pass up small ones even when no big one is around. It takes alot to be a trophy hunter and I for one can't do it yet!



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RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

I never said trophy hunting is bad, if it sounded like I was offending you, please don't think that. My aunt's boyfriend onle shoots the big guys and I'm catching from him. I'm usually shoot anything I can shoot that's legal. Now, I'm just waiting for the big fellas'. Like today, A small buck came along, I was thinking of shooting him until a fox spooked him. About 1 and a half hours, a nice 6er or maybe 7 or 8 point came about 70 yards. To far for me, then he came closer, and started to feed at 50 yards. Tempted as I was, I pulled the trigger, he did a total front flip. As late as it was, just at the last bit of light(shooting time just ended), there was not blood in my sight or tracks for some reason. In my think woods, it's tough to see. When I seen him just hit the ground like that, I was sure he was dead. Maybe he is, I'm gonna look for him tomorrow, Wish me luck!

p.s - When I went to the site of where the deer was, I smelled deer, I mean like walking into a butcher shop smell. Is that good?

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

i think you played it safe by not shooting. maybe hell come back. i would have done the same thing.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

Mr. Whitetailblaster,
I really didn't become a trophy hunter for the trophies per se'. I tagged out on the first day of archery twice, early in my hunting career, on smallish bucks. I know how depressed one can get, knowing that their buck hunting is over even before summer is over. I began holding out to preserve my hunting time in the woods. As time ran by, and I got quite a few bucks under my belt, I began to want to take ONLY bigger bucks no matter what time of year. I think you are confusing trophy hunting with trying to take the bigger of two bucks you are presently staring at. there is a difference there. If you truly become a trophy hunter, you will pass up a smallish buck on even the last day of hunting for the year. Very few will do that, but I happen to be one of them. I think you should kill whatever you are happy with, especially at your age. Don't feel obligated to take or pass any legal buck, based on things you read or hear from other guys. I have often said that I never really know what I will choose to kill until it is standing in front of me. I let my natural instinct dictate. I find myself never picking the bow or gun up at most deer that come to me. I just trust that when I finally do see what I am after, I will automatically begin to draw or aim at it. If you do become a true trophy hunter..be prepared to go without a deer, sometimes for many seasons in a row.

P.S. Good luck finding him. You sound like you are a highly motivated hunter for 14, and wiser than your years. The smell means there is blood and tissue sprayed on the ground from the shot. I hope you nailed him good.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

Know how you ruin a good hunt? You kill something.
I hunt Canada for a month and a half and if I kill one with only a few days left I still get that depressed feeling, no tag left. I like to spend every last day, every last second out there I can.

Stubble, am I off the hook yet?

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

I never said that you wouldn't hold out for a trophy.I merely stated that many people on this boardwould rather kill a small deer than risk going home empty handed.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

Nevermind.

RE: I've turned into a trophey hunter!!!
 

Please read this:

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1164980