kshafer

i was wondering if you guys thought that the big craze about shooting big deer is ruining hunting? me personally i think that it is. some people just dont get that you have to shoot does too or the deer population will get out of control.

MN_Deerman

From what I have seen, the people who support trophy deer hunting are usually the ones who encourage doe harvests. It's the small bucks that they usually have the problem with. Myself, I'm not a trophy hunter but I do see their point in that why not take a doe if you are a meat hunter and leave the bucks to grow.

As far as ruining hunting goes, I think it is the opposite - I think with all the exposure trophy hunting gets, it probably gets more people interested in hunting

cardeer

Causes greed.envy,strife and takes the good old fun out of it when it becomes a competition.

chiefks

I don't think it has ruining hunting at all. As long as it is a fair chase (fair chase being the key words here)hunt, then it is merely a personal choice as to what a hunter decides to shoot or let walk. A person who is new to hunting might shoot anything that walks by. If that makes them happy then so be it. There's not one thing wrong with that because those deer are every much as bit of a trophy as a big rack buck! In fact it might be more of a trophy! If a hunter has been hunting a while and decides to let the smaller racked, immature deer walk then so be it. If he wants to shoot a 200 inch deer and pass everything waiting for that, then we should wish him luck. If he suceed's we should be happy for him. I have made the decision that I don't have to shoot deer, if I want meat for the freezer then I will take does. Other wise I will only shoot mature bucks. I hunt from the ground and get a rush just from having deer close. I enjoy sitting in the woods with my back against a treewith peace and quiet, just being there and seeing what I see. That is sucess enough for me.

Kybuckhunter

It's only a competition if you join the contest. If your not into the big buck thing then why should it affect you in any way. Hunt your way and be happy.

Rebel Hog

It ain't ruining my hunting! I'm not a head hunter. I grind Antlers into Powder and sell it by the OZ.I have Hog mount, Bear mount and Fish mount, but no Deer mounts.
I'm a meat hunter.

Copper31

To each hisown I say. I think it only ruins it if you let. I almost let it ruin my hunting experience but I realized I wasn't having fun. I still like hunt the big ones but it isn't life or death. I have learned to take does to

timbercruiser

I've got several tracts I hunt that are antler size restricted and I have several tracts that are shoot anything I want to, so there is a choice as far as I am concerned.

Anthony T.

I harvest quite a few does every year for food. I like to hunt for throphy bucks for the thrill and personal satisfaction of it. I think a doe is more tender and I usually make big buck meat in to jerky(if I'm lucky enough to get one.) I see nothing wrong with trying to get the big boy at all, but it should'nt be for sheer competition but for personal satisfaction and the reward of many hours of scouting and hunting.

retrieverman

I think "trophy hunting craze" is the best thing that has ever happened to deer hunting. The fact that so many people are passing young bucks and shooting doeshas got to beimproving the overall herd. In my area, there are more and bigger "trophy" bucks being killed than any time in my 23 years of deer hunting. Not to many years ago, seeing a deer in the woods was something to call your friends about. I almost ran over one on my 4 wheeler this afternoon. I give creditforthe population boom to QDM practices by "trophy" hunters. (I am speaking for my area ONLY.)