The only deer I've ever killed that I've been "ashamed of" was the one I shot by mistake this year. And even that, I tagged and butchered. I hunt more than anything for the meat. Yes....the antlers of the 7 point I got this year are nice to look at and touch...and it was 20 years in the making for me....but more than anything I want to put meat in the freezer. Can I afford to just buy the meat. Yes. And if I spent my hunting time working at a second job I could probably buy much more meat than I am able to hunt. But I hunt for many things. I hunt to connect with nature....with myself...for the thrill and for the kill. There is so much satisfaction when you take a deer. And like you, I hunt on public land and ANY deer you take there is a damned fine deer.

Never understand why anyone is concerned about what anyone else shoots. Personally I hold out for mature bucks and shoot does for meat. Shooting a 1.5 or 2.5 year old buck just doesn't stoke my fire anymore. Don't get me wrong ..... I get just as excited seeing them (any deer for that matter). But to kill one wouldn't do it for me.

At the same time I could care less what someone down the road or in a different state kills. Affects me not at all. We have some big bucks on our land and there are friends of me that will shoot a basket 6 if they are given the chance. I don't put restrictions on what anyone shoots on my land. If you have permission to hunt my land shoot whatever makes you happy. This trophy hunting is just getting weird.

Ya, I hear ya. No worries though