Which Buck would you kill.
 

A recent post by BarnesX.308 got me thinkin. If these 3 bucks, The Hole in The Horn, The Milo Hanson, & The Missouri Monarch walked by your stand, Which one would you shoot? For me personally there is no way I could pass up the Missouri Monarch, He is such an iconic Buck. Not to say the others arnt, but ive always had a weakness for the Monarch. What about the rest of ya.

The Hanson buck, hands down! The others are great non-typicals, but Hanson's just has great symmetry for a buck that big!

The closest one.

The Missouri Monarch was found dead just a few miles from where I currently live

Its hard to say which of the Missouri Monarch or hole in the horns I would choose in the woods. Probably the one that gave me the better shot

In person I find both of them along with many other buck to be much more impressive than the Hanson buck. I'll take one of the deer with a full 100 mire inches of antler.

Ive actually seen deer while hunting I would choose over the Hanson buck(not knowing it was a world record)

I guess the long skinny symmetry just doesn't do it for me.

not up there but think the Jordan buck is one of the most perfect racks ever...

You got that right.

Hole in the horn.

I'd let them ALL walk in hopes of the Breen head was bringing up the rear. His impressiveness & frame size DWARFS the other 3! (Of those 3 I'd dirt roll the Hole-in-the-horn. Until you've held a replica head of that buck you can't truly appreciate its sheer mass & visual impact)

I've always thought the Breem buck was one of the best ever. It has everything. Coming from New York State, I've also been partial to the Roosevelt Lucky buck. It scores just under 200" and stood as the World Record Typical until the early '60's. Just as impresive was the then record Homer Boykin ? non-typical taken i believe within a few days, just a few miles away.

I know what you mean. Not to say I wouldnt shoot the Hanson Buck, But I just dont like tall typicals as much as nontypicals.

I guess for me its mostly just the more antler the better. Straight,crooked,tall,wide I don't care just give me the most antler.

Another buck that I really love is the James Jordan Buck. Its got an outstanding amount of mass for a typical 10. But the story behind it is almost better than the buck himself. Heres a good link to the story of the James Jordan Buck. http://www.woodlandtrails.net/the-sa...m-jordans-buck

Tough call but I would go for the Hanson buck.

Whichever one I seen first.

I think Wingbone hit the nail on the head the closest one or it might mean no deer at all.

I think were talking equal opportunity. I'm sure we would all shoot the first one of those we could.

i am not much of a non-typical guy i would shoot the Hanson buck if given the shot

You guys are funny. You'd all shoot any one of them if you saw it.

Yea your right

I think that is a given.

Sure would be for me, but i'm not a trophy hunter. However, it's always nice to shoot a good looking buck.

Over the years i've shot some good looking bucks and bulls. Even though it was never my goal to hunt for a trophy. I do go after the mature animals just for the challenge.

Whats the difference between a trophy hunter and a guy that goes after mature animals for the challenge?

I always explained it to people like this: I dont consider myself a trophy hunter. I call for Bucks, but when a Doe comes I'm more than happy to take her. I also call for Does just as much if not more than Bucks. Its all about the meat for me, The deer I kill feeds my family for the winter. But I love gettin a Big Buck if the oppurtunity arises.

You really don't know?

Maybe this will help you...........I leave the antlers at the kill. No dead heads on my walls.

I shoot does and eat all my meat as well.

No I really don't know the difference. It seems like most of us that are trophy hunters are pursuing mature deer for the challenge. If I just shot whatever walked out I'd only be hunting about 5 days a year.

So thats the difference? Leaving the antlers at the kill?

I read a lot of truly unbelievable things on this forum. That was just an example right?

IMO: a mature animal is just an old animal. a mature deer can have small antlers or large antlers.

Trophy hunters are looking for wallhangers.
Mature animal hunters pass up the younger deer for something a little older.

As far as I'm concerned, being a trophy hunter doesn't hurt anything. It gives younger bucks a chance to grow a little older. In my area there is a much greater number of does than there are bucks. If I want deer meat I'm getting myself a doe. It's easy meat. For me there is no need to shoot a small buck. My idea of a trophy is 125"+. I don't have many opportunities to chase 170 class deer because they are hard to find. If I waited for something that big I would never bag a buck.

Ive killed a few smaller racked mature deer.

It almost appears to me that "meat hunter" in most cases just = I didn't see any big ones.

I mean I am a trophy hunter but

1. we eat all of our meat

2. I also shoot does

3. I will also take what I can get if I can't get a big one(although I'd probably go without if that meant shooting small bucks but I don't see why it ever would)

That seems pretty similar to me.

What is the tag/season situation that prevents doing both?

For example I shot a doe first weekend of bow season and I will shoot at least one more after the rut but for the next month I'll be "trophy hunting"

170 is probably a little lofty but it seems like you would have plenty of time to wait for a mature buck and still tag out.....of course assuming that is what you want.

If all three were broadside at 20 yards, I'd shoot (right after I crapped my pants) the hole in the horn, just because the mass would point me to his direction first.
I'm an equally opportunity hunter. I can see where rockport is coming from, I'm the same way, i'll try to shoot a doe or two early just to make sure my freezer is full. If a nice buck happens by, i'll take him. Then when late October/Nov hits I shift my goals for at least a 3.5 year old deer. (if I don't shoot them a 3.5 someone pry will around me).

Muley, you don't really leave the rack do ya?

I TRY not to worry about what the people around me are going to do. Its out of my control. Unless I can use it in my favor....then I do.

A trophy hunter just hunts for the rack. Whether they eat the meat, or not. They wouldn't consider shooting any buck that didn't have a good rack. Some will hire outfitters to make sure they get a trophy. They also spend a lot of money at a taxidermist. Their hunting life is consumed by antlers. it's all they talk about, and can tell you what a rack measures from 100yds away. For them the hunt means nothing. It's the kill that's important. If they don't kill a trophy the hunt is a failure.


That's quite a bit different from the hunter who hunts for meat, but also enjoys the challenge of getting a mature (not old) buck for the challenge, but could care less about the antlers. He enjoys the hunt more than the kill. He rarely talks about the hunt, and never shows pictures. He enjoys the hunt for himself. This describes how my dad was, and he passed it on to me. So, it also describes me.

That is very specific. Sounds more like its either your way or the wrong way IMO

It sure seems to me your just throwing a bunch of nonsense that really isn't hunting at all under the words trophy hunter.

I don't know much about the critters your hunting but here where I'm at hunting a big rack buck is like adding another species of animal to your hunting list. Its really like its not the same animal at all. I eat the meat, I enjoy the challenge, I love the hunt, I would never even consider hiring an outfitter,I like to talk about the hunt, I show pictures, I enjoy the hunt for myself,and yes I also love big antlers.

Your post is ridiculous as is suggesting choosing to hunt an animal that requires more effort,skill, and time to harvest happens because I hunter enjoys the kill and not the hunt.

There is no reason that a hunter cannot be both a meat hunter and a trophy hunter too!
A "trophy" to me is a good deer for the area that I hunt. I shoot does and eat all of the meat I get too.
Seriously MH, why would you leave the antlers in the woods? In fact, in Texas you must keep the head intact until you reach your final destination! That would make what your saying illegal.

In the real world trophy hunting means spending hours upon hours upon hours in the field,in all different conditions from blistering cold to swarming mosquitoes,and watching deer walk by without killing them all in pursuit of a much harder to hunt animal.

To even suggest "For them the hunt means nothing. It's the kill that's important" makes no logical sense what so ever.

To leave the antlers in the woods to me is disrespecting the animal. Sharing the hunt and photos is what hunting is about the respect of the animal you hunt to keep its memories a live.

Good god man!!! Why does everybody take it this way. Where the hell did I mention to do it my way? I'm simply telling you how I do it, because you asked.

Don't ask if you don't want an answer! I don't care how anybody hunts. I do care how I hunt, and it's only important to me.

Please..Please.. Please DON"T DO IT MY MY!!!!!!!

Understand now?

It's just a body part. I leave the guts too. Is that disrespectful too?

Antlers won't go to waste. Somebody will find them. You are aware that deer and elk leave their antlers on the ground every year. What's the difference if I do it.

The meat is all that's important to me. I make sure I have it all, and don't waste my time hauling out something I can't eat. You ever carried out elk antlers 4-5 miles at 11,000ft up and down the mountains? My energy is better spent getting the meat out.