What do you consider a trophy ?

[Guest tyshe17]

Re: What do you consider a trophy ?

I agree with what has been said. If i shoot at something I will consider it a trophy. If I am in the woods, I consider it a success. However, with a gun I try to harvest older animals. I want 1.5 or older does, and 2.5 older bucks. I havent killed that many deer with a bow, but I do want the deer I shoot to be at least 1.5, and after I take a couple of smaller bucks I am sure I will move this standard on par with my firearm standard.

[Rhino]

Re: What do you consider a trophy ?

Any deer I’ve chosen to kill is a trophy to me. Heck the memory of some special hunts where I didn’t kill a deer are trophies too. Some just a memorable to me as hunts where I was dragging ol’ mossy horns.

I will honestly say that I don’t get as excited about killing a doe as I do killing a mature buck. I have been known to get a little too excited about putting a mature buck down before though. Didn’t wet my pants but I know somebody else that did. That’s another story. Anyway, what I choose to kill or let walk is my choice. What anyone else chooses to kill is their choice. A trophy is truly in the eye of the beholder. If they are happy and thrilled about it, that’s a trophy to them and I’m perfectly happy to enjoy sharing the thrill and excitement of their trophy with them.

As for me I really don’t care to kill young bucks at all because I’d rather give them the chance to get some age to show their true potential. It doesn't matter if I'm bowhunting or hunting with a firearm, same rules for passing on deer apply for me. I’m pretty lucky to hunt an area not too far from home that has a lot of deer, numbers wise so I don’t have a problem killing does for meat for the freezer. I’m also lucky to be able to spend a lot more time hunting than the average hunter too. That has made it a whole lot easier to let those younger bucks walk over the years so I'm perfectly happy to kick back and just enjoy watching those younger guys. When I hit the road to hunt out of state, I’m hunting for wall hangers trophies. The mature bucks in the out of state areas I travel to carry larger racks than the mature bucks we have down here so I prefer to hold out for something bigger than the size of the mature bucks that are available here at home.

[Cutter]

Re: What do you consider a trophy ?

Beauty is in the eye of the bla bla bla ...Be proud of what you shoot or dont shoot Speaking of shooting its time to head to the stand. Wish me luck.

[MuZZyMomentZ]

Re: What do you consider a trophy ?

Hmm how to go about this..

I just started bowhunting last year, and I was lucky enough to harvest 3 does. (We participate in DMAPs which allocates us a certain number of doe tags to fill in order to maintain a healthy herd) The thrill of a bow far outweighs that of a gun (only in my opinion) and those deer that I was lucky enough to harvest last year are all thrilling in there own special ways.

I harvested my first buck when I was 13ish. He was a one and a half year old.. and I was ecstatic. I believe all will agree that the first deer that you kill reguardless of method of taking(as long as it isnt illegal) is a definate trophy.

I have taken a total of four bucks, and not one of them is big enough to get into the books. However, I personally make a commitment to myself to be a better hunter every year. I will not shoot a deer that is smaller than one of the ones that I have already harvested. In fact, this year I am holding out for a P&Y buck, no if ands or buts about it.

I think the true answer is that a trophy is in the eye of the beholder, be it a world class whitetail or an armadillo.. it is what you want it to be. Heck I have caught mice in mousetraps that are trophies, granted I didnt mount them but you get where I am coming from.