rifleman25 Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Its obvious we all hunt "at different levels" for different reasons. I want to know who labels themself a "trophy hunter", and if you do, how you define that and what does it mean to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ousoonerfan22 Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I don't think I'm a trophy hunter but I don't like to shoot small bucks and doe's.I'll turn 45 this month and I don't know if I'm that lazy now and don't want to gut a deer,check it in then take it to my friend that processes them.My son gives me a hard time because I haven't shot a deer in the last 3-4 years but I enjoy watching these young bucks and let them walk,now if it is a really nice buck I'll take him.It seems like the older I get the more I enjoy just spending time sitting in the stand,glassing and watching the animals rather than putting pressure on myself thinking I need to kill a deer. Weird huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I will shoot anything that my tag is legal for! I am a meat hunter and really prefer does and cow elk! Can't eat the antlers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rifleman25 Posted September 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? Since we raise beef cattle I have no use for the meat and anything I shoot usually gets donated to FHFH. We manage our land for the best bucks we can produce. I also won't shoot a little piscutter buck or bull either just to say I got one. If I decide to drop the hammer on one it is going to be something to wrote home about. I'd rather go home with an unfilled tag than shoot a sub trophy animal. I guess I am a trophy hunter. I was 11 years old when I filled my first tag and it was with a 130 inch whitetail from our property in eastern SD. I cought heck for that. My dad didn't like the idea of an immature buck falling for no reason other than it was a buck. I have since only shot mature bucks of no less than 5 years of age. Some of these have been smaller than that 130 incher but they had atleast hit their peak and were probably on the way down. 150 inch whitetails and 170 inch muleys are my personal minimum now and I have done well in field judging them. I was always told that if you can't pass up the little ones, or the pretty decent good ones your chances of killing a trophy are very slim. I guess that makes sence and since that first rifle hunt I would rather eat a tag than be a baby killer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUTSIDER Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? If i take it with my bow, its a trophy to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phaseolus (BeanMan) Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? OSUsooner, Your position is admirable and comes with age. when hunting muleys I fall in the same category. As for elk, that's what for dinner and I usually have and fill a cow tag. I try to draw an either sex tag but am only successful about every third yeat at that. Bean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ousoonerfan22 Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I agree with you if I lived in Colorado,Wyoming or Montana I would want to at least kill a cow every year,those elk are pretty good eating. I've heard the antelope are good to eat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phaseolus (BeanMan) Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? Antelope are my favorite game snack. I've often heard of 'gamey' antelope but after 10 or so of the them I've never had a bad one. All have been on animals that died quickly and had not been run. Since the 6-7 year drought 'goat tags have been harder to draw in Colorado. I have 7 PP now and should draw a blackpowder statewide buck tag next year. Beanman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idaho_ Elk_ Huntr Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? [ QUOTE ] I will shoot anything that my tag is legal for! I am a meat hunter and really prefer does and cow elk! Can't eat the antlers!! [/ QUOTE ] We should be hunting together! Meat in the freezer is what I like to see. This is where I beleive a bird in the hand is worth more than 2 in the bush!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted September 9, 2006 Report Share Posted September 9, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? Trophy Hunter first, meat hunter second, I guess. By that, I mean, I try my best to get a good mature animal, whether it be a mature doe, or buck, but when time is running out, I will put meat in the freezer, regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PAdeerdreamer Posted September 9, 2006 Report Share Posted September 9, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? Trophy hunter first,meat hunter second.But by meat hunter I mean fill my doe tag.Usually last three days of the season is when mind set changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted September 9, 2006 Report Share Posted September 9, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? When I hunted whitetails, I would shoot the deer I wanted. It all depends on where I hunted. If it was NF land, if its legal and I want it, its going down. If I have a couple in the freezer, I might get picky. Since the bag limit was so liberal, I was not worried about holding out for a "trophy". On privatge land, we would follow the landowners wishes and have a point minimum, or shoot as many as we could. It depended on the location. Do I consider myself a trophy hunter? No way. I like to shoot critters with a big rack as much as anyone, but that's not why I hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaw Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? It's all about the meat for me. I like to fill my doe tags and then wait on a nice buck, which usually never happens. I find myself passing on young bucks more and more each year. Maybe I'm evolving int o that next phaze of my hunting life. Since my hunting time is very limited, I like to bring home the meat first and foremost, after that, I can kick back and spend the rest of what time I have in the woods waiting on the BIG ONE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? Well...I usually have several antlerless bow, rifle and muzzleloader tags that I like to fill so I can hold out for a buck. I usually have an any deer archery tag and this year I'm hoping for an any deer rifle tag and an any deer black powder tag as well. So that means if I get those three any deer tags I'll have a minimum of three rifle antlerless tags, two muzzleloader antlerless tags and two archery antlerless tags. I'm both, I guess. Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I fill my doe tags first...then yes, I try to hold out for what I thnk is the best Ive seen, when I see which one I think is a trophy, I will hold out for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoosierbuck Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? Like many others, I gladly take does to fill the freezer, but if I shoot a buck it is because he is a dandy. I'll gladly go a year or two or three without killing a buck if I don't get a shot at a good one. Am I a trophy hunter, sort of. Am I a meat hunter, sort of. HB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phaseolus (BeanMan) Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I wish our deer population was big enough to support much Doe hunting but unfortunately it is not. I am a trophy hunter, until first light. Truth to tell though I use a cow elk tag for filling the freezer and then hope to draw a buck tag. BeanMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I don't know. I've got a 300 class bull a couple years ago----now, I'll shoot a bull but a dry cow is my 1st choice. My mtn goat I shot in 2000----I was going to shoot the 1st one I saw----I can't see a difference in an 8 1/2" bully & a 9" one. The mtn & elements are what you are contending with. My black bear is a 6' footer---a good bear. My next bear will have to be 7' or a grizzly. The trophy I'm most proud of isn't even mine. It's my wife's 5/8 curl bighorn. We hunt for a week in sheep country----talus slopes, sleet, snow, blowing winds, lighting-----she never gave up---always climbing & glassing. We spoted a group of rams late in the afternoon---next morning @ 3AM ----we left camo in a driving rain----climbed the mtn----the sheep were gone, we huddled under a rock ledge out of the rain. Sun came out & so did the rams. She shot him @ 250 yards. LOL---as we went back to the overhang to get our packs---there was the full curl just looking at us at 100 yards. But you could not hit her in the butt with a base fiddle---she was on cloud nine---she got her RAM----CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rifleman25 Posted September 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I have been on two sheep hunts and have learned to appreciate the difficulty of the terrain the live in. I figurred with mine I would go big or go home. I didn't want to waste all that work on a little guy, and I ended up with a pair of sheep similar in size to your wifes. Now if I could only draw a desert big horn, and afford a marco polo ram I'd be sitting pretty. Someday maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unioncountyslayer Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I hunt mature deer, period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cutter Posted September 18, 2006 Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I hold out until the last week for a big whitetail but we have doe tags available so if one of the ladies walks by shes in trouble. If I'm going to draw on a bear its going to have to be a big guy. As for the rest of the critters their all fair game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted September 19, 2006 Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? i've been fortunate to hunt all over the n.a. continent. i'm a trophy hunter. the meat is great, but i prefer the heads. i've passed up great deer & elk, because i already have better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfletch7441 Posted September 19, 2006 Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? I'll let the young bucks walk, but any doe had better watch out. Deer ... it's what's for dinner. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rifleman25 Posted September 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? [ QUOTE ] I'll let the young bucks walk, but any doe had better watch out. Deer ... it's what's for dinner. Ben [/ QUOTE ] Sounds like a good practice of herd management and QDMA you have going. i commend you for your self control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Finn Posted September 19, 2006 Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 Re: \"Trophy Hunter\" are you one? My son and nephew get to shoot the does for meat. With the bow, I'm hold out for outside his ears and 8 points or better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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