Trophy or Meat?

[shorthair-on-point]

This year I just want to put something in the freezer. Other years I have only been interested in a trophy. What is your goal this year?

[NW-Eric]

as far as deer gos this year im hunting for the freezer... but would like to get a nice trophy bull next week

[BC CHASER]

Horns first.  I have a coues tag for AZ and would like to get at least a good 3pt to put ont he wall.  I have an MT antelope tag and shot a 14'' last year and will be looking for a bigger goat this year,  my brother and dad are going this year and I want them to get good goats first.  Not sure on time if I am late whitetail or blacktail,  normally go for WT but might stick around and chase some big blackies this year!  I do enjoy all the meat but like the little guys to get big!

[shorthair-on-point]

Wow, you will have a lot of road time this year.

[BC CHASER]

Speedgoat Oct. 12th-19th (if we tag out early it is off to Chelan for general season) Oct. 22nd -30th coues. Two days home and if we go for late WT it is off to the NE for 2 weeks leaving Nov 3rd-19th.

[KNOPHISH]

In WA & MT this year I'm going for 1st legal elk I see. Mainly cuz it's been a few years since I shot one. WA Deer I might wait a couple days if seeing alot or 1st 3 point. MT you can be a little more picky & not shoot the 1st deer you see. Really for me it's all about the meat, Backstraps baby. Plus I already have a Big bull & Buck on the wall.

[Ellensburg]

My goal is a big ol' muley next week in high country... if that doesnt work than I'll help my g-pa get his deer in the chilliwist and hope i can get a legal buck up there. If that doesnt work out, the old honey hole in newport where I will get my whitetail buck!

Then I'll see how much energy i have left for elk somewhere in there also.

[uncoolperson]

priorities in order:
get outside and do something
dinner
couple of spikes on the wall

[NRA4LIFE]

Both for me.  Oct. 11-12, WA Deer, first legal 3 pt's going down.  Oct 25, 26 WA Elk, first legal spike's going down, then onto MT for Muley and speed goats (doe only on the goat).  Probably wait for a nice 4 or 5 point muley.  Or a giant 3.  Then Nov. 13-19 for Missouri WT.  New 4-pt restrictions will mandate waiting for something decent, but we can shoot as many does as we want to butcher.  Should put a LOT of meat in the freezer this year.  May have to buy another freezer as we put a ton of fish in there this summer.

[arrowflinger]

Oct 4-10, a legal spike elk. Oct 11 and 12, any legal BT deer. Oct 18-26, A big Utah muley. If the deer hunt here doesn't pan out, then it off for a late WT deer. Of course, I'll be chasin birds in there also.

[TeacherMan]

Its all about the antlers I hate to say. I will hunt the early season for mule deer, if I see one that is over 25" and 4pts plus eye guards he will fall. after that I have a big bull tag in the Observatory unit. 9 days of heaven, I plan on waiting for at least a 300 class bull. I would rather go home empty handed than shoot a small one, Ive waited to long for this tag. Than back at it again in the late season for deer. The NE corner is callling my name for a 150" plus whitetail. All said and done I usually get a freezer full of good eat in burger and a ridiculous taxidermy bill. 

[Curly]

Usually it is all about the meat for me.  This year I will probably pass on some smaller deer for the first few days.  Then if I can't find a decent 4 point, I'll take the first legal deer I see the last couple days of my hunt.

[finnman]

Oct. 1st my wife will be opening the FLOOD GATE on the meat dam! Moose meat for the whole year will be a tasty delight! So rifle buck will be a difficult decision since we will have all the meat we need, yet I am still battling the rehab on the ol' ACL reconstruction, not sure how well I will be doing in the rough scab ground we hunt in, if I see a legal buck close by I might dump it, hard to say, Big Bull tag for Goose Prairie starts the 20th so I am not going to hurt myself for a small bull, I will not need the meat so I will hold out for as big of a dude as I can find! Don't like wasting 12 points for a dink.

[jjhunter]

Horns, horns, and more horns.  Archery elk and deer in  E. WA(Sept), mule deer in Eastern MT(OCT 26-31),  Mule deer on a landowner tag in Colorado (Nov. 1-7), late whitetail in Northern ID(Nov 15-30).....and Muley Grande in Sonora, Mexico(January 7-16)!  I am sure I will get some meat along the way........

[GoldTip]

With elk I have always shot the first legal animal I find.  Simple as that.  I have shot several 6 point bulls, but they were also the first elk I had a chance at.  That won't change this year, I just like eating elk too much to pass on a legal animal.  Deer, I love to eat them too, so I will start out looking for a good buck, but I will fill my tag both in WA and in Idaho.  Once again, just love to eat'em and the wife does as well.

[Nash]

jjhunter, I have never been so jealous of somebody in my whole life.  I will be hunting for mmulies in a 3pt. or better unit so any legal buck I get will be a trophy to me

[CP]

Meat.  I give any antlers to my dog for a chew toy.

[SCRUBS]

I would like to get a trophy, but i would not kill an animal for that sole purpose. I do it because i like the meat. JMHO

[Houndhunter]

i always considered me a trophy hunter for deer, and any legal elk, and depends on the situation for bear. but after being on this site i begining to feel out-classed hunting wise, but i guess im doin the best i can and thats all i can do

[jjhunter]

Nash,

Don't be too jealous - my wife will probably divorce me after this hunting season! LOL.  The great thing about our sport is that the trophy is in the eye of the beholder and everyone does it for a different reason.  Of all my hunts this year, the WA archery hunt with my Dad and brother will definitely mean the most to me.  I love chasing big deer, but most of all, I love to hunt.  Trophy hunting allows me to stay in the field longer and that is what I truly love - to be in the field and breathe that crisp fall air!  Good luck this fall!

[wannahunt]

I'm always been about spending time with the family and meat first but this year the kids got 3 doe tags and one cow tag so I'm gonna try and hold out for a Mulie to put on the wall (Quilemene A tag) but it's always been very hard for me to keep from pulling the trigger.   i can smell those tender loins already.

[billythekidrock]

Never been a trophy hunter, but I have been lucky to kill some of the bigger blacktail bucks my areas have to offer. Bear and elk are definately "first legal".

[Michelle_Nelson]

I hunt mainly to fill the freezer.  That doesn't mean I would let a big boy go if he walked in front of me.  Never been really big into trophy hunting.  Once I have meat in the freezer than I might hold out for a bigger critter later in the season.

[powslash]

MEAT. Can't eat horns. But you can grind them up into powder for magical potions.

[300rum]

Trophy...... I like to give the meat away to a needy family if I know of one.  If not I am more than happy to have it.  In fact I have harvested a few bucks on the last day of a season because I knew of a family in a tough situation and it was something that I could do to help.

[BC CHASER]

300rum is there somewhere or someone to contact about donating?  We eat all of ours but I would like to do that for a family especially this year with the economy.

[Bscman]

 

I posted a similar poll a couple weeks back, and the general consensus was that everyone hunted for the experience, and the meat...trophy came and "bloodthirsty murderer just venting" came in dead last.

Oh well.
I won't shoot the first legal thing I see--it ends the season too quickly.
I don't care much about chasing trophies...meat is more important.

[phishisgroovin]

if i wanted a trophy i would learn to golf, killing is for eating IMO.

[shorthair-on-point]

Trophy...... I like to give the meat away to a needy family if I know of one.  If not I am more than happy to have it.  In fact I have harvested a few bucks on the last day of a season because I knew of a family in a tough situation and it was something that I could do to help.

I will have to remember that...."honey, don't get mad, I am going hunting for charity"

[catwithboost]

Meat Meat and more meat. 

[robb92]

300rum is there somewhere or someone to contact about donating?  We eat all of ours but I would like to do that for a family especially this year with the economy.

There is a charity called Farmers and Hunters feeding the Hungry, as of yet there is no chapter in Washington state, might be a good thing to look into. I found out about the charity because it was started in MD and when I was on the deer team on base we donated the meat that wouldn't fit in our freezers. Check them out!!!

http://www.fhfh.org/ChaptersState.asp?StateLookup=WA

I hunt to fill the freezer, doesn't mean I won't shoot a buck, but I like making beer and cheddar brats to much so its meat for me.

As for me and hunting this fall, I plan on archery for deer in Maryland, season starts on Monday, going to be a long day have to work Sunday night and then get off after working a 12 hour shift and then I am in the gorund blind on the land I hunt, the season runs till the 31 of Jan. So I have plenty of time to fill the freezer exspecially with the bag limits being what they are, unlimited doe with bow in the county I hunt in. I will also be hunting in Va for bear (not till next month though) and deer, got a hook up for some private land there, and if it doesn't work out I know there are deer behind my place.

[archery288]

My goal.... Go out and kill some *censored*!!! 

[huntnphool]

I plan on filling the freezers with trophy's.  

[RightPlace-RightTime]

I like the phrase that was said,  Very nice

the trophy is in the eye of the beholder

[ICEMAN]

I plan on filling the freezers with trophy's.  

 

For me, this year it is all about getting my son in front of a deer to shoot. Any legal deer this year is a trophy in this house.

I will hang my deer and elk tag on the first legal I see. All I see walking along the trail is a big pile of steak, shishkabob, liver fry, stuffed heart..... 

[singleshot12]

For me, steaks and sausage are what I see while on the hunt.A fat young 2 point with a small rack is more of a trophy than a tough rutted up old four point. The rack is just a simple reminder of the hunt.
My neighbor was a rich trophy hunter,he was known for shooting huge bull elk and mule deer, if he shot a big one down a ravine he would only take the cape and horns, not sure how he could sleep at nights.

[huntnphool]

A fat young 2 point with a small rack is more of a trophy than a tough rutted up old four point.

I hope you're hunting blacktail?

[Gutpile]

A fat young 2 point with a small rack is more of a trophy than a tough rutted up old four point.

Not for me. 

I have shot quite a few does in the past and actually have a little more fun chasing them. takes the pressure off; should I pass this one? Will I see a bigger one? Does he score enough? I like drawing a doe tag so I can use a pistol or different rifles, and I like seeing how close I can get to a bedded doe. I just get a real kick out of it. If I see a bruiser buck I use the old 06' I shoot so well and don't fart around getting too close and screwing things up, which I typically do anyways.

That said, I love big deer. I will be holding out this year for a big buck not just what some folks call a "meat buck". I would really like a 130+ whity. If they don't cooperate I have no problem taking any legal whity on the last weekend. I do love venison!!! 

[TeacherMan]

I will be the first to say I'm the biggest trophy hunter there is. My real question is how do some of you guys pay to go to so many out of state places during the hunting season? Plus what about working. Some of you guys sound like your sponsord by hunting shows. I'm really jelous. 

[SpearitLake]

Meat, always my first thought and my first action, well unless you have a choice right smack dab in front of you.

[MichaelJ]

Trophy for me, but I haven't shot very many deer and want my next to always be bigger or as big as the previous one...  This year I'm going after a nice buck and won't shoot a 2-3 year old buck just because I'd rather let 'em grow up...  Thats what I loved about hunting archery last year, you could shoot does if you didn't find a mature buck!

Michael

[Red Dawg]

I just want to shoot mature animals. I dont care if i kill a deer anymore because the meat is not all that great. So if you consider shooting mature animals a trophy than that is what i am. Now elk that is a different story. I love elk meat and you also get a substantial amount of vitals to put in your freezer.

[300rum]

300rum is there somewhere or someone to contact about donating?  We eat all of ours but I would like to do that for a family especially this year with the economy.

There is a charity called Farmers and Hunters feeding the Hungry, as of yet there is no chapter in Washington state, might be a good thing to look into. I found out about the charity because it was started in MD and when I was on the deer team on base we donated the meat that wouldn't fit in our freezers. Check them out!!!

http://www.fhfh.org/ChaptersState.asp?StateLookup=WA

I looked into starting a chapter but you have to find a butcher etc. etc. etc. If you ever get the chance to hear the story about how FHFH began, you need to, it is great.  Basically a hunter was driving down the road when he saw a gal trying to put a road-kill deer in the back of her trunk to feed her kids.  He helped her and told her that it may be illegal but she didn't care as she needed to feed the kids.  He started it up after that.  Great story.

[BC CHASER]

We need to start a chapter here.

[300rum]

If we could find a butcher I am sure that we could come up with enough donations to cover their cost. 

[rasbo]

meat this year I can only road hunt so ,if its legal its down