Question On Your Hunting Goals/ Standards

[Dmanmastertracker]

 While having a discussion up in the "Polls" on if people need to exercise the "ignore" option, I remembered why I had ignored a couple people to begin with, so for the sake of not using my ignore list any more I ask this question;

-Do you hunt for the horns, or to take meat home? Does every buck/ doe have the same value to you? I am betting there will be some responses that will say "both", but if you dig deep enough, there is only one or the other that makes you decide to take that shot. For me, I get just as excited over a two point as my biggest buck and it seems disrespectful to me for people to look down there noses on "trophy" sites, or post's at other's harvest's, period. Have respect for the animal and for other hunter's who earned a meal the hard way . I go into the field with one objective each year, to fill my freezer with venison for my family, that is not to say I don't pass on deer, I've never shot a spike and I hunt spike legal areas every year, passed on dozen's, but I will not and have not ever been disrespectful about anyone else's kill, unless they made an unethical shot, hunted illegally, etc... 

[littlebuf]

if you can read this Dman  , i believe any animal worked for is a trophy. i hunt because i love to hunt i love the hard work and the pay off. my goal is to take the highest quality animal i can both for meat and trophy. so ya i guess both, ive never taken a spike but this is going to be my daughter's first year hunting and if she can get a spike it would be the best deer ive ever been a part of

[Dmanmastertracker]

 I would say also, that if your a person who holds out for a bigger buck and prefers to eat hamburger, etc.. instead in dry years, that is OK with me, I'm not against that kind of hunting methodology.

[Dmanmastertracker]

if you can read this Dman  , i believe any animal worked for is a trophy. i hunt because i love to hunt i love the hard work and the pay off. my goal is to take the highest quality animal i can both for meat and trophy. so ya i guess both, ive never taken a spike but this is going to be my daughter's first year hunting and if she can get a spike it would be the best deer ive ever been a part of

 That's cool, hope she can bag one. My wife's a newbie to hunting too, though she had an opportunity this year and just wasn't quite ready, maybe next year.

[7mag.]

I used to be a meat hunter for years, until I realized that I can't make my wife eat it. I don't let meat go to waste, but I am more selective on what I shoot. I am respectful of all animals, I don't ever kill just to kill(with the exception of possibly coyotes or wolves, but I have never killed either). The killing part is full of mixed emotions for me because no matter how many animals I take, it is still sad and exciting at the same time. For me a trophy is personal. I still get buck fever no matter the size or sex of an animal I am preparing to shoot.  My worst case of buck fever was on my first blacktail, a spike, and it was my fourth or fifth deer. It was the first time that I had missed a shot at an animal, luckily it was a dumb spike and he gave me a second chance. When the time comes that I no longer get that feeling, that is when I will stop hunting.

[Dmanmastertracker]

 Well said, I can 2nd that, though I've found that if I get all venison burger, I can "hide" it in chili and spaghetti and the wife is OK with it .

[billythekidrock]

I buy the full big game package every year.
 If I hunt elk I expect one every third year and I don't know if I will live long enough to see a cougar during season.
I also expect to kill two black bears and at least a 3pt blacktail every year.
Last year I lowered my standards to a good forkhorn buck, but it never happend.

I feel any animal could be a trophy depending on the hunt, but I also feel that shooting a spike vs a mature buck is like digging a limit of young razors vs a limit of mossbacks. There is no comparison...one meat pile is much larger.

[heavy hauler]

i am a trophy hunter.  that doesnt mean i am disrespectfull of a meat hunter.  i know people who shoot the first legal deer they see.when they shoot a tiny spike for meat  i think its great  , but imagine  what if they held out for a fat 2 point or even bigger.  i know a big 2 point can have twice as much meat as a yearling tic-tack spike.  whatever makes you happy

[huntnphool]

I hunt for the the love of the outdoors and everything associated with it, I am past the point of meat hunting and will only shoot if I feel its a "trophy" and I understand trophy is a matter of opinion. I get as much enjoyment out of shooting bucks and bulls with my Canon as with a weapon these days and get the most excited when I am with friends or family that tag their animal. I am looking forward to years of hunting with my kids and helping friends out as well, I don't care if I put a tag on an animal anymore, unless, of course, I draw that sheep tag

[jackelope]

i hunt to be outdoors with friends and family. if i kill a deer, fantastic. i have reached the point where i don't kill the first legal buck i see anymore. i also will choose what animal i will concentrate on every year. what i mean is, for example i drew multi deer this year. i will buy an elk tag so i can get the point in the draws, but i will put in for point only. i don't have enough people around me to eat multiple animals worth of venison every year.
i say a few words of thanks to the deer when i kill one out of respect to him and i will never flip anyone any *censored* for killing a little deer or doe or anything. if thats what floats their boat and they are happy, then so be it. to each his own as long as it is ethical and legal.

[hogsniper]

A trophy is in the eye of the beholder!!! My girlfriend shot a spike last year and jumped up and down and was absolutely ecstatic. It was a true trophy in her book. And still is..With that said its all in the experience and all this stuff about being 2 point or better only is crap to me. If you dont agree with shooting a spike then dont. Leave it for the next kid or person that would be proud to harvest that animal..My dad and I harvested 2 young 3 point muleys last year and hunting together and also both of us being successful was an absolute blast. It wasnt about shooting that wallhanger but spending time with my old man..Harvesting those bucks together will be remembered for the rest of my days..My     ....Have a good night all

[BLKBEARKLR]

Hunting for me for a long time was for the meat, opening day if it was legal it was down. I know am selective of what I shoot, I feel any animal you take it is your trophy, wether today it was a doe with a bow, or a grizz with a rifle, in your mind you decided to take that animal so at that time it was a trophy to you. Now that the wife is hunting with me, I no longer care if I put a tag on anything just being out there with her is worth never pulling the trigger again. And I do know that if I want to pull the trigger I better do it quick because with her 300WinMag at 300 yards and closer it's going down.....

[Michelle_Nelson]

I hunt to be in the outdoors.  I hunt to be with friends.  I am not really a trophy hunter.  Not since I started doing taxidermy.  Guess I see big animals all day and it doesn't excite me as much.  

It really depends on how much time I have to be out hunting.  I hunt for the meat.  I never know when the animals are going to start pouring in the shop and I am finnished for the rest or Deer, Elk, or Bear season.  So I usually take what I can get.

I kinda have it set up like this.  The first animal I kill (Deer or Bear) will be freezer meat the next one the same year will have to be better than average no question about it befor I shoot it.  If I kill an elk and want to keep hunting than I will be hunting for a Trophy Deer or Bear.

[Alan K]

I hunt for the experience. 

That said, I don't have a problem passing up deer until the last week or weekend.  Being a bow hunter for the last 5 years now, I pass countless does, and will eat my tag if it means not taking a doe.  I try to hold out for 2 pt.+, but going to school 350 miles from my blacktail turf I have a hard time passing up smaller bucks if I happen on them and they're within range.

Elk on the other hand. . . During rifle season the first legal bull is down.  Last year was my first year chasing them with my bow, and I was saying I was going to hold out for a bull in the early season and go ahead and take a cow if the opportunity presented itself in the late season.  The first evening of early archery I had two cows and two spikes feeding right towards me, wind perfect, and I got the shakes like I've never had them before. There was no way I was going to be able to pass on one of the cows. I was even worried that when the time came I might not be able to hold still enough for a shot! Unfortunately some moron in the reprod 100ish yards above 'em squeezed a hoochie mama (I hate those fking things) like 4 times in 4 seconds when they were about 125 yards away from me.  They threw their heads up, looked for about 2 seconds, turned and bolted.  I was  .  Good times though. . .

Late season I got my first shot at a cow and shot right in front of her . . .    I'm feelin' it for next year.  Was in them all day everyday, it's just 10x harder to close the deal with a bow.

[Redmist]

There are hunters and killers.  I think we have a little of both in us but most likely begin as killers.  Some men have taken alot of lives...hundreds...thousands.  The first time he let a small buck walk was a bigger step than today when he watches a big buck feed until out of sight.  He feels secure about himself as he walks out of the wilderness alone at night because he knows the difference between want, need, and capability.  He is watched sometimes from the darkness by much more capable killers than himself, but is left to walk through the darkness because he is not what the most skillfull killer was hunting.  Each resisted a desire, one a want, the other a need.  Both recognized their own capability.