Trophy or meat?

[Jingles]

I believe most hunters would prefer a trophy over a cull or a doe, myself included, however how many say after a week of no trophy presenting itself  say time to put meat in the freezer? And do you wait until the 11th hour of the last day or feel a doe in the hand is better than a trophy in the brush?

[boneaddict]

I’ve never killed a doe, and won’t unless my family is starving to death.   I suppose it’s changed over the years, but I tend to try for bigs or nothing.  Situations are different, hunting with a kid, the experience etc.  at this point, timing won’t mean much.   I don’t have to notch.  I’d just assume the snappers grow up.   The herd benefits from me not just filling the freezer.

[Bob33]

I have very little interest in trophies. I hunt for the experience and meat.

[Wingin it]

I wouldn’t harvest a doe here in Washington. The deer population is already in shambles, at least mule deer. However there are other parts of the states that carry a large healthy, sometimes even overpopulated herds. I think that in those instances the taking of a doe for meat is just fine. For me personally I much prefer good organic game meat over store bought meat. I also like horns though! I tend to hold out for a big one until toward the end of my hunt and then based on what is going on I may settle for a meat buck. Hunting Washington for me has mostly become helping the young hunters in our crew. I enjoy that experience as much as I do hunting for myself. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to hunt for myself out of state for several years now though.

[SuperX]

I go for the same reasons as Bob33 - the experience and the meat. 

I'll shoot the first legal critter that comes into bow range, in my book anytime you manage to kill something with a bow it is a trophy. 

[Cylvertip]

I’ve never killed a doe, and won’t unless my family is starving to death.   I suppose it’s changed over the years, but I tend to try for bigs or nothing.  Situations are different, hunting with a kid, the experience etc.  at this point, timing won’t mean much.   I don’t have to notch.  I’d just assume the snappers grow up.   The herd benefits from me not just filling the freezer.

.

   Even though I have never shot a deer. 

Same for elk.  I won't kill a bull smaller than my previous one.

[brokentrail]

For me, every animal is a trophy, and I don't hunt horns.   I take the first legal animal I can.  I'm all about eating it.

[hunter399]

Can't eat the horns......
I'll kill the first legal animal.
I know it sounds heartless,but the department that is in charge of management of our game are heartless,are stupid as stupid does.

[BIGDOG253]

I go for the same reasons as Bob33 - the experience and the meat. 

I'll shoot the first legal critter that comes into bow range, in my book anytime you manage to kill something with a bow it is a trophy. 

Yeah for OTC tags, its the first legal animal for me. And if its a big mature critter, that's just a bonus in my book.

[greenhead_killer]

I think the circumstances dictate what I choose to do. A lot of years I’ve eaten tags, waiting for a big one and some years I have so much going on that I cannot invest in (I don’t like the term trophy hunting as much as mature animal hunting) and shoot the first legal animal I see. Doe management is good in wt areas and I’m not opposed to shooting a doe with my bow. As far as md does, I just flat won’t kill one. No need.

[hunter399]

I guess I'll rephrase.
When a bio ,commission,Department,ECT, sit there and tell me our game numbers are fine and act like I'm overreacting.
I've made it my mission in life .
First legal deer dies .
End of story.

[PolarBear]

I raise top quality beef and poultry so meat isn’t an issue. I have never and will never kill a doe, same with my kids. Spikes and forkies are safe as well. I would rather eat my tag than waste it on something small. I don’t get folks who would kill a 6 month old fawn for 15 pounds of meat just to fill a tag. You can’t “fill the freezer” with a fawn.

[257wbymagkiller]

I would agree with brokentrail every animal is a trophy to me. I’m a freezer filler first. Hunting started out as providing food and everything after that is a plus. But on the other side I do understand the “trophy” side of it when there are male animals that are killing younger males but not providing a positive to the populations. As long as it is an ethical kill and you are great full for the animal hunt on!

[Dan-o]

I have very little interest in trophies. I hunt for the experience and meat.

 

Some of my favorite elk hunts have been cows.

[OutHouse]

Depends on how much time you have I suppose. I like antlers, not a trophy hunter, but I have no problem taking a doe provided it’s whitetail. Back in 2019 or so I didn’t have time to hunt so I shot a whitetail doe in archery (many of the 200s units are any deer for white tails in archery). That deer tasted so good