Do you let them walk...

[hunter399]

I was just thinking,now that modern is over.
I've always told myself ,shoot the first one with a horn.
Then found myself doing the opposite this year and letting spikes walk.
Does that make me a trophy hunter?
I've always supported the 4pt min for my area,then kill spike like nobodys business.

So what you guys think..
Do you let small guys walk?
Is it as I get older I've grown a an actual heart,or I'm just a trophy hunter. Cause I want a mature deer.

Just something I'm trying to reflect on,now that my deer season is done.

I guess this topic just comes from years ago being told that APR for deer hunting is a trophy hunt. But if it's self inflicted, does that make me trophy hunter.

[7mmfan]

I went back and forth on this a few years ago. That year I killed a small fork horn blacktail and decided that the amount of meat I got off that deer didn't warrant me killing it. I'd rather it got a chance to grow another year.  I passed on a small spike this year. It was my only opportunity at a legal buck, I have no regrets.

It has nothing to do with trophy hunting. I'm not desperate for food, and with the stress our herds are under, I feel I'm doing a small part in helping the young ones get a chance to grow to maturity.

[hunter399]

I went back and forth on this a few years ago. That year I killed a small fork horn blacktail and decided that the amount of meat I got off that deer didn't warrant me killing it. I'd rather it got a chance to grow another year.  I passed on a small spike this year. It was my only opportunity at a legal buck, I have no regrets.

It has nothing to do with trophy hunting. I'm not desperate for food, and with the stress our herds are under, I feel I'm doing a small part in helping the young ones get a chance to grow to maturity.

I agree and feel the same as you,very well written.
It was a biologist that told me APR for deer hunting was trophy hunting. So I don't know if it's just driving me to the land of crazy or what.

[bkaech]

I am a trophy hunter, I've never killed a large animal, because I am also a meat hunter. I also hunt for pure recreation and for enjoyment of being outside alone, and I hunt for time with family. I hunt for lots and lots of reasons, I always keep some trophy from any animal I take weather it is a large trophy or not doesn't really matter, but I would prefer a large one. All this to say, there are lots of reasons I hunt, and choosing when to pull the trigger is totally situational and everyone is going to be different in that and always changing. I don't like to label myself as one type of hunter, I am all of them in some small way.

[Dhoey07]

I'll let spike deer walk all day long, but spike elk on the other hand..........

[Bullkllr]

I've always considered myself primarily a meat-hunter. That said, I have let a lot of spikes/forkies walk over the years; more often in recent years. Now a nice fat one, on the last day, uphill of the road might be in danger depending on the current meat situation.

[slavenoid]

The real trophy is the meat in the freezer for my family. Less meat on a spike, but a spike has more meat than no deer so act accordingly.

[dreadi]

First legal animal I can draw on…PEW PEW PEW.

A few years ago my wife and I were approached by some lying solicitor wanting us to donate to their org that specifically called out being against “trophy hunting”. To which I asked her define it, to which I flipped it on her and said “taking only a head and leaving the animal to waste is not trophy hunting..that’s called wanton waste and it’s already illegal. Why don’t you specify POACHING and wanton waste?”

She got herself all flustered and told me I didn’t understand. What-ever, lady.

The label of trophy hunting has a bad taste in my mouth due to the other side’s use of it.

If you want to shoot older deer, go for it.


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[Ironhead]

Call it what ever you want, but I prefer to take mature animals. I just call it Hunting.

[ASHQUACK]

Up until this year 1st legal buck got whacked. For some reason I let two 2 year old forkys and countless spikes walk and shot a 3 year old forky. But, that said all I have in my area (genetics) are fork horns.

[Griiz]

I don't like to harvest the young bucks as they haven't muscled up yet and I get way less meat.

[kirkl]

I hunt mulies so if its legal, its going down.

[Encore 280]

If it's a decent size spike I'll take it, I'm in it for the meat. I would think if ya let 'em walk chances are the next guy that comes along is going to whack it anyway.

[jackelope]

I’m no longer looking for the first legal buck I see. I’ll hold out for a more mature buck. Not saying it has to be a 180. Just needs to be a mature deer.
Also I can’t stand the term “trophy hunting”.  We all know that it’s not what the anti crowd makes it out to be. I wish the hunting crowd would stop using that term all together.

[Mtnwalker]

I went back and forth on this a few years ago. That year I killed a small fork horn blacktail and decided that the amount of meat I got off that deer didn't warrant me killing it. I'd rather it got a chance to grow another year.  I passed on a small spike this year. It was my only opportunity at a legal buck, I have no regrets.

It has nothing to do with trophy hunting. I'm not desperate for food, and with the stress our herds are under, I feel I'm doing a small part in helping the young ones get a chance to grow to maturity.

I agree and feel the same as you,very well written.
It was a biologist that told me APR for deer hunting was trophy hunting. So I don't know if it's just driving me to the land of crazy or what.

Unfortunately biologists can be idiots too...