Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: Bean Counter on September 19, 2015, 03:10:15 AM

Title: Nature vs. Nurture (Pronghorns)
Post by: Bean Counter on September 19, 2015, 03:10:15 AM: Not sure what the point of that Subject line is but I always think that phrase is funny when I hear it :chuckle:

My first pronghorn buck hunt is looming and I've been looking over lots of photos and studying the scoring sheets. Who doesn't love a high, wide 'n heavy buck? I sure do. That said, I wonder if Im the only one who says "yeah, that's a nice scoring buck, but kind of ugly.." I want to notch my tag on a good scoring buck but I've noticed that I like the aesthetic look of taller bucks than fatter ("massive") ones, and I like ones with the cutters pointed out as opposed to straight forward or inward. Don't like them overly curved or heart shaped. More I look them over the more I think they're a beautiful animal, and if I can get a decent one I might go for the shoulder mount; I'm getting tired of mostly euros on the wall. I guess its good I'm getting more particular about what I want and not going into it prepared to shoot the first buck I see in the illustrious Red Desert. Just some silly aesthetic thoughts I guess.

Have you ever intentionally passed on a good scoring animal, even one within your goal, because you didn't think he'd look good on the wall? Related comments about other big game also welcome.
Title: Re: Nature vs. Nurture (Pronghorns)
Post by: nwwanderer on September 19, 2015, 01:51:17 PM: Pronghorn would be a great shoulder mount, especially if you find that shape you are looking for and you will not need to raise your ceiling. No prettier critter on this quarter of the planet. Patience is a virtue.
Title: Re: Nature vs. Nurture (Pronghorns)
Post by: PlateauNDN on September 19, 2015, 04:24:51 PM: When I was scouting for my bighorn I was following a bachelor group for several weeks deciding which one was "the 1". I had them within 50 yds and of the 3 the biggest one was in my cross hairs but the 1 I took had character, I just couldn't stop staring at him and I was going back and forth between the 2 in my cross hairs...I knew the bigger one would score well as he was longer and heavier but the character of mine as his tips were almost symmetrical I settled on him and I'm happy with him. He wasn't the biggest or longest but I just couldn't stop staring... :drool: