trophy hunting

[chuck-ia]

why does everyone think you have to shoot a trophy animal? I like watching hunting shows on t.v. and it's all about getting a big animal. even in real life, did ya get a buck? How big is it? aww, just a doe. I shot a doe with a smoothbore flintlock a month ago, and this is a trophy to me. flinch

 

[Stumpkiller]

Yep. They're ALL trophys. Some even have antlers.

 

[bob1961]

I shot a doe with a smoothbore flintlock a month ago, and this is a trophy to me. flinch

ain't that's the truth....i went squirrel hunting 2 weeks ago friday and got two trophys that day too :thumbsup: .............bob

 

[rabjr]

They all are throphys.

I don't think it is right to chastize or fault anyone for what they choose to shoot. I put alot into hunting every year and do it from a wheel chair, even so I find it to easy to harvest a Doe. Thats something I can do just about at anytime. I'm looking for a bit more of a challenge than that and choose to hunt and match wits with bucks.

 

[spitfire]

Very true!

 

[spitfire]

I luv hunt'n them treerats also."Stalking" them has a challenge and game like quality. :grin:

 

[Blizzard of '93]

You got a valid point Flinch, I'll admit that a big antlered buck is something to cherish, but I've seen too many taken by hunters by disregard common courtesy in the national forest game lands to give them credit for a good hunt. Two things that rile me up is when the rule of 'leave out the way that you come in' is violated, I.E. using a 'driver' or more than one to flush deer out. It's not illegal to do that but to a hunter that scouted an area and found a bucks using area and is still hunting or stalking the buck it is a lack of respect for him (or her). Another thing is when a hunter comes in without scouting an area and sets up a stand or stalks (usually stomps) through line - of - sight of another hunters stand.
I do know that deer are so overpopulated in some states that there is a real problem with vehicle collisions - Georgia is one state, and if I'm not mistaken there are counties in that state that the game regs. require a hunter to take some does before filling a buck tag. Any Georgia hunters out there than can weigh in on this?
Not to mention that a dry doe, a young but mature one, has better meat than a mature buck that is 'in rut'. I've seen mature bucks that had been taken late in the rut, the meat was not as good as a does by long shot, tough and stringy, a 'bluish' color to it, and when cooking gave off a distinct odor. This is where 'aging' a carcass is helpful, although I've never had the weather co-operate enuff to allow me to try it.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I agree Spit, I hunt 'limb chickens' also. I don't use a BP gun to do so though. I haven't tryed my .50 for it, I use a .22 pistol - that is a challenge, especially if taking head shots only.
I've planning on .20 ga. smoothie in future so I'll give it a try with shot.

 

[mikee51848]

First of all, you must realize that nearly every buck you see shot on TV is taken on a private gun club, hunting preserve, or deer farm. Some of them over bait. Shooting big bucks is what advertisers want you to see so that you'll buy their products 'cause the guy who shot the big buck claims he is using it also. And shooting a buck somehow, in their mind, equates you with more man-lyness. :bull: Now what kind of program would it be if they showed some guy, sitting in a tree house, over a food plot, with his .270 (or lately, a scoped in-line), and he shoots a "measly" 70 lb doe? I'd love to see "reality TV" when it comes to hunting shows. Could you just imagine Jackie Bushman sitting in a tree stand on a PA state game lands, on opening day of rifle season? :rotf:

 

[The Baron]

I believe that hunting should be about personal satisfaction, and the rewards can only be measured against the individual hunters motivations. Taking a true "trophy" animal is a wonderful bonus. As long as the hunter seeks such an animal for their own reasons, and not solely to "impress" others, then I think the spirit of hunting is preserved.

It disturbs me to hear of "hunters" who go to deer farms and buy a trophy, based on it's score. In my own personal opinion, those people have lost sight of what hunting should be about. On the other hand, if they are truly satisfied with their action, then it's nobody's business to pass judgement.

 

[redwing]

I like that statement, very good. Real Tropy hunters are OK. They work and plan and scout and go for years without shooting anything.
The problem today is money and hunting. A fellow with $10,000.00 can fly in here in his private jet he is picked up at our little airport. The Outfitter or rancher picks him up while his flight crew gets some Zs. He goes out after a short pony ride shoots a tropy mule deer. The Outfitter handles all the grunt work has the deer mounted and shipped. He hops on his jet and by dark he is in a bar in Houton telling his pals about the rugged hunt in Wyoming. This is fact not fiction.
Whats the Problem ? Its his money! Hold on, when money gets that big the local hunter is locked out. Yes even on public lands, thru a process called land locking. The Outfitters bank roll the Politicos at the states capital. So every new game law favors this type hunting. Did I say Hunting?? my mistake. They even send in people from other states to lobby for what they want. The TV shows about hunting turns me cold.
"Sour Grapes" maybe so, our life is changing in the west and we don't like it. I understand "Ole Robin Hood" much better these days. He had to hid in the woods to kill the Kings Deer. :hmm:

 

[Greenmtnboy]

I'm bringing my Trophy (see speaking of neck shots) to CoyoteJoe's for thanksgiving.
She is bringing her trophy ass end of a dead deer marinated in seceret sause.
And we is gonna party!!
:hatsoff:

 

[BadHeart]

The are all trophies to me also, some have a little better trophy on them than others but I do cherish each and every hunt I go on. even if I come back emptied handed. I am taking my son out this evening for his first deer hunt. he will be using my 50 cal hawkin. I think that this will be my best hunt ever. Wish him luck.

 

[roundball]

why does everyone think you have to shoot a trophy animal? I like watching hunting shows on t.v. and it's all about getting a big animal. even in real life, did ya get a buck? How big is it? aww, just a doe. I shot a doe with a smoothbore flintlock a month ago, and this is a trophy to me. flinch

IMO, the term 'trophy' is a relative term, probably varying over the course of a lifetime as individuals grow through the learning curve and levels of deer hunting success.

I don't know how or why but for sure as I sit here, I was conditioned through life with the notion that a big buck was the prize, the bigger the better...and have to be honest, that I'm more thrilled with a beautiful big racked 10 pointer than I am with a spike...yet in my early years a 4 pointer was a trophy for sure.

A lot of it probably has to do with where we live too...different herd sizes and[url] genetics...in[/url] one place a 1.5 year old basket rack 8 pointer might be a welcome rarity where in other places it might be viewed as a tootpick compared to commonly found 8, 10, 12 pointers.

To me personally the context of actual hunting is the scouting, figuring, planning, stand site selection, working the wind, and putting in the hours to get a good deer in a natural environment for the real challenge of hunting.

By contrast, sitting in a shooting house waiting for a buck to walk out into plain view and stand under an automatic corn feeder waiting for it to turn on at the scheduled time each day it has grown accustomed to, at a known pre-established distance from the shooting house is not hunting...it's just shooting...IMHO of course.

 

[bigbore442001]

Maybe I am wrong, but the whole notion of trophy hunting as promoted by some of these so-called hunting shows will be the downfall of hunting in the US. Hunting is accepted by most of the public, as long as it is percieved that we eat what we kill. When polled about trophy huntinig, the acceptance is much less. We live in a democratic republic where we elect leaders that are supposed to make the important decisions. We also have in many states a referendum process in which the public can pass laws. It would behoove those producers to think of ways to make hunting more acceptable to the non-hunting and VOTING public so that one day we do not find ourselves outlawed.

 

[spitfire]

For true Skwerl Trophy hunting I hire a Native scout :winking: !

Heck why not they only cost peanuts. :grin:

 

[Pork Chop]

they only cost peanuts. :grin:

They have gone nuts here - they are demanding Pecans! :rotf:

 

[tg]

I guess I am fortunate as I rarely hear people talk of looking for the trophy buck in the circles I travel. When one comes along it is a welcome bonus but not what drives the whole concept of the hunt,for thopse who do look for the big rackx only as long as they are withink the law and hunt ethicaly I guess it is just another level of the sport, personaly I have a couple of trophy class Blactails on the wall and I see then every day but I very seldom think about the days they were taken yet there have been half a dozen big boys that just barely slipped by up close for one reason or another and those days always come to mind often and as clearly as though it was yesterday.

 

[rebel727]

I don't trophy hunt. I hunt meat. I'm not fond of the kill but I do it for the meat. I have been known to take a doe when I also had a shot at a nice racked buck but then if that monster buck with the huge rack walks out he's more than likely going to run into a bullet. Don't understand myself sometimes. :youcrazy:

 

[jbg]

Grampa always said you can't eat the antlers, and you can boil them all day and all you'll get is a poor soup.
He forgot more about hunting then I'll ever know, and spilled more whiskey than I'll ever drink.