Trophy or Meat?

[walley]

When your season opens, what will be your priority
hunting objective, a trophy for the wall or meat for
your freezer? I will be looking to add meat to my
freezer first, then concentrate on the trophy later.
Just wandering how many are willing to pass up a
small prize and hold out for a larger reward.:hmm:

 

[Rebel]

Meat. Can't eat horns.

 

[roundball]

Horns with a Flintlock...give all my deer away to needy families

 

[Norskie]

Meat. A buddy of mine scouts and chooses one trophy buck every season. He even gives the deer a name.
One time he asked me what I'd named my deer (young stupid buck). I told him I'd named it 'Tender Vittles! :grin:

 

I go for the first thing thats legal.We got point restrictions here.

 

[biliff]

I've taken a few trophies and have decided they don't eat real well. Everytime I look at the rack on the wall all I can think of was how chewy the *&%^*% thing was.

 

[Black Hand]

I hunt for meat. In the area where I hunt, both bucks and does are legal on my general deer tag. However, most of my opportunities for archery and muzzleloader will be for antlerless deer. If I happen to come upon a buck and still have not filled my general deer tag, I'll take the shot, so much the better as they are larger and mean more meat for the freezer.

 

[shmrck1]

Ka Boom,
Although a trophy would be nice, it's
meat first for me.
snake-eyes :hatsoff:

 

[shortjack]

I hunt for the meat, if a large one comes by than it's just a bonus.I give half the meat to the food pantry, been doing that since 1999.

 

[liam_g]

This year will be my first ever elk hunt, and I'd just like a good shot at a legal buck (3 point minimum here). It'd be great to get a big one, simply because I may be moving away from the area next spring, and may never get to hunt elk again. However, my main goal is just to kill a legal buck, enjoy and savor the experience and the eating afterwards!

Regards,
Liam

 

[Hiparoo]

I always go for meat....and by the way-it's a BULL elk not a buck...

 

[greenneck]

Meat. Don't know how to cook horns.

 

[rabjr]

Kinda both, can shoot a Doe anytime. I prefer to buck hunt for the challenge.

 

[liam_g]

and by the way-it's a BULL elk not a buck...

Oops! Sorry about that ... yes, a bull elk. Thanks for the terminology correction.



Liam

 

Meat. Don't know how to cook horns.

Ya gotta boil them for 24 hours then grind em up :grin:

 

[bigbore442001]

I will shoot a trophy but I generally take the first legal animal that comes by. I am not a true trophy hunter. I am more of a meathunter.

 

[jethro224]

I always buy more tags than I use. Cause I'm really there for the hunt more than the trophy or the meat.

I get at least one either sex tag and one antlerless only tag. Usually I try for a second either sex tag. Sometimes 2 and another antlerless only. Those are for general firearm season.(we can use a muzzleloader)
Then I buy a muzzleloader-only either sex and antlerless only.
Oh yeah, don't forget the set of archery tags.

Here in Illinois, we are only allowed 2 antlered deer per year, any weapon, regardless of tags purchased.
So I'm after the first good doe I can take. There's my meat. Then I hunt for bucks instead of just deer.

I won't shoot a small buck. They'll never grow big if you shoot em small. I might shoot a medium buck depending on what I'm hunting with.
My personal rule is to not shoot a buck that is smaller than my best with that type of weapon.

If I do shoot a buck in a given year, I won't shoot another unless it's a real monster.
I will shoot several does if given the chance.

Since I started this rule for bucks, it seems like I see a lot more bucks.
And I'm practically guaranteed to still be hunting on the last legal day. :grin:
I'd hate to tag out right off the bat and miss all that time in the woods.

 

[Slamfire]

I learned two things on my first trip to the Yukon for 'bou. 1. Good racks cost a lot to bring back, and not every bar want to hang a stuffed head. (There not bein' enough room in my apartment) 2. You don't need high velocity whiz bang eargesplitten louden boomers to kill 'em. :nono:

 

[mashaffer]

This year will be my first hunt. I am after fleisch. If I get a hat rack too thats OK.

mike

 

[Vaino]

This year I'll have 2 doe and 1 buck licenses and the young bucks taste nearly as good as the does. My son and grandson each have 3 licenses and hopefully we'll fill the freezers w/ venison and a whole lot of ethnic style sausages. Meat hunters?.....naw!....Fred